Tell me why everybody is so gun ho about working IT

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me why everybody is so gun ho about working IT

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

I've been researching different fields to go back to school for (30 years old, male). One of the reoccurring fields that Reddit and even goons love is the IT field. Which, it seems like a lot of people just love it because they can sit around playing video games while they are at work all day or basically just have a crazy easy job because we know how to use Google.

Surely, I'm reading the wrong posts from the wrong people. I've grown up with computers since I was 11 and have been The Guy for everyone in my friend or family circle to go to for anything computer or electronic related for the past decade. Whether they need a new graphic for a tshirt, their computer isn't working, they need a computer built, home theater stuff is confusing to them, whatever.

Granted, solving people's dumb & simple computer problems isn't exactly how I envisioned my life, but there has to be something that's hooking people to this field so much.

IT Goons....sell me.

# ¿ May 31, 2017 20:20

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 05:24

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

And college vs. certification? Which route is better to go for IT?

# ¿ May 31, 2017 22:23

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

Canine Blues Arooo posted:

Certifications for entry level. College for anything 'serious'. No one cares about your certifications in the mid-tier professional circuit, except maybe some disciplines where certs aren't a total joke (CCNP, etc.)

I would highly, highly recommend not going into the 'Tech Support' world, unless you have immediate plans to leave it for something more professional (Network or Sys Admin, Security Admin, etc). You do not go from 'Desktop Support' to 'System Administrator' without a different and developed skillset. Using Tech Support to bridge the gap between your career to something better.

Tech Support generally sucks huge balls and generally does not lead to anything 'better'.

What's the best route to go, then?

# ¿ Jun 1, 2017 01:00

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

It's in Conway, AR. There's been crazzzzy growth with this place in the past 10 years and continues to grow like crazy. Lots of tech is setting up shop around here.

# ¿ Jun 1, 2017 03:24

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

I've been going through the first JavaScript course for the past couple of hours on Treehouse and I'm pleasantly surprised that I've actually been doing a lot of this stuff already and just didn't realize it was considered computer "programming". Thanks to things like Kodi/XBMC, video game mods, and websites, I've had quuuuite a bit of exposure to this kind of stuff. Just never really sat down to learn it from scratch.

# ¿ Jun 1, 2017 07:31

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

How did you get started without a degree?

My roommate's mom was wanting to get me in the trenches with the banking company she makes 6 digits a year doing software development & testing. Entry level is about $30k (which means I still need to bartend cause I'm doing about $35k-$40k doing that) and entails bank processing and monitoring those jobs. I've just been hesitant cause it doesn't require a degree. But, I'd be getting in with the top dogs that run that place.

Right now, maybe it's cause I'm older (I'm actually 29, but turn 30 in a month) and I feel like I should have accomplished more. But I just still don't know what my dream job really is. So I've thought, maybe just tackle what I'm already familiar with?

# ¿ Jun 1, 2017 19:03

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

So, one of my best friend's mom can get me on with the company she works for. It's a banking company that monitors bank processing, monitoring those jobs in the command center, software development and testing. She does software development and testing and has been there for 20 years. Started at $32k a year, is making over six figures now. Works from home. Says Command Center pay starts in the low 40s. Business Analysts low to mid 50s, call center low 30s. She has the big wigs over at her house for dinner all the time and is close with the higher up's in the company and just loves me.

Sounds like she can definitely get me on to start working from the bottom around $30k a year. I haven't had schooling.

Am I squatting on a potentially great situation and need somebody to slap me to get me to go for it?

# ¿ Jun 6, 2017 22:51

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

Bartending making $35k-$40k a year. But I'm looking for a way out.

# ¿ Jun 6, 2017 23:07

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

lifg posted:

Take the job.

Learn *everything* you can. If they need a cron job to kick off a shell script, you're gonna learn it. Install a MySQL database in dev? That's you again. Be honest about what you don't know, but volunteer for anything they offer.

Learn a programming language. It doesn't matter which one you learn first, so pick one that a friend knows so you have someone who can help.

Sometime in your first year you should pick up a beginners book on Data Structures and Algorithms. Read it. Implement them all in your spare time. (And you will have spurts of downtime, that's the nature of these jobs.)

Anytime you encounter something that seems important, go ahead and learn the basics of it. Databases, Linux admin, HTML/CSS, embedded, whatever. Dig deeper into anything that excites you.

After two years of this you will be a highly employable programmer. You can jump ship for a new job and be at 80k (depending on the local market). Another few years and you can jump ship again and be at 6 figures.

But it all depends on constantly learning.

Looks like I need to hit up the SA-Mart to get my resume lookin' sharp

# ¿ Jun 7, 2017 01:26

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

Not gonna lie, it is a little challenging coming up with a resume to a job that you have no work experience for.

# ¿ Jun 8, 2017 04:08

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

How does this look?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cPfKEE2zJPTwkB1Ukza4ReyzSId1561YUUQsq0pjm0I/edit?usp=sharing

(Names and personal info replaced)

# ¿ Jun 8, 2017 07:21

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

I just don't have work experience, schooling, or certifications. So, I'm having a hard time filling space, so to speak. I'm a great interview, I'm just worried about that piece of paper.

# ¿ Jun 8, 2017 17:51

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

So, small update. Got my resume in and all that stuff. My contact is trying to get me in with an Enterprise Command Center job.

# ¿ Jun 18, 2017 00:06

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 05:24

89: Feb 24, 2006; #worldchamps

I appreciate so much what everybody has helped me with in here

I've made the decision to go back to college for Computer Science in January.

# ¿ Jul 12, 2017 21:36

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tell me why everybody is so gun ho about working IT