I wasn't sure whether to put this in the job thread or not so I'm making a new thread. For folks that work in IT, how did you start off? I graduated and have been trying to find a job, but the only offers I've gotten have been for call centers. I don't really have any IT related experience except doing a couple websites for a church. Is my only option to start off at a call center?
I started at off working in a call center. I worked for Everyones Internet dial up tech support and Verizon Wireless data support - both were call center. Now I work what I consider real IT - server management, onsite support, user administration, etc.... If you are getting call center job offers thats your best bet right now because you dont have any IT experience. Making websites is not really IT experience. Even call center jobs might not prepare you for being a system engineer, server admin, network admin, etc...but its a good start.
I got my start working at a computer lab while I was in college. Then I got a sys admin job on campus, and it grew from there. Since you're out of college, a call center might be a decent start. It'll give you good exposure to horrors of tech support until you get fed up and find a new career. I got out of IT because, with the cost of computers quickly fading, most IT jobs will go the way of VCR technician jobs. Computers are becoming toasters. Even the high end is getting cheap. You can get a multi-terabyte enterprise-ready SAN for under 100K nowadays. With hardware that cheap, budgets will shrink and management is going to have a hard time justifying paying a bunch of geeks 80K a year to keep it running.
I doubt that it would happen as you say unless computers will learn how to fix themselves and answer users questions. Its not just about how cheap the computers are now. Your average users still wont be able to set them up, use them, and most of all troubleshoot them.
Web-design in the web 2.0 (and beyond) era is getting really sophisticated and flashy these days - Object oriented programming, Ajax, ActionScript, After Effects, who knows what else...You gotta cut your teeth on some of that stuff to get a foot in the door being a professional website developer. I know it sucks, but until you know some of that you'll be limited to small freelance jobs... I'm in my 20s, but I'm getting out of IT. I never had a CS degree - I just stumbled into this field right out of college - Basically I landed a non-technical job at an IT company and gradually learned things on the job..
Yeah I've done the computer lab thing too. I'm almost embarrased to mention that on my resume because I literally did nothing. The most difficult question I got was "why when I click on something does the window keep disappearing?" when they had their purse or book lying on the ESC button. I've been thinking about finding another career because I'm not sure I have the patience for a call center and not too thrilled about sitting on a phone 8 hours a day.
I don't want to be rude, but please ignore bejezuz. Just because a product gets cheaper doesn't mean companies don't need people to support it. It just means it's cheaper to buy and replace, but means nothing in terms of keeping something running. I guarantee you the SANS will keep on getting cheaper as disk drives get cheaper and larger, but I also guarantee you that the data on those drives will remain just as important. With that being said, if you have a desire to get into IT and you currently have no experience then the call center will be your best bet. You'll have to put up with it for about a year and then can probably move into desktop support and eventually network/system administration and whatever else interests you after that. After that you can start specializing in the hot fields. Currently that would be IP Telephony, security, and storage. This is on the network side. Of course there is also web development and programming, etc, but since you mentioned call centers I focused on the networking jobs.
Yeah, I'd like to do networking jobs specifically. Thanks for the help. I guess I'll just tough it out and see where this goes.
Hey, I gave the kid advice, but it cost him a cynical warning. I never said that there will be no jobs in support. I just said things are changing, meaning IT is not to be the career it once was. The future is in services; the cheaper and faster bandwidth and storage get, the more chances your boss outsources not just you, but your entire server room. There will always be a need for good admins, just like good mainframe people will never be unemployed. But the goldrush is long over. That said, good luck!
bejezuz - don't forget that only in IT can you also get in-sourced out of your job by H1-B visa workers who depress wages and make the office environment suck...at least that's what it's like in nyc right now...
The key is getting the type of job that is hard to outsource. A call center job should only be the beginning for you. Obviously that's one of the easiest things to outsource. I'm a consultant now and the stuff I do there's no way they outsource this. Easier said than done of course. But I've only been working 11 years. Started out as an intern doing help desk. Then network admin. Then network engineer. Then architect. Then consultant. What I can advise is to keep on moving - whether that is inside your current company or to another job. Most fields it's a no-no to change jobs so often but that's not looked upon the same in IT. In IT, that's how you get most of your experience and also most of your raises. I've had at least 2 jobs where I've doubled my pay by moving. You never get that staying.
Sorry to bump this thread, but for those that worked in call centers, how long did you do it before you were able to move up to something better?
You were one of the ones that were migrating over to verizon (July/August 05) when I was starting up at EV1 right? Dave was telling me you were going off on Comcast the other day.
I think that depends on what you learn in your time at the call center. If the company offers training then take it. Otherwise you'll have to buy books and learn stuff on your own to augment what you learn on the phone. Oddly enough, I got two job offers today when I wasn't really looking. Just started working where I am right 7 months ago. I usually try to stay at least a year. I'm really comforatble where I am but the money is so good I'm leaning towards going. Just goes to show you that you have to go through change to grow.
Started typing emails for my boss at work, learned Windows 95... then got a job as a Lab Assistant at the now current place... what you UT dudes call "Proctors". Now I am a UNIX/Linux Admin, Web Developer, Web Designer. You just gotta stay in touch with the newer stuff. I am losing my Web Design touch since I don't do it as much. I miss it, actually...
Send out resumes everywhere and take any IT job you can find to start - however, I wouldn't take a Call Center or Help Desk job if you want to get into coding. If you can't find anything local, think about moving. Once you pay your dues, that should open the door up to move back to the location of your choice over time. Don't be afraid of low pay - my first job paid $15,500. and now I'm closing in on 6 figures and I live in a location I want (though the wife wants to move to FL but it's hard to find a 6 figure job that isn't located in a major city - I don't like traffic).
