IT Support role (1st line)

[Joycee Banercheck]

A colleague of mine has asked me to apply for a job in IT doing the 1st line support role for internal customers. I currently do some customer service and admin stuff, but I'm doing an IT degree and have done tech support in electrical & mechanical engineering before for around 5 years.

Any IT bods in here who can tell me what to expect? Is it usually resolving problems with a script, etc?

Also, the job is with the company I'm already employed with, just in another town and department. What's the score with wages? If the IT job is less than what I earn, does that mean I'll have to take a pay cut, or will they match my current salary (depending on whether I get it) or is that specific to a Company's own policies?

Thongs very much.

 

[dazzlerblue]

If it's anything like at my place, you will just need to say the following......

CTRL+ALT+DELETE

Some right thick twats out there!

 

[bluemonkey71]

Some daft twat "My PC isnt working"

You... "Pack up your PC and take it back to PC World"

Job done

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

I could do that!

 

[IFeedGoats]

Varies greatly from company to company tbh
Some companies would class desktop support as first line or sometime it'll be anything that can be resolved over the phone, or could even be as basic as logging calls, with only standard procedures to follow. How big is the company?

 

[Des]

I started as a 1st line technician and it can lead to many other oppurtunities in IT if thats what you want, there were scripts and a knowledge database to help 'fix' common problems n the rest you pick up as you go along plus alot of info was shared amongst us re any fixes as they occur.

Sure you'll receive some training too, not sure re the pay difference as it differs with each company.

 

[Stanley]

Repeat and learn


'Have you tried turning it off and back on again'

In all seriousness 1st line support can be tough, especially if its call centre quantity.

It is however a stepping stone, learn from it, but keep going and building your knowledge base.

 

[Joycee Banercheck]

Cheers IFG. The company is a multi-national one. From what I understand the role will be to support 10 branches across the UK, each branch employing a range of people (I'd say from 20 up to 100 people).

The guy who told me to go for the job (IT guy further up the chain) has just emailed over the job spec and from the looks of things, no formal IT qualifications are needed. So I'd assume that it would be the most basic of faults to deal with. That might be a bit mundane, but it's all about the first step on the ladder and, after years of trying, this could be the best oportunit to get on the right ladder at last.

 

[IFeedGoats]

Cheers IFG. The company is a multi-national one. From what I understand the role will be to support 10 branches across the UK, each branch employing a range of people (I'd say from 20 up to 100 people).

The guy who told me to go for the job (IT guy further up the chain) has just emailed over the job spec and from the looks of things, no formal IT qualifications are needed. So I'd assume that it would be the most basic of faults to deal with. That might be a bit mundane, but it's all about the first step on the ladder and, after years of trying, this could be the best oportunit to get on the right ladder at last.

Mate sounds like a great opportunity, especially with you doing an IT degree (obviously money depending you need to be able to pay the bills) What I would try and push for is the agreement that you can pursue some vendor training MCITP, CCNA, VCP or similar because with a degree, vendor certification and experience you'll be in a great position to move up the company or look for another job.

 

[bluetonium]

Agree with the above. Your 'customers' will cease to be external, and will be the moaning, literate gits in your own office.

Problem will vary from broken printers to 'where did my mouse pointer thingy go' and 'oh my god! my taskbar has disappeared!"

If you want to do it, go for it, Could suit you, but don't forget you want to move up not sideways. Make sure the pay is worth it, and where could yo move after that, if you wanted to?

Have a couple of ideas ready for how you could improve things - eg, the helpdesk system. That will get you some extra brownie points once you are in the job.

Oh, and please, please, please, don't forget to tell the women in the office not to type 'google' into google.com, or the internet will breakdown.