Getting my foot in the door, IT Help Desk

[Dogs Of War]

Do you have any formal training or self taught? Curious what you've got on your resume that is catching their attention if no formal training.

IT service desk these days is mainly catch and pass. It’s really up to the individual if they want to be more. But that’s really only big companies anyway. Basic checks and gather details.. Old school L2 first line service desk is really confined to smaller places.

I suppose that’s a good point. If you want to learn heaps if you have a choice go to a smaller company where you can move into higher roles easier if you show promise. Big companies it’s harder to move, but you get better support and a lot more leeway in your performance.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Do you have any formal training or self taught? Curious what you've got on your resume that is catching their attention if no formal training.

Customer Service, I believe. The roles I have applied for have emphasized that in their ads. My cover letter is a brief description of what I am studying technically, what I have learned and what some goals are.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

3rd interview went well, they will set up a meeting with their had of IT

 

[Parra]

3rd interview went well, they will set up a meeting with their had of IT

Are you sure you haven't applied to be CEO?

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

I also applied for the Navy. I had 3 roles selected and got them all, but 1st is Cryptologic Networks.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

So interview #3 called and arranged for a second interview with the head of their IT on Tuesday.

Really hoping #2 calls me back too

 

[bileduct]

Bro what in the f**k...

Lots of shit to wade through here but first and foremost, service desks are crying out for staff. Getting a job working on a level 1 help desk for any kind of service provider is a piece of piss since you're not required to be technical, you just need the ability to read a script, find the appropriate standard operating procedure or tap the person sitting next to you on the shoulder and say "yo what the f**k do I do with this." Shit, with your diversity hire status there's multiple Government agencies out there specifically looking for you.

Now, more broadly speaking, why is it exactly that you even want to work in IT? Is it because of the money? Is it something that just comes easy to you? I'm not really getting a sense of what drives you. Are you interested in technology? Do you spent a lot of your spare time doing stuff like scripting, running virtual machines, playing around with hardware, etc.? Most of the good people I know that work in IT are self-taught and learnt a lot of the trade because they'd made a hobby out of it. f**k, I got my first job technical job merely because I was running OS/2 on my home PC.

 

[bileduct]

Ok, after going through the entire thread, here is my advice.

Apply for a Level 1 Service Desk role at a Government agency (directly or indirectly through a service provider). Put an emphasis on your customer facing service delivery skills from your previous jobs. It doesn't matter that you don't have an extensive technical background. Can you operate a computer yourself? Yes? Ok, put that in there along with familiarity with Office suite, ability to send emails, use a web browser, etc. and we're most of the way there.

Get at least a baseline security clearance from AGSVA (you can't do this yourself, your new employer will sponsor you).

The Level 1 Service Desk role is going to give you a bit of insight to how the various technical disciplines (Wintel, Midrange (Unix/Linux), Storage and Backups, Networking, SOE, etc.) operate and you may gravitate toward one of them in a Level 2 technical support role. Then you'll know what you need to study instead of this scattershot approach of trying to learn everything at once.

But the security clearance is the most important thing here, because it's your ticket to employment elsewhere in Government. IT body shops will *always* prioritise people that have security clearances over those that don't, simply because those people are able to work immediately. The AGSVA vetting process can take about 6-9 months end to end. I've got NV2 clearance and it is certified gold.

 

[bileduct]

Also, something else you may not have considered. I'm not exactly sure what "freight side logistics" means, but I'm guessing it involves moving some resources around, making sure shit gets done, filling out expense sheets, etc., but maybe have a look into doing another IT role that requires no technical expertise whatsoever...

Project Management.

Good money too. But they're all dickheads. Like, literally all of them.

 

[bileduct]

And finally, don't say I'm never nice to you.

Now f**k off.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Bro what in the f**k...

Lots of shit to wade through here but first and foremost, service desks are crying out for staff. Getting a job working on a level 1 help desk for any kind of service provider is a piece of piss since you're not required to be technical, you just need the ability to read a script, find the appropriate standard operating procedure or tap the person sitting next to you on the shoulder and say "yo what the f**k do I do with this." Shit, with your diversity hire status there's multiple Government agencies out there specifically looking for you.

Now, more broadly speaking, why is it exactly that you even want to work in IT? Is it because of the money? Is it something that just comes easy to you? I'm not really getting a sense of what drives you. Are you interested in technology? Do you spent a lot of your spare time doing stuff like scripting, running virtual machines, playing around with hardware, etc.? Most of the good people I know that work in IT are self-taught and learnt a lot of the trade because they'd made a hobby out of it. f**k, I got my first job technical job merely because I was running OS/2 on my home PC.

Hey f**kstick, yes I am self taught I can buyild PCs and now virtual machines, I have a server setup on my laptop and I play around with AD and remote it ffrom my desktop. Yes I love tech, it's what I want to do for the rest of my career ad there are so many options and paths to go down.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Ok, after going through the entire thread, here is my advice.

Apply for a Level 1 Service Desk role at a Government agency (directly or indirectly through a service provider). Put an emphasis on your customer facing service delivery skills from your previous jobs. It doesn't matter that you don't have an extensive technical background. Can you operate a computer yourself? Yes? Ok, put that in there along with familiarity with Office suite, ability to send emails, use a web browser, etc. and we're most of the way there.

Get at least a baseline security clearance from AGSVA (you can't do this yourself, your new employer will sponsor you).

The Level 1 Service Desk role is going to give you a bit of insight to how the various technical disciplines (Wintel, Midrange (Unix/Linux), Storage and Backups, Networking, SOE, etc.) operate and you may gravitate toward one of them in a Level 2 technical support role. Then you'll know what you need to study instead of this scattershot approach of trying to learn everything at once.

But the security clearance is the most important thing here, because it's your ticket to employment elsewhere in Government. IT body shops will *always* prioritise people that have security clearances over those that don't, simply because those people are able to work immediately. The AGSVA vetting process can take about 6-9 months end to end. I've got NV2 clearance and it is certified gold.

I have to get the clearance for the Navy (my backup). I do am keeping an eye out on certain companies as well as govt, but I do pref the private sector.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Also, something else you may not have considered. I'm not exactly sure what "freight side logistics" means, but I'm guessing it involves moving some resources around, making sure shit gets done, filling out expense sheets, etc., but maybe have a look into doing another IT role that requires no technical expertise whatsoever...

Project Management.

Good money too. But they're all dickheads. Like, literally all of them.

it's basically looking after shipments from start to finish, by sea and air, quoting, booking, customs clearance, fumigation, unpacks, delivery etc

from loose cargo to full containers to small air shipments or containers and the way the industry is right now, the middleman (the FF) is being cut out by shipping lines (Maersk and MSC) as well as being massively outsourced, it's a dying industry.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

And finally, don't say I'm never nice to you.

Now f**k off.

merkin

 

[Nealo 12]

it's basically looking after shipments from start to finish, by sea and air, quoting, booking, customs clearance, fumigation, unpacks, delivery etc

from loose cargo to full containers to small air shipments or containers and the way the industry is right now, the middleman (the FF) is being cut out by shipping lines (Maersk and MSC) as well as being massively outsourced, it's a dying industry.

That’s all fine but I don’t understand why the whole forum needs to know of all this stuff

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

That’s all fine but I don’t understand why the whole forum needs to know of all this stuff

to upset you

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Not even close , would you like to hear of my journey over the last 40 years

You do realize this is an ask us section right? Where people ask questions and seek help on issues. Why are you here?

 

[bileduct]

Hey f**kstick, yes I am self taught I can buyild PCs and now virtual machines, I have a server setup on my laptop and I play around with AD and remote it ffrom my desktop. Yes I love tech, it's what I want to do for the rest of my career ad there are so many options and paths to go down.

Dude, I'm not interviewing you, there's no reason to talk this shit up to me. I can read the thread, I can see that you've just picked up all this stuff in the last weeks after spending 20 years doing freight side logistics.

Anyway, it sounds like something will probably work out with those Navy jobs.

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Dude, I'm not interviewing you, there's no reason to talk this shit up to me. I can read the thread, I can see that you've just picked up all this stuff in the last weeks after spending 20 years doing freight side logistics.

Anyway, it sounds like something will probably work out with those Navy jobs.

No babe I shut that down

 

[Ruby Roundhouse]

Interview #2 called me back, set up 2nd interview tomorrow arvo <3