Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Career advice please

Jan 5, 2015 9:54PM PST

I have an associates degree in network administration and about a year and a half experience doing desktop support/help desk type jobs. Currently I am a level 2 service desk tech at a very easy job with an extremely high amount of downtime.


My question is - What should I be doing to advance and educate myself to get out of help desk type jobs and onto the higher paying/more involved(system admin/network admin/engineer etc) aspects of IT?

A little background: I live in a medium sized town, ~100k people, so the IT job market isn't the best, but there it's there. Should I be studying for certs? Go back to school for a bachelors? Learn other technical aspects such as coding/programming/web development?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
Career Advice
Jan 7, 2015 6:33PM PST

I finished my study from Bangladesh. My background is business. I also take some short courses on computer.

I think man should finished his/her study. Then enter in professional area.

- Collapse -
So if you do that
Aug 28, 2015 10:00AM PDT

you interview them while they interview you.

- Collapse -
Answer
Well I work in IT and I'm
Jan 7, 2015 10:21PM PST

in Software Application area. I started as a programmer and now I'm an administrator of third party enterprise applications. There are multiple area's of IT. Desktop Support/Help desk, Servers, Networking and security. In the past 10 years the Business analyst has popped up. The Business Analyst is like consultant for say accounting and their goal helping accounting to use current technology. In my organization basically the desktop/help desk support the career path usually points them to Windows Servers or security. Developers and Network people tedn to be hired from the outside. In the last 10 year we've added a a second level desktop support that we label as a Computer engineer. That position tests new software to with our networks. They work with compatibility of apps with things such flash and adobe. They also are in charge of doing SMS group installs from external sites. They are also involved with testing apps and compatibilites with new OS. Sometime we have a group that gets Apples and they have to make sure our email and other enterprise software will work and that they will in affect work on our network.

- Collapse -
Answer
Also another thing if you wish to
Jan 7, 2015 10:22PM PST

get into software Headhunters have told me they can't find enough .Net programmers.

- Collapse -
Answer
A Few Thoughts...
Jan 9, 2015 11:09PM PST

It certainly would be worth trying to contact some of the recruiters serving your area to see what kind of opportunities exist in your area and then you can set about picking up the skills required for them. But do remember, the recruiters work for the hiring firms, not the candidates.

As far as Certifications versus Experience are concerned, generally, where I've worked, experience ranked higher but that may be different in your location. Play to whatever your market needs.

You need to decide where your interests in IT really lie. It is possible to make a good career in help desk work, but in my opinion, it isn't easy and you will always be in a service function, unless you actually work for a help desk provider. In a service function, i.e. not one associated with a company's product line, sooner or later, you will hit a "glass ceiling". This was the case for me - I worked in the IT department of an engineering company but eventually reached the point, where to progress in my career, I would have had to move into the engineering organization. I was more interested in the computers, so I joined a computer manufacturer instead!

If you want to stay with a user organization and IT, then think about moving to programming or business analysis. In a microsoft based organization, as has already been suggested, .NET is in current demand but does restrict you to the Windows environment. More generally, you would find C++ or Java of more general application.

If you believe in the "internet of Things", you might want to look at embedded systems (since a fridge is a pretty dumb unit!).

Or there are computer or software manufacturers. Some do recruit interns and train them with a viewto a permanent position later, though this will generally apply more to software than hardware, where an electronics qualification may be needed.

Good luck whatever route you decide to take!

- Collapse -
Answer
Keep studying
Apr 9, 2015 3:50AM PDT

Though it is not easy as it sounds, I feel like everyone needs at least a bachelors degree. Unless you have a connection to a really great job, its not going to be easy to find a high paying job. Nowadays, you are able to get a good career depending on your level of education and connections through your family or mutual friends.

- Collapse -
Answer
Well I work in IT but in software side of it
Aug 28, 2015 9:59AM PDT

but I see what's going on in my company. Our Help Desk is the lowest level. So typically the help desk people move to desktop support then the desktop people move to security and/or Networking. That being said it's easier to move from help desk to Networking or security in the same company rather then a new company. Our company help desk and Desktop support are hourly and the rest of IT is salary.

So summarizing: it's easier to get promoted to a better job within the same company then to apply outside to a higher job. So is suggest if your not happy look for a place to go as a lateral position but a better upward career path.