IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[lox123]

Sup IT brehs

I'm just a youngin starting out in the field (graduating this spring majoring in IS) in need of some career advice..

Currently I work at my school as a computer lab coordinator for the department. I do basic shyt like format hard drives, simple virus removal, swap hard drives, troubleshoot and shyt like that. However, the pay is crap I'm only here for the experience.


Now the question I have is would taking the job below be a smart career move if I'm trying to get into networking later and will this position supplement the call center phase from an experience stand-point?

Computer Technician

Installs department computer hardware and software programs. Performs preventive maintenance tasks, troubleshoots, repairs computer systems and peripheral equipment. Assists in some networking functions; provides support in day-to-day operations of local area networks. Provides data entry support and database management for the department. Works with other departments to solve networking and application issues that affect the users. This position will commit to fostering an environment of heightened security following Information Technology Security Policies and participating in security training, such as Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), on an annual basis.

(Hourly Salary Range: $14.54 - $18.61 - $22.68)

I plan on making the high end of this spectrum since I completely shatter all the requirements their asking for.

 

[the bossman]

you got some basic experience already. if you want to go networking route, study for your ccna and then see if you can find a job at a NOC as like a tier 1

 

[acri1]

Sup IT brehs

I'm just a youngin starting out in the field (graduating this spring majoring in IS) in need of some career advice..

Currently I work at my school as a computer lab coordinator for the department. I do basic shyt like format hard drives, simple virus removal, swap hard drives, troubleshoot and shyt like that. However, the pay is crap I'm only here for the experience.


Now the question I have is would taking the job below be a smart career move if I'm trying to get into networking later and will this position supplement the call center phase from an experience stand-point?

Computer Technician

Installs department computer hardware and software programs. Performs preventive maintenance tasks, troubleshoots, repairs computer systems and peripheral equipment. Assists in some networking functions; provides support in day-to-day operations of local area networks. Provides data entry support and database management for the department. Works with other departments to solve networking and application issues that affect the users. This position will commit to fostering an environment of heightened security following Information Technology Security Policies and participating in security training, such as Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), on an annual basis.

(Hourly Salary Range: $14.54 - $18.61 - $22.68)

I plan on making the high end of this spectrum since I completely shatter all the requirements their asking for.

Job seems decent, and with the way the job market is now you kind of have to take what you can get. I'd say apply for that job and take it if you get it, then try to move up in the company. You can still apply for other jobs - you don't want to be in a position where you can't pay bills and you're wishing you took the other job.

 

[BamdaDon]

Spoiler

A+ Certified as of today brehs

Shout out to this thread/op and all the people who showed loved and helped me make that jump.

-BDizzle for flexin and stunting on nikkaz.

-Shout out to all the nikkaz on thecoli hating on the cert gang.

-Shout out to the nerds in this field who are going to teach me everything, just because Im cool and their basically

On my way brehs, help desk lined up with a hospital , network or security here I come

edit: shout out to the Chinese hackers trying to steal shyt....got a potential job lined up off that alone with a connect once I get this security

 

[Data-Hawk]

Its my own fault. Trying to do too much too soon. I vow to have this down pat in a few weeks :ppvbro:

Yeah, I've been down this road myself and until I became a full-time programmer, I was doing way too much.

I was trying to improve my skills in the following areas all at once:

-Linux
-Linux OS development
-Windows development
-SQL Server
-Exchange
-.NET Programming/Game Programming & Scripting
-Networking security etc.
-Cisco switches & Routers.

Yes, I was literally switching between books all the time, because I wanted to know all of these areas. Then I was like there's just no way you can master all of these subjects, sure I could hold a conversation in just about any of these topics( outside of Cisco stuff ) but I felt I could never be at the top switching back and forth. Decided to just focus on programming/game programming. Forget everything else.

 

[Data-Hawk]

Of Course

Damn breh you got to know that off the top of your head. I would google all popular port numbers under 1024 and make a poster out of it.

Also buy a couple of the MS books, they come with 6 month trial editions. Set up a virtual lab etc.

 

[Silkk]

Damn breh you got to know that off the top of your head. I would google all popular port numbers under 1024 and make a poster out of it.

Also buy a couple of the MS books, they come with 6 month trial editions. Set up a virtual lab etc.

Great Idea

 

[↓R↑LYB]

Sup IT brehs

I'm just a youngin starting out in the field (graduating this spring majoring in IS) in need of some career advice..

Currently I work at my school as a computer lab coordinator for the department. I do basic shyt like format hard drives, simple virus removal, swap hard drives, troubleshoot and shyt like that. However, the pay is crap I'm only here for the experience.


Now the question I have is would taking the job below be a smart career move if I'm trying to get into networking later and will this position supplement the call center phase from an experience stand-point?

Computer Technician

Installs department computer hardware and software programs. Performs preventive maintenance tasks, troubleshoots, repairs computer systems and peripheral equipment. Assists in some networking functions; provides support in day-to-day operations of local area networks. Provides data entry support and database management for the department. Works with other departments to solve networking and application issues that affect the users. This position will commit to fostering an environment of heightened security following Information Technology Security Policies and participating in security training, such as Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), on an annual basis.

(Hourly Salary Range: $14.54 - $18.61 - $22.68)

I plan on making the high end of this spectrum since I completely shatter all the requirements their asking for.

When you say networking do you mean servers or routers and switches. If servers grab a linux/microsoft server cert. if routers/switches get a cisco cert.

At the end of the day though it's a help desk job. That job isn't gonna make it easier to move away from help desk. If it pays more, go for it. If you want a networking job, tailor your resume to focus very heavy on your networking experience.

I have about 4 resumes I use. One is very Active Directory focuses, on is Cisco router/switch focused, one is Security focused, and the last one is my real resume that shows my skills in everything.

 

[↓R↑LYB]

Spoiler

A+ Certified as of today brehs

Shout out to this thread/op and all the people who showed loved and helped me make that jump.

-BDizzle for flexin and stunting on nikkaz.

-Shout out to all the nikkaz on thecoli hating on the cert gang.

-Shout out to the nerds in this field who are going to teach me everything, just because Im cool and their basically

On my way brehs, help desk lined up with a hospital , network or security here I come

edit: shout out to the Chinese hackers trying to steal shyt....got a potential job lined up off that alone with a connect once I get this security

My child I watched you grow up to be famous
And now I smile like a proud dad watching his only son that made it

 

[↓R↑LYB]

Yeah, I've been down this road myself and until I became a full-time programmer, I was doing way too much.

I was trying to improve my skills in the following areas all at once:

-Linux
-Linux OS development
-Windows development
-SQL Server
-Exchange
-.NET Programming/Game Programming & Scripting
-Networking security etc.
-Cisco switches & Routers.

Yes, I was literally switching between books all the time, because I wanted to know all of these areas. Then I was like there's just no way you can master all of these subjects, sure I could hold a conversation in just about any of these topics( outside of Cisco stuff ) but I felt I could never be at the top switching back and forth. Decided to just focus on programming/game programming. Forget everything else.

I did the same thing breh

On the real I think every nikka in IT started out this way. After a while you just gotta be like fukk it, I'm just gonna get in where I fit in.

 

[↓R↑LYB]

Damn breh you got to know that off the top of your head. I would google all popular port numbers under 1024 and make a poster out of it.

Also buy a couple of the MS books, they come with 6 month trial editions. Set up a virtual lab etc.

Buying books
6 month trial

fukk all that b, torrent the shyt for free

 

[FastEddie215]

for the brehs who have help desk experience, can any of you give some examples of times when you had to troubleshoot a problem for a user? like a step by step process on what the problem was and how you came about solving and fixing it? I heard that interviewers ask those type of scenario questions and since I don't have any experience I want to make sure I know what the hell I am talking about.

 

[JT-Money]

for the brehs who have help desk experience, can any of you give some examples of times when you had to troubleshoot a problem for a user? like a step by step process on what the problem was and how you came about solving and fixing it? I heard that interviewers ask those type of scenario questions and since I don't have any experience I want to make sure I know what the hell I am talking about.

Any technical problem be it hardware or software can be solved using the process of elimination most times. Or you can just try to find an workaround for an really complex problem instead. I've seen some really smart dudes wasting tons of time banging away on an problem when an workaround could've solved the issue as well. Being able to troubleshoot is something you can only get good at with experience. If I wanted to know more about an certain technology I would break it on purpose then be forced to fix it. You'll learn so much more about an technology when it's broken than just installing it.

 

[Data-Hawk]

for the brehs who have help desk experience, can any of you give some examples of times when you had to troubleshoot a problem for a user? like a step by step process on what the problem was and how you came about solving and fixing it? I heard that interviewers ask those type of scenario questions and since I don't have any experience I want to make sure I know what the hell I am talking about.

I mean usually troubleshooting computer problems is no different than any problem.

General questions I use to ask:

- When's the last time it was working

- Any changes to the environment( expect 99% of them to not know, but it looks good in an interview)

- Did you reboot ( yes I know it looks bad on us, but you want to get that out of the way )

- Anybody else around you having the same problem?

I'm sure theres more I use to ask, but its been a long time since I had to deal with users ( Thank You God!!!! ).

But as I always say, the biggest advice is to learn scripting. For example

Our Adjusters had verizon air cards and for some odd reason the cards would always lose their proxy settings. So while they could get through VPN, they couldn't do shyt on our internal network. We use to receive so many calls on that crap, where we would have to manually restore them. So I just wrote a quick little script( I think it was no more than 20 - 30 lines of code ) to restore the settings on startup, had it pushed out to about 3,000 laptops. Little script cutdown our calls by about 20%.

Received a promoton within 2 weeks. All for less than 30 lines of code. Now that Windows 7 comes with Powershell, you can do alot of stuff without needing to remote to their computer or at least pull up info on the computer alot quicker.

 

[acri1]

for the brehs who have help desk experience, can any of you give some examples of times when you had to troubleshoot a problem for a user? like a step by step process on what the problem was and how you came about solving and fixing it? I heard that interviewers ask those type of scenario questions and since I don't have any experience I want to make sure I know what the hell I am talking about.

Well, I mean, you basically just narrow it down.

One question I was asked by my current employer is how I'd troubleshoot this issue - someone calls in from their home and says they can't connect to the VPN. What questions do you ask? What do you have them check?

So...you tell me. If I called you complaining about not being able to connect to the VPN, what would you have me check first? What might you check on your end?