How can I break into IT?

[TheHinesCat]

I need a career change, and I'm really interested in computers...but, I don't think being a regular visitor of the anandtech forums is gonna open any doors for me.

Anyone have advice for breaking into the IT field?

Specifically, I'd like to know:

1) How do I know if I'm cut out for IT? I don't think an interest in computers is enough to sustain a career path, so--I guess what I'm asking is: for those who work in IT....what is it really like?

2) Are degrees and certifications worth it? I hear people trash MCSE regularly on these forums...and I wonder how much experience stacks up compared to a certificate.

3) What are some good steps for getting started? Is it better to specialize in one area or to have broad-based knowledge? I'm interested in networking and security; will a knowledge of these areas be sufficient

4) Finally, to show that I haven't presumed too much: How much time does it typically take to go from newbie to expert? Does it take years, or is there a fast-track?

 

[urbantechie]

IMHO, the MS Certifications and Cisco Certifications are worth as much as they use to since so many people are getting it.

 

[beer]

Well, what's your collegiate and career experience? Better start with that.

 

How old are you?
How much do you like technology?
How much do you enjoy looking into a monitor for 18 hours of your day?
Can you program a VCR clock?
Do you understand logic?
Do you like computers and such?

Or if its just a job change, it would be as easy as a mathmatics degree in school.

 

[TheHinesCat]

Wow--responses already and it hasn't been 5 minutes. Gotta love the forums. OK--to clarify:

-I'm 27
-I have a master's degree in the humanities (grad school was hard and I quit--so going back to school may not be an option)
-I don't mind looking at a monitor for 18 hrs/day if the pay is right (is it?)
-I'm not good in math
-Maybe IT isn't for me; I don't mind being told
-Also--I can speak French fluently; someone I know once told me that France is 15 years behind the rest of the world. If that's the case, they must have just discovered the internet. Any chance I could land a job as a seees-admeeen?

 

[tim0thy]

i've seen people kick my butt and they've never graduated college, so there's hope. first of all, you have to understand how things work. if you understand how things work, you can troubleshoot easier since you can deduce what is and what isn't the problem.

certifications are good to get you in the door, but when you're going through the interview and you don't know everything, your ass will get shot down real fast (pray you don't get me, i'm a killer on interviews). i like to chew on the holders of paper certs and make them look like idiots.

looking at a monitor for 18 hours a day isn't all there is to IT. however, if you want to break into the IT field, i suggest you get a job at a helpdesk to start and go from there. finally, never stop learning, only you can determine how far you can go.

 

[Soybomb]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say IT isn't for you from this statement

<< -I don't mind looking at a monitor for 18 hrs/day if the pay is right >>



If you really really like tech, then its a great field. If you're just a dabbling hobbiest and you take it up, you're setting yourself up for a job you're going to get sick of. I like to work on my cars, rebuild their engines, etc but that doesn't mean I should be a mechanic. You can make alot of mone at it, but if its just a hobby and not a &quot;passion&quot; I think you're going to tend to be unsatisfied. It sounds like you want a career change, have interest in computers, and think you're going to make a quick buck. If I were you I'd investigate other otpions first
Best of luck in whatever you choose

 

[MrbadGuy]

Get a degree in Computer science. You can kick butt and have a degree. They are not mutually exclusive.

 

[Windogg]

The best to learn the rope is in support. It teaches you the skills needed to handle all sorts of crisis. A tech support job will also teach to industry best practices and trick not documented in any book. Most of all, it is a relatively good way of finding out whether it's the life for you.

Certs are not a guarantee but doesn't always mean you know what to do. I don't have any certs and do pretty well for myself. I will get a few eventually but only when I truly beleive I have the knowledge to back them up.

Best of luck.

 

[virtuamike]

And try to get comfy with UNIX. Although Microsoft would like you to think otherwise, the world is not run by Windows. Get some experience working with Sun, because they're the dot in .com. Might want to get Solaris for i386 and start on that. Some Oracle database experience would help, Access too but that's another Microsoft product. And SQL, learn SQL.

Ummm, what else? Apache good, Cold Fusion too (looks like that's what these forums run on). As far as programming skills go, should pick up C, C++, Java, Perl. Know basic shell scripting. Windows scripting helps too. And HTML (note to webmasters: can you please please make webpages that don't crash Netscape? use standard javascript!!). Here at the university we run a UNIX infrastructure which we interface through Windows machines. We're in the middle of evaluating whether or not to go to Windows 2000 and implement AD on the campus-wide network. Thought NT4 and UNIX were ugly interfacing? Trust me, AD makes it 10 times worse. Damn AD integrated DNS.

IT is a huge field and the more you know the better prepared you'll be. Comp sci degree definately opens doors, but it's what you know and what you can do that'll get you places. I'm still 2 years shy of my CS degree but I'm working as a programmer and sys admin and absolutely loving it. Hoping to get MSCE by the time I graduate too. Learning everything I can. University pay could be better but there's no better environment to learn in. And since I'm not on-call I get to sleep too

 

[virtuamike]

On a further note, MSCE isn't what it used to be. There's a lot out there that know what they're doing. And then there are MSCEs out there that don't know how to install video drivers, or dual boot a system without destroying the boot.ini and losing partitions, or configure TCP/IP settings (all from personal experience).

And comp sci majors aren't what they used to be. Ran into a group of Harvey Mudd comp sci graduates that we're planning to hold a C++ workshop on campus. No clue how to set up a network. They were assigned IP addresses. Entire campus uses 2 global DNS servers. And so what do they do? They find a computer on a differnet subnet, copy the IP address of that into their systems, type that in as their subnet mask, and leave DNS blank. Oh yeah, that was a fun day.

And I've gotten calls about people losing their home directories, it's pretty common. They wonder what rm -r *.* does.

 

[Batti]

You said you have an interest in security - that's a good area to specialize in. Demand will go through the roof as companies slow down and lay people off. Take a look at a different type of certification - SANS/GIAC

Keep in mind this can be difficult stuff - analysis at the packet level is not for everyone. But there is the intrigue of investigating crime that appeals to some.

Worth checking out!

 

[StageLeft]

One of the easiest ways, although not the cheapeast, is to take your degree (since you have undergrad you're set) and go to one of these over priced IT training schools. I got madly in debt going to one two years ago but its worked out well.

At least because of going I didn't have to jump in with a help desk job. I love development but personally sitting at a help desk on the phone all day would find me quiting in about a day I think.

People are right - Microsoft does not dominate and run the entire show. However, for an entry level guy without a CS degree mastering some Microsoft technologies like VB, ASP, and SQL server are going to probabaly be the things to get a junior his or her first job. I've only been out of school about a year and the majority of jobs around here that I have any hope to ever get are all MS based. Most read like this:

Requires VB, COM+, ASP, SQL

If you can do those you'll get a job.

 

[buck]

I didnt graduate college, I started reading every book I could about A+, mcse(dont get it, its worthless and people will laugh at you),unix, etc....
Then go to hardware forums and read more (like anandtech, sharkyextreme, toms, etc..). Then start builing different computers and taking them apart again, do it over and over and over again. Try every different OS you can get your hands on, play with them incessantly. It would help if you got a degree in the field but it's not imparative. I got lucky and am now working for Road Runner and while it isnt the best job, its experience for future jobs; As long as my father-in-law doesnt convince me to take over their family business(the money is killer but my heart isnt there).
Good luck and do what your heart tells you.

 

[StageLeft]

What CKY said might be good for networking and building. If you want development do something else. If you want security take yet another path - IT is so big

 

[buck]

Agreed, so many things out there. Do what makes you happy.

 

[Emulex]

IT starts out in tech support. Join the ranks of the phones and if you're great you'll be a sys admin in 3-4 years

Btw, web support tier 1 pays like $30K/year entry-level (no degree, no previous computer job experience).

 

[aimn]

I am not a big fan of certifications, it only means that you are book smart. I am sure that there are several members in this forum that dont have any certs and could work circles around 60% of the people that do have them. I got into the IT field at 35 yrs old, with no computer experience. 5 years later I am a systems administrator making OK money. I went to a 2 yr pclan certification class. Worked at Best Buy as a tech, Unisys as a level II help desk. I spend a lot of &quot;off time&quot; reading about pcs, networking, etc. I read a lot in different forums, and I spend at least 12 hours a day on a pc. You will NEVER stop learning. With 2 years Unix experience, I will guess that I know about 2% of what there is to know about Unix. I also work with NT, trying to learn perl and C+.
I love the world of IT, the work conditions are great and there are a lot of good jobs out there. I should be making 70k (minimum) in 3 more years. Which is good money in my book! You have to be very willing, to ask questions, and open to learning every day.
I dont think that it is ever to late, or your ever to old to do something that you want to do. I love coming to work every day, and that, is huge in my book!

 

[TheManiac]

VirtuaMike

Sun is no longer the . in .com

 

[virtuamike]

They're not? What are they then?

BTW most of our servers are Sun. Couple HPs for financial servers, but academics is all on Sun.

 

[StageLeft]

The SUN Commercials (pretty high quality commercials actually) claim that SUn is the Dot in .com