what good paying jobs should a beginner aim for

[JoesLonghorn]

Im looking for advice from you professionals for my career path.

Im not sure if this is the right forum to ask the ? but this forum seems to have all the right answers.

For my next certification, I am wondering if I should go Novell or CISCO or ...

I looking for a career path that is in demand.

I am sure others are wondering about this as well.

Does anyone have any regrets about their career choices and have advice/warnings to share? or did you make a great choice that propelled your career faster than anticipated?

 

[yoda291]

I hate to say it, but until you decide what YOU want to do in IT, you'll probably make a decent helpdesk/tech support monkey. It's not really a decision someone else can or should make for you.

 

[kevnich2]

IMO, help desk positions aren't the best jobs in the world but I do think any IT person should do ahelp desk/tech support for atleast 6 months just to get a feel for what's going on and then move up. Make sure that you get a degree AND some certifications, after that, start off with an entry level position (Help Desk/Tech Support) to get some experience, after that you should be able to move up fairly quickly. But like yoda291 said, you need to decide what you want to do in IT first, it's a VERY broad field.

 

[JoesLonghorn]

Originally posted by: kevnich2
But like yoda291 said, you need to decide what you want to do in IT first, it's a VERY broad field.

That's where I am confused
I don't want to be in a dungeon for the rest of my life.
I do like to be around people. I dont know much about the fields.
and yes the first jobs will be (Help Desk/Tech Support). I'm just looking for the paths ahead.

 

[imported_JFG]

Security is the way to go. In order to grasp security you need a solid understanding of networking. Unless you have the time to intern, start at a helpdesk and ask a lot of questions. Don't get caught up with getting certs over getting experience.

 

[Alex]

Originally posted by: JFG
Security is the way to go. In order to grasp security you need a solid understanding of networking. Unless you have the time to intern, start at a helpdesk and ask a lot of questions. Don't get caught up with getting certs over getting experience.

yeah, there's nothing like hands-on experience!

altho a couple certs can't hurt either

 

[Cscutch]

- A+, Network+, and Security+ are ok certifications. But there are some better ones out there.

- I would go to an accredited University, College, or Technical School and receive some formal training. Majority of the time it is a pretty broad scope allowing you to learn a lot of concepts. Plus if you have a degree it is easier to find a position and when you want to move up in your carrer like to managment, you won't get the you need a degree problem.

- From there I would decided on a specialization, something you enjoyed, and proceed to gain knowledge in that field and then get the matching certifications. (CCNA, MCSE, etc?).

- A helpdesk position is a great position when going to school, Most are 24hrs and nights are most likely slower giving you study time.

- When coming out of school try to get a job that gives you learning opportunities and education benefits. IT is always changing and keeping up can be expensive if you want to take some evening classes or seminars.

 

[freebsdrules]

Like people have said previously, it greatly depends on what you want to do and your background. I would fully agree that a college degree is a must, especially if you eventually want to do management type stuff; even if not, it will help out tremendously. I also agree that a help desk type job may not be a bad choice for something during school but I would--at least personally--have a very hard time taking such a job after completing a degree (about 8 months here ) If you decide to go to college or are currently going, look into the different departments. Everybody has some sort of IT department and getting a job with them is also a good starter. My best piece of advice: never set your goals too low, do not settle for mediocrity .