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Should I take the help desk job?

By Linn47 ·
I became A+ and Network+ certified 8 years ago, with the main objective of working at a help desk.

Around that time everything was off-shored, and I ended up at a Cicuit City with several formerly well-paid geeks.

Since then, I've applied for every help desk job that was out there, with no luck.

Now I'm 62, and only apply for these jobs as a formality.

So, or course, I just got a call back for an interview. I'm not sure now whether I want the job or not.

Do I??

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how should we know?

by .Martin. In reply to Should I take the help de ...

it is your life...

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Bad press

by Linn47 In reply to how should we know?

I was hoping to find someone who worked a help desk, in order to dispel some of the negative reports you hear.

I suppose it depends on how bad your present job is; it's all relative. ;-)

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62 years old and can't decide ...

by OldER Mycroft In reply to Should I take the help de ...

I'd hate to have asked you something 30 years ago...

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just an idea

by hydrodane In reply to 62 years old and can't de ...

Aloha,

call the help desk a few times a week..at different times, with different problems....and hopefully with diff people.

see how the help desk is trained to respond.

this way you get a glimpse inside...and a heads up on what may be expected from you.

as far as the compensation..I would suspect, you are more inclined to the benefits of the job, no disrespect meant btw, than salary compensation...a financial planner is really whom you should consult in that area.

You may perform some due diligence also to find out what the current wages statistics are for this kind of work in your area/region...so you are getting your fair share..and likewise, you aren't pricing yourself off the charts.

good luck...

Aloha
hydrodane

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Commute times

by Linn47 In reply to just an idea

Thanks!

The tech job has a much shorter commute than my present job. That's worth $1- 2.00 an hour.

It's not the money --so much. It's the stress factor that concerns me. I do know that I have been turned down for jobs with companies, and then called their help desk, only to find they know much less than I do.

But you also hear so many horror stories about this kind of work.

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You need to have a humours attitude towards life and your job

by Slayer_ In reply to Commute times

Don't take things seriously. If you do, you will lose all faith in humanity.


****, the hardest part of the job is trying to make the client not feel stupid after they ask a stupid question or have a stupid problem.

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Tact

by Linn47 In reply to You need to have a humour ...

I once couldn't figure out why my desktop wouldn't boot, when the power had been out for several hours.

I find that people - especially intelligent people - tend to start out on the defensive when they're in over their heads and they know it. Especially if they're a man, and the tech is a woman. Add this to the panic they feel when their PC dies, and it can get volatile.

So it must be important to bring things down to earth asap.

I was once told that I should never say: "Are you sure the computer is plugged in?"

But rather say: "Unplug it and plug it in again. Sometimes that helps..."

I've dealt with the public all my life. And you're right. Sense of humor is the most important thing.

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New tricks

by Linn47 In reply to 62 years old and can't de ...

Actually, it's my age that gives me the indecision. Inertia.

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Let's test you with some role playing

by Slayer_ In reply to Should I take the help de ...

Hello? Hi, yeah I can't login to my computer.

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Never assume computer literacy

by Linn47 In reply to Let's test you with some ...

LOL. Do you mean home users?

First you - tactfully - have to find out what THEY mean by "Login".

Will the pc even boot? Are they at the log-on screen and nothing happens? Do they (as usual) just mean they can't get their email?

If a password issue, you can boot them into safe mode to the admin account - (If XP)

(Unless their long gone ex boyfriend set up the computer 3 years ago, and set the admin PW as his favorite private body part.)

If it's Vista, you can reformat and install XP. ;-)

Of course, you have to first find out the OS. I find that singing the opening fanfare works best to acertain this, sinc emost home users don't know what "Operating System" means.

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