Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring IT Managers
An ideal entry-level IT position for students is "help desk," which Freida notes helped them get through college and evolved into an independent consulting job. This role, accessible to virtually any business, offers valuable experience, as demonstrated by Freida's anecdote about offering to fix a coffee shop's internet for free coffee, highlighting the universal need for IT support.
Help Desk, IT Support, Cybersecurity, Independent Consulting, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Freida Kreitzer
IT Manager
Industry leader
UC Berkeley
Philosophy
Technology
Cyber Security and IT
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Help desk positions are a great entry point into IT and cybersecurity, often recommended for gaining experience.
2. Help desk roles are widely available, from school IT departments to local businesses, due to the universal need for IT support.
3. Experience gained in entry-level IT positions like help desk can lead to opportunities for independent consulting and entrepreneurship, such as establishing an LLC.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider? Help desk.
You can do that at any point. That helped me get through college and has always been a side gig of mine. Now, with all my experience, it's turned into an independent consulting job where I've established my own LLC.
I started out in help desk. Most IT people have, and cybersecurity people are also recommended to do that. It's a great job to have; you can either do it for your school or go around to local businesses. Everyone needs IT help.
For example, unless you're a cattle rancher, you might have a computer. I was at a coffee shop yesterday, and they didn't have very good internet. Internet's a big deal when you're at a coffee shop; you're paying for that expensive drink for that. People go there to work, especially work-from-home individuals.
I offered to fix their internet, and now I'm going to get free coffee. It's always helpful to help people with technology, especially now.