IT jobs for bf- what do?

You'll have to bear with me guys because I am not an IT person myself, I'm a history teacher on a mission.
My boyfriend did an IT degree, left uni and got a great job as a business analyst and then around a year later was made redundant. Ever since then he has not been able to get back into the IT field. He's 28 today and really struggling because he's in a part time retail job he hates and can't get his foot on the IT ladder. We've looked at his CV and it's pretty good (if I say so myself) but he just doesn't have enough experience (even 18k jobs want 2+ years). He has a qualification in networks, a master's and is so hard working. He's had quite a few interviews but obviously none have been successful- so his confidence is clearly an issue. I'm not sure what to suggest to him but I am making it my personal summer holiday mission to get him a job or even some experience. So I need advice on a few things-
How can he possibly get that experience?
What interview tips do you guys have?
Any ideas about volunteering in the IT sector?
Should he still be applying for graduate positions 5 years after his degree?
Is there anything he needs on his CV to make him seem super attractive to employers?
TL;dr help me to help my boyfriend get an IT job.
Thanks!

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 1

Bear_123

12

Original post by dosgatosporfavor

You'll have to bear with me guys because I am not an IT person myself, I'm a history teacher on a mission.
My boyfriend did an IT degree, left uni and got a great job as a business analyst and then around a year later was made redundant. Ever since then he has not been able to get back into the IT field. He's 28 today and really struggling because he's in a part time retail job he hates and can't get his foot on the IT ladder. We've looked at his CV and it's pretty good (if I say so myself) but he just doesn't have enough experience (even 18k jobs want 2+ years). He has a qualification in networks, a master's and is so hard working. He's had quite a few interviews but obviously none have been successful- so his confidence is clearly an issue. I'm not sure what to suggest to him but I am making it my personal summer holiday mission to get him a job or even some experience. So I need advice on a few things-
How can he possibly get that experience?
What interview tips do you guys have?
Any ideas about volunteering in the IT sector?
Should he still be applying for graduate positions 5 years after his degree?
Is there anything he needs on his CV to make him seem super attractive to employers?
TL;dr help me to help my boyfriend get an IT job.
Thanks!

What sort of IT jobs is he looking for? I can then provide more information...

Reply 2

dosgatosporfavor

OP

Original post by Bear_123

What sort of IT jobs is he looking for? I can then provide more information...

Ideally in networks- cisco and stuff, but service desk/1st line support are also what he has been applying for.

Reply 3

T-Raw

Original post by dosgatosporfavor

Ideally in networks- cisco and stuff, but service desk/1st line support are also what he has been applying for.

Well it looks like he is over qualified for firstline helpdesk (thats what I do) tbh which can actually hinder him. If he worked as a business analysts I guess that means he was more paperwork than technical.. Thing is I got my job with no experience it depends on how your bf comes across as a person so its hard to offer advice. Does he have any certification like MCSA? this would boost his chances greatly. Tell him too lookup MCSA and get certified, I bet money he would get a job.

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Reply 4

Bear_123

12

Original post by dosgatosporfavor

Ideally in networks- cisco and stuff, but service desk/1st line support are also what he has been applying for.

After researching, it is a good career to get in to. However, it is competitive. There are a lot of people doing these sort of job roles. So he needs something unique on his CV. I would say work experience is the best thing to do. I’ll answer some of your questions…

Q1) How can he possibly get that experience?

A1) I would say contact relevant companies and see if he can get experience. It shouldn’t be a big deal. Or another solution is doing some personal projects and use them for demonstration purposes.

Q2) What interview tips do you guys have?

A2) The only tip I can give you is say thing that has a deep connection to his job role. I would read the job description and find the keywords and use them in the interview. Most interviewer are looking for someone who knows the common keywords.

Q3) Any ideas about volunteering in the IT sector?

A3) Its possible, but unlikely. It’s hard to find volunteer work related to IT. But try, I might be wrong. If you do find an IT volunteer job, then it needs to be relevant to his dream job.

Q4) Should he still be applying for graduate positions 5 years after his degree?

A4) Generally no, because the graduate job wants recent graduates (in most cases). Most employers want people who graduated in the past year (at the very maximum). However, you can try, but it’s unlikely.

Q5) Is there anything he needs on his CV to make him seem super attractive to employers?

A5) Yes, clearly put down the most common keyword that relates to his dream job. For example, for network related jobs, he needs to mention about “cisco” and which version you use. This is a typical example.
If you have any query, contact me.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

dosgatosporfavor

OP

Thanks for the responses guys. You've given me some pretty clear places to start. Cheers!