Work experience for college, (This must be my first topic here :P) Options

[TheStranger]

Ok, i'm doing a course in college, Microsoft Office Specialist Programme. Anyway, obviously we are doing Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.

So, i'll be finished the course on June 9th, and I have found a place willing to hire me (Are they mad?) recently.

I was talking to the owner one night, and he's kind of an absentee owner. He has a manager to run the place, but he only has it open as a hobby, and I guess a quick buck on the side. So I was telling him about the course i'm doing.

He told me he'd have the perfect job, and to ring the manager who'd show me the ropes. Fair enough. I was told to wait a week and ring the guy. So I did that. Yesterday.

Thing is... On the phone, he was saying about "Network Maintenance" and i'm not really sure what the heck he will want me to do.

It'll be a place for LAN gaming and internet access, so seems like it'll be a place I wouldn't mind working if I can keep it after the 4 weeks.

But my problem is the network maintenance bit.

[Ibis]

What you studied is Software and what he's talking is a part of Hardware. I took Software Applications in college and it was exactly the courses you took - word, access, power point and accell.

My husband does hardware and networking is generally a term for the hooking together with wiring of several different computers to create a network, or a lan - Local Area Network. There are different formations of networking pair, straightline, star formation, etc. You'd probably do well to make sure that the manager is expecting you to handle the Software part of the LAN's and that he going to show you how to do it if it wasn't covered at your school.

You may be out of your league if he is expecting you to do the physical wiring because there are different grades and lengths of cable to use and other things you probably should know about it.

[TheStranger]

My husband does hardware and networking is generally a term for the hooking together with wiring of several different computers to create a network, or a lan - Local Area Network. There are different formations of networking pair, straightline, star formation, etc. You'd probably do well to make sure that the manager is expecting you to handle the Software part of the LAN's and that he going to show you how to do it if it wasn't covered at your school.

You may be out of your league if he is expecting you to do the physical wiring because there are different grades and lengths of cable to use and other things you probably should know about it.

Thanks. I'll be meeting up with him friday, but I wanted to find out something here about it. I don't want to wait till friday, find out I will not be able to do it, and start looking then for work experience. Then i'd be screwed.

I think i'd be wise to start looking for other places now, just for back up, and if I find out friday i'm out of luck on that front, it'd be nice to have some options open.

[Ibis]

Glad to be of what slight help I could be ... but I really hope that you get the job because it sounds like an awesome place to work! Lan parties are so much fun. When my husband worked at a comp shop after work all the guys used to drive back with their own computers (even though there were computers at the store) and hook them all up in a LAN and play video games and they especially loved the BMX racing on motorcross games. Loads of fun!

[Lord DoomsDay]

Since you are gona be the new guy they wont throw you in the deep end straight away. Theyl prob. show you the basics of a lan and let you handel small things like not seeing a hosted game on the lan or word docs that wont print.

My geus is that you'l mainly will help people that work on excel and power point becuase you have studyd it, and face it, excel can get very, very coplicated at times.
Way more complicated than any network problem I've faced.

[Ibis]

Lord DoomsDay is right and especially that you might wind up learning alot more from this job. Could be a great thing, and also great on a resume.

[TheStranger]

This is sounding pretty damn good

Thanks for the help. I'll be able to meet up with him on friday with genuine enthusiasm.

(I'll probably not post in here again till then, but I will tell you all how things go on friday)

[TheStranger]

I think its safe to say I got the job.

I asked him about network maintenance, and he said its ok, that he'd show me what to do.

Its an internet provider/LAN games place, and I knew two people who were inside the place we had the interview.

Unfortunately, the place he wants me to work is a good bit out... Something like 3 buses to get there, and about 3/4 an hour distance, I think though i'll have to find out for sure.

He asked me if I was ok with the distance, and I said that i'd be curious what hours i'd be needed for first, as for how long away it is. And he said that we'll be able to arrange something.

He seemed as if he really needs staff out in that branch, so we'll come to some agreement, i'm sure.

[Olav]

I think its safe to say I got the job.

Well congrats! If it's anything like here, it doesn't really matter what your qualifications are, as long as you seem to be a dependable person - something that is a rarity these days. I think you'll get it...

[Lord DoomsDay]

Congrats from me aswell, hope you get some great dosh for it.

btw I know what a pain travell arrange ments for work can be.

Good Luck

[Ibis]

Yes, congrats and good luck indeed. If you have to work in the more remote place - keep in your mind that you will try to make it so good there that it will rival the more popular place. Everyone will value you for your efforts to do so.

[TheStranger]

Thanks, all

I think this job will be pretty cool, and may have me involved in LAN games, or else maybe on the internet during the breaks