1) Please provide a BIO about yourself:
Christopher Dunn

I was born in Modesto, California. At the age of 19, I decided to join the U.S. Army Signal Corps as a Central Office Switch Technician. I quickly became the go-to guy in my company and eventually began receiving questions from operators in other companies as well. I've been on 3 overseas deployments - Bagram, Afghanistan (6 months), Kandahar, Afghanistan (9 months), and Al Hillah & Baghdad, Iraq (12 months). It was on toward the end of my second deployment that I met my current fiancée, Melissa, on the internet. Throughout my five years of military service, I performed many roles in telecom and IT – including leadership and management – but primarily technical mentorship and  the troubleshooting and resolution of escalated or difficult problems. I received several awards and recognitions in the Army, including one for writing and compiling a lengthy technical manual for other operators that were using the same equipment. By the time I separated from the Army, I had nearly completed an Associate’s Degree with a focus on Information Technology. I then completed my degree, took three certifications: A+, NET+, and SEC+, and began my paperwork to immigrate to Canada to be with my fiancée. I moved to Toronto, Ontario in early 2006 and quickly found a position with Sony of Canada, Ltd. as a Desktop Support Specialist. I have since received my MCDST and MCP in Server 2003. I will be taking the MCSE tests shortly.

2) Please provide a detailed description of what you do as a professional, including your title, your function within your organization, if you’re a manager how many people report to you, etc.

Senior Desktop Support Specialist

I function as second level technical analyst 60% of the time, I fill in for first level on direct phone support 20% of the time, and I work on third level projects and system maintenance tasks the rest of the time. Our helpdesk is quite small as it is solely for internal user and systems support. We have between 7 and 9 people to support 600 corporate employees, and another 600 store employees at 80 stores. I also serve as the backup team leader for the helpdesk – I make minor purchase decisions and recommendations, manage and interview personnel, send out company broadcast alerts, de-escalate upset customers, and prioritize and assign tasks and projects.

3) Describe a typical day of the week in your job.
Crazy!! I generally work from 10:30 to 7:00. By time I come in, there are usually at least three issues that require my immediate attention. I flip on my coffee pot and run (usually literally) to a couple desk side visits. When I get back to my desk, a laptop has been placed there with a ticket number on it. The ticket states that the hard drive needs to be backed up and replaced. I take the machine apart and start the recovery process. In the meantime, I get two new hire workflows and one termination. I allocate two new machines and begin ghost imaging as I go to recover the laptop from the previous employee’s manager. I configure the laptops from our baseline image, while checking my email and ticketing software for new urgent issues. I take a couple calls from the queue to lower the wait times, and continue to research all the open issues and contact customers for resolution.

4) What part of your work do you find most rewarding? Why?
I find project work the most rewarding because these resolutions can positively affect several people and make a visual impact on form, flow, and productivity. These projects usually start when someone points out that something should work differently or more efficiently, and I say, “yeah, I can fix that.” I do some research to prove feasibility, design the project, and submit it to the change management board. After management approves the project time and expense, I put my research into practice and overcome the challenges and obstacles that arise. It is especially rewarding to collaborate with different departments and their specialists to integrate disparate systems.

5) What kind of training, education, or course work is required for what you do?
A thorough understanding of Microsoft operating systems is a must. Basic to intermediate network troubleshooting and computer hardware repair skills are also necessary. We do not put specific requirements on how much college, certifications, or experience is needed for the position. Practically, one would probably need either a 4 year IT related degree or two or more certifications.

6) What kinds of prior IT and professional experiences are absolutely essential to get this kind of position?
To get this position, one would need three to five years of experience in troubleshooting hardware and software and at least one or two years of direct client support.

7) What types of internships/part-time jobs would you suggest before entering this field?
Volunteer work for a large non-profit organization is always a good way to gain experience. Also, one could get customer contact skills by working for any support or sales center, and hardware diagnosis and repair skills by working for a local computer shop.

8) What are some of the job possibilities for experienced workers in this field?
This field is expanding in Canada with the continued growth of the technology sector and the strength of the economy as a whole. There are still many qualified and certified applicants, and there is some competition. However, most companies are looking for certifications and experience as a prerequisite only; they are mainly seeking someone who is self-driven, sharp, and pleasant to work with.

9) If the work you do was suddenly eliminated, what different kinds of IT work do you feel you could do?
Repair work, infrastructure installation, and telecommunications

10) What is the best advice you could give to someone starting a career in the IT field?
Do what you love – not what pays most. The field is dynamic enough that if you decide you don’t like what you are doing, you can change your career direction fairly quickly. Always stay current with new technologies and certifications.

11)  What in your mind are the most important benefits of the CompTIA IT Pro Program?
CompTIA is an internationally recognized organization. To be a member shows that you take your career seriously. Perhaps most importantly, being a member gives you access to a community of other professionals that are always willing to help.