Dec 20, 2008, 03:15 PM
As someone who's worked on a Service Desk for years now and has been promoted (and is being let go because my company is leaving the US for various reasons of fail), I've learned a few things:
1. Every desk is a drama desk. Work hard, create little drama and be innovative (e.g. do good things management doesn't expect outside of your daily responsibilities, like creating a tool to reduce incidents or time to resolve incidents) and you'll be noticed. Caveat:
1.a. There are two types of desks. The touchy-feely each employee has a voice desk, and the technical, everyone here is here to work not to cry because I can't get the schedule I want and the guy next to me is loud desk. In the former, technical aptitude won't get you anywhere, ass-kissing will. It's a bad scene. The later is the better of the two as being great at your job and going above and beyond as mentioned in point one will get you promoted, or recommended for a position outside the department. Gauge your workplace appropriately.
2. People who work in a call center/help desk/service desk in any one position for more than 3 years tend to go insane. Not just that, but Management of that center/desk tends to stop looking at you for promotion. Getting out of the desk is your only option if this is the case.
2.a. A desk/center is a gateway into the rest of IT. If you can't get promoted out, or get an interview out, use the job as a means of getting certifications to forward your career (ie - just go for the paycheck and use free time at work to study).
3. No matter where you want to get promoted, the "new hotness" in IT can be found in ITIL certification, and/or HDI certifications.
Take this with a grain of salt as every company is different.
1. Every desk is a drama desk. Work hard, create little drama and be innovative (e.g. do good things management doesn't expect outside of your daily responsibilities, like creating a tool to reduce incidents or time to resolve incidents) and you'll be noticed. Caveat:
1.a. There are two types of desks. The touchy-feely each employee has a voice desk, and the technical, everyone here is here to work not to cry because I can't get the schedule I want and the guy next to me is loud desk. In the former, technical aptitude won't get you anywhere, ass-kissing will. It's a bad scene. The later is the better of the two as being great at your job and going above and beyond as mentioned in point one will get you promoted, or recommended for a position outside the department. Gauge your workplace appropriately.
2. People who work in a call center/help desk/service desk in any one position for more than 3 years tend to go insane. Not just that, but Management of that center/desk tends to stop looking at you for promotion. Getting out of the desk is your only option if this is the case.
2.a. A desk/center is a gateway into the rest of IT. If you can't get promoted out, or get an interview out, use the job as a means of getting certifications to forward your career (ie - just go for the paycheck and use free time at work to study).
3. No matter where you want to get promoted, the "new hotness" in IT can be found in ITIL certification, and/or HDI certifications.
Take this with a grain of salt as every company is different.