Discussion
I do a fair bit of hiring (although mainly firing in this market), but more technical based and high end support and infrastructure roles. In the past I have hired plenty of people who have come from uni to helpdesk and worked their way through to heavy tech or stressful trade floor support roles and the like.
If you really want to break in to industry badly, here is what to try.
1. Get a couple of MCP's under your belt. I personally don't worry too much about these when hiring, but with no experience it'll be a definite plus and show a level of knowledge. Manufacturer specific hardware accreditations are often a bit steep to get cost wise, but jump on those if you get hired and your employer offers to put you on the courses.
2. Apply directly to some of the big outsourcing companies, offering to do anti social hours, moves and changes and installs. They'll pay peanuts, but it'll get you experience and exposure to different business types if they place you at their client sites. Unisys, Computacenter are the biggies, but there are plenty of mid size firms that favour a trustworthy person with a good work ethic over experience/skill.
3. If 2. fails - exploit any contacts you have in businesses and offer to work for free a few days a week in their IT dept. I've hired 2 excellent people over the years this way and had a few more try out. The advantage to an employer is if you are crap they've lost nothing and can boot you out. If you are good, keen, quick learning with a good work ethic and can deal well with users, then sometimes they'll have a contractor they can shuffle out to make space for you in a paid role, or failing that, you'll be top of their list if they lose someone or get headcount to expand. It's a try before you buy thing for them.
Of course don't let them take the piss - if you think they like you but are taking the mick, just apologise profusely at some point and say you have another paid temporary role that's come up, but should they wish to recruit you, you'd definitely be keen.
In this time of CRB checks etc, a lot of the low end tech jobs are far more about proving yourself extremely flexible and trustworthy, rather than a tech legend.
Good luck.
If you really want to break in to industry badly, here is what to try.
1. Get a couple of MCP's under your belt. I personally don't worry too much about these when hiring, but with no experience it'll be a definite plus and show a level of knowledge. Manufacturer specific hardware accreditations are often a bit steep to get cost wise, but jump on those if you get hired and your employer offers to put you on the courses.
2. Apply directly to some of the big outsourcing companies, offering to do anti social hours, moves and changes and installs. They'll pay peanuts, but it'll get you experience and exposure to different business types if they place you at their client sites. Unisys, Computacenter are the biggies, but there are plenty of mid size firms that favour a trustworthy person with a good work ethic over experience/skill.
3. If 2. fails - exploit any contacts you have in businesses and offer to work for free a few days a week in their IT dept. I've hired 2 excellent people over the years this way and had a few more try out. The advantage to an employer is if you are crap they've lost nothing and can boot you out. If you are good, keen, quick learning with a good work ethic and can deal well with users, then sometimes they'll have a contractor they can shuffle out to make space for you in a paid role, or failing that, you'll be top of their list if they lose someone or get headcount to expand. It's a try before you buy thing for them.
Of course don't let them take the piss - if you think they like you but are taking the mick, just apologise profusely at some point and say you have another paid temporary role that's come up, but should they wish to recruit you, you'd definitely be keen.
In this time of CRB checks etc, a lot of the low end tech jobs are far more about proving yourself extremely flexible and trustworthy, rather than a tech legend.
Good luck.
3doorPete said:
2. Apply directly to some of the big outsourcing companies, offering to do anti social hours, moves and changes and installs. They'll pay peanuts, but it'll get you experience and exposure to different business types if they place you at their client sites. Unisys, Computacenter are the biggies, but there are plenty of mid size firms that favour a trustworthy person with a good work ethic over experience/skill.
Could also be am opportunity to land a good job once a customer decides to source back in or switch providers. Not sure if UK contracts typically permit that? At any rate, as Pete says, the job might be bad but you will learn a lot in a short time -- especially if you do roll outs and migrations. And I think there's alot of that coming up, companies will eg have to get out of XP and Server 2003 during the next two years.MH said:
SeanyD said:
I do a lot of IT recruitment, if I'm looking for 1st line support people, as well as formal qualifications, the things I look for are
1) A genuine interest in computers as a hobby
2) An active networker with the usual fb/twitter/flickr/linkedin/IM
3) Interests in consoles / online gaming / latest releases
4) Helping with friends/family/local businesses, ie hardware problems, setting up websites etc etc.
All of these are just as infomative as a degree, so maybe cover these on your cv.
The time-off for travel thing wouldn't bother me in the slightest, as long as its explained in there, and not omittted to leave a suspicious gap.
Hope this helps.
1) A genuine interest in computers as a hobby
2) An active networker with the usual fb/twitter/flickr/linkedin/IM
3) Interests in consoles / online gaming / latest releases
4) Helping with friends/family/local businesses, ie hardware problems, setting up websites etc etc.
All of these are just as infomative as a degree, so maybe cover these on your cv.
The time-off for travel thing wouldn't bother me in the slightest, as long as its explained in there, and not omittted to leave a suspicious gap.
Hope this helps.
So that's why most 1st line support don't know their arse from their elbow!
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