How to describe the computer-related job that I'm looking for

Factual Questions
1

I am currently looking for a job in the I.T. (Information Technology. ie, computers) field. I am familiar with many on-line sites, and old-fashioned newspaper want ads, and I DO NOT need advice on which of those to use.

My problem is trying to find a word which describes the kind of job that I think I’d be really great at. “Computer guy” would be perfect, but it is so informal that no one actually runs ads looking for a “computer guy”.

My most recent job was a dream, in terms of matching my skills to what they needed. My official title was Computer Services Manager, but that’s somewhat misleading, because it implies that I was the manager over several employees of the Computer Services Department. In actuality, the whole company consisted of six full-time staff (and several part-time), and I handled all the I.T. stuff.

Let me list some of the things that I did there. By the way, the company was a non-profit, and virtually our entire income was from membership dues.

[ul][li]Maintain all the computer equipment for the company[/li][li]Solve all hardware problems (why isn’t my printer working?)[/li][li]Solve all software problems (why isn’t the internet working?)[/li][li]Data entry of dues[/li][li]Customer service when members call about dues, new address, etc[/li][li]Keep info in the database correct and up-to-date[/li][li]Use SQL Queries to extract data from database, and export to Excel[/li][li]Occasional use of MS Access for more complicated data manipulation[/li][li]Use MS Excel and Word to produce mailing labels and letters[/li][li]Print addressed envelopes to selected subset of the membership[/li][li]Use Excel and Outlook to send mass emails to membership[/li][li]Use MS Word and Publisher to produce newsletters and brochures[/li][li]Make modifications to web site: changes to articles, new articles, etc[/li][li]Extract payment info from PayPal and inform the bookkeeping department[/ul][/li]I began my career 30 years ago as a programmer, but I neglected to keep my programming skills up-to-date, so about ten years ago, I shifted to a more “Help Desk” focus. I love programming; for example I can easily make simple-to-intermediate changes to scripts and macros and such, but getting a job as a programmer is not realistic unless I go to school and learn something from scratch - in which case I’d be competing with people 30 years younger than me.

So I’ve come to the Dopers for advice: What sort of job should I look for? What sort of job title would cover the things I am good at? “Computer Manager” tends to connote a supervisor of other computer guys. I need something more general. I thought “Office Manager” might work, but that too is a supervisory position. I don’t think a supervisory position would be best for me; what would you call it when my boss can give me almost any sort of computer-related office task, and I’m the one who can get it done?

2

The first thing you should do is choose a forum that is not intended for debate.

This thread might work in IMHO, but it actually seems, to me, to be a General Question.

Off it goes.

3

I doubt that you are going to find anything in a large corporation that matches what you are offering. The closest would be Tech Support for a Help Desk. You might try looking to “be” I.T. for a Mom-and-Pop company that is currently outsourcing their I.T. requirements to third party. (If you feel entrepreneurial, you might want to start your own company to be the outsource for a number of Mom-and-Pop companies who cannot afford a full-time I.T. staff.)

4

The tricky thing about being a “computer guy” is that everybody is a computer guy. Even non-technical people with 15-20 years of experience have been using computers their whole careers. To wit:

[ul][li]Data entry of dues[/li][li]Customer service when members call about dues, new address, etc[/li][li]Keep info in the database correct and up-to-date[/li][li]Use MS Excel and Word to produce mailing labels and letters[/li][li]Print addressed envelopes to selected subset of the membership[/li][li]Use Excel and Outlook to send mass emails to membership[/li][li]Use MS Word and Publisher to produce newsletters and brochures[/li][li]Extract payment info from PayPal and inform the bookkeeping department[/ul][/li]
These tasks are all things I would expect an administrative assistant to perform. If an admin said “we need the IT guy to do that” they’d be out the door.

Contrarily:

[ul][li]Maintain all the computer equipment for the company[/li][li]Solve all hardware problems (why isn’t my printer working?)[/li][li]Solve all software problems (why isn’t the internet working?)[/li][li]Use SQL Queries to extract data from database, and export to Excel[/li][li]Occasional use of MS Access for more complicated data manipulation[/li][/ul]

These seem more like help desk technical support skills.

I know you don’t want job searching tips ditching the online sites entirely and start networking. It sounds like you’ll be happiest at a smaller company who really needs someone who can meet all their small business IT needs.

5

You might want to brush up on networking - there has been a lot of advances in that area lately.

6

‘Administrative Assistant’ - sounds like it might be the answer I’m looking for. (or maybe even "Administrator’?) I’ll see what leads it turns up. Thanks!

Wife said the same thing. Problem is that I don’t socialize well at all. I have no idea how to go up to people to introduce myself and tell them that I need a job. All the pressure of a cold call, without even the mask of a telephone to hide behind. (There’s gotta be a “For Dummies” book that I should get, but the “Networking” one is about cables and routers and WiFi.)

7

…

8

Here are some of the job titles based on your description:
IT Support Analyst, IT Engineer, Systems Engineer, Director of IT

[ul]
[li]Maintain all the computer equipment for the company[/li][li]Solve all hardware problems (why isn’t my printer working?)[/li][li]Solve all software problems (why isn’t the internet working?)[/li][/ul]

Typically this position supports the IT infrastructure of the company. Typically maintaining email servers, file servers, internet, corporate intranet and hardware like PCs, laptops, tablets, smart phones, servers, routers and so on. Also maintains user accounts and network security. Depending on the size of the company, this can be one guy or an entire organization of thousands of people.

Data Entry Technician, Data Analyst, Data Scientist, DBA

[ul]
[li]Data entry of dues[/li][li]Keep info in the database correct and up-to-date[/li][li]Use SQL Queries to extract data from database, and export to Excel[/li][li]Occasional use of MS Access for more complicated data manipulation[/li][/ul]

These jobs range in different skill levels (and pay) from mindlessly entering in data into an Access database some guy built ten years ago to building complex data models for the entire enterprise and using complex statistical analysis to solve business problems.
Customer Services Rep

[ul]
[li]Customer service when members call about dues, new address, etc[/li][/ul]

Less IT focused. Basically the guys who man the call centers.

Administrative Assistant, Office Manager
[ul]
[li]Use MS Excel and Word to produce mailing labels and letters[/li][li]Print addressed envelopes to selected subset of the membership[/li][li]Use Excel and Outlook to send mass emails to membership[/li][li]Use MS Word and Publisher to produce newsletters and brochures[/li][li]Extract payment info from PayPal and inform the bookkeeping department[/li][/ul]

Web Designer, UX Designer, Creative Director, Website Content Manager

[ul]
[li]Make modifications to web site: changes to articles, new articles, etc[/li][/ul]

9

When I saw that list, Administrative Assistant was the first thing that popped into my mind as well. The others on the list would be at best an IT help desk function. Office Manager would also work. An Office Manager generally manages the needs of an office, not people.

If you want an actual technical job, I would not even mention items such as experience with MS Office products or database entry tasks. It is assumed that anyone who is computer savvy would know or could easily pick up those skills.

10

The truth is almost nobody likes doing it or doing it well. Even being highly extroverted doesn’t mean you have any desire to walk around asking for jobs. On the other hand, it’s the best way to get jobs, especially a job like you seem to be a good fit for.

And you do seem like a great resource for a smaller business. Being an expert network guru who is too stuck up to do data entry doesn’t do a lot of good for a business that can only afford one IT position.

The trouble is a company like that isn’t likely to post an ad on Monster.com, get 50 applicants, and then hire the uncle of the friend of the HR director. They’re more likely to bring in that uncle of the friend of the HR director, like him, and hire him without ever posting an ad. Online listings certainly aren’t useless but you’re going to miss out on a lot of jobs that never get posted.

11

You are NOT looking to be an Administrative Assistant. That generally means something from glorified receptionist/secretary to quasi-office manager who manages office routines and paperwork to possibly someone who does administrative and some technical work for a principal. I don’t think Administrative Assistant would ever be used for a computer systems administrator/manager (unless the organization had a very small list of acceptable job titles).

12

It’s a tough to say what you are exactly, but I think you should look for Admin positions. Sysadmin, Network Admin, Tech Admin, etc. You may need to adjust your resume for specific positions you apply for. It’s a tough area because you are a ‘computer guy’, one of the many people in technology support who have non-specific titles. Good luck with your search. There is no shortage of IT jobs, you should be able to find something.

13

I would not consider many of the skills as IT stuff. Mostly it was the old CIS with some data entry and social networking involved.

No offense and I mean this as a reality check but just like me you are nothing special in the industry anymore. I have a minor in CS, did some work in the computer industry close to 20 years ago and except for building/installing/maintaining my computers at home, the only computer work I’ve done was teach myself HTML5/CSS3 to build webpages and taught myself Java to teach HS computer science and I have all of the skills you list and I know I’m not ready for an IT job (looking to go back for an MSCS) and need to really get networking down before working in IT or AJAX and web design for mobile devices before getting a job in web design. Your job is not exactly administrative assistant but more of “the one tech savvy guy in the office” job which many people can fill.

14

I agree that there are a number of jobs that you could fill, and I would seriously suggest updating your skills. There are sites where you can do this and receive certification for little to no cost. I’d suggest getting SQL certifications.

I would also get onto LinkedIn.

15

Thank you all. There’s a lot of good advice here, and I hope to follow it.

16

Alot of your list sounds like me, I own a small computer shop/onsite service. I do some of the onsite work myself but a hefty percentage of my life these days it more administrative and or making sure everything keeps chugging along.

17

What you need to do is keep your ears open for some small business owner who is complaining about his or her computer. Especially if it is an older guy who didn’t grow up with computers. Lots of them (like my neighbor) are nervous about doing some pretty trivial tasks.
Also, don’t downplay your programming ability. It might not be enough to get you a programming job anymore, but it could let you do some things that seem like magic to a person to whom computer literacy means sending email.
Doing weekly tasks for a bunch of customers might work also.

18

There is a fairly solid demand for “managed services” on the part of a small business. Charge like $$30-40/month per computer and you pop in once a month via remote for 30 min or so, after hours if possible, make sure everything is updated, make sure backups are running, you get the drill. Include a few quickie sessions, answer questions they might have. Find about 100 computers worth and you are basically kicking butt if you are solo. I have just started a similar system that includes offsite backup and discounted onsite if needed. I only have a few people on the system to see how it works cost wise.

19

These. What you did there doesn’t exist in most medium or large companies. Large companies will often have separate IT Help Desk Technicians, Network Engineers, Administrative Assistants, Customer Relations Managers, and Writers. You did all of those as sort of “That IT Guy” that hangs around a lot of very small companies. I’ve been there - I’ve been in a position where I was doing original software development, help desk, AND answering phones and greeting visitors, all in the same job. It sucked balls. I was every manager’s wind up doll to do whatever they felt like needed to get done that day.

So, if you want to work for a larger company in an ordinary “IT” position, you’re probably going to need to specialize a little bit more.

20

You could look at nonprofit organizations, especially those who directly help the poor. Many of them deal with clients (the aforementioned “poor”) who are poor largely because of a lack of education, and they often can use someone who can teach them how to check email, apply for jobs, and not get riddled with spyware. Sure, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to make as much as a Senior Programmer at Microsoft, but it’ll be at least minimum wage and probably a bit better.