working as a technician with no real experience 4

[greetcup]

Hi,

I was wondering of what kinds of opinions experienced technicians on this forum could give.

I have my A+, Network+ and MCP certifications but I have no real experience except for taking apart my old XP computer.

I found this job where I will be traveling from client to client, and it requires knowledge in PC hardware for laptops and desktops, and maintaining comptuers at client sites.

I have only book knowledge and I have only experience fixing my computer. Do you guys think that if I just review books on desktop and laptop repair like crazy for one week I should be ready for the job? Thanks!

 

[greetcup]

Thanks everyone for all their responses.

Now in the mean time I have been interviewing for a technician job and I just got off the phone interview. The recruiter who told me about this position made it look like an entry-level type role. He emailed me the job description and it says:

"would be applying guided scripts to perform routine maintenance and servicing... 70% of the time" and "usually would handle basic, non-complex problems."

The phone interview somehow did not make it seem like a entry-level type job, because you are suppose to go out to the client on your own and handle the issues there.

Does this sound like a typical technician job that looks like an entry-level type role going out to meet one client after another?

 

[FredWagner]

Yes, that does work as an entry level Tech job. You get to meet people, think on your feet, represent your organization. A Bench-tech gets to fix systems that people bring in. Because you go to the customer, they don't have to unplug everything and carry it to you - so you can see the problem as it exists. You may get some simple fixes that will boost your confidence. If you can't fix the system, and it's useable, either call your home base for advice, or tell them you'll come back after you've done some research. If it doesn't work at all, you can take it back to the shop where you should have some expert backup. Learn what is the appropriate paperwork for your organization (depends if you're taking care of internal customers off-site, or external customers). You'll also want to track your mileage for reimbursement.

Fred Wagner

 

[greetcup]

The job description seems to say that most of the job duties involve replacing only hardware components, and the interviewer said it is warranty type repair work.

If it's just hardware and warranty repairt work then it shouldn't be too difficult?

 

[greetcup]

In addition to the last post I just added above, if someone like me with no experience finds a job that involves just hardware and warranty type work, then it shouldn't be too difficult? The job description did say hardware replacement.

 

[rclarke250]

well shouldn't be too difficult, Laptops,and all-in-ones can get a little hairy in the home, with kids and pets running around, everyone asking questions on how does this work, how to do that. But if warranty work, there will be no software, except maybe a reload to base load from recovery disk, if available. That's what I like about my job, not responsible for your data, they are. And unless they pay for the contract, I do nothing with software. As a bonus, look at UBCD and Sardu for some good tools for diagnostics,and virus cleaning from a bootable cd,or thumb drive.

 

[rclarke250]

Oh, one more thing, as you advance in your career, you may find yourself working on more complex machines or with several cables that have the same type of connector. USB won't matter, but if you get into point of sale, that still relies heavily on serial, or work with networking cables, carry a roll of masking tape to mark the cables, when you are done working you can remove the tape, so as to make it look neat again without marking the customers cables all up.

 

[greetcup]

The job description describes that the technician goes to a parts pickup location, and then drive around from client to client. It says experience with replacing hardware components in desktops and laptops.

Is this what is called a break/fix type of job? And what does break-fix mean? Does it just mean open up a computer and then just replace a component, so that means there is no troubleshooting involved? And a break / fix job means an entry-level type position?

 

[rclarke250]

Not really just entry level, it implies any type of work in the industry where broken parts are supplied to a vendor to facilitate the repair, either in the field or on the bench.

It sounds like the job I do, and I work on pc's,laptops,servers from entry level to enterprise class,ATM's,APC (automated postal center) Cisco,NetApp,sans, tape libraries, Ticket Kiosk,and non-ticket kiosks, Printer (dot-matrix,laser,solid ink,dye sublimation),Point of sale, Check sorters. And anything else IBM thinks they can make a buck at without paying me anymore.

Almost sounds more like World Wide Tech Services. We hire them to do some stuff, sometimes I get "helpers" when I go to do a refresh, Like install a new server,PC's and printers at a hotel over night, they hire WWTS to send the helper to unbox,set up the printers,pc's while I install the Server and router.

 

[greetcup]

So do you think someone like myself with just book knowledge and no experience can handle this type of job?

And what would be expected from me in terms of work performance on the first month on the job?

 

[rclarke250]

Yes, replacing the parts is just figuring out how to take it apart and put it back together. If the help desk ships out the wrong part, or it doesn't fix it, most have a help desk to call back to, for troubleshooting help, and to reorder parts. Don't get too hung up on the experience thing, If someone hires you for the job, they seen something during the interview to lead them to think you can do the job. As for expectations, I can only speak from experience. After my first month I was expected to do the same work as the techs with 10 years experience, but not as fast.

 

[orypecos]

You can always buy used computers and fix them to learn about computer hands on repair. That is what I am doing.

 

[goombawaho]

You can always buy used computers and fix them to learn about computer hands on repair."

Except for the fact that you don't have any pressure on you to figure things out and fix them in a short period of time while on site AND look professional while doing it. It adds a little extra to the experience.

 

[edfair]

The issue you'll face is when the parts replacement doesn't resolve the problem. But yes, you can do it.
I've carried the tool bag and parts into customer's offices for 50+ years. It can be scary, especially on something you've never seen before. Be honest with the customer, they appreciate it and will give you more leeway to screw things up.

I'll digress with a joke. An IBM repairman goes into a customer's data center to fix something. Leaning up against one machine he asks the data center manager where the machine is that he is supposed to work on. The data center manager tells him that he is leaning against it. Seems the machines he practiced on in school never had their covers on so he didn't know what they looked like.
Never did anything that bad, but close.

It may be my weird personality but I've never had a problem telling customers any one of several stories that reduce their expectations of what I can do or how fast their repair may take.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[goombawaho]

I have to question even going into this field. They treat entry level technicians like dirt - weird hours, no respect and low pay.

"Call the IT monkey - he'll fix it

 

[edfair]

Depends on the employer. Mine was a cheap SOB. Oh, thats right, I was the employer too.

Seriously, it can be a good life. But you have to watch out for yourself because the bosses can really work you over with demands on your time and squeeze you on money.

I left IBM to get away from a customer and a manager that was clueless, a leasing company because of poor management, and got myself fired from another leasing company. All of them were less than generous although the last one was the best birthday present I ever had.

A long ago IT manager at Georgia Tech used to call for a grease monkey to work on one of his machines. Dispatch wasn't exactly enamored of his term.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[rclarke250]

Be glad you got out when you did Ed, Dispatch is run out of Malaysia and Billing from Brazil. And in a brilliant move they split Global Services back into two groups, Enterprise and Retail, so twice the managers, and half the techs because of the different branch offices, even though we have guys trained on machines in both groups, they can only work on the machines assigned to them, and half of the time they put the machine in the wrong group. I have retail techs getting AS/400 calls, Large system techs getting Intel server calls. The System says only half of my guys are trained on some boxes, so they aren't even in the string. Every day is a joy.

But it still beats the hell out of working for sears. Which is where IBM poached me from in the 90's.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I need an IT / Comms support engineer in the office here.

its a tough job, but good grounding...... ;-)

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

its a tough job, but good grounding......"

Grounding - what does that mean??? You mean "take a pounding?"

Seriously what does that expression mean?

 

[kjv1611]

Maybe - electrical grounding.

 

[gbaughma]

Not to be a noodge....

#1: How did you get your A+ certification without ever taking apart a computer? I teach A+ Certification classes, and that's pretty much the whole class..

#2: The XP computer you took apart, was that the one mentioned in thread602-1657841 ? If so, you broke it... so the only computer you've ever taken apart, you broke?

Sorry... just kinda thinking out loud....



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

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