Have MCP cert with no JOB... what are my options. 1

[Guest_imported]

I have recently received my MCP certification(last month) and have been looking for work since then, and have not received any calls for interviews. I first thought it was my resume... but after talking to a technical employment agency they said the IT industry is way saturated with MCP/MCSE people. he said he receives 50 MCSE resumes per month from toronto... and i live in calgary. Ive been checking websites, the newspaper, etc etc. and still have no job.

I also have my Computer Information Systems diploma.
I have also worked as a computer technician for 1 year. my work experience includes in-store computer repairs, doing service calls for clients. my network experience is basic.. although i was required to install a server cabinet/server/10 workstations/router/hub etc etc-- by following a manual. that was probably the biggest job ive done, in respect to networking. so.... right now im basically ready to get any job i can get.. warehouse.. whatever. so im question is, why is the IT job market so shitty right now. after getting my MCP cert i had high hopes to land a network/help desk position. I want to get into a field that is really going to be in demand.. so what can i do.. im willing to go back to school if neccessary. I did a little research and they say Network Security and Wireless networking are going to be in demand. What do you guys think?? can you guys give me some options here.. im really stuck right now.

thanks..

 

[infinitelo]

I dont know if this will help. First of all the current job market is temporary(i hope) There was a huge demand for IT professionals in the last five years, due to y2k, and the internet boom. but now companies are cutting cost and those entry level jobs just arent availible right now. help desk operations are being consolidated, It may help you to read the wall street journal to understand tech sector trends. when the stocks start heading up be ready.
by the way bill gates sent an email to all microsoft employees that security will be more important than new stuff so becoming a security specialist may not be a bad idea.

 

[JimHorton]

zinger,
Please don't take this personally, but an MCP, MSCE, etc. means very little now. MS *has* saturated the market with those certs--they give them away in boxes of Fruit Loops, and many IT managers are wise to this and their eyes don't light up when they see those acronyms on a resume--instead (and I've literally seen this) they roll their eyes.

I've known (and my company has been through) too many MCSE's that don't know the difference between a floppy disk and a network card. In my opinion, the tests are too easy, and too geared towards 'book smarts' rather than real-world, can-do, hands-on experience. It's too easy to cram the day before the test, then a week later forget how to set up a network without it crashing. (This was exactly the case with one of our MCSE's)

Again, don't take the above personally, you and many MCP's and MCSE's may well have the 'right stuff'. So my suggestion--which is more geared towards someone looking for independent consulting work, but could work for full-time employment--is to offer yourself for free to some company's for a day. Give them a one page resume of what you can do, offer to come in for a day and let them see for real what you can do.

Some companies will balk, but some will take the bait. It's a win-win situation for you--even if they don't call you back, you've gotten a day's worth of real-world experience with different systems. The more of these you do, the more diverse your experience--and each company/system is another bullet point on your resume.

It beats watching Rikki Lake.
--Jim

 

[gunthnp]

Jim is right you need to more exposure I would say that not bad idea the free offer another way to build experince and help the rusume is to give time to nonprofit groups

there are good jobs in IT right now it just they are not ( have never been) easy to get at the bottom leaves another good idea might be to learn a programing lang( any will do java even VB somthing) networking more and spend sometime with other OS gunthnp
Have you ever woken up and realized you where not alive.

 

[Guest_imported]

Hey,


Many companies are hiring but in the Banking, oil and energy area. I would look at these companies and at worst I would get a permenant position (any position the company has opened that you qualify for presently) and through a promotion get in the IT field. Many Companies are cutting and consolidating and pulling talent from within....<hint>.


Oh yeah not to sound bias but another skill you want to look at is UNIX. They will always need a UNIX admin or support person. MS is temporary and your certification next year might not mean anything. Learn how to write shell scripts and then the admin stuff..............I hope this helps

 

[GlenJohnson]

Everybody is right in how the market is saturated. I've sent out seven resumes and did the typical follow up and got 1 resopnse, and didn't get the job. I do have a job now, but I was looking for better pay. I have a MCP in w2k, and I'm working towards the new MCSA. I've decided just to try and get a little extra money by starting a small side business and work free-lance in my spare time. Get yourself hooked up with every Microsoft Notification there is about security issues to keep yourself up do date about what the monster is doing. Don't let your skills slip just because your not currently using them. If your MCP is in w2k, make sure your pc is running w2k. Keep up with the times while looking for a job. Good luck.

 

[welshguy]

MCSEs, MCPs mean very little at the moment for reasons posted above. The problem is that supporting/installing Windows systems are too easy to bluff your way into. Everybody is an NT4 or 2000 expert now even if they are most definately not. It's easy to set up a crap network with NT/2000 and then pretend you know how to support it.

I've worked with so many people who have good jobs in IT but they are truly awful at their jobs.

Tretex had a point about Unix above - the fact is you simply can't bluff experience in Unix to the same extent.
Learn something off the mainstream - maybe try and get some experience with Oracle or SAP - just something that makes your CV stand out from the thousands of MS &quot;experts&quot; out there.

I'm sure the IT market will pick up eventually !

Cheers

 

[wnterhawk]

I agree with all of the above, but just to throw this into the mix:
The analysts are saying (so they aren't always right... OK maybe not even often). But there is a chance.

Anyway they say that Linux is going to overcome windows in the next decade or so. The claim is that 25% of new business networks are going Linux. It's cheap. You don't have to pay for every license. There are lot's of reasons. But since it is so lcose to Unix, it is also another choice to look at.
Len

 

[haxx77]

Sorry, but having an MCP harldy qualifies you to do anything but be an assistant. They lied to you when they said you would get a job payin 60G's after your cert.

 

[meadandale]

You are right--network security is going to be big in the coming years. You better know what you are doing, however and not try and bluff your way in with a few certs.

I met a guy like this at a dinner party a few months ago. He told me that he was a 'security expert.' He told me that he was so good at his job that he only needed to work a couple of hours a day--he spent the rest playing Quake/Counter-Strike/<your favorite game here> on company time. Too bad he ruined any credibility that he had by opening his mouth. It was clear that he didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

I'm sure that he's used to people being mystified by the big technical words he uses. Too bad he doesn't really know what any of them mean. But I did. I just smiled and nodded and tried not to what a piece of work he was. I'm just amazed that his employer is so naive as to not see through this smokescreen.

I hate to sound so jaded but I've come across alot of these jokers lately. Here's to hoping that you don't become one of them 8^)

 

[haxx77]

&quot;Have MCP cert with no JOB&quot;

Good!



- Nice guys finish last.

 

[welshguy]

&quot; Nice guys finish last &quot;

Sad but true. Still an MCP is better than nothing - but only just in today's market. I don't think that alone would get much of a job, they've just been too devalued.

I would guess that something like a CNE or CCNA would be a better target for a qualification to get you into your first job. Although the market is smaller than for MS stuff - there are less people chasing these jobs.

 

[PTCruiserII]

Volunteer in your neighborhood. Volunteer at your place of worship. These are the best places to network and you will learn more about yourself and others because these organizations are not about getting ahead but getting together and helping others...

 

[guru123]

Yeah....I too suggest you to go for CNE along with some Volunteer work. This will help you.. Best of luck!!

 

[Guest_imported]

I'm an A+, MCP, MCSE who just graduated from a Tech School. Placement got me a technical support job which doesn't pay me the 60k a year but you know what it's a start. IT field is down right now and to all of you who's making fun of my hard earned Certs, tough luck. I'm a certified network engineer and that sounds good to my ears. You don't need a degree or anything like that, get these certs, get some entry level IT experience and within 6 months you'll be making your money. Trust me!

 

[meadandale]

If you think you'll be making your $60k with just six months of experience, no formal education (i.e. degree) and only your certifications you should change your name to StarGazer. Your head is obviously in the clouds.

 

[KARLB]

on the subject, i've spent 2 years in both a programming environment (perl/cgi, shell, cobol, db2) and an administration role (windows workgroup/server, unix, linux) and done everything from set them up, configure web srevers through apache/samba on linux, networking in general... allsorts, i even gained an NVQL3 in programming (mainframe cobol), and i've been searching for over a year for a job in computers after my redundancy (computer lost a couple of years worth of work) and the idea of giving a company free labour sounds the best!
i've actually just got a job in the computer &quot;industry&quot; now, but only as a result of me spending the last two years in sales - now selling hardware over the phone, and built machines.
this is in hte hope that i can get back in the loop (or maybe a step in the loop) so i can try and work my way up.
I'm in the UK, and it seems there's nothing out there, i'm only 19, but capable of 2 years hands-on experience of programming on lots of levels and OS's, and administraton. any ideas for me anyone? i guess seling hardware is a step???

thanks in advance!

 

[Zantor]

I've looked at a lot of technical resumes during my career and most them have been pretty crappy. For some reason most techies don't seem to be able to sell themselves very effectively at all. Try getting hold of a copy of the book &quot;Knock em Dead&quot; (don't remember the authors name) and read it well. Rewrite your resume and prepare for your interview (actually devote some hours to it).
As has been noted above (at length), there are a lot of MSCE's and MCP's around out there (including me), so the way to get hired is to let your prospective employer know what makes you his/her best choice for the job. He/she will be looking for qualities such as:
[ul][li]Good written communication skills.[/li]
[li]Good verbal communication skills.[/li]
[li]Team player.[/li]
[li]Good problem solving skills.[/li][/ul]
They will also be looking at the type of projects you have been involved in and the level of your involvement.
I have been in the IT business (as a techie) for 18 years, working in New Zealand, the UK and Switzerland and my longest period of unemployment to date has been 4 weeks. I would definitely attribute this to the fact that I have a well written resume and have practiced my interview skills.
Remember, when there is a shortage of skills they will hire anybody. But when the situation is reversed, getting hired means standing out from the crowd.
Good luck

 

[gurner]

I have been in technical support in a Database specialist for approx 6 months. I came in with no qualifications and virtually no experiance.

I got in on;

V Good written communication skills.
V Good verbal communication skills.
Team player.
Good problem solving skills.
An eagerness to learn.

And i'll tell you what i still don't have any qualifications, but what i have learned in the last 6 months about NT/Novell Networks and Protocols, DB admin and lots of different MS 'goods' would put an MCSE to shame.

Amazing the feeling when you are onsite installing a database app, and you have to tell their MCSE how to get thier DNS working properly.

 

[Guest_imported]

It seems like in today's market, programmers are in high demand. There doesn't seem to much demand for Network/System Administrators...