Struggling at first help desk job

[king_23]

Hello,

I graduated a few months ago with an associates degree in Information Technology. I finally ended up getting a job and I was very excited about it. However, it hasn't been going the greatest. We are short-handed so I wasn't really trained at all. I know technology very well. However, I don't know very much about the way the company implements the resolutions to problems.

Also, they are short-handed right now so that is adding to the problem. They complain that I'm not completing jobs fast enough and I need to do more. However, I am almost constantly doing something and I am also busting my back. I surely am not going slow.

From what I understood, when you are hired on somewhere are a help desk worker you would basically job shadow someone who does your job for at least a few days and possibly longer depending on how complex the companies system is.

I'd like to hear some thoughts/comments/questions/etc. on this. Thank you.

 

[Yevrag35]

Yeah, usually they would WANT you to shadow someone or have someone there on-hand, because undoubtedly you'll have questions. What are some things they're asking you do?

 

[king_23]

Yeah, usually they would WANT you to shadow someone or have someone there on-hand, because undoubtedly you'll have questions. What are some things they're asking you do?

I do have co-workers that sit in desks very close to me, but they get annoyed when I ask questions. Obviously I ask a fairly good amount so I can learn. Mainly right now they have me setting up new PC's for new workers and stuff like that. That's something I can't really screw up. I do it at a fast pace, but I always have to show the users a thing or two because they will have initial questions which adds time. Then my boss gets mad at me for not being back faster.

As far as support tickets go I'm pretty lost because they have specific ways to fix the problems for the programs that they have and I haven't been taught that stuff.

 

[stfu_donnie7]

Before comments can be made, what exactly is the issue you are currently working on?

 

[king_23]

Before comments can be made, what exactly is the issue you are currently working on?

I would rather not go into that because it is related to private programs that the company uses. I will make up an example. Let's pretend that the company I work for has a tool they use to scan a user's computer when there monitor starts blinking and changing colors. The tool was made by the company and only they know how to hook it up to the PC and run it properly using certain commands. After running it they can diagnose what is wrong with the monitor and if it needs to be replaced.

Obviously, I know how to diagnose weather or not a monitor is working. However, this company uses specific monitors only made for their company along with the tool to diagnose it. Conclusively, there is no way I would know how to diagnose their monitors properly in school. I would have to be taught by someone within the company.

I hope that made sense. As I said, that is all made up. Is that the type of answer you were looking for?

 

[stfu_donnie7]

I would rather not go into that because it is related to private programs that the company uses. I will make up an example. Let's pretend that the company I work for has a tool they use to scan a user's computer when there monitor starts blinking and changing colors. The tool was made by the company and only they know how to hook it up to the PC and run it properly using certain commands. After running it they can diagnose what is wrong with the monitor and if it needs to be replaced.

Obviously, I know how to diagnose weather or not a monitor is working. However, this company uses specific monitors only made for their company along with the tool to diagnose it. Conclusively, there is no way I would know how to diagnose their monitors properly in school. I would have to be taught by someone within the company.

I hope that made sense. As I said, that is all made up. Is that the type of answer you were looking for?

Wow... Ok is there any sort of manual that the company provides? I wish that you could tell me the program, but I understand privacy as well. I think the best bet is to go to your supervisor and tell him you may need additional training. Your supervisor should not get mad at you for asking because they should want you to do the job right. It's a tough one but if you tell me software I'll look stuff up. I also know how it is to work alongside with stuff that is unfamiliar. I Graduated with an Associates in IT-Network Security and now I work as an IT coordinator for an emergency animal hospital which requires me to do my job right the first time. I was never taught about servicing vet electronic equipment, let alone know the terms they use for their machines. HaHa but manuals usually help a lot.

 

[Oreo]

Hello,

I graduated a few months ago with an associates degree in Information Technology. I finally ended up getting a job and I was very excited about it. However, it hasn't been going the greatest. We are short-handed so I wasn't really trained at all. I know technology very well. However, I don't know very much about the way the company implements the resolutions to problems.

Also, they are short-handed right now so that is adding to the problem. They complain that I'm not completing jobs fast enough and I need to do more. However, I am almost constantly doing something and I am also busting my back. I surely am not going slow.

From what I understood, when you are hired on somewhere are a help desk worker you would basically job shadow someone who does your job for at least a few days and possibly longer depending on how complex the companies system is.

I'd like to hear some thoughts/comments/questions/etc. on this. Thank you.

Hey,

As someone who did a helpdesk job as my very first job, I understand totally where you are coming from. You are mid job helping someone, and an email comes through or the phone rings again with another job and you have to tell them you are busy and you will get back to them. Jobs pile up quicker than you can resolve them, and your boss asks you why things arn't getting done ?

If so, I understand totally. After a while I just grew some balls and if anyone asked me I just told them straight. If someone said why it wasn't done i'd just say "Because I was busy. I can't do two things at once", obviously you try not to be rude or offensive, but if you are blunt/forward enough to the people complaining they may get the picture.

Try to record and log all calls you complete in detail and the time it took you to complete. Email it to your supervisor or boss at the end of the shift to help explain why other jobs didn't get fixed.

It gets better over time, you learn how to resolve problems quicker and prevent them in the first place. I ended up writing macro's to do basic jobs like password resets quicker and that sort of thing.

It can be tough to adapt to a really busy support role, it often feels like you are in over your head and it can be extremely stressful when people from other departments do not understand why things are taking so long to get resolved. But stick it out and just be blunt with people (again, don't be rude) about why stuff isn't getting done.

edit:

Yeah I wasn't gave any training either. It was basically learn as you go. For the first few weeks i'd basically have to ask for help on every phone call as nearly every program people used were totally bespoke to the company and I was clueless. The other engineers got annoyed, but what else are you supposed to do ? Just apologise you are bugging them but explain that you need to learn and the sooner you learn everything the less you will have to ask them in the future. If they arn't prepared to help you and they are pretty ****ing ****ty coworkers, so don't worry about annoying them.

 

[stfu_donnie7]

Hey,

As someone who did a helpdesk job as my very first job, I understand totally where you are coming from. You are mid job helping someone, and an email comes through or the phone rings again with another job and you have to tell them you are busy and you will get back to them. Jobs pile up quicker than you can resolve them, and your boss asks you why things arn't getting done ?

If so, I understand totally. After a while I just grew some balls and if anyone asked me I just told them straight. If someone said why it wasn't done i'd just say "Because I was busy. I can't do two things at once", obviously you try not to be rude or offensive, but if you are blunt/forward enough to the people complaining they may get the picture.

Try to record and log all calls you complete in detail and the time it took you to complete. Email it to your supervisor or boss at the end of the shift to help explain why other jobs didn't get fixed.

It gets better over time, you learn how to resolve problems quicker and prevent them in the first place. I ended up writing macro's to do basic jobs like password resets quicker and that sort of thing.

It can be tough to adapt to a really busy support role, it often feels like you are in over your head and it can be extremely stressful when people from other departments do not understand why things are taking so long to get resolved. But stick it out and just be blunt with people (again, don't be rude) about why stuff isn't getting done.

edit:

Yeah I wasn't gave any training either. It was basically learn as you go. For the first few weeks i'd basically have to ask for help on every phone call as nearly every program people used were totally bespoke to the company and I was clueless. The other engineers got annoyed, but what else are you supposed to do ? Just apologise you are bugging them but explain that you need to learn and the sooner you learn everything the less you will have to ask them in the future. If they arn't prepared to help you and they are pretty ****ing ****ty coworkers, so don't worry about annoying them.

How do you like that i7 2600? I got one and think it's decent for what I paid.

 

[king_23]

Wow... Ok is there any sort of manual that the company provides? I wish that you could tell me the program, but I understand privacy as well. I think the best bet is to go to your supervisor and tell him you may need additional training. Your supervisor should not get mad at you for asking because they should want you to do the job right. It's a tough one but if you tell me software I'll look stuff up. I also know how it is to work alongside with stuff that is unfamiliar. I Graduated with an Associates in IT-Network Security and now I work as an IT coordinator for an emergency animal hospital which requires me to do my job right the first time. I was never taught about servicing vet electronic equipment, let alone know the terms they use for their machines. HaHa but manuals usually help a lot.

There isn't a manual that the company provides. I understand what you are saying about looking stuff up. I can do that to an extent, but it's not easy to find the information. Also, when I find solutions to problems, they still aren't correct because you have to do things differently for security purposes.

Great job on teaching yourself with the manuals. I'm not looking for someone to hold my hand. I would study the manuals and teach myself but there aren't really any manuals.

I'm actually shocked at how unorganized the place is.

Hey,

As someone who did a helpdesk job as my very first job, I understand totally where you are coming from. You are mid job helping someone, and an email comes through or the phone rings again with another job and you have to tell them you are busy and you will get back to them. Jobs pile up quicker than you can resolve them, and your boss asks you why things arn't getting done ?

If so, I understand totally. After a while I just grew some balls and if anyone asked me I just told them straight. If someone said why it wasn't done i'd just say "Because I was busy. I can't do two things at once", obviously you try not to be rude or offensive, but if you are blunt/forward enough to the people complaining they may get the picture.

Try to record and log all calls you complete in detail and the time it took you to complete. Email it to your supervisor or boss at the end of the shift to help explain why other jobs didn't get fixed.

It gets better over time, you learn how to resolve problems quicker and prevent them in the first place. I ended up writing macro's to do basic jobs like password resets quicker and that sort of thing.

It can be tough to adapt to a really busy support role, it often feels like you are in over your head and it can be extremely stressful when people from other departments do not understand why things are taking so long to get resolved. But stick it out and just be blunt with people (again, don't be rude) about why stuff isn't getting done.

edit:

Yeah I wasn't gave any training either. It was basically learn as you go. For the first few weeks i'd basically have to ask for help on every phone call as nearly every program people used were totally bespoke to the company and I was clueless. The other engineers got annoyed, but what else are you supposed to do ? Just apologise you are bugging them but explain that you need to learn and the sooner you learn everything the less you will have to ask them in the future. If they arn't prepared to help you and they are pretty ****ing ****ty coworkers, so don't worry about annoying them.

I agree that it is learn as you go. My coworkers get annoyed when I ask for help. They say I'm detrimental to their performance because they have to stop what they are doing to show me something. Another problem is that they will tell me to do something and then the next day say they never told me to do that.

I'm willing to work hard and learn everything, but I'm not getting any sources to assist me.

 

[carnageX]

There isn't a manual that the company provides. I understand what you are saying about looking stuff up. I can do that to an extent, but it's not easy to find the information. Also, when I find solutions to problems, they still aren't correct because you have to do things differently for security purposes.

Great job on teaching yourself with the manuals. I'm not looking for someone to hold my hand. I would study the manuals and teach myself but there aren't really any manuals.

I'm actually shocked at how unorganized the place is.

I agree that it is learn as you go. My coworkers get annoyed when I ask for help. They say I'm detrimental to their performance because they have to stop what they are doing to show me something. Another problem is that they will tell me to do something and then the next day say they never told me to do that.

I'm willing to work hard and learn everything, but I'm not getting any sources to assist me.

Does your company not have a knowledge base you can search? If not then that's not very professional for them IMO.

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