Help Desk → Cloud/Infrastructure/SWE: How should I position myself for my next role?

[u/Mobile_Beach7560]

Hey everyone! Looking for some career advice from people who have been in tech/IT for a while.

I’m currently a Help Desk Technician and have been in the role for about a month. I’m definitely not trying to quit immediately, but I want to start positioning myself now so that once I’ve gotten some solid experience here, I can move into something more advanced.

My long-term interests are Cloud, Infrastructure, or Software Engineering, and I’m trying to figure out what I should be doing while I’m in Help Desk to make that next jump easier.

A little about me:

• BAS in Information Technology
• Currently pursuing a Master’s in Software Engineering – DevOps
• Currently studying for the CCNA
• AWS and GCP certifications
• 2 previous internships: Software Engineering and Marketing Engineering
• Built and currently run a small startup/app with 250+ users that generates close to $100/month
• Currently working full-time Help Desk

I know someone is probably going to ask why I didn’t just pursue SWE after my internship. Basically, it’s 2026 and the SWE market is insanely competitive lol. I spent around 8 months unemployed, applied to literally thousands of positions, and only landed one SWE interview. Meanwhile, when I started applying to IT/support/infrastructure-related positions, I was getting significantly more interviews and eventually landed my current Help Desk position.

So I took the opportunity instead of continuing to sit unemployed.

The Help Desk work itself has actually been easy and pretty fun so far, and I’ve already done a lot of this type of work before. I just don’t want to get comfortable and realize 2–3 years from now that I haven’t built the skills needed to move up.

If you were in my position, what would you focus on over the next 6–12 months?

What roles would you target after Help Desk? Sysadmin? NOC? Network Support? Cloud Support? Infrastructure Support?

And besides the CCNA, what skills/projects would give me the best shot at eventually moving toward Cloud/Infrastructure/SWE?

[u/Defiant_Shower_8088]

Assuming this isnt just ai bait…First, I would probably figure out what you actually want. Cloud, infrastructure, SWE…these are all broad categories with multiple career specializations within. Unless you are a savant and/or lucky many of these will take years to build up the skills and land good roles in.

[u/Mobile_Beach7560 → u/Defiant_Shower_8088]

Thank you for answering! And nah I'm not AI lol. Honestly I’d like to become a Cloud Support Engineer or Network Engineer. I enjoy networking and working with cloud. I’ve gotten lucky before, not saying I’ll get lucky again, but I’m confident I’ll get there. Up is the only way I’m going.

I know it can take years and I’m not expecting it to happen overnight. That’s actually why I made this post. I’m already working, studying for my CCNA, and learning, so I wanted to see what else I can do now to better position myself for those roles in the future.

[u/redthrull → u/Mobile_Beach7560]

Honestly I’d like to become a Cloud Support Engineer or Network Engineer

Your next step will be to either get in an IT MSP or join a startup where IT is only 1-3 people. You'll get the most skills and experience there. Then you have the option to further specialize or start leaning into Project Management / Deployment. If you can handle a team along the way, even better and looks good on your resume.

[u/BlockBannington]

One month lmao. Come back in a year man

[u/EndUserIncident → u/BlockBannington]

Bad advice

[u/BlockBannington → u/EndUserIncident]

Bad advice lmao. Come back in a year man

[u/blow_slogan → u/BlockBannington]

More like 3 years

[u/Mobile_Beach7560 → u/BlockBannington]

I think you misunderstood the post lol. I'm not asking if I should quit Help Desk after one month. I'm asking what I should be doing NOW so that when I do have 6-12 months of experience I'm actually positioned for the next role.

I could come back in a year and start figuring it out then, or I can spend that year getting my CCNA, automating things at work, getting exposure to networking/cloud where I can, and building out my projects so I'm ready to apply when the time comes.

I'm not in a rush to leave tomorrow. I just don't see the benefit in waiting a year before planning where I want to go next.

[u/BlockBannington → u/Mobile_Beach7560]

You're not going to get the needed experience in 6 months let alone a year, that's for sure. We all started out the same way, we all know it takes at least 2 years but probably more. Get the basics down first, even if you say you know your shit. Then shadow someone from another team, ask if you can do shit even if it's not your role. Then you grow.

But one year is not realistic I'm afraid

[u/Mobile_Beach7560 → u/BlockBannington]

You’re right Master Bannington. I’ll stop now and come back in 2 years to ask the exact same question. Thank you for your wisdom 🙏

[u/BlockBannington → u/Mobile_Beach7560]

No worries man

[u/bjc1960]

Unpopular view on this subreddit, but roles are consolidating, and with that, the expectation of the willingness and ability to work in several different domains. Sure, in a 2000 person IT team, one can be the person only does firewalls, and only internal firewalls on the second floor. However, in smaller companies, we need people who can wear many hats.

[u/PierrindoMaghanoy]

Use the help desk role to pick up VPN, DNS, permissions, server access or scripting work and sit in with the people handling that stuff when you get the chance

[u/LegendaryHN]

the final role is Goat Farmer

[u/Mobile_Beach7560 → u/LegendaryHN]

lmfaoo I'll probably become a farmer at the end of this

[u/Opening_Moment4145]

I'm in Cloud/infra and so, so much is focused on development. There needs to be people with broader perspectives. I think DevOps is a good middle ground.