anyone in a job rut like mine

[zulander]

Is anybody else stuck in a total job rut with no idea how to get out? I left college with a mighty GNVQ in IT a few years ago and got lucky enough with my work experience placement to eventually wangle my way into a very decent job for big company 1st 2nd line support Analyst doing all the usual installations of software, hardware etc. A few years down the line and after moving the service desk jobs to Bristol im let go at the end of my contract. I managed to get a job in a college but it pays 3K less than my first real job with no prospect of going anywhere - total dead end and dont know how to get out, I must say the 1st job i had was just a case of being right place right time and I am not great at what I do. I have massive holes in my knowledge of networking and stuff because of the way i got into the industry but its really all i know how to do. The obvious solution it to get more qualifications but don’t know how really, where i work wont pay for any training so i would have to do it but im just not that sure id pass an MCP or something similar. Couple that with the fact i don’t know which training companies in the Manchester area are trustworthy or not so im not sure what to do. Any suggestions? cheers

[IBM]

Make a career change. It seems daunting, but it's easily possible. I keep recommending people move into the plumber/electrician/builder business and move down to London, as everyone I know who works those trades makes a fortune...

I feel for you though, I found myself in a similar position with web development, just not knowing enough to compete in the market, but was lucky enough to switch job focus before it became an issue....

[jamin]

Experience speaks volumes mate and you have a few years of this, it is all too easy to be overcritical of yourself when you feel trapped and down. Hit the online job sites, monster, planetrecruit etc. I'm positive you will find something around your area mate.

I am work for NTL:Telewest and have done for 10 years, I am at the top of the network engineering tree and have been put at risk of redundancy 5 times in my career. Off my own back i went back to college for 3 years and qualified as an Electrician last year, I was assesed and approved by niceic this year under part P and make a fair bit of money out of my own business at weekends. Nice thing to be able to fall back on! Thats some good advice ibm, and it worked for me.

[mcmiller]

i did a degree and now im doin a sales admin role for which im underpaid by about 6k and has no releverance to what i did at uni, i go for jobs that looks interesting only to be told I dont have any experience, and then companies moan that theres not enough ppl working in the uk.
sorry abit of a rant but its really annoying

[Fjorko]

And I thought I was alone !

Original poster - I know exactly how you feel mate !.

I spend many hours trying to think of ways to either get out of IT, or start some sort of business, but don't know what to do as IT is also all that I know and the market is flooded with guys like us ( at least in this neck of the woods anyway ) !

Trying to stay positive !

[schmunk]

i did a degree and now im doin a sales admin role for which im underpaid by about 6k and has no releverance to what i did at uni,

What did you do at Uni?

Zulander - If you did it once you can do it again! Get hitting the agencies / job ads and find another decent job. If that one company had a need for people with your skillset then you can be damned sure that there'll be other companies who need you too.

[pp05]

Zulander I feel where you're coming from but you got to ask some deep questions and answer them honestly. Don't be scared of the answers either because it will hold you back. Then formulate your plan and go go go.

The plumbing one seems like a good skill to have as a backup.