IT Careers

[Proven Guilty]

Originally Posted by Klendathu [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

What everyone has said here rings true, so i won't rehash it. But I will offer this: don't get into IT unless you really like doing it. The people that I know that are good at it are people that are passionate about it. They have extensive home networks, their spouses bitch at them for always having some "project" laying around in some sordid state of disarray.

To add a lot of the advice, work on virtualization above all if you want to get your feet wet in the industry. You will learn more through virtualized servers than through any other channel right now. Also, don't stick to one technology. There are several platforms you can learn on, for free, using even a spare computer or retired business hand-me-down.

VMWare
Citrux XenCenter
Linux KVM

etc, etc

If you can get comfortable with staging, installing multiple operating systems on different levels of hardware, and learning how to harness everything they have to offer (storage, number crunching, DNS, databases, security, etc) then the sky is the limit. Find out what seems to be the most entertaining. You'll know once you find yourself working 12 hour weekend shifts for free as an intern while going to school.

I never went to school, and wish I did. With 14 years of experience, I find myself in Rogean's shoes of usually doing others' job without having the paper to back my own skills.

Also, get more into Linux and BSD than Microsoft products. The world is evolving and even Microsoft is adopting a lot of linux technologies. Apple products are based on BSD and apply very closely to Linux. Ubuntu or Mint are great desktop replacements that will allow you to get some real world exposure, and not be SO much to learn that you can't even use your computer for doing homework on. (Debian based OS), but don't let me stop you from compiling linuxfromscratch on that old Pentium2 400Mhz box you've had in the closet all these years. [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Edit: Forgot to mention, don't shy away from Microsoft products either. You can download 160+ day free trials of their latest and greatest. Install a SBS2011 server, setup a POP3 connector and a smartmail host and play around with a faux business email / etc. Register a domain and just go to town. Don't shy away from any one technology just because someone thinks one route will be better for you. Just find what you're enjoying working on, and roll with it.

Lastly, I think people that progress their development/programming/scripting background have a much better transition as well as ability to learn than those that just stick with hardware/software support.

[naez]

going to school is realistically the best way to get anybody to hire you at a decent salary, you need shiny pieces of paper that show you aren't lazy and somewhat know what you are doing.

I got comp sci degree no certs but landed cozy position offhandedly literally transferring files along the ftp and patching machines, and Im even late for work atm cuz i can wutdo a lil.

in reality I just google everything; learned nothing rly from skool so ya time+money waste in that sense.

[Tommy_Wiseau]

idk who hasnt figured out what a terrible treadmill IT work is

great career decision liek 20 years ago bro

[Rogean]

Originally Posted by Tommy_Wiseau [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

idk who hasnt figured out what a terrible treadmill IT work is

great career decision liek 20 years ago bro

You're lucky you edited that post!

[Rogean]

MCITP:SA/EA + VCP == $70k+

[Extunarian]

Originally Posted by Rogean [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

MCITP:SA/EA + VCP == $70k+

VCP...forgot about that one. With companies trying to both expand their IT infrastructure while lowering energy costs (or sometimes just bumping up against physical constraints) you can't go wrong with studying virtualization.

[quido]

What most people don't know is that IT Professionals don't actually know how to do anything. It's all automated - they just sit around and pretend to be busy.

[Tommy_Wiseau]

Originally Posted by Rogean [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

MCITP:SA/EA + VCP == $70k+

mouse in lab cage thinks he's pablo escobar because his masters put cocaine in his water

[Diggles]

School network administrators are a perfect example of what Jeremy just said.

[Diggles]

im pretty sure a mouse wouldnt know who Pablo Escobar is.