Free Career and Job Search Advice

Gravneedsadvice · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2009 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Hi everyone. I've done a little reading through the forums here and see people giving great advice, so i thought i would try my luck.

A little bit about myself. I am a 25 year old guy who completed college with an associates degree in Computer administration and Technical support with a more emphasis on troubleshooting/repair. I am Married and have two wonderful children under age 3.

Since college I was fortunate enough to get the job i currently have and overall i do enjoy it. I am a computer technician for a company who builds computer forensic workstations, I've been here for 3 years now and make roughly $32,000 a year. I'm satisfied with everything about the job except two things. I reached my max pay roughly a year ago and was told that there is no other room for advancement. And also i should mention that in the 3 years working here i ( nor others here) have not been trained or taught anything about the specifics of the forensic devices that we deal with on a daily basis. I just know what general knowledge i've picked up through a little reading and contact with clients.

What really downs me about this is that I do have my family to care for and really want to make the best out of my career, but my pay is stuck and my training is...well it just isn't. We don't get to attend any classes, we aren't taught anything by anyone in the company and i just feel like all the hard work im putting in there isn't going to end up paying off in the end and i don't want to waste time or miss opportunities.

What I would love to ask everyone on this forum is if they have any advice for me as a step i can take in my career to possibly begin a motion of advancement. I have looked into and considered trying to go for some different certifications, one being on data recovery and actually going ahead and completing my A+, but a part of me feels that doing those things will not give me recognition ( guess you would have to know the people i work for to truly understand why i feel that way). Also i feel i should mention that the current area i live in isn't really booming with technology jobs and it really scares me. If i decide to continue education on my own in IT i feel it may fail me in the end, resulting in wasted time that i could have spent on another trade. I also thought about the option of opening an online business dealing with customers through shipments as well as opening a storefront, which in the small area i live in it may not be worth it.

Sorry if i ended up getting a little jumbled in my words here, thats how everything has been in my head here lately! lol Smile

. But i want to thank you in advance for reading and offering any advice to me!

Pauloz · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:39 am Post subject:

Gravneedsadvice

You've got the right instincts for the IT industry. You are quite correct in feeling that you're getting stuck. The way out is simple, but it involves some extra work and external commitments.

This isn't the only job you'll ever do. You can either move up, or up and out, from your current role. To do that, you will need to crank up the skills levels:

In IT, certifications are currency. They're your irrefutable proof of core competencies. The best shot is to start looking long term, targeting major platforms, and develop your skill sets thoroughly with definite goals.

The good news is that in static jobs like this, you can manage studies effectively. You don't have any unpredictables messing things up for you, and you don't have to balance a high stress job with qualifications. You're young, and you're in a good position to go to work on your own personal upgrades.

Don't dwell on the inadequacies of the current situation, because it doesn't help, it's just irritating.

The forensic stuff, you can research for yourself, just don't trip over any proprietary software or employer sensitivities, etc., in the process. I get the impression this strange lack of interest in informing staff is at least partly some idiot policy about that area. There's no good job- related reason to keep the people working with the products uninformed. Just for the record, lack of training is normally the sign of comatose management. Good managers improve the skill sets in their teams. If they're not comatose, there's another reason for this bizarre lack of training and development. Suggest on principle that you research through external sources, not on the job, or in any area where you can be held liable.

Own business: Have you thought about freelancing? Check out Elance.com, there's usually quite a bit of IT work around. You need to do a test, but it's pretty easy. (I got 95% myself, with a headache after a day's work at about midnight.)

I suggest freelancing because a shopfront, or going independent, can really rattle your cage if anything goes wrong, or if you don't have the business skills. You'll need to do some basic training in business, to operate effectively. No bull, don't even pick up a phone without it.

Freelancing will also removes the "dull" factor, and if you're doing new qualifications, let you build a portfolio with those skills independent of the static position.

At this point, I'd suggest only getting into situations where you can walk away in one piece, and not have to make any serious financial or other commitments. (Time and family also big issues in running your own business. Suggest wait until the kids are a bit more grown up and you've got the domestic costs pinned down, before getting into any major business ventures.)

Hope that helps,

Gravneedsadvice · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2009 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Pauloz, thank you so much for the reply.

On certifications. This is definatly something that i lack. I took A+ class, i feel confident in my skills that this is one test that i could definatly pass if i just touched up using a textbook or internet to refamiliarize myself with a few things i don't work with regularly. As far as other Certs, i actually haven't done much research on other types, i know about IT security cert, network+, CCNA and a few more that i can't quite remember because i wasn't interested. I have been considering going ahead and getting these under my belt, but unsure of which ones to choose first.

I actually haven't considered freelancing as i thought there wouldn't be any work slated towards my skill set, which basically consists of PC troubleshooting and repair. I will definatly give that a look, thank you. The reason i consider my own business is because both my mother and father have built their own successful business' and i see the great benefits they reap from doing so ( i also see the headaches!).

My ultimate career goal if i do not end up starting my own business is to increase my salary. I really hate to just up and say that, kind of makes me sound/feel greedy , but i want to get to a position to where my family doesn't have to worry about finances quite so much. Given the current economic situation that is going to be difficult,i understand. but i remember my childhood. before my parents started their business' we were struggling, i wouldn't be able to do school activities because of money or i would have to skip field trips for the same. I just want to be able to present my children with every opportunity possible without having to worry about anything. Thankfully by the time i got into college my dads business was at its peak, he actually paid off my third year in college for me, god bless him hes a great father.

I thank you for your advice, i will check out the elance and do a little more research on that aspect of it. and i will also do a little more research on some certifications!

Pauloz · Posted: Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:33 pm Post subject:

Gravneedsadvice

Glad to help. Check this out: http://www.elance.com/php/search/main/eolsearch.php?matchType=project#matchKeywords=Computer%20Engineer

Have fun,

Join our Newsletter
CopyRight © 1999-2008 cvtips.com This material cannot be published under any form or condition.