How do you know you want to do something (career wise)

[Nocturnal]

My dream job would be a computer scientist working for Microsoft or Amazon.com (Ameesh is my idol). Anyways, how does one KNOW for sure that it is what they want to do? I thought I would thoroughly enjoy data entry so now I'm questioning... what if I get a position doing IT work and HATE it? Although I think it's very unlikely as most network admin positions just surf the net unless something is broken.

So how does one KNOW for sure that this is what they want to do?

***EDIT:

So my next question to you all is, what if the IT market dies in ten years, what are all of you who have degrees in and are age 40+ going to do when the industry falls? Will you go back to school and get a degree in something else? What options do you think you'll have when the IT industry falls?

***/EDIT

 

[cquark]

If you want to know if you'd like it, try it. Get a job in a co-op or internship position. Some degree programs require them.

 

[fs5]

you thought you'd enjoy data entry? wtf enjoys data entry?

 

[WannaFly]

I must admit - I loved networking and really wanted a network admin position, but in my last year of college i got back into programming hard core. It's my job now - programming - along with some other tasks.

Really, to me its not what you do in it - its WHERE. I sit and programm 80% of the time I am at work - but the nice thing is that I have just about anything else that i need at my disposal - hardware or software, or someone else to give input on ideas and to share my ideas and thoughts with. Alot of times if I am stuck on something, just verbally talking to someone about it can help me figure it out, even if they are just nodding the entire time. I really like working in such a melting pot of ideas and people where i'm allowed and know my input and ideas can count.

On the other hand, it is quite possible that if I worked somewhere else programming i'd absolutely hate it - stuck in a cubicle and not ever have my ideas heard or known.

EDIT: as stated above, i cant believe you thought you would ENJOY data entry - you are crazy.

 

[oniq]

Who could possibly like working for MS?

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: fivespeed5
you thought you'd enjoy data entry? wtf enjoys data entry?

Ditto.

Koing

 

[Childs]

IT and CS will be dead in the US in 10 years. Go into biology/chemistry.

I dont think you ever really know what it is you want to do in college, just hope that you have the skillset to do it when you eventually figure it out.

 

[Rickten]

Originally posted by: Childs
IT and CS will be dead in the US in 10 years. Go into biology/chemistry.

I dont think you ever really know what it is you want to do in college, just hope that you have the skillset to do it when you eventually figure it out.

biology/chemistry doesn't have some magical protection that keeps the work from being shipped overseas.

 

[theNEOone]

Originally posted by: Rickten

Originally posted by: Childs
IT and CS will be dead in the US in 10 years. Go into biology/chemistry.

I dont think you ever really know what it is you want to do in college, just hope that you have the skillset to do it when you eventually figure it out.

biology/chemistry doesn't have some magical protection that keeps the work from being shipped overseas.

yes they do. a recent publication released by the WSJ (or was it CNN?) reported on professions least likely to be shipped overseas. at the top of the list were doctors, surgeons, and pharamcists. bio/chem degrees aren't required for these positions, but they are extremely prevalent.


=|

 

[Nocturnal]

I'm wondering why everyone thinks IT will die. I understand that outsourcing is becoming more popular amongst bigger companies and no doubt I guess the trend would trickle down to small time businesses but... It's what I want to do for the rest of my life. I don't want to be a chemist, biologist, doctor, lawyer, pizza delivery driver. I want to get into the IT field ASAP.

So my next question to you all is, what if the IT market dies in ten years, what are all of you who have degrees in and are age 40+ going to do when the industry falls? Will you go back to school and get a degree in something else? What options do you think you'll have when the IT industry falls?

 

[DT4K]

You thought you would love data entry.
Ameesh is your idol.

WTF? Just WTF?
Sorry, I think you are beyond help.

 

[imported_intercollector]

I don't think us IT proffessionals (I'm an engineer) are better or worse as far as job security goes. I think that we're just about as safe as the local dude working at the oil refinery or the secretary at the dentists office. Jobs come and go, and ya just do what ya need to do when that times comes. Until then, just enjoy what you do now and don't worry too much about the future. Deal with that stuff when the time comes.

 

[Corporate Thug]

they say the thing that you would want to do is the thing that you will do for free

thats BS, i wouldnt work for free if i had all the money in the world

i guess you know what you want to do when you are happy doing it

 

[Schadenfroh]

im going to try to get into med school and become a doctor, but not because i enjoy it, i want money and the prestige

the only thing i enjoy would probably be designing stuff,

i know im an EE but i dont want to admit it

 

[Chaotic42]

I know what I want to do. I can just feel it.

I want to go to school for the rest of my life. It just feels right.

 

[patrick409]

If you end up NOT getting hired by amazon or microsoft, would you still have the same passion for doing IT or CS? If you feel like you want to do IT/CS, no matter where you end up working, that's probably when you know it's the field for you.

I have no idea where the IT industry will be in 10 years. I'm not looking to IT for long term job security anyways. I dont see the IT industry falling. You will always have the smaller companies who's projects aren't large enough to outsource their programmers. There are also many major companies who have clients that demand immediate software development and interaction and therefore require on location techs.

My recommendation is for you to double major in something else, or at least minor in a different field just to get your feet wet for something else that interests you.

Just so I'm not coming outa nowhere, I graduated this past month with a BA in CS. I'll be working at a major bank doing Java programming. I have no intention of making a life of programming. I only want to work like 5-6 years in the CS field and then start my own business or something. I minored in economics(which is quite useless, btw) to get a feel of something other than CS. I'd recommend you pick at least a minor, if not a double major, in something non computer related.

Like someone said, just enjoy what you're doing and go for what you want, but remember to keep an open mind about what you would do in the medium and long term future. People who are only good at one thing will eventually lose their usefulness. That's why you gotta keep learning the new technologies and changing to keep up with everything

 

[DJFuji]

Eh...most people don't work in the field they majored in, anyway. Personally, i dont think college teaches you that much with respect to job skills the majority of the time. I've been developing web applications for 4 years now and am a semester or two away from finishing my BS. College really didn't teach me how to program...it taught me how to take programming classes i already knew so i didnt have to spend much time on classes. haha. But I wholeheartedly agree with wannafly...a lot of what you like about a job is the people and the environment more than the actual job.

And no, IT isn't going anywhere. Yes, alot of it may be outsourced, but remember that several years ago a lot of those same people said that in-house IT/IS was doomed to fail because companies were going to outsource to consultants. I think the overseas outsourcing will streamline IT. It will have a 'washing out' effect on those people who are in this industry solely because they think it's the 'high paying tech job' those microskills commercials keep talking about. The true IT guys will always be here and will always have a job.

 

[Rainsford]

I think an internship or co-op is the way to go, it's really the only way to tell if you actually like doing the work.

As for IT and/or CS in the US dying, get real people. You sound like all the spazzes in the 90's wringing their hands over Japan destroying our economy. Things change, that doesn't mean the sky is going to fall.

 

[nageov3t]

majored in English Lit in college... after a brief stint in Marketing (6 months, but I hated corporate life, so I gave 2 days notice and quit ), I got into IT.

I can't see myself doing this forever. It's a fun job, and it has some stability (I mean, what are they going to do? move 3,000 servers to India? hehe), but I can't see myself doing it when I'm in my 40's. the hours (in quantity and quality... I work 45-50 hours per week, from 1 am - 10 am) suck, and the stress isn't really conducive to relationships.

Once I'm kinda settled down within the next 6 months (re: back to living on my own), I've been thinking about taking the GRE's and going to grad school part time to get a PhD in English.

 

[zimu]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
I know what I want to do. I can just feel it.

I want to go to school for the rest of my life. It just feels right.

oh, i so agree. except minus the school fees, and lets say they just pay us for getting educated instead. mmmmm. and of course T1 internet connections (hell, why not T3) and free cable tv and etc etc etc.

good ol' days.

 

[Nebor]

Ameesh should not be your hero. You aspire to be an asshat.

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: loki8481
Once I'm kinda settled down within the next 6 months (re: back to living on my own), I've been thinking about taking the GRE's and going to grad school part time to get a PhD in English.

Are there part time PhD programs out there?

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: loki8481
Once I'm kinda settled down within the next 6 months (re: back to living on my own), I've been thinking about taking the GRE's and going to grad school part time to get a PhD in English.

Are there part time PhD programs out there?

it would take awhile, but it's possible. just limit myself to a class or two a semester.

depending on my financial situation, though, I'd prefer to go full time. that way I could work as a TA and get some teaching experience.

another possibility that I was thinking of was going part time for my MA (spread it out over 4 years instead of 2), and then teach at a sh!tty community college while working on my PhD.

 

[badmouse]

I thought I would thoroughly enjoy data entry

This may be the funniest line I've ever seen on ATOT.

You don't decide at your age what you want to do with the rest of your life. You choose something and investigate it, and if you like it or if you're lazy you keep doing it. If you don't like it, you choose something else.

Don't knock yourself out about your career. Pick something you might like, investigate it and try it out, and if it works out, keep going.

At least data entry is an easy job to try out and eliminate.

 

[Spamela]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
My dream job would be a computer scientist working for Microsoft or Amazon.com (Ameesh is my idol). Anyways, how does one KNOW for sure that it is what they want to do? I thought I would thoroughly enjoy data entry so now I'm questioning... what if I get a position doing IT work and HATE it? Although I think it's very unlikely as most network admin positions just surf the net unless something is broken.

So how does one KNOW for sure that this is what they want to do?

***EDIT:

So my next question to you all is, what if the IT market dies in ten years, what are all of you who have degrees in and are age 40+ going to do when the industry falls? Will you go back to school and get a degree in something else? What options do you think you'll have when the IT industry falls?

***/EDIT

pursue what you like to do regardless of the
employment prospects. you'll kick yourself if you don't.

i don't believe IT is going anywhere. the offshore
coders i've seen (with a few significant exceptions) are pretty lame.
if you're still concerned, then get an IT job requiring a security clearance.
those, clearly, will NEVER go offshore.

computer scientists don't do data entry, btw.