Hello
Need some advice and tips on how to prepare for my first IT Support Interview if anyone has done it or any general advice would be good.
Thank you.
Need Interview Tips (IT Support)
Digitalco on 03/09/2019 - 16:29
Comments
Advice thus far is all sound but don't under-estimate the importance of soft skills in an IT role.
It's required to possess (or at least the ability to acquire) the technical skills to perform the role but you need to be able to communicate that expertise to others at an appropriate level.
IT roles tend to attract a, um, range of personalities and you'll stand out if you can interact like a human being.
Make sure you read up on the company you are applying for, get a good understanding of the services they offer and look through clients they work with (if available).
Showing that you've taken 5 minutes to readup on the company before hand is a big plus.
yeah i would recommend this too, and is it an inperson interview, or skype? if its in person, i would go and check out the offices (if you can) before the interview and try and get a feel for the company. Check for their social media too
it really depends on the details.
if you have customer service experience, stress that. you need to demonstrate a strength.
if your strength is IT knowledge, then use that.
Personally I used my thirst for knowledge as my angle.
Do you even have an interview scheduled?Above comments from other users are good.
Use the phrase "I have a good\great understanding of **** (insert OD\proprietary software you'll be giving support for)"
Don't say you're an expert, know everything, etc. etc. for an entry level support interview.
A. If you were an expert you wouldn't be applying for an entry level role; and
B. Makes you look like a douche.Gauge the personality of the interviewer. Throw in an IT Crowd or Dilbert joke.
Always bring up the subject of money first and really push the subject. They love it.
Pro-tip: Don't go to the interview. Tech support is one of the most soul destroying jobs (second only to retail) to do. Learn to code instead or get a CISCO certification.
Why not both or all 3? I started off in IT Support and paired with my CCNP I moved up quickly into something better :)
brofist, I'm a CCNP brother too.
I'll counter your reply and ask: "Why not skip the misery trap and go straight to the qualifications that pay well and are in need and will bring you a happier life?"
IMO everyone's younger years are important. Living with a soul destroying job 24/7 can ruin your early 20s and negatively affect your outlook on life (speaking from experience).
😊😊😊
I'll counter your counter with that most employers will want experience paired with the certifications rather than the certs with no experience.
@Clear: I can respect that. But a "healthily massaged" resume and a vote of self-confidence can work around that needless step.
A soul destroying job can also be character building, make you strive for a better career and give a more positive outlook on life as well.
The mistake most make is staying in the soul destroying job. Use it as a stepping stone. Get out\move on or up, as soon as possible.
They want you to be customer service focused, everything else can be learned on the job.
Show that you are eager to learn, demonstrate your communication skills, show you have a keen interest in IT support, show you can work in teams, show some personality since you'll be dealing with phone calls and people as you're the first point of contact. Just be yourself and if they like you they will hire you, if not their loss.
Just remember that IT Support is level 1 so they won't be after an expert, just someone who is eager to learn and has good people skills.
Good luck mate! I.T will destroy your soul! Mine is long gone. When in doubt, just ask the customer to reboot, it fixes 99% of problems :D
Use the STAR method when it comes to answering any behavioural type questions. Situation (background info, setting the scene), Task (who involved, what needed to be done, when - i.e. timeline), Action (what you did), Result (impact on company, yourself). Don't need to follow it to a T, it's just a loose guide but it helps a lot to make sure you cover off everything when answering interview questions.
Did a lot of tech support early in my career (for a big multinational) - I was part of a big hire of 50 or so people so they weren't super particular about who they hired… and they hired a lot of duds, one guy was just like Gill from The Simpsons - was utterly useless but fun to watch.
Big thing is presenting yourself as someone who can problem solve and explain things in a clear way without being condescending or patronising… Empathy was a big thing for us.