career change

[pontifex]

If you were in IT but wanted to change to another career path, what would you do?

I fvcking want out. I'm sick of all this BS, but I don't know what else to do. I don't have any college education, just tech school type stuff and other classes for IT type stuff.

 

[TallBill]

I'd build bridges.

 

[daweeze02]

I am network admin and in about 2 weeks I will be doing business sales in computers. I am getting tired of doing all the same BS everyday, plus most days are so slow it actually sucks the energy out of me by the time I am off.

 

[JEDI]

go back to school. at min, apply to your local community college. they should accept EVERYONE who applies.

and look over their course catalog to see what interests you.

do it now, since classes start in early sept. they need time to process your application.

 

[j00fek]

pr0n star

 

[lokiju]

I have no clue what else I'd do, if I had the money I'd made investments in real estate rental properties I think.

But I don't have that kind of money so I'll stick to IT until I figure out something else.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: JEDI
go back to school. at min, apply to your local community college. they should accept EVERYONE who applies.

and look over their course catalog to see what interests you.

do it now, since classes start in early sept. they need time to process your application.

I'm still paying on my last student loan. i have about $16k left on it. i don't think i can really afford to go back to school. also, going to school and working at the same time really sucks. i've done it before so i know.

i don't even know what i want to do.

 

[JEDI]

pontifex,

at least look thru the course catalog in your local community college (probably available online). see what courses peak your interests.

as for the $16k in debt... well.. you're screwed till you can get rid of that debt.

if you dont like what your doing, but cant do anything else, and cant go back to school to learn new skills, then you're screwed till some resources free up.

sorry for the harshness, but Welcome to life..

 

[Stuxnet]

I'm in the same boat. I'm so sick of IT/IS that I can't even fscking see straight. It's turned me into one bitter people-hating bastard and I can't wait to get out.

I start school this fall. I'm going to work my ass off and hopefully have my criminology degree in 3 years (can only take one or two courses per quarter).

It's interesting how so many people wanted into the tech fields about 5 - 10 years ago, and now we all want the fsck out. And when I say "the fsck out", I mean so bloody g'damned far away that I'm using an abicus to do my freakin taxes.

 

[aswedc]

Everyone can afford school. The fed makes financial aid programs available that more of less guarantees it. Just go a cheap school. No way you should spend more than another 16k to get a degree.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm in the same boat. I'm so sick of IT/IS that I can't even fscking see straight. It's turned me into one bitter people-hating bastard and I can't wait to get out.

I start school this fall. I'm going to work my ass off and hopefully have my criminology degree in 3 years (can only take one or two courses per quarter).

It's interesting how so many people wanted into the tech fields about 5 - 10 years ago, and now we all want the fsck out. And when I say "the fsck out", I mean so bloody g'damned far away that I'm using an abicus to do my freakin taxes.

Speak for yourself 🙂 The problem isn't with IT, it's with the fact that 5-10 years ago everyone thought they'd be making an easy six-figure income while surfing the intarweb and playing games all day. They thought, "Oh, I like 'puters, I'll give it a shot" and realize that IT is far more about business and a lot less about technical (unless you're at a very junior level).

IT is a complex business and it can be competitive and brutal. There are many that thrive and do exceptionally well, but there's not a lot of middle ground.

 

[Stuxnet]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm in the same boat. I'm so sick of IT/IS that I can't even fscking see straight. It's turned me into one bitter people-hating bastard and I can't wait to get out.

I start school this fall. I'm going to work my ass off and hopefully have my criminology degree in 3 years (can only take one or two courses per quarter).

It's interesting how so many people wanted into the tech fields about 5 - 10 years ago, and now we all want the fsck out. And when I say "the fsck out", I mean so bloody g'damned far away that I'm using an abicus to do my freakin taxes.

Speak for yourself 🙂 The problem isn't with IT, it's with the fact that 5-10 years ago everyone thought they'd be making an easy six-figure income while surfing the intarweb and playing games all day. They thought, "Oh, I like 'puters, I'll give it a shot" and realize that IT is far more about business and a lot less about technical (unless you're at a very junior level).

IT is a complex business and it can be competitive and brutal. There are many that thrive and do exceptionally well, but there's not a lot of middle ground.

I didn't mean to imply that EVERYONE hates it, but many times it ends up being too monotonous for people. In reality, I do make close to a six-figure salary surfing the Web. I still hate it. I'm so bored out of my mind that it hurts. Oddly enough, my sense of self worth has plummeted in an absolute indirect proportion to the money I'm making in software development.

With each raise I feel like I'm selling another cut of my soul.

I got into it thinking I wanted to be technically challenged, but the fact is, once you've solved the majority of these business problems, you've solved them all. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions (such as in your case), but it's fairly common. It gets so repetitive, in fact, that it can sap you of whatever motivation you might have otherwise had to try to move forward technically.

Anymore, I don't want to use a computer for anything more than ordering movies, music, and porn.

 

[compuwiz1]

Sales FTW 😀

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Sales FTW 😀

that seems to be all thats out there, job-wise

here's the other big thing. since i have no clue what i really want to do, going to school for something and then not liking would put me in the same boat now. how do i figure out what the hell i want to do? i keep thinking i'd like to do soemthing creative, but what can i do that doesn't really require an innate skill like drawing or music?

also, i'm wondering if i should take a class here and there and try different things. like maybe i just need to get into another aspect of the IT field, like web design or something like that instead of network admin/tech support bs. i'm just tired of being that guy that gets called for all the stupid little sh!t or the boring, repetitive crap, or the errand boy.

even if i did go back to school, i want out NOW, not several months to years down the road.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: jbourne77

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: jbourne77
I'm in the same boat. I'm so sick of IT/IS that I can't even fscking see straight. It's turned me into one bitter people-hating bastard and I can't wait to get out.

I start school this fall. I'm going to work my ass off and hopefully have my criminology degree in 3 years (can only take one or two courses per quarter).

It's interesting how so many people wanted into the tech fields about 5 - 10 years ago, and now we all want the fsck out. And when I say "the fsck out", I mean so bloody g'damned far away that I'm using an abicus to do my freakin taxes.

Speak for yourself 🙂 The problem isn't with IT, it's with the fact that 5-10 years ago everyone thought they'd be making an easy six-figure income while surfing the intarweb and playing games all day. They thought, "Oh, I like 'puters, I'll give it a shot" and realize that IT is far more about business and a lot less about technical (unless you're at a very junior level).

IT is a complex business and it can be competitive and brutal. There are many that thrive and do exceptionally well, but there's not a lot of middle ground.

I didn't mean to imply that EVERYONE hates it, but many times it ends up being too monotonous for people. In reality, I do make close to a six-figure salary surfing the Web. I still hate it. I'm so bored out of my mind that it hurts. Oddly enough, my sense of self worth has plummeted in an absolute indirect proportion to the money I'm making in software development.

I hear you man, and believe me at times I can empathize. IMO, this is a business that puts a lot more responsibility on the employee than it does the employer; in many other industries you can expect a constant stream of responbilities and challenges that keep the employee interested, but often times in IT we simply get ignored and sometimes left behind. I think this is especially true in software, and I've been witness to teams as large as 100 doing literally nothing on a project for sometimes months at a time.

So, it's up to us to keep challenging ourselves, imo. This often means changing jobs, and that's why the turnaround tends to be so high. You can only benefit in the end, and with enough experience it opens the door to higher-level consulting opportunities, and in consulting there's little time for boredom.

So, I'd personally suggest simply joining a smaller company, specifically a consulting firm if possible. Cubicle dwelling 8-10 hours a day will make any person go crazy unless you are able to somehow ignore it and acquire that constant dead look that so many in a corporate environment seem to have.

With each raise I feel like I'm selling another cut of my soul.

Well, that sounds like something you need to work out. I have no qualms about my pay.

I got into it thinking I wanted to be technically challenged, but the fact is, once you've solved the majority of these business problems, you've solved them all.

I've worked with probably 100 companies in every industry you can imagine, and I still find new challenges. What I do find is a lot of patterns, but it's in those patterns that I continually find myself challenged and interested. I enjoy looking at common business process inefficiencies across manufacturing companies, and it's that level of problem solving at an abstract level that generally keeps people like us interested. Having experience simply expedites my thought process by keeping me away from issues common to any given industry.

I'm not saying there aren't exceptions (such as in your case), but it's fairly common. It gets so repetitive, in fact, that it can sap you of whatever motivation you might have otherwise had to try to move forward technically.

I agree. I know it's common, and I don't think it's right. I work with devs all the time in larger companies, and I can see the expression of banality on their faces. I can usually elicit interest after a few collaborative sessions, because deep down they do actually enjoy it. People just fall into the rhythm of corporate rigidity and find little to punctuate their days. If you agree with what I said above you'll agree that it is indeed our responsibility to change this; the company certainly won't do it.

Anymore, I don't want to use a computer for anything more than ordering movies, music, and porn.

Seriously, you're in Raleigh and not that far from me. If you want to come work with my company I could show you some interesting projects. We all have great fun working together. If not that then just find someone doing some interesting work in Raleigh. I know there are plenty. Don't give up yet!

Good luck 🙂

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Sales FTW 😀

sigh.. i cant sell an icecube to an eskimo 🙁

 

[Blazin Trav]

Probably business or architecture if you were in IT IMO.

 

[compuwiz1]

Originally posted by: JEDI

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
Sales FTW 😀

sigh.. i cant sell an icecube to an eskimo 🙁

Selling, contrary to popular belief, is not about the gift of gab. Selling, is finding a need and filling it. Some of the most well paid sales people I know are great listeners, who are actually quiet types of people. Their success is based upon what they do FOR people, not TO people. Selling is providing a service, and when we help people get what they want, then ultimately, we get what we want. 🙂

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: Blazin Trav
Probably business or architecture if you were in IT IMO.

If one has an aptitude for such a role I think this is one of the best options.

Referring specifically to software, the space between the business and development is narrowing; most developers these days are thinking more in terms of any given business domain and less in terms of computer science domain. We have a great capacity to think in terms of Accounts, Customers, etc. and less in terms of character arrays and pointers. It's this increased level of abstraction that narrows the communications gap and creates the space for architect roles, business laisons, etc. There's tremendous opportunity in this area, and I speak to that through direct experience.

Another benefit to such a role is the limited ability to out-source. Given that the value added to the enterprise is largely that of lucid communication there's little room to out-source it to others. Clients need people to be in the meetings for joint design sessions and to be able to completely grok the vision and communicate it to those that can actually implement it.

So, you don't have to sell out to be successful. To say you've joined the business doesn't mean you have to abandon your technical abilities.