Tech VS Manager VS Sales VS ????

Hello all, just curious...I have been reading quite a lot lately and it seems like after people work in IT for many years they either become a very senior level tech/architect, or they move into management. And I personally just found out about sales, pre sales, post sales etc.

Just an entry level desktop tech at the moment, and I know people always say "do what you enjoy"...just trying to see what opportunities are out there. Something I will/can be doing 20 or 30 years from now. So, can you compare these paths? Techie vs management vs sales vs....whatever else? Pay? Lifestyle? etc etc.

Thanks!!

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636-555-3226

The better question is what do you want to do? The same thing for 20 years? Also remember what you want will change over time. What you think you want now will probably be different than what you want in 15 years

fmitawaps

I've seen linkedins of quite a few people who were IT managers who never had any IT hands-on experience. I don't think you can be an effective IT manager if you don't have some time actually using the equipment. To understand what it is you are then managing. An MBA isn't going to have the skills of even a CCNA who has been in a data center for a few years.

Lexluethar

Really it depends on the company. I've seen some companies that have sales / pre sales engineers that are way more qualified than the engineers they are selling too, other companies are the complete opposite where sales is just sales and have very little tech experience outside of knowing the specifications of the item they are selling.

Management is the same way, just depends on the company. Some are very technical and others are not. In my experience people who are super technical usually aren't great managers and managers usually aren't great engineers (this isn't a hard rule just been my experience).

Do what you love and enjoy, don't plan your career for the 20 year future bc IT is way too dynamic. Shoot for 3 to 5 year goals and center your certification path around that.