- Jan 3, 2011
- 18,796
- 10,196
Sounds like your company is down sizing and trying to combine jobs & roles to pay less and trim the employee fat.
Sounds like your company is down sizing and trying to combine jobs & roles to pay less and trim the employee fat.
- Jan 3, 2011
- 18,796
- 10,196
Sifting and reading through the past pages on this thread. It seems like a lot of people don't know or understand what a level 1 help desk tech and a desktop support tech is.
-Level 1 help desk. Is a horrible job where people are literally chained to their desk and clock in & out of their cisco phone and are paid to answer the phone all day and mainly troubleshoot and also have to take a lot of the users/customers frustrations over the phone. They literally are the "front lines" or human shield war guys or grunt guys as the military refers to Marines or Army guys.Another stressful and horrible part in this job is that a manager and Q&A team will listen in and monitor your calls and you will have to follow the company scripts and be monitored to see if you are providing good over the phone customer service. Also in this work environment you will be graded on and subject to meeting certain metrics.
-Desktop support are really level 2 guys where they handle the escalations and whatever the level 1 help desk support team can't resolve over the phone or remotely. Desktop support guys usually deal with imaging and preparing pc's. Hardware and software related issues, network issues such as checking and patching network mod taps, checking cisco voip setups, checking and escalating network latency issues. Asset tracking pc's, printers, monitors, and other company assets. Usually in this role desktop support tech do have to interface and talk to users over the phone or in person, or through chat programs like MS Skype or MS Teams and also probably use remote software apps to support and resolve issues remotely. Big difference here is that the level 2 desktop techs aren't on the phone all day long.
-Level 1 help desk. Is a horrible job where people are literally chained to their desk and clock in & out of their cisco phone and are paid to answer the phone all day and mainly troubleshoot and also have to take a lot of the users/customers frustrations over the phone. They literally are the "front lines" or human shield war guys or grunt guys as the military refers to Marines or Army guys.Another stressful and horrible part in this job is that a manager and Q&A team will listen in and monitor your calls and you will have to follow the company scripts and be monitored to see if you are providing good over the phone customer service. Also in this work environment you will be graded on and subject to meeting certain metrics.
-Desktop support are really level 2 guys where they handle the escalations and whatever the level 1 help desk support team can't resolve over the phone or remotely. Desktop support guys usually deal with imaging and preparing pc's. Hardware and software related issues, network issues such as checking and patching network mod taps, checking cisco voip setups, checking and escalating network latency issues. Asset tracking pc's, printers, monitors, and other company assets. Usually in this role desktop support tech do have to interface and talk to users over the phone or in person, or through chat programs like MS Skype or MS Teams and also probably use remote software apps to support and resolve issues remotely. Big difference here is that the level 2 desktop techs aren't on the phone all day long.
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MakeNTGreatAgain
Supporter
- Aug 5, 2017
- 8,841
- 9,360
linkedin kinda a cesspool man
Beruseruku Desu
Supporter
- Oct 10, 2018
- 12,696
- 26,716
Yup. Help desk here. Wanna get out of it but gat damn the teleworking is awesome.
but it’s not stressful, at least where I work. That depends on your management and company. Sounds like you may have had a bad ex
we remote in and assist as much as possible but we’re limited since we don’t have admin credentials to make changes to the computer.
managers are super chill where I work.
- Jan 3, 2011
- 18,796
- 10,196
I worked in level 1 call center jobs a long time ago when I was in my early 20's. These companies were out sourcing companies who specialized in getting contracts for companies like Gateway PC, Hughes Net DSL. I thought getting paid $20 back then late 90's early 2000 was making big money
. Oh so young and naive . Heck I bought a gaming console with money I earned on my own on the OG PS2 with one of my pay checks 
But yeah NEVER AGAIN will I do that work.
Beruseruku Desu
Supporter
- Oct 10, 2018
- 12,696
- 26,716
I worked in level 1 call center jobs a long time ago when I was in my early 20's. These companies were out sourcing companies who specialized in getting contracts for companies like Gateway PC, Hughes Net DSL. I thought getting paid $20 back then late 90's early 2000 was making big money
But yeah NEVER AGAIN will I do that work.
Where did you go next after the help desk? Desktop support?
- Dec 13, 2014
- 1,231
- 981
I had a call center job during that time for AT&T DSL. Some of the craziest callers and some of the best advice I ever received. A customer told me to buy Apple stock.I worked in level 1 call center jobs a long time ago when I was in my early 20's. These companies were out sourcing companies who specialized in getting contracts for companies like Gateway PC, Hughes Net DSL. I thought getting paid $20 back then late 90's early 2000 was making big money
But yeah NEVER AGAIN will I do that work.
I didn't buy until 2006.
- Feb 19, 2018
- 1,045
- 1,725
pretty much this. My billable is on the higher end of the labor category and they want to bring in someone cheaper. ‘Tis life in contracting though.
I’ve done IT policy/planning (which includes acquisitions) work before so I know the environment, lots of personalities/politics. Going to use any down to start my PMP application and study up (and take a boot camp).
MakeNTGreatAgain
Supporter
- Aug 5, 2017
- 8,841
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i thought you had your own company?
- Aug 30, 2012
- 18,838
- 9,304
WGU? Nah.
One...you obtain professional certifications which are regarded in the industry. The Network Admin degree I got had the MCSA 2008 (at the time), CCNA, Net+, Sec+, Project+ and a few others. Along with a bachelors degree, it’ll provide a good return on investment versus the schools you mentioned. Plus, you can progress complete as many courses as you can within a term. The degree is technical a validation of what you know. If you know the ish or have the certification, you progress quicker. You grind...late nights...you can finish early. It’s not everyone’s tea. No class room. No class participation dynamic. Etc.
Is its degree going to be as regarded as Carnegie Mellon, Penn State, Yale, Columbia, Georgia State, etc? No.
- Jan 3, 2011
- 18,796
- 10,196
i thought you had your own company?
Honestly don't know where you got that from. I wish I did though.
willypete
Supporter
- Aug 28, 2014
- 3,900
- 6,321
He’s speaking it into existence
Honestly don't know where you got that from. I wish I did though.
MakeNTGreatAgain
Supporter
- Aug 5, 2017
- 8,841
- 9,360
My bad must have misread a previous post but ur in LA right?
Honestly don't know where you got that from. I wish I did though.
- Jan 3, 2011
- 18,796
- 10,196
Nah somewhere in Cali though
MakeNTGreatAgain
Supporter
- Aug 5, 2017
- 8,841
- 9,360
okay then i have you confused for someone else LOL
Im thinking about learning web development on my own. How long would it really take me to learn and get a job. I have no degree and 0 experience.
Or would it be better for me to learn something else in IT to get a job? Like ios development? I need a decent paying job and I took a class on c++ when I was in college and did well and liked it.
Or would it be better for me to learn something else in IT to get a job? Like ios development? I need a decent paying job and I took a class on c++ when I was in college and did well and liked it.
- Apr 2, 2007
- 28,579
- 54,303
I’ll bite it. It’s never wrong to take any source of IT skill. Web development is cool if you’re working on the integration side and/or mobile development. I suggest finding out overall what it is you want to do - back end coding; front end development? Full stack development? E-commerce? Web-programming? API’s? It’s a lot of specialization in that field. Narrow it down.
Once you feel that you’re proficient in this field, then build your portfolio. Take freelance contract jobs. There’s ton of free lancer posting sites and contractors that are looking for temporary hires for projects.
Another recommendation is look at working for a startup. They’re flexible and small enough to give you an opportunity to learn in your skill sets.
Once you feel that you’re proficient in this field, then build your portfolio. Take freelance contract jobs. There’s ton of free lancer posting sites and contractors that are looking for temporary hires for projects.
Another recommendation is look at working for a startup. They’re flexible and small enough to give you an opportunity to learn in your skill sets.
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- Oct 10, 2005
- 21,584
- 12,444
Do you have any boot camp classes in your area? I’ve seen people get hired right after completing them.
- Apr 2, 2007
- 28,579
- 54,303
A lot of people that are in IT don’t have degrees or have a degree in the field. You will be fine.
Grine
degenerate423
thanks for the help guys. And yeah there’s a boot camp from Flatiron school 20 minutes away from me.
MakeNTGreatAgain
Supporter
- Aug 5, 2017
- 8,841
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find out what field you want to get into then become an expert in that
you cant dilly daddle and then say you dont want to do helpdesk.
helpdesk is a great entry to IT btw.
what you are looking for is software development.
you cant dilly daddle and then say you dont want to do helpdesk.
helpdesk is a great entry to IT btw.
what you are looking for is software development.
Ricky D
formerly centex hogg
- Mar 3, 2013
- 19,495
- 14,280
I take my first cert exam tomorrow, Network+. I only got a 4 day course but I’ve been scoring 800+ on the practice tests and the instructor has a pretty high pass rate. Oddly enough, I’m excited to take the test.
I also have Security+ at the end of the month.
I also have Security+ at the end of the month.
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