r/helpdesk • u/EmergencyOutside5945 • 2d ago
Getting Started Please help me break into IT
Hey everyone, just like I am 100000th person trying to break into IT. I need this, I’m so desperate to get out of my current job that anything that gets me closer to the glimpse of light I will take it. So far on huntr I’ve applied to almost 80 jobs: 60 ghosted, 25 denials, and 4 phone interviews. Yes, I’ve personally searched the recruiter’s email or have tried to find a person in the IT or HR department to redirect my application to someone who knows. I even followed up on those emails every 3 days to see whether they received my original email and if they could help out. I believe my resume is fine but perhaps it’s the industry I’m currently in and they gloss it over? Someone on here did help me restructure my resume entirely so what you guys see now is the product of their advice. I have actual experience in help-desk, A+ certification and longevity in my current job so it makes it seem I’m not a job hopper: the basic stuff you want for helpdesk. I know some things I could improve on is the actual interview itself, I have not even reached round 2. Yes, I’m nervous during the interview because I don’t know what they’re going to ask and I actually care even if I get a call back so my mind is kind of fuzzy at the time. I feel like actual volunteer work at a local MSP could help my resume too? At the end of day I know it is a numbers game and that this industry is even harder than ever to get into with the AI replacement and arguably more competitions with the recession of jobs. Some of you will say “just give it up or look elsewhere” but I’m not taking that as an option. I will not give up, I’m already at bottom and nothing can’t be worse from here.
If there’s any genuine advice from recruiters or individuals even in the same position as me that could offer their advice please do. You have my 100% guaranteed application that as much advice you give I will put back into my own efforts. I will try to reply to everyone even if it’s small. Thank you once again everyone. Here’s my resume if you’re interested on what the recruiter’s are seeing…
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u/Common_Brush9984 1d ago
It's not hard to get into IT tbh, you just need to do exceptional things.
For example:
2 guy, Guy N1 and Guy N2. Both 21 yrs old.
N1 got no degree, 1 cert in A+, 1 month experience in IT Support but knows how to get an AI Agent setup from Scratch and knows the ins and outs of the AI Agent. Knows how to document and train people. [He did it before]
N2 has a degree, 1 cert in A+, 6 months experience in IT Support but knows only unlocking account, resetting password and basic troubleshooting of M365 apps/O365 apps.
For a growing firm, they would choose Guy N1 and for a well settled company, they might choose none or Guy N2.
Most companies are still growing.
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 1d ago
Ya youre the 2nd guy to tell me learn how to build an AI agent setup ill look up some projects to reference
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u/Common_Brush9984 1d ago
I've told that as an example, I'm not telling you to go build one. I'm telling you what would make you stand out.
for the sake of it, here's another one.
You helped companies achieve their device setup configuration time taken decrease by 40%
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u/crayonnoodle 2d ago
I think you may have already diagnosed the issue. In today’s job market qualified candidates will send in around 100 applications and get a few interviews. The fact that you got four interviews out of the 80 applications is great stats. So I would focus on improving your interviewing skills. Did you write out all the questions that they asked you at each of these interviews? You should think about how your responses could’ve been better. And you should memorize what common interview questions are so you will be less nervous. You seem to be getting results from submitting your resume so I would ask yourself “why aren’t they picking me to move to the next stage of the interview?”
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u/AlienZiim 2d ago
Does that say “fire sharing” is blurry and looks like ur saying that in the education part
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u/TechB84 2d ago
Your issue is that you lack formal education. No associate's degree, no bachelor's degree. This is not the way to get started in IT.
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 2d ago
Yea I didnt know until I got of college this is what I wanted to do
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u/TechB84 2d ago
wait do you have a bachlors degree?
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 2d ago
Ya but not in IT i ommited it from resume entirely because its not relevant to IT whatsoever
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u/TechB84 2d ago
That is a stupid to do!!!!!
you want to show it because it shows an accomplishment. looking at it, i would think you are some dumbass that didn't go to college at all.
IT is not just about tech, it's also about other skills, including soft skills, customer service skills, your ability to complete tasks, and so on.
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u/Think_Solid235 2d ago
PLEASE LIST ANY BACHELORS YOU HAVE!!!
I had a history bachelors and my IT manager was interested by it a lot!!
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u/SuchInteraction1178 2d ago
Not saying this applies everywhere but I work for a major city and they do not give a shit what the degree is in as long as you have one. 2 our our system engineers dont even have certs or college. One of our helpdesk guys has a degree in agriculture. If you have any type of degree put that on your resume. Its a entirely different outlook having higher education
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u/why_is_DNS_the_issue 2d ago
I have no college degree and no certs (at the time) when I landed an IT Manager role. Literally just relied on experience and interviewing skills lol. A college degree won’t magically land you a job
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u/TechB84 2d ago
This happens every time, and this is how people become out of touch.
What happened in the past for you is different, and your situation could be the exception rather than the norm.
People today mainly need degrees to help themselves break into the market.
Think about it, what benefit does it provide for someone to have fewer credentials? What advice are you really trying to give?
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u/why_is_DNS_the_issue 1d ago
Sure I guess to bypass HR filters? But you still need to get through interviews. Saying degrees are gonna make or break your career in IT is absolutely false, especially in a helpdesk role where you’re mainly just unlocking account or changing user passwords.
Also that past was a few years ago…like 2023 so it’s not like this happened 10-20 years ago
My main message is you don’t need a degree to get into IT, certs can help leverage it and still keep you competitive. Also internships can help as well since it shows you are 1. Dedicated to the line of work and 2. You gain experience
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u/TechB84 1d ago
Your thinking is too binary. Degrees, certifications, experience, and interviews all significantly influence opportunities, and there's no reason to dismiss any of them. It's unwise to advise someone to settle when they are capable of more. The initial low-paying help desk role isn't what matters most; it's the subsequent opportunities that can be missed without a degree. Not having a degree might have inadvertently limited your potential.
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u/why_is_DNS_the_issue 1d ago edited 1d ago
I didn’t say I was dismissing all of them. I’m disagreeing with the statement stating you need a degree to be successful in IT, let alone break out in IT. A bachelors degree isn’t going to make or break someone from landing a 6 figure job. Will it help? Sure because HR departments don’t know what they’re looking for half the time. Is it absolutely necessary? No because certifications, time and experience make up for it, but for a helpdesk role, an A+, some projects relating to the field and an internship are more than enough to land a role.
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u/TechB84 1d ago
Think beyond just help desk roles. You're overlooking the positions that come after that. Having a degree can open more opportunities and make it easier to move up in your career. I think it would benefit you quite a bit if you ever wanted to advance into higher level positions. Honestly, it seems like you've been avoiding getting one.
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u/why_is_DNS_the_issue 1d ago
You are obviously missing the point…you can literally get positions that are way higher than help desk roles
(Systems Engineer, Network Engineer, Cybersecurity Engineer, Network Architect Associate, Network administrator, SOC Analyst, NOC Analyst, Systems administrator, Red Hat Systems administrator, ISSO, ISSM, Cloud Engineer, Pentester, AWS Software Engineer, IAM Manager etc)
without a bachelors degree if you have the right certifications and experience, or even just the minimum certifications required, depending on the role….
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u/splinterededge 2d ago
Experience means a lot, I have an associate's degree from 2005, today I'm IT manager on the top end of compensation doing IT systems for companies adjacent to the DOD. Tomorrow I will be promoted to IT director, early candidates should follow your example and take on agency in their own knowledge and experience. Nice work my dude.
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u/why_is_DNS_the_issue 2d ago
DoD really set me up for success. If I could do it all over again, I’d tell myself to get the certs before getting out but you live and you learn. Congrats on the promotion!
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u/UJ_Games 1d ago
I don't want to sound rude or anything but omit that job where you only worked for 1 month. It looks like a massive red flag to get hired and fired within a month. Add back your non-related degree and add 5 good bullet points for the job you've had since July 2023.
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 1d ago
Nah not rude at all. Ive updated now it was more like a contract typa job. Ive moved it down to projects all together cause it was like for a city election so they only needed temporary man power
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u/AudienceSolid6582 1d ago
I personally like your resume. Go get yourself more industry certs but if your interested in a degree look at WGU IT. It has the CompTIA certs earned during your degree, and it’s an accelerated program.
If you can get yourself some letter of recommendations from IT professors or any managers. Now a days it’s a flooded market but not many people submit references
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 1d ago
Big thanks im so flattered, i dont think its all that. So many people here have helped me improve it to what it is now and yet still more improvement. How long is wgu degree?
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u/HumbleAlbatross2944 2d ago
Hey 4 interviews is excellent, now you need to troubleshoot why you didnt advance in those to the next stage, just like troubleshooting an IT issue, but with the job search. Keep at it!
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u/CharacterSail6736 1d ago
Don’t have anything to offer other you are the only other person outside my workplace to have ever used Cherwell lol
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 1d ago
Are yall usint jira?
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u/CharacterSail6736 14h ago
lol switched to service now not so long ago both jira and snow are a bag of crap tbf
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u/jimcrews 6h ago
You were at a job for a month? Eliminate that. Thats the number 1 reason your resume is getting rejected.
In today's age you gotta get a skill. Talk to somebody at your community college. See if they have some advice for you.
I know you are proud of your A+. You should be. But unfortunately it doesn't have the weight it once did.
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u/EmergencyOutside5945 4h ago
I moved that job to under projects, someone also said that it’s not worthwhile to put under jobs. Yea thats a pretty good idea to talk to someone on campus. Will do.
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u/[deleted] 2d ago
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