At a career cross-roads, need some suggestions

[wyvrn]

I have worked on a helpdesk and done general desktop work for about 4 years. I am currently in school for a Unix degree and CCNA cert. At this point, I am sick of working on the phones. With the way the IT sector is going, I do not know how long it will be, regardless of getting a degree and/or certification, before I will be able to move off of this damned helpdesk into something more interesting that requires somewhat less end-user interaction. (Don't get me wrong, I work well with people. But anyone in a helpdesk job knows what I am talking about with end users). And with all of the experience, qualified IT people out of work, even when I graduate the chances of me finding a job doing what I want are slim. The outlook for many IT workers is truly bleak.

OTOH, I have good skills in finance and business. I have passed my broker's license and I enjoy the business side of things as well as the technical. Most of my college hours are business classes, so getting a degree wouldn't take more than 4 semesters if I can get credits to transfer to a local college. What I need to know is how is the rest of the job market? We keep hearing how rough it is in IT, but I don't know how well other sectors are doing. I realize that at any given point, any market sector could be in a depressed state. So I guess what I am looking for is a career in something relatively stable over the long term, which I do not think IT will be. I believe IT is heavily volatile partly because when businesses cut jobs, IT is one of the first places they cut to save money.

If you were in the same situation, would you:

a) switch careers because business is more immune to temporary market forces
b) stick it out in IT, keep the helpdesk job and hope for a major market turnaround


BTW I am 27 years old. I consider myself intelligent, get 4.0's in all classes for last 40+ credit hours, work hard and earn praise where I work. I seem to always get promoted wherever I go (but not into technical positions, mostly into management type stuff). Any advice or experienced suggestions would be great. Thanks

 

[Maetryx]

A rule of thumb for a career goes like this: Figure out what you would enjoy doing for free, and try to find a career that pays you to do that thing.

Yes, I recognized the limitations of this approach. For example, we can't all be male prostitutes and online Forum trend researchers.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Float your qualifications out there and see what type of nibbles you get.

 

[wyvrn]

That is good advice. In fact that is why I am working with computers because I absolutely love it. The money doesn't matter as much to me as the job satisfaction. Of course we all want to get paid But I don't have any idea where I will be 5 years from now because of the unpredictability of this career. Its not like there is a defined path. For instance, if you want to be a doctor, you go to school for a bunch of years, and as long as you keep your nose clean and can pass the exams, you have a reasonable expectation of finding a job (I know this personally, my wife is in medical field). But there is not established path in IT like that. In fact, of all the nibbles I get when I put out my resume, they are all helpdesk jobs. People don't seem to get the idea that a person can do something else other than answer phones, no matter what certs/education I put behind it. You know what I mean?



<< A rule of thumb for a career goes like this: Figure out what you would enjoy doing for free, and try to find a career that pays you to do that thing.

Yes, I recognized the limitations of this approach. For example, we can't all be male prostitutes and online Forum trend researchers. >>

 

[Scarpozzi]

I've been doing Help Desk work with extended responsibilities for the last 2 years and FINALLY got a job offer from the University I'm attending. The coolest part is that it's not a student position either. I'm going into server administration with their production servers! I'm sure if you can get an edge somewhere you could hop into that....shoot for govt jobs cause they're less likely to flake out short-term.

Good luck on your CCNA...that's the way to go because not enough people know about switches and such...but if you could get your CCNP, you'd be in better shape. See if you can get a router sim and practice. As far as a business degree...go for it. I would totally diversify your skills and go as general as possible. I've been working with computers forever, but would never put myself in a position that depends on them 100%. I can always work food service or do some other technical repair work fairly easily. I'm working on a business degree myself and with any kind of luck, I'll have it in 2 years.

BTW: Just thought I'd say, I've been on the other side....I'm 21 years old and have had primarily technical jobs. I've also taught classes and been in a few management positions in my day as well...

 

[SCSIfreek]

If you dont mind interacting with people then be some sort of sales engineer. If not go for telecommunication <-----Big Money and Lots of Opportunities as of now. You know that things are going wireless as we speak or type. Why not get yourself into a computer related field that pays big bucks.

 

[wyvrn]

Scarpozzi

So going from Helpdesk to servers? I would kill for that opportunity. There was a LAN position that opened up at the college I am attending, but they did not list a FAX or email. I called the guy several times and left a single message, but never got a call back. Neither did a friend of mine I figure he found somebody quick and just ignored all further inquiries. That is what I mean about too many qualified workers.

I am trying to buy a couple of routers for the CCNA, should take the test at end of may (when done with Net Academy). Immediately I will enroll in CCNP classes and get that cert. at the same time as my Unix diploma You would think that would be enough for a non-phone job, but I am not couting on it

Anyone know how much it costs to hire a bonafide head hunter?

 

[Maetryx]

Also, check your state web page (Alaska's is http://www.state.ak.us/ for example) and check your county page (Fairbanks North Star Borough is http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us for example). And if you live in a municipality then check those pages. Government usually post their job openings online. And even the Department of Environmental Conservation (or whatever) use computers.

 

[kranky]

If I might suggest something a little different: computer security. I think this will be the biggest growth area of all. And it requires good computer/network/telecommunications knowledge along with business knowledge. There's a combination that many people don't have.

Big-time potential and big money.

 

[db]

Yeah, you might as well tap into the current paranoia about computer security/terrorism/whatever. Someone's gonna be getting that money--may as well be you.

 

[wyvrn]

Hmm.. security. I hear Checkpoint is a popular product. That would go nicely with everything else I am doing.

 

[db]

Computer security is such an exotic thing to most people, including CEOs, that once you're in the door you can ride that wave of ignorance and paronoia.
Like I said, somebody's gonna get that money--might as well be you. Remember, human nature is always in force whenever humans are involved, even in the computer business. If you start thinking outside of your books and code, you will be able to position yourself in a tight job.

edit: Let me add that if you know a job that hundreds of thousands know (including out of work people), you are competing with all of them.
If you know a job that thousands (or hundreds) only know--and there's a demand for it--you're competing against fewer people in an area of increasing demand.