Currently working in IT Support
Discussion
I am nearing the end of my placement year for the local council, providing 2nd line support to staff on and off various sites.
quite enjoying it, but was wondering if people could give me advice on where to go from here, how to progress thru the ranks and any life storys regarding careers in IT support would be nice to hear.
Having seen IT support manager jobs pay £50k, seems like a lot of money for a job that isn't much more difficult then my own.
quite enjoying it, but was wondering if people could give me advice on where to go from here, how to progress thru the ranks and any life storys regarding careers in IT support would be nice to hear.
Having seen IT support manager jobs pay £50k, seems like a lot of money for a job that isn't much more difficult then my own.
agree with the above; jobserve.co.uk
by far the best.
however, you need to note that it's a sellers market in the world of IT.
pay has dropped quite a lot in the last 18-24 months.
I'm taking a 40% hit when my current contract ends - both at contract and permie level.
2nd line roles appear to be approx £22k within the yorkshire region.
compare that to £28k+ 2 years ago.
if you're willing, a good route to take "could" be contracting.
this allows you more freedom to move around, with greater exposure to technology and various methods/ processes of using support tools.
plus it could help you choose which area of IT you wish to specialise in.
by far the best.
however, you need to note that it's a sellers market in the world of IT.
pay has dropped quite a lot in the last 18-24 months.
I'm taking a 40% hit when my current contract ends - both at contract and permie level.
2nd line roles appear to be approx £22k within the yorkshire region.
compare that to £28k+ 2 years ago.
if you're willing, a good route to take "could" be contracting.
this allows you more freedom to move around, with greater exposure to technology and various methods/ processes of using support tools.
plus it could help you choose which area of IT you wish to specialise in.
Actually I should add something a little more constructive than just a link to jobserve -
At this stage you probably don't know which direction you want to go into, be it project management, support, development, testing etc etc, however it is worth taking any opportunity that is offered to you to get some industry qualifications. (ITIL, Prince, PMI, MCSE, CCNA and so on)
You say that the Support Managers don't seem to do much more than you, this is probably because you only see the side of their job that you interface with, they will have many other roles that you are not privy to or are not yet aware of, as well as a greater responsibility.
As a final tip, if you are looking to progress don't look just at the $$$ but also at the caliber of the company and position, think about how it will look on your CV when you are going for subsequent roles.
At this stage you probably don't know which direction you want to go into, be it project management, support, development, testing etc etc, however it is worth taking any opportunity that is offered to you to get some industry qualifications. (ITIL, Prince, PMI, MCSE, CCNA and so on)
You say that the Support Managers don't seem to do much more than you, this is probably because you only see the side of their job that you interface with, they will have many other roles that you are not privy to or are not yet aware of, as well as a greater responsibility.
As a final tip, if you are looking to progress don't look just at the $$$ but also at the caliber of the company and position, think about how it will look on your CV when you are going for subsequent roles.
I more or less agree with John on this one!
The only thing I would question is the company who you work for.
I've worked for the family business to the global business, and have never noticed a difference when being selected or interviewd for a particular role.
Their only interst was to demonstrate my day-to-day activities.
Initially I was chasing the blue chip companies, but the strict policies and procedures in place can become very, and I mean very frustrating.
Getting ITIL certified is a major bonus too! This is a must, imo.
Even if you go for the foundation qualification; it shows you appreciate and can adhere to the highest and most credited work-flow for any company.
As previously stated; a couple of years contracting for various companies undertaking different roles can assist in choosing your speciality. However, it can be quite risky - no job security/ sick pay and.... no holiday pay
you get paid for what you work/ not what you're employed to do.
Saying that though, contracting was the best move I ever made!
Within two years I went from a £13k first line role to £28k 2nd line, with a very impressive skill-set, commerical work experience and contacts.
At this stage; once you have the recognised qualifications, you need to aim for the commerical work experience and ensure to put the training into practice.
It could always be worth while speaking to a few agencies regarding the market; what's out there, what are employers looking for. What speciality is flooded, and where do they lack reources. A few agencies which I continue to use are Modis, Hays and Preferred IT. No harm in a quick 5-minute phone call
thank you for the replies.
i have been looking at normal and graduate IT support jobs, and have noticed that they are paying twice as much as I am earning despite being the same jobs. Us students are basically cheap labour,but at least my foot is through the door.
An yes, I dont know which path I want to go down, but I was thinking of management...seems to be more money in dishing out the orders, than following them.
I am not ITIL certified, but I will look into it. Are there any other certificates worth while?
i have been looking at normal and graduate IT support jobs, and have noticed that they are paying twice as much as I am earning despite being the same jobs. Us students are basically cheap labour,but at least my foot is through the door.
An yes, I dont know which path I want to go down, but I was thinking of management...seems to be more money in dishing out the orders, than following them.
I am not ITIL certified, but I will look into it. Are there any other certificates worth while?
Saying you want to go into "management" is a very sweeping statement, you still need a sector to manage, be it a SDM, an IT Manager, a PM, Networks Manager, Delivery Management etc etc. And to prosper in this you still have to start a little lower in the ladder and gain experiance.
I would get yourself registered with Project Management Institute ASAP as well as this is definitely taking over from Prince 2 outside of the UK.
As you find your niche you will also find that there are lots of core industry specific qualifications to go for too.
I would get yourself registered with Project Management Institute ASAP as well as this is definitely taking over from Prince 2 outside of the UK.
As you find your niche you will also find that there are lots of core industry specific qualifications to go for too.
Agree with what everyone says about things such as ITIL Prince2 etc, also dont pigeon hole yourself technically either. try a bit of everything, even if it is just at home etc. things like getting a headstart on windows 7 or if you dont know any MAC stuff just grab a book or a cheap old system and have a go.
Also a basic knowledge of scripting, SQL, and other random technologies will put your CV above quite a few others when it comes to it. You do sound quite similar to me when i first started out as well, the managers jobs do look easy but it's different when you finally get there. if that is the direction you want to go though start small, look fo senior desktop/mentoring rolls then in a few years you'll be looking at say service desk manager/team leader and away you go.
Also a basic knowledge of scripting, SQL, and other random technologies will put your CV above quite a few others when it comes to it. You do sound quite similar to me when i first started out as well, the managers jobs do look easy but it's different when you finally get there. if that is the direction you want to go though start small, look fo senior desktop/mentoring rolls then in a few years you'll be looking at say service desk manager/team leader and away you go.
Edited by Arklight on Wednesday 15th July 10:16
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