How do I retrain in IT support?

Question

I currently hold two degrees (BA, MA) and have five years' admin and secretarial experience but would really like to get into IT support (IT helpdesk engineer sort of thing). I've always tended to be the one in the office who my colleagues come to when there's a software or hardware problem and I rather like solving them!

What qualifications or training do I need to push my knowledge and skills further towards the IT side of my experience?

Answer 1

You could start with some courses that certify you as a computer technician, that way you can market yourself using your cetification as formal background. If you want to take it a step further you should consider a CISCO certification and a second language.

that's my 2 cents

Answer 2

I pretty much walked into the same kind of position at my company. You could post a resume on Dice or Monster outlining your experience with computers and networks, noting your pro bono work with your office machines. I have a mere AS Degree in Electronic Technologies but being a computer nerd is all it took to get a killer raise and a chilling desk job.

Answer 3

IT Support know the following:

'turn it off and then on again'

'press Ctrl, Alt, Delete'

Once you have mastered these sayings, you can work on an IT helpdesk anywhere in the world it would seem!

Answer 4

There are really no formal qualifications you need. Skills... well, the more, the better. Installing and configuring applications, installing workstations, printers, and other equipment and configuring it for the local network, network installation, configuration and troubleshooting, basic (at least) understanding of hardware, Windows networking, and TCP/IP networking...

Answer 5

Depends on what you want to do. MCSE is the path for desktop support, CCNA for networking, or compTIA Security to get started on the security side of networking and computing.

Answer 6

www.computeach.co.uk

Give them a visit!