Different people have different long and short-term goals, customer support and service desk specialists are not necessarily sought after a few years of working at a helpdesk. However, if you are the type of person who wants to get their hands dirty with actual labor, then moving on is very necessary for you.
Two to three years in a helpdesk job is generally the maximum if you wish to move into a more specialized sector. That is, if you are utilizing it as a stepping stone. Staying longer risks becoming a “lifer,” and breaking that stereotype is difficult.
As with any entry-level position, the problem with being stuck in one place for an extended period is that it limits your long-term potential. If you have any goals other than performing monotonous duties, you are squandering your potential. Continue reading to find out more about this.
How long should I expect to be at the Help desk?
If you have been working at the Helpdesk for more than two to three years, this indicates that you have been there for too long and are not driven enough to move on and experience new things in a new position. Working on the Helpdesk for two years is the favored option for many IT specialists in the area.
Self-discipline and self-motivation are essential components of the information technology career. This is something that everyone is aware of. As a result, if you stay at the Helpdesk for an excessive amount of time and then wish to advance, recruiting managers will likely doubt your motive.
They do not wish to recruit people who are entitled to expect everything to be provided to them. Too many people find themselves stuck in their entry-level employment, and most of the time, this is due to the same error.
See, it is safe to assume that everyone who has made it from zero to an entry-level IT position has a Net+, CCNA, or even a bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering. If you don’t have any prior experience, it’s nearly hard to know what to do to advance your career unless you have a fantastic mentor. And, sure, it is true that you do not always need a strategy to advance – you can be lucky in this regard.
You are not meeting customers’ hopes.
As a helpdesk professional, you should note the comments you are receiving from your employer, which may indicate that you “meet expectations” but are not exceeding them.
In certain cases, meeting expectations can provide happiness to your profession; but, if you have gotten too lazy or comfortable plodding along in your current position, spending some time to make some change in your workplace is the best option.
This is because working in the right sort of atmosphere is critical for you to flourish, as you don’t want to switch jobs to find yourself slogging along in the same old position.
You are not in a position to demonstrate your abilities and knowledge
Suppose you believe that you are overqualified for the helpdesk job you are currently working at because you do not have any opportunities to demonstrate your expertise and skills. In that case, it is a sign that you have been working on the Helpdesk for an excessive amount of time and that you should consider changing your job type.
If you believe that new advancements in the organization have replaced your talents and that your skills and expertise have become redundant due to your failure to keep up with these innovations, shifting employment may not be the best solution for your circumstance. You should upskill your qualifications to progress to refine your talents and make the most of them.
As a result, finding new work that will give you the appropriate chances while also requiring your expertise will make you feel more confident in your abilities and abilities.
What are some practical steps to take to improve your position in your field?
Improve Your Value:Obtaining some basic-level qualifications in your field of work may help you enhance your value in the workplace. Additionally, if you are joining a helpdesk job to change careers and move ahead, you must demonstrate some of the most frightening abilities, expertise, and experience in another sector.
Obtaining and presenting your entry-level certificates to your company can help you advance in your job with better confidence and security, which will help you progress forward in your career. Additionally, you may obtain Network+ and CompTIA’s A+ certifications to demonstrate that you are qualified for any position in the information technology industry.
Become more knowledgeable in your field
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security is one of the few sectors in which there are more job vacancies than there are qualified individuals. Organizations looking to hire have been confronted with a scarcity of cyber-skilled workers for years. When you work at a help desk, you may learn a great deal about cybersecurity, which you can then practice. This is a fantastic chance.
Another information security-related subject that will be in the spotlight in the next years is cloud computing, which will be joined by blockchain technology. It is only logical that as organizations migrate to the cloud, security controls should be updated to reflect the new environment.
Because of this, professionals capable of maintaining data security in the cloud are in high demand. Of course, blockchain technology is most commonly associated with cryptocurrencies. Still, it is also becoming an increasingly important component of a wide range of security solutions that are presently being developed.
The simple truth is as follows:
People find it difficult to go beyond their entry-level employment since they do not have a clear plan to accomplish so. This results in them spending more than three years working in a helpdesk environment without gaining the necessary expertise and abilities to qualify for the highest-paying IT positions.
Consider the following steps to avoid becoming stuck in an entry-level position:
- Understand the overall industry picture.
- Join a community of experienced people so you can build a network and receive advice.
- Learn the full stack of networking technologies to expand your career options.
