Tyler Regas - Getting an IT Help Desk Job For Dummies

Getting an IT Help Desk Job For Dummies

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014958353

ISBN 978-1-119-01898-8 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-01899-5 (ePDF); ISBN 978-1-119-01897-1 (ePub)

1. Table of Contents

Technology as a whole, is the foundation of a strong and energetic job industry brimming with a seemingly neverending supply of jobs. Most IT help desk jobs are on a form of help desk, but there is a lot of diversity in roles, including consulting, a customer facing help desk, and internal technical support team member. If youre looking to get in on the ground floor of technology, the IT help desk operation is one of the more diverse segments to exploit.

When you look at the landscape of technology, however, you may wonder if its even possible to become proficient. Theres so much to know, and new technologies are being introduced every year. Windows XP ran for ten years, and now its jumped from Windows 7 to 8.1 to the upcoming Windows 10 in just a few years. Mobile phone OS like Apple iOS, Googles Android, and even BlackBerry 10 evolve radically with each new version. This isnt even counting the rapid growth and expansion in all other IT technologies, telecommunications, software, web services, and countless other segments. How can anyone keep up with all of it?

You, however, are a rock star. You are a nerd, and nerds now rule the world. You live, eat, drink, and breathe technology. You can, and you do, keep up. Its not easy, but then again, what is? On the other hand, it is healthy to understand that you do not know everything and youll need some help on occasion. That is why this book exists. With this book, you dont need to tax your nerd brain with the effort of finding work; you just need to use the tools provided.

Using this book, you can develop a sense of purpose, discover your area of strength, expand your knowledge base, become a better you, and become a better employee at the same time.

Getting an IT Help Desk Job For Dummies introduces you to the world of IT help desk operations and how to prepare or improve yourself for employment in this world. With this book as your guide, you will learn

• All about the help desk
• The different paths you can take on your road to the help desk
• The array of different certifications that are available to you
• What a day is like for each kind of role in the support industry
• Why selecting the help desk is the best choice when getting into IT
• What the federal government has to say about how awesome IT is
• About the kind of education that can help you in your quest for work
• More about optional forms of education
• The inner workings of the nerd mind and how to apply it to help people
• The manifold arena of post-education that is known as certifications
• The good, the bad, and the functional of getting certifications
• How to make yourself a better nerd outside of education
• Effective tools for expanding your technical prowess
• New platforms and new ways of experiencing technology
• Everything you need to know about being a help desk nerd
• The core elements that make up working as a consultant
• What its like to work inside a company, small or large
• The ins and outs of providing technical support to customers
• How to brand yourself using the Internet as your toolbox
• How to develop a winning cover letter and the ultimate resume
• How to survive the grueling interview process
• What to do and what not to do when interacting with decision-makers
• Why its critical to treat people nicely
• How to properly manage the post-interview process
• How interesting lists of information can really be

After you decide that you want an IT help desk job or, if you already have one, decide whether you want to keep working in IT how do you advance yourself?

Thats why this book exists. This book is designed to empower you, give an extra boost to your already active nerd gene, help you find the job you want, build on that foundation, and develop a long-lasting career in IT that makes you happy and fulfilled.