Obtaining experience in the IT World

In order to build IT experience, I suggest that you drive on over to local IT training schools and meet with a head manager to see if you can get involved with their internships. They might ask you to commit to taking their classes or prove that you have sufficient knowledge to help instead of hinder.

Another alternative would be to go to the local colleges or technical schools and see if you can get accepted in some of their on-the-job technical classes or projects.

And lastly, seach for places that you'd like to work ultimately, and offer your services for such things as diagramming their network configurations, setting up a disaster recovery plan, etc. Most company's staff never have enough time to do everything, and if you are truly sincere about gaining experience, a free-of-charge volunteer who does a good job, can often get a great recommendation.

Another option is to

One place that always looks for volenteers is schools. The problem is, you may be on your own there, and you want to learn from someone. You may want to look for a small, local computer store/service that does networking. Many of these places are started by someone with years of experience, but short of resources. Someone like that can teach you alot. Also, many independent consultants get jobs where they need extra hands. Talk to them and let them know you're available. Many of these consultants know of their clients job opennings before they hit the market and could recommend you to companies.
Hope that helps.

Lie! but a little, only on what you know, if you know how to install NT workstations, just said that you were instaling wks for company A for two month, and in company B for 1 month. Have in mind a PC brand a nic card an email system, and any particular environment that you know or some friend could give you.
Due to the fact that they were very short time jobs, you do not have contracts signed.
It's not necesary to have "a lot" of experience, in order to find a job, but is important to have worked.
Remember, just a little!!!, if too much, recuriters will discover you!.

Hope it helps!!!

As an IT generalist with a good appreciation for the frustrations of the catch22 you are in, my first suggestion is to network as hard as you can. One of the ways to do this is to know somebody who knows somebody who works in the area you want to get into. Ask your friend for an introduction to their friend and try to get an informational interview. Do not go asking for a job, but instead ask about their work, and their advice for a newcomer attempting to enter the industry. The most important thing is to become a "real person" in their eyes. One of the deepest complements you can offer a person is to be sincerely interested in their life and experience.

I think most of the good jobs are unadvertised. By the time the job is being advertised, the ridiculous requirements have been tacked on. The hiring manager is having to pay to advertise it and they want to defray as much of the cost as they can, so they start out looking for an impossibly perfect person.

If you start talking to people in the industry, you will find that many are very sharp, but few are really Albert Einstein.

If you are having trouble with this endeavour, look on the technical job sites like techies.com, etc. for internships. They do not pay large sums, but they are one of the better techniques for getting your foot in the door, maybe even the second best way. Try to find summer internships, or even try for work/study at your college if it is available. You become a known quantity toa company or two, and have solid "real world" experience to add to your resume. It may also give you some different ideas about what you want to specialize in.

Resign yourself to the fact that you may have to move somewhere to find the job you want. My students are going for AS degrees and Cisco certs, and are labouring under the illusion that they will find their dream job in Gaffney SC. Unlikely.

Sandro-

I just graduated from college this past May and my offer was rescinded so I know exactly what you mean. First I contacted my schools career planning office and asked if they could send me a list of contacts of the recruiters who come to our career fairs. I went through that list and sent each one emails explaining my situation and attaching my resume. I didn't heard too much back, so I sent follow up letters. That definetely got me some responses but that wasn't enough. It's just hard when the market is bad. But you have to be persistent, it's key.

I also looked in the classifieds. Here you will find smaller companies, who may pay less but really need IT people. You may not have support here but you can always buy books and work those issues out. These are definetely places to have great learning experiences and still get paid.

There are tons of places you can volunteer to do IT stuff. Anywhere from the Redcross to some organization at your school. These places usually need volunteers and they need them badly since they can't afford to pay and not many people will take a job without pay. I definetely suggest going to your local red cross chapter and seeing what kind of help they might need. I am sure they will gladly accept your help. And even if you are just doing data entry at first, that may turn into something else over time so just be patient and see where it takes you.

And finally continue to network. That is how I found my job. I just started last week and it's great. Go to career fairs, post your resume and keep talking to people. Ask your parents, friends, friends' parents if they know people and if you could meet them. It's hard to do it at first, I know, but it will definetely help you find a job.

I wish you the best of luck in your job search. I know what it's very frustrating. I hope my advice has helped. Good luck to you!!!

Aryana

Greetings Sandro,

You can offer to volunteer at any school or church.

In addition, there are scores of charities (Red Cross, United Way, etc..) that could use volunteers.

You could go to your school counselor and enroll in some intern programs. They offer experience (no pay) for school credits.

You could go to some of the smallet independently owned computer stores and offer to work a few hours a day for free.

However, you might want to look at your job search in a different way. I'm not convinced that all employers would automatically eliminate someone with no IT experience. Especially if you show how you do indeed have experience in some (or all) of the following:

Experience learning new things quickly and thoroughly.(We all have to continue to learn new things.)

Experience being dependable and on-time.

Experience in putting the customer first.

And so on. (I'm sure you get the idea.)

Best of luck to you,

Maxwell

well don't lie..
sometimes you have to start at the bottom..
Have you applied for jobs on the helpdesk or as a computer operator? I started out that way, even with a Masters in Computer Science. Did you think that it was going to be easy?

Iagree with the posts about Volunteering.

You may want to start your own business. If you are good fixing pc's or something you can
make good money repairing pc's. I know a guy in Iowa who set up a business repairing PC's and he drives his van around from farm to farm fixing pc's for folks. He has more work than he can do - and he does quite well.

places to volunteer - look in the phone book for community services or social services wherever you live.

Hello Sandro,
All the question, is how determined you search.
With difficult market situation, You must plan Your search: The resumee, The introdution letter,even The picture, refine it make it nice, be absolutely true in all aspects. Send weekly minimum 50 proposals, remember you have only to focuse on the task: "If I can do it, I take it". The company you search decide if you may suit for the job, not You. Remember it is tough, persevere.

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