Does anyone work in the IT field?

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Completely random topic but then again this section is both for introductions and non-stinger talk so I figured to post this here.

I know "IT field" is an extremely broad term. That's like saying "medical field" which could mean you're a nurse or a dentist or a pharmacist or whatever else. But, with that in mind, does anyone work in the IT field? Due to COVID and the business I work for preparing to "temporarily" shut down for the next three to six months (they have been dying very slowly even before COVID hit and once COVID hit it's been a nightmare) I have been looking at breaking further into the IT career path. This isn't necessarily me asking for advice, but rather, if anyone works in the IT field feel free to share your stories, paths, experiences, or what you would advise someone to do if they wanted to career switch into it. Full disclosure I have worked in very low level help-desk and part of my job is IT support but it's very basic.

Oh well. Discuss!

 

[nhcowboy28]

Part out.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Who needs 4 year degrees or even it certs!!!

in all seriousness, position yourself as a PM. IT PMs don’t have any technical knowledge. They serve a purpose as much as I despise them. PMP cert is easier to get than most technical certs.

 

[vipeboy2000]

I recently moved into a SRE (site reliability engineer) role after being in sys admin/helpdesk position for 6 years. If you enjoy learning new tech in the cloud, automation, etc it's a great place to be!

 

[stoopid]

Who needs 4 year degrees or even it certs!!!

in all seriousness, position yourself as a PM. IT PMs don’t have any technical knowledge. They serve a purpose as much as I despise them. PMP cert is easier to get than most technical certs.

I've read the PMBoK, very dry reading. lol Never did take the exam, as I've come to understand project managers in IT are generally slaves/expected to work ungodly hours and usually only as a short term contractor.

Anyway, I'm probably the person you intend to get feedback from as I've been in IT and slowly moving up the ladder for 20+ years. However, things are a bit different from when I entered the field. Certs are a valid start [full disclosure, I've only had one cert as a MCP almost 20 years ago], with nominal knowledge you can self study and probably pass the entry level ones (like CompTIA). This gets your foot in the door with a lot of employers. Despite my grumblings about many cert techs not knowing how to actually apply any knowledge they have, it's the simplest way for potential employers to filter resumes and does require some effort on the part of the prospective employee so they're not without merit. Note that I don't see much benefit in getting any Office 365 related certs right now as that platform is still young and in constant evolution, your cert and any knowledge gained will likely be stale in a year or two. Definitely don't want to fall into a constant recertification trap either.

The current IT market seems to have fallen into a handful of buckets: deskside support (similar to what you're likely already familiar), network support, web development, and project management. Automation has reduced the number of humans needed to manage networks, and employers simply impose unreasonable deadlines to get 80 hours/week out of web devs and project managers. "Deskside support" is basically where I've washed out, doing managed services ("MSP") work for small and medium (a few larger) businesses. Most larger cities have several MSPs that act as the IT department for numerous local businesses (think lawyers, doctors/dentists, small local retail chains, small factories, etc). Any business that needs the expertise to comply with regulations/security standards. The downside is you have to be involved in everything, I could be working on printing issues then immediately swing into network/server work the next minute. But generally the hours are 9-5 and many MSPs want techs who can perform the work rather than paper MCSEs. The big plus IMO with MSP work is you can't get too bored as there's a lot to know, learn, and be involved with since it's generally all-hands-on-deck, and you'll get exposed to a lot principles and technologies.

The more specific your questions the better I could answer them. This is wide ranging topic. In the end it depends on what interests you and/or how quickly you want to reinvent yourself for the workforce.

 

[찌르는 것 GT1]

Satellite communications. All IP/network based systems. Working on Commercial and Gov't satellite networks as an engineer. From the actual antennas/dishes, to configuring routers, switches, etc.. It is a teleport location. I also get to travel occasionally worldwide. And this great career started with only a 2yr assco. degree in electronics. I have other training and employer paid certifications.

You don't need Harvard on your resume to be happy and successful. Just find something you don't mind waking up to do every day...

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Thank you everyone! Greatly appreciate the insight!

I'm not unfamiliar to management or leading teams but I do prefer learning new technology and understanding how things work even if I would probably be a better manager than technician. #softskills #peopleskills #niceboss

I am looking at COMPTIA A+ right now but it seems to only be good for breaking into the help desk industry. I do have a 4-year degree but like a fool I chose to study what I found interesting rather than what leads to a real career. Thankfully scholarship and commuting to campus only burned a small hole in my pocket and debt has finally been paid off.

Great pointers btw everyone! I'm contemplating how long it would take me to get the COMPTIA "core trifecta" of A+, Network+, and Security+ if I dedicate full time study comes the first week of May when our doors close until sometime late Fall. Right now I do very basic help desk so I have a lot of room to grow. Heck... I fear even the A+ (both parts 1001 and 1002) will give me a run for my money.

 

[Houstinger1]

Here are my thoughts on this in no particular order:

Certs without experience are useless. This notion of getting certs will get you in the door is often espoused by those who make money getting you certified or by those that paid those people to get certified. Particularly vendor based certs (VMware, Microsoft, etc.). You could take a test and pass it just by memorizing the brain dump. As hiring manager, if I see someone with a high level cert but little to no experience beyond helpdesk on their resume, that's what I would think.

You're assessment of the A+ cert is correct. I would avoid that one.

Infrastructure is dead and dying. Security and cloud are they 2 areas of IT that are growing and will continue to do so. At this stage in your career, I would strongly recommend you look into anything cloud and/or anything security. Plus, with cloud or security, you can work from anywhere. Not so if you are the hands on guy.

Avoid as long and as much as possible vendor specific anything. That can pigeon hole you a bit long term. That doesn't mean never, just try to focus more on being vendor agnostic. Security+, CISSP, CISM, etc. are what I would shoot for as far as certificates when the time is right.

Find a guy that can give you a break and give you some work even if it is part time so you can have SOMETHING on your resume. Worse comes to worse, go to legalzoom.com, create an LLC, and start your own company. Then do work for yourself.

Resumes get you an interview. Interviews get you the job. My last job opportunity I was a great fit, great resume, zoomed through the initial and technical interviews.... and then bombed the in person. Lost the job. Focus on your resume now while you are preparing for what to say in the interview.

 

[boosted1g]

Been in IT for the last 15 years, mostly on the DoD contractor side of it.
I also have a side business LLC providing managed IT to smb's in my local area.

My degree is in Management Information Systems, which emphasized on .NET programming. Demand went into the trash-can a few months before I graduated.
Spent the next several years building up my hardware skills, and working myself into a half decent job. Dont do anything that can easily be outsourced to India/China.
My current job is in a more specialized communications/networking department/field. Prior to that I was a in a systems admin position

A+ is completely irrelevant and means nothing in the job market.
Network+ is a very good stepping stone to help you understand the basics, but by itself will not open many doors.
Security+ is a baseline requirement for many corporate and DoD jobs, so good one to have

CyberSecurity is where the money is at right now, and I dont see that demand going down anytime soon. Security+
Server/Networking Admin is always going to be need.

Ideally I would try to get onto a larger company as a desktop support or other "grunt" where they will pay for your certs and you can gain on-the-job experience and work yourself up the ladder.

 

[stoopid]

Mirroring the last 2 replies, A+ isn't very useful in the current market. Network and Security+ are more in immediate demand. Unsure if working for a big or little company will matter, either gets you experience. The smaller company may have more role flexibility and opportunities to learn/apply more things.

If looking to head into IT within a few months, a certification greatly increases your odds of getting to the interview stage. No experience + no cert = no hope. I agree that certs are the bane of IT existence, but I didn't ever get asked when they became an industry standard (around the time I started in IT in 2000-ish). I'm only able to move from employer to employer because of my vast experience and in demand skillset. Without those twenty years I'd have no chance, and even with that experience I don't get call backs from every application likely due to a lack of certs in areas they list as "desirable" in the job description but are obviously being weighed during the resume reviewing process.

 

[boosted1g]

Mirroring the last 2 replies, A+ isn't very useful in the current market. Network and Security+ are more in immediate demand. Unsure if working for a big or little company will matter, either gets you experience. The smaller company may have more role flexibility and opportunities to learn/apply more things.

In my opinion it is a trade off.

Small company will usually be more flexible on requirements, while a larger company will usually have more advancement/training opportunities.
Small companies usually want a jack of all trades , while larger company wants a SME

But yeah, either direction could get you to the end goal, or possibly not; certainly not a one size fits all answer. The only sure answer is the one in hindsight.

 

[stoopid]

In my opinion it is a trade off.

Small company will usually be more flexible on requirements, while a larger company will usually have more advancement/training opportunities.
Small companies usually want a jack of all trades , while larger company wants a SME

But yeah, either direction could get you to the end goal, or possibly not; certainly not a one size fits all answer. The only sure answer is the one in hindsight.

Absolutely, the main obstacle for the OP is the timeline (and perhaps overall lack of experience). If they could wait on the right job then I agree the larger company could pay bigger dividends for the reasons you posted, but with only a matter of months to reinvent themselves they're more likely going to end up with a smaller company. Having been employed for very large companies and now a mom/pop size shop, I honestly couldn't tell you which is 'better' professionally. Personally, I've given up on the rat race and place the work atmosphere and job duties higher than even pay. But I have that flexibility/choice at this point in my career. I understand why someone might choose (and many do choose) differently.

 

[stoopid]

I'm not unfamiliar to management or leading teams but I do prefer learning new technology and understanding how things work even if I would probably be a better manager than technician. #softskills #peopleskills #niceboss

I have to be bluntly honest for a moment... your online personae on this forum is contrary to this statement. I'd probably enjoy the posting of this person you describe, more.

Also, being a self-described "never been a numbers guy" doesn't paint the picture of someone destined for a bright future in IT, where being detail oriented and precise are critical to good outcomes. Computing is a science, not opinion or speculation.

You'll need to get honest with us or yourself at some point.

[can now return to discussing the future and not the past]

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Here are my thoughts on this in no particular order:

Certs without experience are useless. This notion of getting certs will get you in the door is often espoused by those who make money getting you certified or by those that paid those people to get certified. Particularly vendor based certs (VMware, Microsoft, etc.). You could take a test and pass it just by memorizing the brain dump. As hiring manager, if I see someone with a high level cert but little to no experience beyond helpdesk on their resume, that's what I would think.

You're assessment of the A+ cert is correct. I would avoid that one.

Infrastructure is dead and dying. Security and cloud are they 2 areas of IT that are growing and will continue to do so. At this stage in your career, I would strongly recommend you look into anything cloud and/or anything security. Plus, with cloud or security, you can work from anywhere. Not so if you are the hands on guy.

Avoid as long and as much as possible vendor specific anything. That can pigeon hole you a bit long term. That doesn't mean never, just try to focus more on being vendor agnostic. Security+, CISSP, CISM, etc. are what I would shoot for as far as certificates when the time is right.

Find a guy that can give you a break and give you some work even if it is part time so you can have SOMETHING on your resume. Worse comes to worse, go to legalzoom.com, create an LLC, and start your own company. Then do work for yourself.

Resumes get you an interview. Interviews get you the job. My last job opportunity I was a great fit, great resume, zoomed through the initial and technical interviews.... and then bombed the in person. Lost the job. Focus on your resume now while you are preparing for what to say in the interview.

Thank you! I do have some lower level help desk and IT support experience but nothing that stands out too much. The reason I brought up A+ and/or Network+ was that there seems to be a lot of information that is required to know from those two certs to begin preparing properly for Security+ certification. In other words, at least from what I'm understanding, the best route to take is A+ then Network+ then Security+ then go for CISSP, CISM, or other security and cloud certifications (Azure/AWS?). My concern, whether I choose to study for Security+ 501 or 601 is that I will have major gaps from not studying A+ or Network+.

Been in IT for the last 15 years, mostly on the DoD contractor side of it.
I also have a side business LLC providing managed IT to smb's in my local area.

My degree is in Management Information Systems, which emphasized on .NET programming. Demand went into the trash-can a few months before I graduated.
Spent the next several years building up my hardware skills, and working myself into a half decent job. Dont do anything that can easily be outsourced to India/China.
My current job is in a more specialized communications/networking department/field. Prior to that I was a in a systems admin position

A+ is completely irrelevant and means nothing in the job market.
Network+ is a very good stepping stone to help you understand the basics, but by itself will not open many doors.
Security+ is a baseline requirement for many corporate and DoD jobs, so good one to have

CyberSecurity is where the money is at right now, and I dont see that demand going down anytime soon. Security+
Server/Networking Admin is always going to be need.

Ideally I would try to get onto a larger company as a desktop support or other "grunt" where they will pay for your certs and you can gain on-the-job experience and work yourself up the ladder.

How would you suggest someone like me with plenty of "well-rounded" work experience (customer support, customer service, sales, retail, teaching, management, and low-level tech support) break into the cybersecurity industry? I just feel that I have huge gaps. I have worked with technology but it was never hardware; mostly software assistance with human-side assistance. Ironically I am planning on moving back to northern Virginia with my gf (soon to be fiancé) within the next 2 years and hear it's a fantastic location for breaking into the cybersecurity industry. Would studying for Security+ as my first certification be the best course of action even if I am not very technical at all or am missing huge gaps from A+ and Network+?

Mirroring the last 2 replies, A+ isn't very useful in the current market. Network and Security+ are more in immediate demand. Unsure if working for a big or little company will matter, either gets you experience. The smaller company may have more role flexibility and opportunities to learn/apply more things.

If looking to head into IT within a few months, a certification greatly increases your odds of getting to the interview stage. No experience + no cert = no hope. I agree that certs are the bane of IT existence, but I didn't ever get asked when they became an industry standard (around the time I started in IT in 2000-ish). I'm only able to move from employer to employer because of my vast experience and in demand skillset. Without those twenty years I'd have no chance, and even with that experience I don't get call backs from every application likely due to a lack of certs in areas they list as "desirable" in the job description but are obviously being weighed during the resume reviewing process.

I have to be bluntly honest for a moment... your online personae on this forum is contrary to this statement. I'd probably enjoy the posting of this person you describe, more.

Also, being a self-described "never been a numbers guy" doesn't paint the picture of someone destined for a bright future in IT, where being detail oriented and precise are critical to good outcomes. Computing is a science, not opinion or speculation.

You'll need to get honest with us or yourself at some point.

[can now return to discussing the future and not the past]

I troll and joke a lot on this forum but I genuinely am a patient and kind person; there are many people that would describe me in such a way. I do like to help people. Also, I have taught math and worked with numbers, but it never came to me naturally without hard work. From taking the ACT and LSAT I would say I am a very logical and detail-oriented person. Again, just going off my scores and performance.

Back on topic I am very interested in cybersecurity but breaking into the industry I have to either grab something help desk in the right company or grab strong certifications which seem to be very difficult to obtain for a "newbie" so to speak.

 

[Snowwhite]

I’ve been in IT for 25+ years and the thing I’ve noticed lately is there’s few people north of 55 years old still doing IT outside of legacy app support. just keep that in mind when it comes to retirement planning.

 

[boosted1g]

I have done all 3 certs, A+ is a total waste of time. If you have built PCs and done tier 1 help desk than you wont really get anything out of it besides maybe some legacy knowledge (and even then it wont be knowledge on how to do or fix anything). The test is almost zero troubleshooting, it is mostly all about what something is ... not how to use it/fix it. At least 7-8 years ago when I did it, the test/study material barley even went into using system registry or group policy.
Also, there is really nothing in A+ that is in Sec+.
if you have not built PCs then building a few is far more informative and useful than A+.

From an entry level standpoint, you are right that you should do Network+ before Sec+. You do not need to actually take the test, but you need to do the study materials and have the knowledge to pass it.
Small chance your future job may want Net+ specifically, but odds are much higher that if Sec+ is not sufficient then they probably want CCNA/CCNP for networking anyways.

Checkout Professor Messer's website. His videos plus his book/study package should do the trick (for both network+ and security+).
I passed Net+ and Sec+ using Mike Myers books and Professor Messer's videos (and a couple outside videos, his explanation of Kerberos authentication was not very easy to follow). However, I dont suggest Myers books for you because they are very very dry and not good at all for someone who does not have a solid foundation of knowledge in the area.

While you are working towards Sec+, decide on which direction you want to go system/server admin, networking, or cyber security.
Then I would look at your local (or where you wish to work) job market and see what the companies are looking for. If possible, try to even speak to an IT manager or two to know what they are really looking for in a person with entry level experience. Then you can continue on that path after you get Sec+.
Keep in mind that HR people are typically the ones that post the job openings and they like to list every cert imaginable. The job posting for my old position wanted 3-5 years experience with Microsoft Exchange ..... we do not have a single email server nor do we manage email in any capacity.

Shame you don't live in my neck of the woods, I have a lot of parts and things you could mess with to learn, and would even be fine with you shadowing me on my business jobs.

 

[Ulikefishsticks]

I went into Cyber Security myself. I currently work in Critical Infrastructure Protection as an IT/OT Cyber Specialist. Because the way things are set up, all my IT work needs to be done on site. So this means I get to do a lot of traveling which is great but I spend sometimes weeks at a time in a hotel. These trips are sometimes great as I can spend these weeks in a fun city. LA, Phoenix, Austin, Boston, or I get sent to a small town, with one hotel, and nothing to do around that town for hours. I am actually leaving in 8 days for North Dakota for 3 weeks for work. I love what I do, it has amazing job security.

I had no experience besides 3 months in a telecom job where I traveled around North Carolina installing fiber equipment for government buildings and schools. I picked up some basic Microsoft certs while going to school to pick up a couple associates degrees for Network Management and Cyber Security. Towards the end of my degrees I went after a cert which was fairly new and actually quite difficult for someone with no practical experience. It was the CompTia CySA+ Certification. I passed it on the first try and that was actually the leg I had up on 2 other applicants. I was very lucky as I did not have to put my time in at a help desk or other job. I went right from going to school full time and a internship to nearly making 6 figures (with bonus and stock). Not bad for a first career position.

Prior to going to school I was working really horrible jobs. I started out in factory doing tedious and monotonous task. Then I was a meter reader for 6 months which was some of the most brutal work I have done. Individually reading 3-700 meters a day, getting orders to shut off someone's water, then being chased off the property by someone with a gun on more than one occasion (I had to go back the next month with police). After that I worked a job doing overnight street sweeping, it wasn't that bad, nice quiet job, doing my own thing at night. Then new management showed up and started micromanaging EVERYTHING. That made me want to go to school finally.

IT is a great path, I would go into something that can't be easily replaced by automation or outsourced for cheaper labor.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

I’ve been in IT for 25+ years and the thing I’ve noticed lately is there’s few people north of 55 years old still doing IT outside of legacy app support. just keep that in mind when it comes to retirement planning.

Oh wow! That is mixed news to hear. Thankfully I have been contributing to a 401k and my ROTH IRA for the last five years or so. Granted, I am in my mid/late 20's right now, but I plan to continue to put money away into my retirement. With the exception of my Stinger I don't have any other crazy expenses or crazy tastes. My girlfriend and I cook 95% of the time and eat at home or pack lunch. Neither of us spend money on designer brands or expensive trinkets. I'm grateful not to be with a materialistic person in my life. Do you feel that the reason people over the age of 55 are rare to find in this field due to burn out rate or discrimination towards age?

I have done all 3 certs, A+ is a total waste of time. If you have built PCs and done tier 1 help desk than you wont really get anything out of it besides maybe some legacy knowledge (and even then it wont be knowledge on how to do or fix anything). The test is almost zero troubleshooting, it is mostly all about what something is ... not how to use it/fix it. At least 7-8 years ago when I did it, the test/study material barley even went into using system registry or group policy.
Also, there is really nothing in A+ that is in Sec+.
if you have not built PCs then building a few is far more informative and useful than A+.

From an entry level standpoint, you are right that you should do Network+ before Sec+. You do not need to actually take the test, but you need to do the study materials and have the knowledge to pass it.
Small chance your future job may want Net+ specifically, but odds are much higher that if Sec+ is not sufficient then they probably want CCNA/CCNP for networking anyways.

Checkout Professor Messer's website. His videos plus his book/study package should do the trick (for both network+ and security+).
I passed Net+ and Sec+ using Mike Myers books and Professor Messer's videos (and a couple outside videos, his explanation of Kerberos authentication was not very easy to follow). However, I dont suggest Myers books for you because they are very very dry and not good at all for someone who does not have a solid foundation of knowledge in the area.

While you are working towards Sec+, decide on which direction you want to go system/server admin, networking, or cyber security.
Then I would look at your local (or where you wish to work) job market and see what the companies are looking for. If possible, try to even speak to an IT manager or two to know what they are really looking for in a person with entry level experience. Then you can continue on that path after you get Sec+.
Keep in mind that HR people are typically the ones that post the job openings and they like to list every cert imaginable. The job posting for my old position wanted 3-5 years experience with Microsoft Exchange ..... we do not have a single email server nor do we manage email in any capacity.

Shame you don't live in my neck of the woods, I have a lot of parts and things you could mess with to learn, and would even be fine with you shadowing me on my business jobs.

I have never built, rebuilt, or put together a PC completely on my own but could figure it out if watching a tutorial... although that sounds rather pathetic haha!

Funny enough you mentioned Professor Messer because I have been browsing his website and found the free videos (also on YouTube) to study.

I am leaning towards cyber security but from what I am gathering from YouTube and reading on Reddit those going into that realm normally have experience from prior roles in help desk or networking. I'll definitely start reaching out to IT managers in my area though. The tricky part is I am still a south Florida resident, temporarily residing in upstate New York, while planning to move to northern Virginia within the next two years or so.

Thank goodness I've worked my butt off the last twelve years and have a good amount of savings. The small business I work for is closing in about a week so I will be able to dedicate full-time hours (50+ hours a week) of study. Probably going to start with Network+ 007 and then go for Security+ 601 (501 is retiring in July of this year) then see from there.

Definitely excited to push myself to break into the industry. I've always found technology so cool and exciting but never really "went" for it due to wanting to work alongside family friends and people I was close with.

I went into Cyber Security myself. I currently work in Critical Infrastructure Protection as an IT/OT Cyber Specialist. Because the way things are set up, all my IT work needs to be done on site. So this means I get to do a lot of traveling which is great but I spend sometimes weeks at a time in a hotel. These trips are sometimes great as I can spend these weeks in a fun city. LA, Phoenix, Austin, Boston, or I get sent to a small town, with one hotel, and nothing to do around that town for hours. I am actually leaving in 8 days for North Dakota for 3 weeks for work. I love what I do, it has amazing job security.

I had no experience besides 3 months in a telecom job where I traveled around North Carolina installing fiber equipment for government buildings and schools. I picked up some basic Microsoft certs while going to school to pick up a couple associates degrees for Network Management and Cyber Security. Towards the end of my degrees I went after a cert which was fairly new and actually quite difficult for someone with no practical experience. It was the CompTia CySA+ Certification. I passed it on the first try and that was actually the leg I had up on 2 other applicants. I was very lucky as I did not have to put my time in at a help desk or other job. I went right from going to school full time and a internship to nearly making 6 figures (with bonus and stock). Not bad for a first career position.

Prior to going to school I was working really horrible jobs. I started out in factory doing tedious and monotonous task. Then I was a meter reader for 6 months which was some of the most brutal work I have done. Individually reading 3-700 meters a day, getting orders to shut off someone's water, then being chased off the property by someone with a gun on more than one occasion (I had to go back the next month with police). After that I worked a job doing overnight street sweeping, it wasn't that bad, nice quiet job, doing my own thing at night. Then new management showed up and started micromanaging EVERYTHING. That made me want to go to school finally.

IT is a great path, I would go into something that can't be easily replaced by automation or outsourced for cheaper labor.

Thanks for sharing your story and path! I really appreciate it!

I hold a 2-year degree and a 4-year degree but both in the humanities. I made the mistake of studying what I found interesting rather than what would have been useful for a solid career. Oh well; a valuable lesson learned I would say!

If I'm being honest I would much rather have a job that did not require me to travel everywhere. My gf and I really want to avoid anything long distance. Is what you do possible at a specific and permanent location? How has your work been affected by COVID and things becoming more and more remote?

 

[boosted1g]

Do you have a clean background? A large sector for IT is gov/defense, which will require a security clearance. I would imagine a large chunk of jobs in VA are all government.
My work even has a sister facility in Vacapes

 

[nhcowboy28]

Most big company IT has only accelerated offshoring the last 4 years. They will claim downsizing a role, then weeks after you are laid off, hire non-us “talent”.

And yes, they target the older popular who have been loyal and make more MONEY.

they don’t care about skill, brain drain, impact to clients.

the certainly don’t give two craps about the impact to people.