I want become an IT engineer :)

[AMGDan27]

Hi guys,

i am 23, work a Data entry clerk at a big Technology company and i have been wanting an IT Engineer job for a while now, i applied for an internal role with our side company, they provided me with the details and then practically offered me the job before i could say a word, i told them i would think about it knowing full well i was going to decline the offer. Here's why:

I have a 2 year old son, a mortgage, a wife and bills that i am responsible for.
The contract they were going to have me signed was an annualised hours contract for 2080 hours (40 hrs a week) and the base salary was £14,260... they told me that this would rise to around 18k-19k with bonuses but it wasn't guaranteed that i would have a bonus every month. Also, i couldn't pick and choose when i put the hours in. I was told that sometimes i had to work 70 hours a week including weekends and then i would not be working the next week at all, the bonus is a paper based system, so if i do a job, i write up what i did and it works it out with that (didn't quite understand) so if i wasn't working for a week, that's a week without bonuses. The pay drop was too much as i struggle to get by now so the 3k drop in base salary was too much to lose.

My ideal job is to be a field service engineer, driving around in a van with my tools, getting calls to go fix stuff. I know its not a glamorous job i have an interest in computers and fixing stuff, seems to tick everything

I need help with getting a job, even an interview. Any hints, tips from employers, advice from engineers, anything

Also, my CV sucks i will post in this thread if anyone will be able to help me with that

[geeks]

Have you picked a skillset? Networks or Apps support for example?

[Type R Tom]

AMGDan27 said:

Hi guys,

i am 23, work a Data entry clerk at a big Technology company and i have been wanting an IT Engineer job for a while now, i applied for an internal role with our side company, they provided me with the details and then practically offered me the job before i could say a word, i told them i would think about it knowing full well i was going to decline the offer. Here's why:

I have a 2 year old son, a mortgage, a wife and bills that i am responsible for.
The contract they were going to have me signed was an annualised hours contract for 2080 hours (40 hrs a week) and the base salary was £14,260... they told me that this would rise to around 18k-19k with bonuses but it wasn't guaranteed that i would have a bonus every month. Also, i couldn't pick and choose when i put the hours in. I was told that sometimes i had to work 70 hours a week including weekends and then i would not be working the next week at all, the bonus is a paper based system, so if i do a job, i write up what i did and it works it out with that (didn't quite understand) so if i wasn't working for a week, that's a week without bonuses. The pay drop was too much as i struggle to get by now so the 3k drop in base salary was too much to lose.

My ideal job is to be a field service engineer, driving around in a van with my tools, getting calls to go fix stuff. I know its not a glamorous job i have an interest in computers and fixing stuff, seems to tick everything

I need help with getting a job, even an interview. Any hints, tips from employers, advice from engineers, anything

Also, my CV sucks i will post in this thread if anyone will be able to help me with that

IT Engineer on a few pennies over the minimum wage? Or is it playing fast and loose with the word Engineer? Don't mean anything by it OP just seems to me they are taking the pee a bit!

[AMGDan27]

geeks said:

Have you picked a skillset? Networks or Apps support for example?

i want aware i had to pick a certain skillset :/ i havent looked into any specific ones

[AMGDan27]

Type R Tom said:

IT Engineer on a few pennies over the minimum wage? Or is it playing fast and loose with the word Engineer? Don't mean anything by it OP just seems to me they are taking the pee a bit!

Thats what i thought, the job title was an Entry Level IT Engineer, they would provide me with a van (but could take it away if someone else needed it) and i would be working nights for the first 6 months doing project work at supermarkets

[C0ffin D0dger]

Hardly worth spend 3-4 years doing an engineering degree for that sort of dough is it? I assume the OP is talking about engineers with the proper qualifications though

Personally as an engineer who can put letters after his name (B.Eng MIET) I earn nearly five times that and I still feel undervalued

[supertouring]

C0ffin D0dger said:

Hardly worth spend 3-4 years doing an engineering degree for that sort of dough is it? I assume the OP is talking about engineers with the proper qualifications though

Personally as an engineer who can put letters after his name (B.Eng MIET) I earn nearly five times that and I still feel undervalued

Cool story bro

[AMGDan27]

C0ffin D0dger said:

Hardly worth spend 3-4 years doing an engineering degree for that sort of dough is it? I assume the OP is talking about engineers with the proper qualifications though

Personally as an engineer who can put letters after his name (B.Eng MIET) I earn nearly five times that and I still feel undervalued

:O hopefully one day...

I think it was just a simple job fixing printers, tills etc.

It would of just been a gateway job, i would be a sponge and learn EVERYTHING i can for a year or two and then apply for higher paid IT jobs but the details of the job they gave me were too st

[Dromedary66]

AMGDan27 said:

:O hopefully one day...

I think it was just a simple job fixing printers, tills etc.

It would of just been a gateway job, i would be a sponge and learn EVERYTHING i can for a year or two and then apply for higher paid IT jobs but the details of the job they gave me were too st

Check the various job websites for "first line support", "field engineer" and various permutations of those in your local area and see what comes up. Look at the requirements and see if you think you have the knowhow to do that. A lot will require experience which will be a catch-22 in your case, but not all and I have found if you can demonstrate an eagerness to learn and an interest in the industry you can catch a break after enough searching.

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk
http://www.jobsite.co.uk
http://www.jobserve.com
http://www.technojobs.co.uk
http://www.monster.co.uk
http://www.totaljobs.com

[AMGDan27]

Dromedary66 said:

Check the various job websites for "first line support", "field engineer" and various permutations of those in your local area and see what comes up. Look at the requirements and see if you think you have the know how to do that. A lot will require experience which will be a catch-22 in your case, but not all and I have found if you can demonstrate an eagerness to learn and an interest in the industry you can catch a break after enough searching.

http://www.cwjobs.co.uk
http://www.jobsite.co.uk
http://www.jobserve.com
http://www.technojobs.co.uk
http://www.monster.co.uk
http://www.totaljobs.com

I have applied for 10+ field service engineer roles but i have no experince i would take a job that is 18k guaranteed right now just to get out of my current job, a few of the people i work with are great but 75% are old women who are bhy and my boss is my cousin and she is a terrible boss

[CubanPete]

Look for a decent sized company that does apprenticeships.

You should be able to earn pretty close to that, and work your way through HNC, HND and degree, salary will increase rapidly as you tick off the qualifications.

[Vin]

i switched from social work to it a long while ago. i have worked for 15 years since and am looking again after a bit of holiday from contracting.
if you have an idea of what type of skills you like so you say field based. then aim for that. experience can be gained on the type of equipment that you repair. if you can show the way that you work, help others, ask questions to find out what is wrong from the user all helps.
i can help with your cv if you im me. i would say that if you are getting interiews your cv has good content. if you are getting jobs then your interview skills are good.
find your ideal job advertised. look for the skills needed and learn them is another tip to follow.
Vinny

[AMGDan27]

CubanPete said:

Look for a decent sized company that does apprenticeships.

You should be able to earn pretty close to that, and work your way through HNC, HND and degree, salary will increase rapidly as you tick off the qualifications.

hmm, im not even sure where to start looking for companys like that :S

[AMGDan27]

Vin said:

i switched from social work to it a long while ago. i have worked for 15 years since and am looking again after a bit of holiday from contracting.
if you have an idea of what type of skills you like so you say field based. then aim for that. experience can be gained on the type of equipment that you repair. if you can show the way that you work, help others, ask questions to find out what is wrong from the user all helps.
i can help with your cv if you im me. i would say that if you are getting interiews your cv has good content. if you are getting jobs then your interview skills are good.
find your ideal job advertised. look for the skills needed and learn them is another tip to follow.
Vinny

Thanks Vin, i would like a field based role yes, also i feel like my CV is weak, this was an internal application and they were desperate for staff. i havent ahd an interview since and i have applied for quite a hefty amount of jobs

[Bullett]

AMGDan27 said:

hmm, im not even sure where to start looking for companys like that :S

A lot of IT and especially support work is problem solving. Your first problem is finding a job.
You have been given some starting search terms in the posts above.

[geeks]

AMGDan27 said:

I think it was just a simple job fixing printers, tills etc.

If that is what you are after widen your search terms to EPOS. Look for things like Hot Stage Technician, this will get you in the door as a start to learn the kit, which would usually end with installing or repairing it in the feild.

Shame you are so far out, I know of three or four EPOS companies locally that I could help get you interview at..