Microsoft SQL Support Engineer: Worth taking the offer?

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Sei

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I've been working with a small-medium sized company since November 2009, which is my first job. I've been working in the following areas:

  1. MS Client operating systems - XP, Vista and 7.
  2. MS Server 2003 - Handling AD for my office. 75 people. Also handle WSUS and Group Policy related stuff.
  3. SQL Server 2008 - Handling odd jobs like attaching/detaching databases. Taking backup of SQL (2k, 2k5 and 2k8) databases. Also do basic troubleshooting.
  4. Also dabbled a bit in MS Exchange 2007. Creation/Deletion of accounts etc.

Now, one of the members here working in Microsoft referred me for the SQL Support Engineer and I received a call and a mail from them yesterday.

The job opportunity is from Microsoft Global Technical Support Center, Bangalore. They have also mentioned that I will have to provide voice support and work in evening/night shifts.

My query is as follows (especially helpful if I get answers from people who have knowledge about this):

What exactly does the job involve? Is it similar to a KPO? I want to eventually go into SQL Server administration. Is this going to help me in any way? The doc that they have attached along with the mail requires at least 3 years of work experience in SQL DBA activities but that may be a generic doc, since they have called me knowing I have less than a year of experience.

Please do advise fast. I'll receive the call again on Monday.

Any and all advice is appreciated. :)

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No suggestions?!
 
I worked at the GTSC for 2 yrs (2005-06) :) If customer support and working night shifts is okay with you, go for it! I thought I was a night owl but it drove me nuts.

You can get free Microsoft certifications while you're there. Will be a strong entry to have in your resume/CV if you want to move on in a few years too. You will also get first hand experience of working in a large corporation (read: bureaucracy types) early on in your career. But I dont mean that its like a govt dept, I mean you can pickup working in a proper business environment, with some top clients, working in large teams and the kind of coordination/teamwork involved, hone your communication skillzzz etc. You should have a bit of a "thick skin" as they say and don't let stuff like the politics n shite get you down.

All in all I would say you should take this. (Do you have other options/plans though?)

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Sei said:
What exactly does the job involve? Is it similar to a KPO?
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This can be answered by the guy who referred you (IIRC he's also from the SQL group), lots of processes to follow and what not heh, entering your timesheets/logs to "track you labour" and all that stuff :)
 
vishalrao said:
I worked at the GTSC for 2 yrs (2005-06) :) If customer support and working night shifts is okay with you, go for it! I thought I was a night owl but it drove me nuts.

You can get free Microsoft certifications while you're there. Will be a strong entry to have in your resume/CV if you want to move on in a few years too. You will also get first hand experience of working in a large corporation (read: bureaucracy types) early on in your career. But I dont mean that its like a govt dept, I mean you can pickup working in a proper business environment, with some top clients, working in large teams and the kind of coordination/teamwork involved, hone your communication skillzzz etc. You should have a bit of a "thick skin" as they say and don't let stuff like the politics n shite get you down.

All in all I would say you should take this. (Do you have other options/plans though?)

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This can be answered by the guy who referred you (IIRC he's also from the SQL group), lots of processes to follow and what not heh, entering your timesheets/logs to "track you labour" and all that stuff :)
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Thanks a dozen for answering. I didn't know you had worked in GTSC too. :)

From what all I've read on the net, the only negative points seem to be night shifts and customer support. Night shifts might take a bit getting used to but I think when weighed along with the first hand experience and the knowledge that I can gain there, it will be a small price to pay. I'm providing support in my current job too. My company is a small-medium sized firm so it's quite a multifaceted profile here. Little bit of this and little bit of that. You can see that from my current responsibilities. And yeah, we do fill daily timesheets here as well. That's not an issue.

Right now, I don't have any plans as such. Just want to get some real good exposure to the technical side of things. A proper setup will be good for me I think. I do want to get into DB administration at some point in the future. This might be the job to hone my skills. After all, troubleshooting is the best way to learn the inner working of things. :)

PS: The guy who referred me works for the IE support team in GTSC. :)
 
Sweet. Good luck and have fun. Oh, and join fast, coz apparently every MS employee should get a new Windows Phone 7 device for FREE eheheh! :D
 
The offer is worth taking as the experience will be worth for life if you r a learner.
 
GTSC is on hiring spree as many of their engg are leaving for greener pastures in HYD.... read MCS ...but a GTSC exp is worth taking...be prepared for a tough interview with atleast 2 or more technical rounds . Mostly they are scenario based. and compensation is also generous if you negotiate well.
 
uziel said:
The offer is worth taking as the experience will be worth for life if you r a learner.
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Yup I am :)
agm_105 said:
GTSC is on hiring spree as many of their engg are leaving for greener pastures in HYD.... read MCS ...but a GTSC exp is worth taking...be prepared for a tough interview with atleast 2 or more technical rounds . Mostly they are scenario based. and compensation is also generous if you negotiate well.
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Yeah, I've started preparing for the technical rounds. Thanks for replying. :)

Gaurish said:
How much is the pay?
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Not reached that stage yet. But I'm sure of one thing. It is definitely going to be more than what I get currently. Quite a lot. :P
 
i think the job is on KPO ... i have done Oracle DBA ... but not getting an opportunity as a fresher....

the job profile you have mentioned ... i think its a KPO kind of job .... if you are interested in semi-voice the go ahead. They will give you good package since you got experience in hand.

But your current profile is far better than this which microsoft is offering since you are into support engg. If you want to go into SQL Database Admin. then i suggest you do a Oracle DBA course part time and complete the 4 certifications.

You will get a nice job with nice package (You got experience man :D). Dont leave current profile.
 
Since I'm in no position to offer you any advice as such, all I'll say is good luck with your interview(s) and keep us posted!
 
I have been on the customer side of Microsoft Support. From my experience what I think the job might be is; You will receive cases and then you need to provide solutions from MS's database of known issues or past cases. If there is a new defect discovered then you will need to escalate it to L2 and get it resolved.

As some one mentioned you will get an experience of a life time, trust me its worth it and me is dying to get into MS, but my current job doesn't allow me to even think about switching :(
Best of luck with this :)

P.S: Reply to SMS and you should've mentioned to me at least once that you are a System Admin :@
 
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