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I'm now in my 30's with 13 years in IT starting from a help desk and moving up into management. I have really been a jack of all trades in IT and am looking to focus on something. I'm going back to college in the fall and can't decide what to get in to. Security, Biometrics and Forensics are the chic picks but I sure there is more out there. If you could choose again now that you have some experience, what niche would you look in to?
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May 11, 2010 17:46
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Dude if I had it all to do all over again I would of been a pharmacist. But to your point, focusing on Security at this point in the game is probably your best bet. Do not get lax with certifications that is usually all people care about.
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May 11, 2010 18:08
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12 years in IT from help desk to architecture. I would take a pay cut to be a school teacher.
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May 11, 2010 20:45
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8 years in IT from helpdesk to Network Administrator. 26 years old at the moment. If I had it to do all over again....I've have learned a shitload more about programming. Or just said screw it and become a pilot or a cop. As for the tracks you mentioned, I'd think security would integrate rather well into your current line of work, making you even more valuable. The certifications comment.... that too, though they've only ever been useful when applying and interviewing for jobs, and not at all after getting hired.
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May 12, 2010 16:50
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I'm in my late 20's and in a similar position. If I had to do it all over again I would go get a CS degree and learn to program Java. Maybe it's just my company, but the Java Software Engineers are paid STUPID amounts of money, have the best working environment, and just seem to be the happiest. This would purely be a money grab though. My current plans are to finish my degree, pursue an MBA in a couple years and get into some sort of IT Management or Consulting.
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May 12, 2010 17:28
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skipdogg posted:I'm in my late 20's and in a similar position. If I had to do it all over again I would go get a CS degree and learn to program Java. That's my plan. Use my project management/tech policy stuff to segway into consulting/tech policy. Planning on going for my M.S/MBA within the next year. Either that or military haha. Who knows?!
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May 12, 2010 17:40
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I've been working in IT full-time for 13 years and started part-time 9 years before that. I'm now a systems engineer/admin for our developers. I'm treated like the rest of the developers in terms of perks, but I don't have to program. I had decided a while ago that being an IT person for a non-IT company is a dead-end. Those companies seem to view IT as a cost center. Working for the salespeople at an IT consulting company was pretty good in terms of being viewed as a source of profit for the company, not just an expense, but those particular sales people were incredible liars and routinely promised impossible things. The change in working on development environments was immense. I've been dealing with mission critical data for so long that being able to just blow environments away and restore it from last quarter's data seems like being on vacation. I don't have to be on-call most of the time either, and my users are all very smart and much more technically savvy than at the healthcare company I worked at last. If I had it to do over I would have done whatever I could to work in dev for a good software company. At this point I'd rather be a junior programmer in my company than a senior engineer at my last company.
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May 12, 2010 19:04
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I looked into Master's programs a little while ago and there were some decent opportunities in Digital Forensics. There was one program with the federal gov't where they would fund your degree on the condition that you worked for them for a specific period of time post-graduation, I think 3-5 years. I transitioned to a completely different industry before I pulled the trigger on it, but it's still interesting work, at least to me.
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May 12, 2010 20:10
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It's funny that a few of you have said that you would have rather learned programming. I've been working help desk for the past few years (currently studying for my Server 2008 certs). Ever since I hit the 6 month mark at my job, I've had this voice in the back of my head telling me to learn more programming languages... Maybe I should take this as a sign.
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May 13, 2010 17:35
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Morgan_ posted:It's funny that a few of you have said that you would have rather learned programming. It's not that anyone really loves programming, it's just there's a poo poo ton of money in it. Some of our senior software guys have got to be making 125K a year +++. I'll never see that kind of cash as a Windows Admin.
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May 13, 2010 18:22
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Part time IT in the summers in college, during semesters worked for the IT Department as lab administrator for 3 years. So far I've had my current job singe graduating for 3 years, and I think it's about time for a change. I'm happy with how things have gone so far, I'm just at a point where i'm a jack of all trades and would like to start specializing a little bit more.
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May 13, 2010 20:26
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skipdogg posted:It's not that anyone really loves programming, it's just there's a poo poo ton of money in it. Some of our senior software guys have got to be making 125K a year +++. I'll never see that kind of cash as a Windows Admin. They are likely making more than that, but it would depend on where (geography wise) you work. That's not a lot of money depending on your geography. You're right you'll never make that as a Windows Admin (unless you live in NY or something similar and are very good), but you can easily move from the server room to Management, and if you're clever from Management to Director/Executive level. There's plenty of cash there. Plenty. Lots more than 125k. If I had it to do all over myself, I would have grabbed an MBA when I was younger as a way to slam dunk a CIO role. I suppose I could still do it now, but once you're in your 30's, it's a significant sactifice.
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May 13, 2010 20:30
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I'm a Java developer; where's my $125k/yr, cubical with actual walls, and jobs that I don't despise? If I had to do it over again, I would have completed a B.S. in Physics and went off to get a Pharm.D. or M.CompSci. Instead, I dropped out of college after two and a half years working at a worthless Computer Information Systems degree. Luckily, I'm only 24, so there's time to turn things around.
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May 14, 2010 02:46
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24, 5 years in IT, went from help desk to a server admin. If I could go back in time I'd go to college for computer engineering instead of working random retail jobs until landing an IT job. I probably didn't actually start hating my job till 5 or 6 months ago. We're so understaffed, nothing is patched, constant downtime and virus outbreaks, and they're still giving us more and more to do. I'm at the point of just working 8 hours, logging my time, then going home, and ignoring a lot. Trying to land a networking tech job in the interim. Just can't figure out how I can go to college full time. I wouldn't be able to work my current position.
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May 14, 2010 03:36
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If I was in defense, I'd be getting that $125k / yr writing lovely, bloated "enterprise" Java. Too bad I'll have to settle for about the same architecting a cloud computing hosting solution, which is mostly knowing networks, systems, virtualization, and a bunch of scalability stuff. Oh, and I still write Java (and apparently Javascript), so I suppose I do get that hallowed figure writing Java at 26. Admittedly, I started out as a volunteer system admin at a hospital datacenter at 16, so I've been in IT about as long as you folks in your 30s. I just wish I got paid like everyone else around me  (they mostly get in the $160k base salary range I know)I'd just go into medicine as a research doctor though given the sheer amount of hours of research and study I've put into my work so far and continue to do. 80 hour weeks for two months in a row isn't fun, folks. Double the salary, similar level of effort to me.
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May 14, 2010 04:41
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27, five years in ISP land from Helpdesk to corporate pre sales. I would have spent less time drinking and playing games and finished my degree, instead of trying to do it part time now. Luckily in sales they really only care about experience and ability to deliver so the lack of degree won't hold me back, but if I want to go in product management eventually it will be a problem.
Trimson Grondag 3 fucked around with this message at 05:28 on May 14, 2010 |
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May 14, 2010 05:14
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SSH IT ZOMBIE posted:24, 5 years in IT, went from help desk to a server admin. Hey now, I got my Computer Engineering degree and ended up as a server admin (Unix server admin, actually). I can honestly say that, at least with my company, I should have taken an easier college route for this career path (computer science or simple informations systems, really. CompE is hard). Similar to how you're looking to jump to networking, I'm looking to jump to security. quote:We're so understaffed, nothing is patched, constant downtime and virus outbreaks, and they're still giving us more and more to do. Heh, we're overstaffed and nothing is patched... and they keep giving us less to do. At least the money's good. I'm 24 with 8 years of IT experience. If I was 16 and knew what I know now, I wouldn't be anywhere near IT support. I'd probably do something like financial consulting/advising or music or sales engineering or ???.
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May 14, 2010 13:36
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shredswithpiks posted:Hey now, I got my Computer Engineering degree and ended up as a server admin (Unix server admin, actually). I can honestly say that, at least with my company, I should have taken an easier college route for this career path (computer science or simple informations systems, really. CompE is hard). Similar to how you're looking to jump to networking, I'm looking to jump to security. Whaaa? Can't you go somewhere else with that degree? That is a very hard degree. Work for a hardware company writing drivers, or on software defined radios, or pretty much any job where hardware and software meet?
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May 14, 2010 23:45
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Scipio posted:I looked into Master's programs a little while ago and there were some decent opportunities in Digital Forensics. There was one program with the federal gov't where they would fund your degree on the condition that you worked for them for a specific period of time post-graduation, I think 3-5 years. Anything with information security (digital forensics included) can get fully funded for 2-3 years (depending on the length of the program) for a payback in terms of service for any equal amount of time you were in school. It's called Scholarship for Service: https://sfs.opm.gov/ quote:What are the student eligibility requirements for me to participate? Highly recommended, because you can use FFRDCs (MITRE, RAND, national labs, etc) as a way to fulfill your obligation instead of strictly government.
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May 15, 2010 00:08
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I have a friend who's a retired computer forensics person (IRS) and she just bought her third house, paying in full each time. She wasn't just a grunt, she trained people, but...yeah, apparently pretty great gigs.
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May 15, 2010 02:46
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skipdogg posted:It's not that anyone really loves programming
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May 15, 2010 08:02
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After a year and a half of I.T, I ended up quitting and joining a bank abroad. I guess it depends on how lucky you are, but seeing guys at 40 still lifting servers and spending crazy hours working (at least they got good overtime) I decided to leave. I guess things are better in the U.S though.
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May 15, 2010 08:04
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SSH IT ZOMBIE posted:Whaaa? I could go work as a code monkey, embedded code / drivers monkey, or hardware design monkey... But those are tough jobs and the pay isn't as good as IT enterprise architecture. I'm just saying that for the IT path I've chosen (fallen in to is more accurate) I could have taken an easier college path and been just as well off. And certainly you wouldn't need a compE to get into networking. Seriously though I've got friends with compE coding at companies like HP, doing really interesting work on embedded devices, storage systems, whatever, and they're pulling down high $40k low $50k salaries two years after graduation. Ick.
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May 15, 2010 16:34
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shredswithpiks posted:Seriously though I've got friends with compE coding at companies like HP, doing really interesting work on embedded devices, storage systems, whatever, and they're pulling down high $40k low $50k salaries two years after graduation. Ick. Your friends are making that at HP? They're way loving underpaid then. Most of my friends and I graduated with degrees in CS/CE/MIS from no-name state schools in the past couple of years, and we all started above 50k. Hell, I was the MIS major (please, no jokes), and I started at 65k as a developer for [pac northwest aerospace company]. They hire a lot of CE majors for embedded development, and they start around where I did, give or take maybe 10k, and it only goes way up from there. That's not to brag, but just to let you know that there are some decent paying gigs left, especially with your degree.
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May 16, 2010 00:29
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Bob Sacamano posted:That's not to brag, but just to let you know that there are some decent paying gigs left, especially with your degree. Hmm... maybe I need to look into again. I'm not sure why they're pulling down lower salaries.
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May 16, 2010 02:01
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I've been doing computer forensics for the police for almost 6 years, and unless you really love writing reports, it's boring as gently caress. I get paid pretty well, but I find it's not worth it because writing report after report makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out. I kind of regret getting into it, as now all of my experience is in forensics, and not in programming which is what I want to do. I'm now transitioning over to a more network/server admin/programming role in the unit I'm in. I wish I'd been a pilot or something cool. Lemons fucked around with this message at 03:30 on May 16, 2010 |
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May 16, 2010 03:21
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Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.
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May 16, 2010 06:44
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Bob Sacamano posted:Your friends are making that at HP? They're way loving underpaid then.
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May 16, 2010 19:44
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armengar posted:Anything with information security (digital forensics included) can get fully funded for 2-3 years (depending on the length of the program) for a payback in terms of service for any equal amount of time you were in school. (I have a friend working IT that's wanted to go to school for years) EDIT: Ah, yeah, "participants will be required to be available for placement nationwide". Also quite limited in the schools participating. Still, nifty. Shalinor fucked around with this message at 22:13 on May 16, 2010 |
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May 16, 2010 22:03
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I was in IT for 4 years before I managed to get a job doing web development. I only wound up in IT because a friend of a friend of my dad's gave me a desktop support "internship" during the summer before my 4th year in college. If I could do it over, I would have tried for a proper software engineering internship that actually dovetailed with my degree.
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May 17, 2010 04:20
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IMJack posted:I was in IT for 4 years before I managed to get a job doing web development. How did you move on to web dev? Did it involve taking a considerable pay-cut or were you able to get into a not-quite-entry level development position?
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May 17, 2010 13:41
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Luckily for a lot of you guys wishing to have gone into software development, it's a terrible field to get into if you are only interested in the money. The people I work with that only do it as a job are pretty terrible at it and usually never last compared to the passionate developers who are constantly learning and improving their skills in their off-time. There are plenty of high paying fields that don't require the time commitment that software engineering does.
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May 17, 2010 20:08
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A lot of you seem to have found your way into the IT field as teenagers. I'm 25 now, and thinking about changing my current career (or lack thereof) to something IT related. What do you guys think, is it a really bad idea to pursue a career change to IT given my age? If not, where do I even start? Would it be worth doing a certificate program at a university? I already have a BS in Resource Economics (  ) with a minor in IT so I'm not really looking for another four year BS degree.
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May 17, 2010 21:56
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Started at 22, been in the business for 8 years. Computer Support Technician II -> Computer Support Technician III -> Senior Computer Specialist at the University of Washington. I love it here! Sometimes I swear I'm the only person in technology that actually likes their job. 
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May 17, 2010 23:22
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Brain Curry posted:I had decided a while ago that being an IT person for a non-IT company is a dead-end. this is pretty much my opinion now too. I work for a huge company and there are plenty of opportunities but unless you are involved in adding to the companies bottom line you will always be a second class citizen. This is the problem I have with security, it's never going to go away but it's never core to anyones business, so it's always viewed as a cost to be minimized as much as possible.
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May 18, 2010 01:49
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shredswithpiks posted:How did you move on to web dev? Did it involve taking a considerable pay-cut or were you able to get into a not-quite-entry level development position? A friend of mine told me a send a resume to another friend of his. They took me on in an entry-level job, but it was still a step up from the crap desktop-support-slug money I was making. I grew a lot in that company, and my boss tried to catch my pay grade up to what he thought I was worth. Unfortunately there was a RIF triggered by investor fraud. Fortunately thanks to the strength of my resume coming out of that position, I got a new position with a better pay grade after only a month of unemployment.
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May 18, 2010 02:35
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damage path posted:A lot of you seem to have found your way into the IT field as teenagers. I'm 25 now, and thinking about changing my current career (or lack thereof) to something IT related. What kind of IT stuff are you thinking about - networking? Server admin? IT helpdesk? Desktop/client services? Application/middleware admin?
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May 18, 2010 02:37
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unixbeard posted:This is the problem I have with security, it's never going to go away but it's never core to anyones business, so it's always viewed as a cost to be minimized as much as possible. Sweet sweet pre sales, how I love thee.
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May 18, 2010 03:35
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unixbeard posted:this is pretty much my opinion now too. I work for a huge company and there are plenty of opportunities but unless you are involved in adding to the companies bottom line you will always be a second class citizen. What about security consulting? Work for a firm, you've pretty much THE reason they're making money. I've heard it's lots of travel, but the pay is decent... seems like a good thing to do for a few years before grad school (or instead try and transition to less paying, but more sanely scheduled salaried position) Did anyone do SFS? I've been considering it, would love to hear from anyone who did it. (Especially since CERT and MITRE, in addition to being FFRDCs, are both places I'd considered applying to out of undergrad...) maskenfreiheit fucked around with this message at 04:00 on May 18, 2010 |
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May 18, 2010 03:50
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Jet Age posted:Sweet sweet pre sales, how I love thee. yah sales isn't in the business of being secure, its the business of selling stuff. probably my biggest issue with security is the dubious nature of all products. Sure they may work most of the time but there is no way of knowing what is being missed. This is a giant problem because it's usually the weird rear end boundary conditions where incidents happen. It gets a bit old spending years trying to explain to people who've spent 10's of millions of dollars on security tools and the people to operate them why they got owned, and trying to justify more spend. Consulting/architecture is similar, have a series of meetings, spend days working on documents and spreadsheets, send them to a client who either ignores them, writes it off as too expensive, or half assedly implements a subset of recommendations which is completely ineffective, assuming the tools they get actually worked well (which they usually don't). So you either have an organization that pays lipservice to security but rarely comes close to required investment (most corporates), or organizations that spend heaps of money but still get owned all the time (govt/defence, banks etc). It's frustrating if you actually would like to see effective security measures. A lot of security problems are people problems and un-resolvable through technology. But hey I'm all bitter and cynical and jaded and done pretty well financially out of it so guess it's time to move on for me.
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May 18, 2010 07:18
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