Wanting to switch careers need advice on how to do so

alm99

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2000
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I have a B.S. in Marketing, I am 23 and I want to switch to computers. I need somone to give me advice on what I should do to cross the "bridge." I really don't like marketing, I enjoy building/servicing computers, web development, networking. I don't really have a preference for which, I just would like out of Marketing, its not my calling. Anyone with any advice on where I should start to bridge the gap.
 

Cuda1447

Lifer
Jul 26, 2002
11,757
0
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Well Im 17, and am in no way in the position to advise you.... But if you want my advise get the A+ Certification. I am also going into computers, and from what Ive heard from EVERYONE is that A+ is basically a must. Its the most basic thing, so yes get that and go from there. You can't go wrong with A+ though, you need it.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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You do realize that starting in that career path in computers the way you mentioned it is VERY VERY hard right now,right? Anandtech alone has a bunch of people out of work who do that sort of stuff. Further to that the start out pay will be pretty crappy. Are you sure you can't do something else that you could somehow leverage your marketing degree into?
 

alm99

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2000
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I was looking at the Michael Myers A+ certification book last night at barnes & noble and it looked as if it would be pretty easy, just need to brush up on a few things, I think i would be ok
 

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
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A+ will get you no where. Going into Network. Tech. will get you a pretty big pay cut, assuming you work in marketing now. We are talking $20,000-30,000 if you are lucky.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
A+ will get you no where. Going into Network. Tech. will get you a pretty big pay cut, assuming you work in marketing now. We are talking $20,000-30,000 if you are lucky.
Yeah, and like I said even getting a job right now doing that sort of stuff is fudgingly hard unless you have experience.

 

alm99

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2000
4,560
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You do realize that starting in that career path in computers the way you mentioned it is VERY VERY hard right now,right? Anandtech alone has a bunch of people out of work who do that sort of stuff. Further to that the start out pay will be pretty crappy. Are you sure you can't do something else that you could somehow leverage your marketing degree into?

I do know that, but I just want to get started in that direction, not a complete overnight change. I just don't want to get stuck in this forever in something I HATE.

A+ will get you no where. Going into Network. Tech. will get you a pretty big pay cut, assuming you work in marketing now. We are talking $20,000-30,000 if you are lucky.

I am barely making $26,000 now, money isn't everything and in marketing unless you are an executive with a lot of experience, their isn't much money out there. The marketing idea was a big boom a few years back, but companies have found that it was more of an added expenxe to have a marketing dept and are doing away with it, yes they will do consumer research and stuff, but not in the detail it once was
 

Fulcrum

Senior member
May 9, 2002
709
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71
If you can dedicate the time and money, start attending a part time Graduate program at a local college or university. Go for a Master's in MIS. You will probably have to take extra foundation classes to get you up to speed, but it is doable if you can make the commitment.
 

dirtboy

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,745
1
81
I'm not convinced myself that it's a good time to go into computers. So many people have flooded the market and with the dot com burnout, jobs are quite scare. As far as the future of computing? Well, there's alot of kids going to college for it since they pretty much grew up on them. What you're going to have in an industry full of competition, which is good, but if you're one of the lesser nerds, it might not be your best choice.
 

trmiv

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
14,670
18
81
I'm 26 with a BS in MIS, and I REALLY REALLY want to get OUT of computers. Maybe we can swap degrees? :) Computers is really not the place you want to be right now.
 

StageLeft

No Lifer
Sep 29, 2000
70,150
5
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Originally posted by: trmiv
I'm 26 with a BS in MIS, and I REALLY REALLY want to get OUT of computers. Maybe we can swap degrees? :) Computers is really not the place you want to be right now.
True it's really not great. I'm in it and I like it but if I could switch to another more secure employment track I'd jump ship lickity split. And I have two years experience and I'm also in software which seems to be less full of flooding than networking/hardware - and it's still damn hard to get a job now.

 

Mani

Diamond Member
Aug 9, 2001
4,808
1
0
If you can get the money together to go back to school and really want to get into computers, I'd recommend getting an engineering/ computer science background. Combine that with your marketing and you will be highly marketable yourself. :)
 

Sketcher

Platinum Member
Aug 15, 2001
2,237
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Only go IT/MIS if you are passionate about it.

I switched from Production Management to IT/MIS two years ago. Just when the field started flooding from all the dot.com crap.

Through hard work and a few fortunate circumstances, I'm now the System's Administrator of a Medical Device company where I started as a pc build technician.

I say be passionate about it, because that's the only way you have a chance. IT Techs, Network Admins, they're a dime a dozen right now. I get 5-10 calls a week from headhunters & temp houses trying to find work for their clients. I interview temps and potential employees on a semi-annual basis just to keep a resume file current. I say be passionate about your work because nearly every one of the applicants I interview are qualified or over-qualified for the work I'm hiring for. I notice the potential employee who is passionate, aggressive, pro-active about their career field. Even if promising, I tend not to pay attention to the applicants that just seem to be looking for a paycheck or a place to surf.

1. A+ isn't a big deal as far as skill goes, but I won't hire someone who doesn't have it. It just shows your responsible and have applied yourself in a critical area. 7 out of 10 resume's I read have A+ and some form of further IT education - so whether or not A+ is truly critical doesn't matter - it sort of becomes a standard criteria.

2. As far as other cert/training to pursue, you have to figure out which area of IT you'd like to specialize in. You won't have time to be good at it all.

If you're serious about IT, visit local businesses and ask for a tour of the IT Dept. Most Admins and Managers that I know would be more than happy to show you around their digs. That will give you a better idea of an IT work environment and the various roles in IT.

I love my work, but a drawback I've found - is that you have to constantly be watching technology, always learning and keeping ahead of the curve. And, realistically - you have to pursue certification, no matter how good you are at what you do. I'm solid in my position here at this company, and I can Admin a network with the best of them... But put me in the employment line with all the other out of work Admins and Techs, and they'll probably be more current in certification than I am.

That's my 2 MB.

-Sketcher