Quick Question

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Im young, starting a cert III course in IT Network Admin, in Australia, I have decent skills, and have done work experiance at a tech support before. My question is: Whats the best way to get a full time job in tech support or Any advice.

Thanks.

Comments

[fragbert.livejournal.com]

My advice is threefold:

1. Learn to read directions (http://community.livejournal.com/techsupport/profile).
2. Learn to use the spell checker.
3. Re-think your choice of career. People who can neither communicate effectively nor read printed intructions fare very badly in the tech support industry. More often, they become our clients.

[mawz.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

I must admit, I ignored the community guidelines, as I wanted an honest answer from people who know their stuff, and as for number 2, Ive been drinking, sue me :)

[fragbert.livejournal.com]

I ignored the community guidelines

That excuse will serve you well when you're caught with pirated software or found cruising porn on the company network.

Ive been drinking, sue me

As a recovering alcoholic, sober since 1992, that excuse infuriates me.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

By ignoring the guidelines I made a choice. And I accept the results of that choice. But I did so, because I thought, at the time of the post, I would get an answer that would help me in my life.

I do not go around acting like an idiot, at least not when its not my computer, or network.

As for my drinking, It is also a choice. I choose to drink. I accept that it will inhibit my thought patterns and motor skills, but I accept that.

IMHO, do not seek to force your own choices upon others with a lame attempt at a guilt trip.

Thats all im going to say tonight.

[dazzedelf.livejournal.com]

Have a good night, if possible try not to come back, by ignoring the community guidelines to put this post up, you have automatically qualified as the type of person this community is here to vent about. Hopefully you don't ignore the laws about driving while drunk as well.

[canthlian.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, I've been blinded by the shining stupidity of a victim complex! Help, somebody! Help!

[jecook]

I must admit, I ignored the community guidelines, as I wanted an honest answer from people who know their stuff, and as for number 2, Ive been drinking, sue me :)

Well, if you had read the guidlines, you would have known about the off-topic community for asking this type of question.

As for #2, drinking is no excuse. I'm currently running on about 4 hours of sleep after running about 30+ miles for a convention I helped run this weekend. By all rights and means, I should be making typoes les and right...

[jecook]

Yes! typoes FTW!

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

My advice is:

Get out while you still can.

Based on what you have written here, and how you have written it, you have the capability of becoming a CEO one day. Do not blow that chance on becoming a phone monkey.

[unsupportedgeek.livejournal.com]

You said monkey!

Oh, yeah, don't be a phone monkey. Or get a lot of certs and move quickly away from it kid.. far away..

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Flattering, but this is the job I want.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

It's called sarcasm.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Ah. Rather hard to see it, at least for me.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

If brevity is the soul of wit, subtlety is its crown chakra.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. I suppose this is what I get when I pose a question, including all the required knowledge to make an informed answer.

*sighs*

I thought such a question would be appreciated, and that 'immitation is the highest form of flattery' would be realised.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

"Immitation" [sic] is only the highest form of flattery if the person being imitated likes where or what they are.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Only a fool would remain in a place they did not wish to be in.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

While platitudes are always welcome, I feel this one deserves an expansion to: "Only a fool or someone with no choices would remain in a place he did not wish to be in."

Our point was just this: you have a choice. Read this community and see what will happen to you if you continue down this path. Most of us wish we still had the choice you do.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

*sighs* Choices always exist, either you do not with to accept them, or do not see them.

You comment on 'someone with no choices' reminds me of the statement 'I cant see the wind, so it doesnt exist'.

Thats all for tonight.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

All right, since you know so much about it, what would you suggest? In five years of trying, I have not been able to get another position with this company nor with any other company.

... so where are my choices, O guru?

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Hrmmm, I dont seem to recall calling myself a guru, or saying I know so much about it, but what you are asking would require me to know your age, location, current position, work history, education, where you are willing to move to etc etc.


You know this as well as I, so dont play games.

If you want my genuine advice, wait a few days, then ask again. Ill give it to you if you are polite.

Other than that, not much I can offer you.

Good night.

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

In a perfect world, those things would matter, yes.

It was more a rhetorical question than anything else, as it really doesn't have an answer.

[mawz.livejournal.com]

It pays better than the other options. Doesn't mean it is a good idea.

[fragbert.livejournal.com]

Have I mentioned lately, Meg, how much I love you?

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

Yay! :) I love you too!

[jecook]

::awards 5 golden coins::

[redqueenmeg.livejournal.com]

SWEET

[kayfox.livejournal.com]

I dont know any sane person that would want this job.

[fearrett.livejournal.com]

Don't for the love of God, flee while you still can!

[valkyrwench.livejournal.com]

First piece of advice - read the community info before posting to a community :)

Second piece of advice - learn how to use punctuation correctly.

Other than that, you're on your own, scooter.

[dazzedelf.livejournal.com]

Find a clinic that will pay you to test their drugs, they will usually outsource you to a call center to monitor how the side effects are under extreme stress. A good way to train for the job is to go to Kids theme park and try to teach everyone under 8 trigonometry.

[taleya.livejournal.com]

Get a job at a crappy ISP. It sounds insane, but believe me, no one has prospects for inhouse promotion like a company that is hemmoraging staff.

Failing that, go do the rounds at ISPs in your area. If you're in Melb, there's a fair few I can point you at. Get your experience up, get your knowledge up. CertIII sounds good, but you will open a whole new world of knowledge for yourself if you can get a good company with good staff, and spend a year working with them and picking up a shitload of dirty tricks. There will be experienced techs. Learn from them - tertiary-educated knowledge is always flattened by actual experience. You should also (if you find that you still want it after that) be able to work your way up in-house

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)

I happen to live in Adelaide, could you suggest anywhere there?

[taleya.livejournal.com]

Not from firsthand, but google shows a few prospects (http://www.google.com.au/search?hs=Tp&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=%22ISP%22+%22Based+in+adelaide%22&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryAU)..have a nose through those, and check out seek.com.au as well.

Be prepared to take a shit job straight off the bat. You can always work up from there, but see it as a learning experience if you're serious about it.

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

[taleya.livejournal.com]

np. Looking forward to you ranting like a crazed bitch in here when you get the job, btw :D

[qithoras.livejournal.com]

:) Should be interesting.

[tecie.livejournal.com]

First: Read the rules of the community you're posting to.
Second: Proofread everything. Presentation has a lot to do with how constructive our responses will be.
Third: I hate to reward blatent stupidity. Post to someplace more appropriate, and make that post more respectful of the time of the people in the community, and someone will probably answer you.

[gilmoure.livejournal.com]

Join the SCA. Or the local Star Wars group. You can grow pimples, pants size and meet women wearing glasses, with large tracks of land and library degrees. Just like working in tech support.

Seriously, get involved in some activity with a high geek quotient and network (people that is, not ethernet). SCA/re-enactment, hiking clubs, RC groups, etc. all seem to have lots of people working in tech. All my jobs, for the last 15 years have come about from knowing someone already working in a shop. And I've met all these people through the SCA too. Hmm...

[ihateemo.livejournal.com]

I missed out on a flame war???? Dammit.