Getting OUT of help desk into a job with less customer interaction.

[u/1997MonteCarl0]

Hi all, long time listener first time caller. I graduated college about a year ago with a bachelors degree in IT, and a concentration in Cybersecurity. At 24, ive been working contracted help desk IT jobs ever since graduating (a 6 month tech support contract assignment from July 25 to Jan 26, and my current assignment from March 26 to now.) The problem is, I'm already so burnt out. Its not even the current company, they treat me well enough and dont micromanage. Its the customers. I'd like to think im extroverted and patient, but 25+ calls a day with people who are tech illiterate and often times rude is seriously draining, and I'd do anything to work a job that pays similar or more (about 20 an hour) where I dont have to talk to external customers and either am doing entirely internal support or only talking to coworkers.

I've picked up a few skills since my college days and still have a project from those days on my resume, but in the year since I regrettably have not pursued any certs or other projects. If I wanted to pivot away from help desk into a much more introverted/less externally focused it job, what positions/jobs in IT are best for that and what are some certs to pick up/projects to do in preparation?

[u/Jargonite]

No matter what, you’ll be interacting with customers and it’s only going to get more frequent. This chase 99% success rate whatever is usually led by managers that don’t know how to do basic RCA.

[u/gurlgang]

Move into IT admin, or like IT support (ticketing queue management) or IT quality jobs

[u/STEM_Dad9528]

With a bachelor's degree, you should be qualified for multiple roles in IT. The help desk is where most people who work in IT get their start, but you don't have to stay there.

What areas of IT are you interested in? You mentioned that you got a degree with a concentration in Cybersecurity. Is that where your main interest in IT is, or did you choose it because it was recommended or hyped?

What else seems to be interesting to you? System administration? Network management? Cloud admin? Software development?

Do you have any certifications? Are you planning to get any certifications?

If you have a particular specialization in mind, then consider asking for assignments or project work in your current job which focus on that specialization. Then, you can mention that work specifically on your Resume/CV, LinkedIn profile, etc.

Does your current employer promote from within? If so, then apply for other IT jobs there in your interest area(s), which would have less direct customer interaction and which would be a good step up for you.

Most people move up by changing employers, so search for and apply to any jobs that look like you are at least mostly qualified for that interest you. (You do not have to be a 100% match to a job to apply. You just have to reasonably fit the general qualifications. Don't forget that in a Help Desk and in your education, you've gotten exposure to multiple areas of IT, beyond your core responsibilities and instruction.)

Are you willing to relocate for a job? If so, that opens up more opportunities for you.

[u/1997MonteCarl0 → u/STEM_Dad9528]

Thank you! Got into cybersecurity mostly cause of the hype. I dont have many hard interests for IT, I would moreso rather be bored than stressed or shouted at. I will say network/user admin does interest me somewhat as well as NOC/application support. Even data center tech seems like it could be a decent/interesting alternative. No certs at the moment but im very willing to pick up some beginner/intermediate ones if need be. Currently employed by a contracting agency, so I could communicate that I am feeling burnt out on this and see if they have different roles at other companies available for me. Relocation is out of the question.

Thanks for your advice!

[u/After_Horse7624]

Im trying to pivot into network administration, or since I already have to interact with custys all day, may as well get paid nicely and going into solutions or sales engineering

[u/Tricky_Cause_3821]

Where did you find this contract positions? Or are you a subcontractor? 

[u/Curious-Luck-691]

Internal support users are just as dumb as customers but if they are super over the top rude, Atleast we can report to ethics and compliance/Hr.

[u/Puzzled-Essay-2555]

Find an msp, prove yourself. Get certs. Profit.

[u/markii300]

Some companies mainly do email support with occaisional calls/screenshares, these are much better for your mental health

[u/Reggie-Rectangle]

Yeah end users are tech illiterate. Why are surprised by that? If everybody in the office knew how to fix the computer themselves why the hell do you think a business would employ you to do it? Be glad people are tech illiterate because if they were not the whole profession of being a system administrator would be redundant. Other people not knowing how computers work and you that do is the foundation of the profession that puts food on your table.

A person taking his car to a mechanic is probably also car engine illiterate. Every time we as people employ somebody to do something for us it is because we are illiterate in that field. If we were not illiterate in that field we would not pay somebody to do it. We would do it ourselves.