PLEASE HELP!!! Newbie requesting advice (starting out)!!!

First let me say that I have been spending a lot of time on this site recently and I love it!!! You guys seem so helpful and encouraging.

I have learned a few quick things already: I respect everyone's efforts and commitment to their true love (IT, IS, etc). I am (nearly) middle-aged and have only recently begun an interest in the field (better late than never!). The other things I've learned here are that everyone maintains a great deal of integrity, and to have some friggin respect for the CCNA exam!

I have been a probation officer (yuck!) for over 5 yrs and last December a friend of mine talked me into jumping into Cisco classes with him. Since that time he has flunked out, and it didn't take me long to start loving Cisco and networking, and I now enjoy several hrs a day reading, studying and preparing for whatever exam is around the corner. I have most of the books ya'll mention here (lamle, cisco press, and several others, netsim, the academy, boson, etc.). At my age and desperation for a career change, I am quite hungry for the knowledge, thus my study habits are satisfactory.

Now- on to my request for advice... I have a degree (non-IT, field studies in fact), but I am about 7 months away from having a master's degree in IS management with concentration in information security. I am currently finishing my CCNA 2 class, and learning from the boards I have decided to wait and take the (1) exam instead of (2) parts. Upon completion of my master's degree and CCNA cert, I don't expect a quick ride straight to the top, and I understand that the best thing for any of us would be experience, but do I have a chance at a decent start?? Are there companies out there (I'm living in a big metropolitan area) that would start me out with decent pay with my education, but with the lack of ANY experience???

I will respect any and all advice thrown at me...Thank you guys and sorry so lengthy!

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Comments

ja5983

I personally think that you can probably get a job in IT management with a masters in IS pretty quickly, but if you want to be in engineering like you seem to, likely you will have to start from the middle > entry level. Definately decent, but I doubt you will come in as a Senior Security Audtior or Senior Network Analyst without any experience. That being said, after about 2 years, you could probably rise pretty high due to your degree and experience.

may be wrong. my 2 cents.

mikej412

skanej wrote:

I am (nearly) middle-aged and have only recently begun an interest in the field (better late than never!).

Ah... so you're still a youngster.... but with maturity and good study habits.

skanej wrote:

I have been a probation officer (yuck!) for over 5 yrs

Hum.... so would you say that you have "people skills?"

skanej wrote:

Are there companies out there (I'm living in a big metropolitan area) that would start me out with decent pay with my education, but with the lack of ANY experience???

People skills count as experience -- and if you don't have an aversion to pre-sales and you'd be tempting to a medium to large Cisco Business Partner. Toss in some project management skills to go with the degree -- and you could be the buffer between the Customers and the techies trying to get the job done. And of course, you'd still get to do lots of hands on stuff.

And then there are the consulting companies -- but they tend to be all flash and no sizzle -- your lack of experience translates into more billable hours for them. But it would get you some experience.

skanej

Hey- Thank you SO much you guys!!! I really appreciate your time to respond to my post. I will continue to work hard toward my CCNA and maybe one day soon I will be able to help out some newbies!!!

Thanks again!!!