Might I solicit some more advice on entering the IT field?

[LouAvul]

Some time ago I consulted the FR IT experts on how to best enter into the IT field. Here's my situation. I have dual degrees in theology and spent my prime earning years in that field. I got out of the ministry and went back to school and received yet a third degree, this one in business with an accounting major.

But I don't think I want to do that. I majored in computer information systems at California State U and think I like IT work better.

Here's the advice I got from FR previously:

Begin quote:

"Get your CCNA cert and you can write your own job description and salary.

the ccna cert is so 10 years ago they are simple to get now. Go get the CCNP or CCIE and you have a resume which instantly goes to the top of a pile..

Get your CCNA cert and you can write your own job description and salary.

You're kidding, right? Cisco's CCNA is just above entry level in the industry. A local highschool VOTEC has graduates who leave with CCNA, MCSA, and a number of CompTIA certs as well. CCIE is another thing...

Project Management with a specialty in the IT field. Programmers are a dime a dozen around the world, and outsourcing from India, for example, is cheap. What is needed are Project Managers to oversee IT projects and manage these outsourced workers.

Networking is lucrative if you are good at what you do. Companies will pay $100 or more per hour for a qualified network consultant. In my area, I did this for four years and charged $90 per hour and had a lot of steady, repeat business from very loyal customers.

Data security, data forensics, protection from spyware/malware - these are fields that are in demand as our networks come under attack from all over the world and from data thieves /terrorists within our own country. And if you think the hack attempt came from overseas, you’re not going to outsource your protection. It also pays VERY well.

If you don’t want to do programming after all, the CCNA suggestion above isn’t a bad idea. Networking guys will always be in demand, and it’s a job that is outsource-proof. You won’t get rich doing that, but it’s a very good living and it’s certainly more financially secure than software development.

I'm seeing at the moment that most matches your start is Oracle DB programmer, Networking analyst, and (especially) Security analyst. Heavy Unix if you're going to do the latter.

Because I already had a BA, I only needed to concentrate on the major courses and not the core ones since I had already completed those. After that I got my CompTIA A+ and my first computing job. What got me in the door was the AAS and my attitude. Too many computer professionals are unable to communicate well with others, so they liked the fact that I could verbalize thoughts in a way they could understand.

The money is in software development, or high layer networking. You can still make decent money as sys admin. I would suggest boning up on linux/unix and your layer 3 networking skills.

Get your BS in Computer Science and get a few Cisco Certs Under your belt. The degree because it demonstrates that you have the wherewithall to stick it out and it demonstrates you are trainable. The Cisco Certs (CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, CCDP) as they demonstrate a measurable mastery of a pretty difficult field. Get your CCNA first then the Degree, then other Cisco Certs. Also, (and this helped me a great deal in fixing network problems) get your MCSA or MCSE. Understanding the Microsoft environment is a good thing.

"Get your CCNA cert and you can write your own job description and salary." That hasn't been my experience as a CCNA. I do have a great job, but I think you were overstating things just a bit. lol Now CCIEs on the other hand, what you said applies.

1) Learn both Windows and Unix-ish stuff. Letting one camp dissuade you from the other is only limiting yourself. 2) Learn C or Assembly language, so you'll understand how computers actually work. 3) Read Steven's network programming books, so you'll really understand networking. 4) Avoid web programming like the plague that it is.

Security...intercept and protection. Do it well and you can write your own ticket."

End quote.

The above advice is a couple of years old. Current suggestions?

[Riflema]

Bravo! Let's hear it for Excel, very much the Rodney Dangerfield of applications. In my 30-odd years of earning a living as essentially a desktop developer, that has been my entree to all sorts of interesting assignments. IT departments loathe it, which is also something of a recommendation in my eyes.

Essentially your list describes me and my experiences to date - avoid dropping into any pigeon holes in IT itself, make yourself very useful to the people on the sharp end of whatever business you find yourself in. The tools you list make up a superb toolkit for that.

[killermosquito]

Your comment, “IT departments loath it” is very true of Excel. The seem to prefer out-of-the-box solutions. I’ve solved a few problems here that IT said couldn’t be done and I did them with Excel macros.

Right now I’m nearing completion on a project. A friend here at the company said to me that if I can figure this out I should quit and sell the solution to them for a million dollars.