Why IT helpdesk can be difficult

[@TZ2nd]

Hey, just wanted to say a year ago iwas literally ingesting your videos like 24/7 to get a help desk position. I didnt have and certs or degrees (still don’t) but i was dying to get my foot in the door asap. What i did have was customer service phones experience. This got me and in with my current job. Since starting, ive gone from L1 to Lead in just 8 months. I truly appreciate all of the advice and tips.

[@TechTualChatter]

Congrats on that 💪🏽

[@sincerelysandi]

❤

[@jordanunknown5128]

I had a similar start, barely 3 months in. Would be cool to hear where you’re at now.

[@TZ2nd]

@@jordanunknown5128hi! After i became a lead, i realized my passion was more in the people side of IT, rather than technical. So i joined Dominos as a sort of data analyst but realized it was a bit too low level for me and found a place with ADP as an Implementation Consultant. I am really happy here! Eventually I want to possess a sort of BA/PM role, but thats a little ways from now. Still dont have any certs and havent yet attained my bachelors, but I am in school for CIS and expect that will help me on my journey. Without my helpfesk role i would necer have had the exposure to discover my calling. I also woudnt have developed SO MANY of the introductory skills I still use today in a role entirely different. Hope this helped.

[@kingloading2819]

@@jordanunknown5128 currently in customer service, where would you recommend going from here

[@AP__]

I've been in Helpdesk for the past 2 years and definitely ready to get out

[@TechTualChatter]

Check my channel out for tips on how to break away or book a consult with my

[@asmrfactory9056]

Is a help desk job repetitive?

[@semidecent6773]

​@asmrfactory9056 Of course, very-mostly the same issues.

[@Superschemer34]

@@asmrfactory9056very, I’ve been in it 7 months and I’m getting burnt out lol

[@theitechlab]

I was lucky enough to start at an internal help desk, but after less than a year, I had to get out lol. I ended up moving to a junior sys admin role after 1.5 years but still ended up doing all of the help desk tickets due to the department being very small. I've since moved into a business systems analyst type position where I focus specifically on integrations, new software platforms, and increasing the value of the business and I can say it is a much better role than dealing with end users. I make nearly double what I did on the help desk, work fully remote with a hybrid option (private office, not a shared space), and do a lot less in terms of volume than I did before. It's almost an essential starting point if you want to get into IT because it helps to give you experience troubleshooting, but I will say this--get out as soon as you can by studying and upskilling. Staying in hell desk for more than 2 years is too long.

[@jordonpollock1550]

Are you literally me bro? I'm 1 month in to my first helpdesk job and loving it, also in government. Lots of O365, VDI/Horizon, MDM, SAP issues, account unlocks, updating Confluence articles, maybe the occasional BSOD here and there so far. The hardest part for me is negotiating the red tape/getting approval from general managers, dealing with people constantly on leave etc. Focused on pushing harder and eventually moving on to desktop support or network engineer since before this I completed an electrical apprenticeship. I was always obsessed with computers as a kid and never really loved being an electrician so I still cant believe I made it here, even just the helpdesk. I've been trying to convince myself to learn SQL and some powershell just to get ahead lately

[@TechTualChatter]

Hang in there and get that experience

[@meow3162]

IT helpdesk is hard if you have no patience on users

[@Dwayneff]

I've been trying for a year (off and on) trying to get my first Help desk job. I have customer experience background, apparently that's not enough. I'm still trying to get a help desk job. I'm also proficient with troubleshooting computers.

[@diggdakilla7831]

I was listening to your podcast this morning.

[@TechTualChatter]

💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 thank you

[@akosuakris]

I’m in a help desk role now and I absolutely hate it. It’s my first job in IT and I’m currently studying for my security exam. I’m considering quitting so that I can focus on studying hard for my exam and take the exam within 30 days so I can land a SOC analyst role. How can I contact you for help with my resume?

[@TechTualChatter]

Hey check out my website here : techualconsulting.com/offerings There will be a section for resume review.

[@akosuakris]

@@TechTualChatter thank you

[@neverhungryagain2187]

@@akosuakris lol

[@akosuakris]

@@neverhungryagain2187 I’m ready to end this help desk role and never look back

[@neverhungryagain2187]

@@akosuakris try network analyst

[@Jibril_Abdulkadir]

Great short in service desk right now and people think it’s way easier compared to engineers but it can be difficult at sometimes

[@shutianwang5799]

Just remember if it is hard for help desk, it is harder for developer and SRE

[@pineapplewithpizza7056]

Do i have to do phonecalls?

[@fluffycat6489]

Because help desk is customer service

[@claudiamanta1943]

I am totally new at IT, but helpdesk jobs are the most difficult because you must know so many different things to understand what is going wrong and how to fix it. The upper levels jobs are much easier because of the unfortunate specialisation.

[@TechTualChatter]

Not true 🤣🤣

[@claudiamanta1943]

@@TechTualChatter Just laughing at what I said will not enlighten me.

[@hyliansaviour9420]

Been in helpdesk for 6 years now. Struggling to get out.

[@TechTualChatter]

Wowww You should schedule a call

[@OmTaoam]

im from morocco do ihave chance to find it helpdesk job online ?

[@TechTualChatter]

Everyone has a chance just have to search for ones that allow you to work in your area

[@3xrealer372]

Is 40 too old to start

[@TechTualChatter]

Nope

[@3xrealer372]

@@TechTualChatter I’m a laborer. My body is tired. What’s the first step. I’ve been doing some coding apps like Sololearn and Mimo

[@jasonc3028]

Can i skip help desk if i get my cyber security cert

[@simplyunknown.3279]

Can I skip help desk as my first job?

[@TechTualChatter]

Depends on skillset

[@simplyunknown.3279]

@@TechTualChatter True, I was thinking about skipping the help desk position to avoid phone calls from rude people and focusing on something like systems administrator or cyber security. Something that I know I'll be comfortable with.

[@WhereToFind]

@@simplyunknown.3279 everything is competitive now. Get in where you can and learn and earn your way up

[@simplyunknown.3279]

@@WhereToFind Okay, I'll do that. Thanks.

[@MrStopTrollin]

⁠@@simplyunknown.3279So background, I’m a IT Training/hiring manager who spent 5 years on a help desk(and still help out when needed). I have always said that it should be a standard that anyone getting into IT should take 6 months on a help desk minimum. Now I know it probably won’t be fun but it will help out with a different kind of experience that will assist your career in any business environment. 1. Communication practice. Everyone needs to learn how to deal with difficult people as EVERY job is going to make you face this. Being able to diffuse a situation and being able to communicate IT stuff to non-IT people is required for being good at any IT job. Even sysadmins will need to be able to explain themselves and defend their stance. Help desk is “safer” to practice because you will be dealing with people lower on the totem pole who can’t easily fire you if you mess up. 2. Stress management. Help desk has its stresses, but at the end of the day, you leave and what happens overnight doesn’t matter. Upper IT jobs, what you complete today, will effect what you do tomorrow, so your job won’t feel like it’s over and stress can run 24/7. Help desk eases you into it to learn management. 3. Understanding the environment. Help desk has their fingers in everything. They have a better high-level view of things and can see the overall organization. Also seen level 2 teams get stuck cause the help desk forgot a step and now the team is confused cause they don’t always know the basic troubleshooting steps. (I mean shouldn’t happen often but humans are human) 4. IT practice. Home labs are one thing, but getting into a corpo environment can be different. Learning all the different tools and experiencing what it’s like in a “real” environment makes people more comfortable. Last thing to mention, (and hoping you find this helpful) my perspective as someone who conducts interviews, there are two main things I look for in a candidate. “How personable are they”, and “are they willing to learn”. If you have an interview with me, it means your resume checks the boxes of experience. But I need to know that you can work well in whatever team is hiring, AND you can learn how we do it here. Hoping this is helpful and hopefully you either got the job or you found good employment elsewhere. Thanks for coming to my TED talk

[@YummyBabe94]

Everyday I question do I really need a job. Help desk should be called HELL DESK! Almost 1 year in I’m ready to quit. Excedrin everyday sometimes twice a day, naps on lunch break, and when I get off another nap. Idk how people do this for more than 5 years.

[@battleaxe8252]

Help Desk is easy work.