Looking for direction with my MIS degree

Clehmann1989

I graduated in May of 2013 with a degree in MIS. The last few years I have been pursuing a passion in the golf industry. Without going on too much I am not to happy with where my company is going and want to get into the IT world now. The problem is not having any experience as of late. All of my experience is in college projects. I am looking for some direction in which section of the IT industry i want to go. I am some what tech savvy but i do not know where exactly i want to go...

Any advice is welcome! Thank you!

Cole

NetworkNewb

without knowing what you want to do, what you could do is knock out a couple entry level certs and try and get a help position to get your feet wet.

Something like A+ or Net+, or some Microsoft cert...

Skynet9

Get N+, followed by Sec+. Than CCNA. Shouldn't take you more than 6 months, if you are dedicated.

SoCalGuy858

I definitely agree with NetworkNewb on this. Do some research into the various sub-fields of IT and see what interests you. Once you narrow it down, start looking into what certifications and qualifications are needed to go down those paths. I also caution against going into a specific field solely based on factors such as money. This can often lead to burnout.... fast.

My usual recommendation is the CompTIA trio (A+, Network+, Security+), and then branching out from there (CCNA, etc. for networking; MCSA / Linux+ / RHCSA, etc. for systems... and so on). With no direct IT experience, I think the three basic-level CompTIA certs serve people well in getting a good foundation to build upon, regardless of the direction you decide to move in.

Good luck!

Params7

Its going to be difficult at first but if you like it, you'll find yourself with a rewarding career indeed. I graduated with MIS but changed my mind about joining core IT after I graduated. Started out doing IT helpdesk for an MSP. It sucked, as I was working with people and under supervisors who never went to college and for very low pay, and I supported external customers. Eventually that paid and I learned a lot and got myself a network engineering gig 2 yrs later. If you join helpdesk but admire what your supervisors do, then its probably something you'll enjoy once you get into the rythm of things.

IT is vast though and you can go a lot of places. networking (Cisco certs), servers (MS, Linux), databases, cloud, virtualization etc. If you can start out at an MSP or an ISP, that's the best way to get hands on a variety of tech. Get A+, N+ and maybe S+ and they'll look good with your MIS degree for jr IT/tech helpdesk positions.

Clehmann1989

Every reply is very helpful thank you for taking the time to respond. I am going to look into the basics certification beginning with A+ and see where that takes me!

What is everyones opinion on IT staffing? it is something that i have noticed while i search for IT openings (ironic i know)