IT Professionals Please Help

[saden1]

1. You have to have passion for computers and software. If you just want to make a buck this is not the field for you.
2. You have to dedicate countless of hours outside of work or school to keep your mind in shape and evolve your knowledge (this is where passion helps).
3. You're going to start at entry level (tech support, support engineer, basically the guy people come to when they have issues they need resolved) and then move up.
4. If you want to get into the software development side a 4 year degree in a related field is a must if you don't have experiance.
5. Linux/UNIX administrators are in demand right now but times change very quickly. What I'm saying is you have to be versatile.
6. Get an internship of some sort while going to school. I would say this is an absolute must if you want to give yourself an edge.

[BleedBurgundy]

This is how I did it when I got out of the Navy 3 1/2 years ago:

(I already had some BASIC knowledge from being the guy in my family that always had to "fix" the computer)

LEVEL I tech support full time for an ISP, ITT Tech full time simultaneously for 2 years(not the best school but super flexible and most of the instructors were still active in the field). The level I tech support you'll learn basically everything you need for that job(basic fixes) within 2 - 3 months. It'll also help you grasp some more advanced concepts later.

Desktop Support/Network Technician for 1 year at a smaller company where I was able to do basically whatever I wanted.

Currently I'm in a position where my title is Network Admin but it's more like Admin's assistant. I work for an international company (M&M Mars) and I absolutely love my job. I learn every day, I get to play with all of the coolest toys and have a career I am more than happy to devote "off hours" to.

Like Saden said, be flexible. I am trying to get more open source experience as we are currently using Netware and will be heading that way within a few (2?) years. But the whole world speaks M$ so you really can't go wrong there, plus it's easy to break in.

Overall, just make sure it's what you really want and not just something to do for money...

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

This is how I did it when I got out of the Navy 3 1/2 years ago:

(I already had some BASIC knowledge from being the guy in my family that always had to "fix" the computer)

LEVEL I tech support full time for an ISP, ITT Tech full time simultaneously for 2 years(not the best school but super flexible and most of the instructors were still active in the field). The level I tech support you'll learn basically everything you need for that job(basic fixes) within 2 - 3 months. It'll also help you grasp some more advanced concepts later.

Desktop Support/Network Technician for 1 year at a smaller company where I was able to do basically whatever I wanted.

Currently I'm in a position where my title is Network Admin but it's more like Admin's assistant. I work for an international company (M&M Mars) and I absolutely love my job. I learn every day, I get to play with all of the coolest toys and have a career I am more than happy to devote "off hours" to.

Like Saden said, be flexible. I am trying to get more open source experience as we are currently using Netware and will be heading that way within a few (2?) years. But the whole world speaks M$ so you really can't go wrong there, plus it's easy to break in.

Overall, just make sure it's what you really want and not just something to do for money...

You're not going to go with AD?

[BleedBurgundy]

Originally Posted by TheMalcolmConnection

You're not going to go with AD?

Apparently not. Obviously that would be far too easy. The next version of "Netware" is based on Suse so that's going to be the eventual progression. I'm relatively new to netware and, while I am learning it, I also hate it.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by BleedBurgundy

Apparently not. Obviously that would be far too easy. The next version of "Netware" is based on Suse so that's going to be the eventual progression. I'm relatively new to netware and, while I am learning it, I also hate it.

You sound just like me. I've worked with Netware for a little over two years now and don't like it either.

[TheMalcolmConnection]

Oh man, we're in the process of moving over to AD. Netware was the biggest pain in the ass EVER.

[BleedBurgundy]

How big of a process is the move? Seems like so much gets embedded with Netware that you end up almost starting over...