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BlueBlazer posted:I'm going through this right now, I'm at the stage where I have a decent client book and another midsized techshop is talking about taking me in. How did your pay shift when that happened? My salary didn't change at all, though I don't think it went up any between the time we got acquired and the time I left. Aside from having to deal with the added corporate bureaucracy bullshit my day to day routine changed very very little.
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Dec 9, 2014 05:57
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Resume question: When I was looking for engineering jobs, I had a section on my resume with Technical Skills. Now that I'm looking for Project Management or IT Manager jobs, should I dump that? Is there something I should replace it with, or just leave most of the page blank?
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Dec 9, 2014 17:19
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Colonial Air Force posted:Resume question: I leave it on mine but instead of a big bulleted list shown prominently, I've reduced it to a comma-separated list of languages/concepts/tools that I'm familiar with. Takes up just a little bit of page space at the back of the resume so that it doesn't detract from the real meat which is a review of projects I've led and management-related items like talking about my Agile experiences.
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Dec 9, 2014 18:19
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Should I put weight into letters of recommendation? One of my managers offered but I'm not so sure if this is worth as much outside of academia.
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Dec 9, 2014 18:57
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Tab8715 posted:Should I put weight into letters of recommendation? One of my managers offered but I'm not so sure if this is worth as much outside of academia. I wouldn't include it with an application. If they want to check references, they will ask - give his name and contact info at that point. If it's more personal than that (your manager knows the hiring manager and can recommend you), you may want to ask him to reach out when you're ready to apply to the job.
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Dec 9, 2014 18:59
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Tab8715 posted:Should I put weight into letters of recommendation? One of my managers offered but I'm not so sure if this is worth as much outside of academia. Ask him to instead write you a recommendation on LinkedIn. These get shown directly on your profile page and they really stick out. When I leave a job, it's my habit to ask some of my peers to trade these recommendations with me. Everyone wins!
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Dec 9, 2014 21:21
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MagnumOpus posted:Ask him to instead write you a recommendation on LinkedIn. These get shown directly on your profile page and they really stick out. When I leave a job, it's my habit to ask some of my peers to trade these recommendations with me. Everyone wins! Good call, I got a few of those unfortunately this supervisor doesn't believe in social media. 
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Dec 9, 2014 21:33
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I've been wondering for a while if IT would be a good place for me to work, I like computers and working on/with them, I like fixing things and helping folks out with stuff, I also like being hands-on with my work so actually going and sorting stuff out in person is nice, though I understand it won't be a possibility all the time. My main worry is that I don't have much experience with in-depth computer work, and I'm not sure how you'd get it. I've done light hardware alterations on my own PC as well as fixed all the problems with the various computers I've owned (and a chunk of the ones that crop up for relatives/close acquaintances) for the past ten years or so, but I don't think that's really enough to recommend me for an IT position. I have some experience working with specialist software packages, having done level design, 3d modelling, and animation at university, so I'd say I'm pretty good at learning how to use any given software package you give me provided you also give me a manual for it, but again, experience is the problem because a lot of enterprise software isn't really something you can just use by yourself, and I'm not exactly swimming in good PC hardware to practice my hardware skills, so I don't have any opportunity to learn. How do you go about getting the experience? It'd be useful not only for getting a proper job but also seeing if I actually would have what it takes to do the work expected of me.
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Dec 10, 2014 00:03
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OwlFancier posted:How do you go about getting the experience? It'd be useful not only for getting a proper job but also seeing if I actually would have what it takes to do the work expected of me. What you want to look for is "Desktop Support." You may need to start in "Helpdesk" but if you can get into desktop you'll be better off. From a technical point of view, your experience isn't as important as your ability to figure out a solution to a technical problem and your google-fu. Here's a small test question to see if you have what it takes: "A supervisor calls you and says that they have a problem where line employees keep shutting down a newly installed computer when they try to log off. How might you fix this problem?" If you need a hint, I've got a screenshot hint for you. As for getting experience, you might have better luck pursuing the A+ certification. It's a real pain in the butt and requires memorization of stupid stuff, but it can help get you in the door.
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Dec 10, 2014 00:16
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People...like hell desk?! Seriously though with your experience youd be able to get an entry level job that deals with answering phones or if you're lucky being the "IT guy" that gets to walk around. You can help get your foot in the door with CompTIA A+ certification as well.
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Dec 10, 2014 00:17
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OwlFancier posted:I've been wondering for a while if IT would be a good place for me to work, I like computers and working on/with them, I like fixing things and helping folks out with stuff, I also like being hands-on with my work so actually going and sorting stuff out in person is nice, though I understand it won't be a possibility all the time. I was pretty much in your position about a year and a half ago. I now work in a legit IT position and the outlook is pretty good. I went ahead and got myself my A+ and Network+ certifications before ever getting a job in the industry. A lot of people here don't have a lot of respect for CompTIA certs outside of maybe Security+ - and probably rightfully so - but I needed some way to prove that I wasn't just applying to those IT positions on a lark, when I didn't have any directly applicable experience. Having those definitely helped get me the entry-level job. Also, I worked in a position where I was able to be kind of the unofficial IT guy around the office at my old job (basically fixing the most minor of issues that could be resolved without admin rights - mostly just telling people what they were doing wrong), but I did it enough such that I felt ok putting the small things I did on my resume. And finally, I took a lovely job that was a brutal, trial by fire thing. It was terrible but I got some good experience and was able to leave for something better after a few months, which is where I am now. If you're serious about getting into the industry you might have to have to settle - temporarily - for something that's not quite what you want, and may pay less than it should, to get the experience.
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Dec 10, 2014 00:21
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Anyone who works a call center, do you know of any cheap loud headset with an RJ9 (modular phono plug)? I got one of these to test but it has no volume adjustment and the users say it is too quiet: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CCZH3G/ Secondly, anyone have experience with business-class RCN cable modems? Terrible? Not bad?
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Dec 10, 2014 00:25
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:What you want to look for is "Desktop Support." You may need to start in "Helpdesk" but if you can get into desktop you'll be better off. Assuming the computer is just a normal desktop in a room somewhere, set a user policy for all line-level users who are going to be using it which disables access to the power-off options in the start menu.  At least that seems like how it was implemented at Uni and the third result on google gives you a method for it, also works on my PC as I just tried it. Also consider moving the tower block somewhere people can't reach to stop them turning it off there, depending on how aggressively stupid they're being. So googling the answer is an acceptable method then? Because that is sort of how I approach any problem usually, read the error message and type it into google to get something more descriptive than the error message, ideally find that someone else had the same problem and posted the solution. I had a read about the A+ thing and was wondering about it, but yeah the slight emphasis on stupid details has me wary because that seems like the kind of thing I would have trouble memorising in volume, and would probably just look up/write down if I was in a position where I needed to know it. Also not sure if the qualification is meaningful in the UK? Japanese Dating Sim posted:I was pretty much in your position about a year and a half ago. I now work in a legit IT position and the outlook is pretty good. I'm already in something that, while good in its own way, is definitely not what I want to spend my life doing, and rapidly starting to grate on me because it's full of systemic problems which make it very difficult to do a good job. That's another reason IT appeals to me, because maybe, someday, in the far off future if I get any good at it, I could be in a position to fix problems like that. OwlFancier fucked around with this message at 00:36 on Dec 10, 2014 |
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Dec 10, 2014 00:32
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Congratulations you can now solve 99% of desktop support issues
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Dec 10, 2014 00:36
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SaltLick posted:Congratulations you can now solve 99% of desktop support issues The other 1% are weird environment based issues because of $%$POORLY_IMPELEMENTED_TERRIBLY_DESIGNED_AND_RIDICULOUSLY_EXPENSIVE_ENTERPRISE_SOFTWARE$%$!!!!!
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Dec 10, 2014 00:38
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MF_James posted:The other 1% are weird environment based issues because of $%$POORLY_IMPELEMENTED_TERRIBLY_DESIGNED_AND_RIDICULOUSLY_EXPENSIVE_ENTERPRISE_SOFTWARE$%$!!!!! Ain't that the truth. The pharmacy department can't use above IE 7 
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Dec 10, 2014 00:47
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OwlFancier posted:So googling the answer is an acceptable method then? Google-Fu is a real thing, and it is a huge part of being a sysadmin/devops engineer or really anything on the back-end. This is true of tech/software in general really, but I feel it is especially so for the operations mentality that is so critical to success in the industry. I'm not so much concerned with where the extent of your knowledge ends because when it does, during a crisis, what matters is how fast you can learn and apply what you didn't already know. I feel this is so important that it is a major factor in my hiring strategy and expectations of my team. When I am hiring I use take home tech tests as my main method of evaluating technical skill, usually in the form of admin access to a test system with an edge-case I know is going to require at the least a trip to stackexchange to resolve.
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Dec 10, 2014 00:49
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OwlFancier posted:Assuming the computer is just a normal desktop in a room somewhere, set a user policy for all line-level users who are going to be using it which disables access to the power-off options in the start menu. You're way overqualified. Here's the answer I was looking for:  
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Dec 10, 2014 00:57
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:You're way overqualified. That... is rather more simple than I would have anticipated. You can get paid to do things like that?
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Dec 10, 2014 01:00
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OwlFancier posted:That... is rather more simple than I would have anticipated. 
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Dec 10, 2014 01:03
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OwlFancier posted:That... is rather more simple than I would have anticipated. Welcome to IT where the solution to the problem is usually a lot simpler than most people want to make it.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:04
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OwlFancier posted:That... is rather more simple than I would have anticipated. I've got one more test for you: A user calls saying that a certain piece of software is giving them errors when they try to run it. Another person on helpdesk looks over your shoulder and says "Oh, to fix that error, just give them local admin rights. That'll fix it" No need to be specific, but how would you approach this problem?
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Dec 10, 2014 01:20
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:I've got one more test for you: [ackbar]
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Dec 10, 2014 01:24
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:I've got one more test for you: While it might fix the problem, there is a reason why users are not given admin rights by default. Assuming the other person isn't my boss and I can realistically say no to them, follow up with the user to try and get more information on the error, and find a proper solution to it? Just giving someone admin rights would leave you with a random user having a lot more ability to modify the system they're using than they should have, and given how well my current place of work handles its paperwork, probably nobody would know about it within a day. Considering the difficulty with information security in organisations already (why does my team leader not know what bcc does, however useful it sometimes is to have my co-worker's personal emails) that seems like a bad idea. Minimising security risks like that is pretty vital to proper security. I might run my own computer fine with full admin, no antivirus, and UAC disabled but that doesn't mean it's suitable for a work environment. OwlFancier fucked around with this message at 01:33 on Dec 10, 2014 |
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Dec 10, 2014 01:27
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OwlFancier posted:While it might fix the problem, there is a reason why users are not given admin rights by default. Assuming the other person isn't my boss and I can realistically say no to them, follow up with the user to try and get more information on the error, and find a proper solution to it? Good. Remember these people are your enemy. They hate you. Everything you do makes their life worse. If it wasn't broken before it was after you fixed their mouse that was upside down. So you must've broke it. They like to click on everything. That new free justin bieber cd that only makes you down this simple exe. They'll click it. Mail from Nigerian price. They're clicking on it. I sent a email from president@usa.gov to an IT coworker and he clicked on it. They're clickers. God drat clickers.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:34
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OwlFancier posted:While it might fix the problem, there is a reason why users are not given admin rights by default. Assuming the other person isn't my boss and I can realistically say no to them, follow up with the user to try and get more information on the error, and find a proper solution to it? Man you're better than like 50% of all IT people out there already, you'll do great.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:38
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:You're way overqualified. Hahaha I had no idea you could do it that way, I always did it like OwlFancier [Edit: actually, the Dr.'s way is assuming they're hitting the power button to attempt to log off; OF's solution removes the Shutdown option from the list altogether] Dude, you're definitely ready for IT with the answers you're giving in this thread, put some poo poo on your resume and get out there. CloFan fucked around with this message at 01:47 on Dec 10, 2014 |
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Dec 10, 2014 01:44
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He's shooting to the stars too fast! He'll be the next DAF for sure
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Dec 10, 2014 01:50
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jaegerx posted:Good. Remember these people are your enemy. They hate you. Everything you do makes their life worse. If it wasn't broken before it was after you fixed their mouse that was upside down. So you must've broke it. They like to click on everything. That new free justin bieber cd that only makes you down this simple exe. They'll click it. Mail from Nigerian price. They're clicking on it. Adding to this. Your coworkers will always be of varying quality, even those with "10 years of experience working for x in y" can and will be bloody one peg for any hole neanderthals who can and will recommend anything that will make the call/issue go away now as opposed to a solution that invites no future disasters. Make a file structure for the whole company shared with department specific folders? Everyone has read/write access and is enumerated in Y/files. Program needs to write to certain folders on the local computer? Don't discover which and why, just give them local admin. Don't think that encryptomagic or whatever the new flavor of ransom/destructionware is vogue nowadays.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:51
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I figured from all the IT techs I've experienced in the past who seemed to live in the server room amidst heaps of disassembled computers that you needed a lot more knowledge for even an entry level position. I guess I'll try looking at helpdesk/desktop support roles then, I'm on minimum wage as is so it's not like they can cut my pay. I never bothered in the past because I thought I wasn't remotely qualified.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:51
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OwlFancier posted:While it might fix the problem, there is a reason why users are not given admin rights by default. Assuming the other person isn't my boss and I can realistically say no to them, follow up with the user to try and get more information on the error, and find a proper solution to it? I'd endorse your skills on Linkedin. Final test. Can you deal with this?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgeaya7Yg4A
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Dec 10, 2014 01:52
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:I'd endorse your skills on Linkedin. I already do, kinda. My TL wants everything done between about 9 and 2 so he can go home early, but he also emails at about 7 in the evening wanting a response ASAP. His response to a query about company protocol for a customer is usually 'dunno lol'. Oh and no you can't have a company phone because they got stolen and they won't issue any more, please make sure to answer all emails when you're on site though, because we will email you jobs we forgot to post out to you last week for completion in the next two hours. By the way please make sure you report thoroughly and accurately on your work, even if we forget to put the relevant questions on your work survey. At least we get double time for 6pm-3am/weekend shifts. OwlFancier fucked around with this message at 02:00 on Dec 10, 2014 |
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Dec 10, 2014 01:57
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I think this video might actually be a trigger for me.
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Dec 10, 2014 01:59
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CLAM DOWN posted:I think this video might actually be a trigger for me. Yeah, people who aren't in IT will think that it's a joke. I didn't realize but they made a series. Most of the stuff is from the IT Hero video but there's some extra stuff in there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8WDe5wumh0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKF_MIauP8s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTsSnsd1PlU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IGrH8loX6w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suANz8LQq6w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxby--kSf8c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ObfVhkay5k
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Dec 10, 2014 02:11
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:Another person on helpdesk looks over your shoulder and says "Oh, to fix that error, just give them local admin rights. That'll fix it" QuiteEasilyDone posted:Adding to this. Your coworkers will always be of varying quality, even those with "10 years of experience working for x in y" can and will be bloody one peg for any hole neanderthals who can and will recommend anything that will make the call/issue go away now as opposed to a solution that invites no future disasters. I deal with idiot sysadmins like this at my current job. Specifically a fellow sysadmin and my service manager (both have 15+ years of "experience"). When I go out of my way to fix things the RIGHT way, they try and turn it around and make it like i'm the rear end in a top hat. 
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Dec 10, 2014 02:14
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:Yeah, people who aren't in IT will think that it's a joke.
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Dec 10, 2014 02:14
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Dr. Arbitrary posted:
Parts of me that I didn't even know I had, clenched during this video.
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Dec 10, 2014 02:14
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OwlFancier posted:That... is rather more simple than I would have anticipated. Not only can you get paid to do things like that, if you live in southern california I know a guy who might have an opening for you. But, pretty much no matter where you are, if you can get an interview with a technical person and give answers like you did here, you'll probably have the job no problem.
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Dec 10, 2014 02:19
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Watching colleagues spread some email borne virus this morning, some .scr file in a zip file with a simple note to read the attached. Hilarious, the Exchange admin took almost four hours to notice and start blocking it. Meanwhile I've just hit 4 months waiting for our expert networking team to fix a Cisco switch configuration in Texas, go go Cisco Certified Engineers! MrMoo fucked around with this message at 02:27 on Dec 10, 2014 |
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Dec 10, 2014 02:22
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I knew a company that was acquired by another company for their hosted email. I was doing our kickstart at the time and sent me their custom post install. It was 5k lines of bash script. Installing old perl modules and other terrible things. It broke whenever I updated the install to include the latest security patches. They asked for my help and I just laughed them away. I like to think that bash script lives on.
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Dec 10, 2014 02:25
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