#HelpDesk #CareerGrowth #Upskilling
Hey there, it’s great to see your interest in moving up from Help Desk to a new job. 🚀 It’s a common question, but there’s always something new to learn from others’ experiences. So, let’s dive into some helpful insights and advice from professionals who have successfully transitioned from Help Desk to higher-level positions.
## Time Spent in Help Desk and Career Progression
### How long were you in Help Desk before getting a new job?
Many professionals shared that they spent around 1-3 years in a Help Desk role before moving on to new opportunities.
Some were able to progress within their current company, while others found new opportunities in different organizations.
## New Job Opportunities and Salary Increase
### What job did you take and what was the increase in salary?
Several individuals mentioned that they transitioned into roles such as Systems Administrator, Network Engineer, IT Manager, and even Project Manager.
The salary increase varied, with some experiencing a significant jump in pay, while others saw a more moderate increase. It really depended on the specific role, company, and individual negotiations.
## Importance of Upskilling and Certifications
### Did you upskill and get certificates that made getting a new job possible?
The majority of professionals emphasized the importance of upskilling and obtaining relevant certifications. Examples of certifications that helped them land new roles include:
– CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+
– Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
– Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator
These certifications not only boosted their skills and knowledge but also made them more marketable to potential employers.
## Career Growth and Advice for Aspiring Help Desks
### How has your career formed throughout the years?
Many professionals shared that their career progression was a result of continuous learning, networking, and seizing opportunities as they arose.
Some moved into leadership positions, while others pursued specialized areas such as cybersecurity or cloud computing.
## Advice for Newly Made Help Desks
### Do you have any advice for newly made Help Desks?
Here are some valuable pieces of advice offered by experienced professionals:
– Always seek opportunities to learn and grow, both within and outside of your current role.
– Build a strong network within the industry, as connections can often lead to new opportunities.
– Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges and responsibilities, as they can be stepping stones to advancement.
– Invest in continuous upskilling and consider obtaining relevant certifications to increase your market value.
– Stay proactive and curious about emerging technologies and industry trends.
In conclusion, the journey from Help Desk to new job opportunities is indeed achievable with dedication, continuous learning, and strategic career planning. If you’re currently in a Help Desk role, remember to stay proactive in your career development and keep exploring new possibilities for advancement.
Wishing you all the best in your career growth! If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out. Good luck! 💼👍
Good questions
I’m not exactly new lol, but I like to tell my story because it isn’t your average “I got out of help desk in 6 months” story that low key makes you feel like shit.
My trajectory was roughly this:
IT Intern – 15/hr – 7 months
Help desk – 50k – 2 years
Software Support – 56k – 1 year
Service engineer 1 – 55k – 5 months
Service engineer 2 – 58k – 4 months
IT Automation Engineer 2 – 62k – 8 months to present
So I’d say I’m only recently out of help desk, and even then I’m still at the very beginning of mid level. I’m working to maybe be one of those unicorns that rockets up to DevOps.
It’s not the time you spend in helpdesk, it’s not like school where you spend a year and then get bumped up. It’s about learning new skills, asking to work on extra things outside your purview (or atleast shadowing an admin while they’re doing it) and understanding and upskilling while you are in helpdesk that will help you secure your next job.
Many people getting into IT believe helpdesk is just something they need to dredge through with no thought and then expect a sysadmin position, it’s just not how it works.
Help Desk 3 1/2 years.
14k increase of salary from hire date to end of position.
Had 3 certifications before starting (A+,Net+,Sec+), got 5 more during the 3 1/2 years (Server+,CySA+.PenTest+,CASP+,W10 MTA.)
Landed a job as a SysAdmin which was 15k increase.
My advice for Helpdesk is if you going to Cert Chase like I did, do not waste your time with all the CompTia ones I did. Sec+ is probably the only useful one because its like a DOD requirement so it opens up DOD oppurtunities.
I Think certs like MS AZ 801 – 802 and CCNA are way more beneficial for knowledge and opportunity to move up.
Also if you are interested in eventually being in Cyber Security, dont be discouraged not being able to jump from HD to CS, it can happen but highly unlikely you will have the necessary skills & knowledge. Focus on either becoming a sysadmin or network engineer first which will provide you more experience on how networks should be secured.
1.5 years. Got certified for something. Company promoted me to keep me from leaving. Didn’t use cert at all for the new position. Got promoted twice after a 2 more years doing database work and random saas admin shit. Went from 40k to 80k in about 4.5 years.
1. 2-3 years.
2. Multiple, went from lowly help desk, to desktop support, operations engineering, now production engineering (SRE).
3. +$30K in comp every hop.
4. Yes. Homelab, certs (AWS, TF, etc…), and lot of reading.
5. Accelerated after my second gig. Lucky byproduct of fantastic work culture and eye-opening experience on what engineering *could* be.
6. Prioritize doing well just enough to keep your current help desk job and spend most of your work time doing project and non-help desky work. Embrace uncertainty because that will come with leaving help desk. Also – read books, whitepaper, research paper on current trends and such as opposed to looking for digestible youtube videos when learning things.