One thing you can do to get a great job in IT

ITSec14

DatabaseHead wrote: »

It's not the best for her, but it's the most we can afford....

I think that's a great plan. If you can save her 3 years of college tuition, she will have a great head start to her financial future. There seems to be some social pressure for kids in high school to attend 4 year universities instead of community college first or else they will be looked down upon from their peers. Instead, we need to do a better job to educate kids in high school about their options which not only make sense for their education, but also for their financial future too. Kudos for providing her a better long term option!

Personally, I went to community college for 1.5 years, transferred to a local 4 year university for a year majoring in Criminal Justice, then finally transferred again to a private university where I completed my IT degree. Looking back now, I wish I would have done something more cost effective, but I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life at the time. I'm glad I graduated from where I did, because it's a really good school (probably top 100), but it cost me in terms of taking on a lot of debt.

Mooseboost

Looking at a higher level, I think the best thing singular thing you can do to get a great career position in IT is develop a drive. Find a way to become passionate about technology and learning. There is no degree, certification, or training course that can replace this because (in my opinion) without the desire to push yourself then that paper is only going to win you a chance on paper but there is so much more to obtaining a job than just the paper.

What additional credentials you need to move up will always change but that baseline requirement of being able to push yourself doesn't change. When I first got into the field, I had no certifications. I managed to land a position at a local telco doing support and while I was there got my CCNA. That landed me a position in a NOC that sparked my career. I started making 20K in 2015 as cannon fodder and last year working for Cisco I made 120K. No degree, only certifications. My passion is my career and it has helped me advance rapidly.

Past that I think the best thing you can do for your career is going to vary based on where you are in IT and at what level your career is. For example, I have always dreamed of getting my CCIE. At some point, I will probably circle back and get it but while it is a career changing in networking - in my field within security it isn't really going to have an ROI. So for networking - the CCIE is going to be that "best thing" for me. In some areas, it isn't so clear cut.

Ismaeljrp

Honestly there are so many things a person can do. It really depends on their situation more than anything I think.

For a noob:

I think getting a couple of entry level certs, getting hands on in a home lab and a help desk role to start is reachable for the most amount of people and can really get the ball rolling for your career in a hurry. All at a much lower cost than a degree. You can't go wrong with this approach, almost no matter what your situation is.

Degrees are much more tricky though. The value can vary based on so many things. Experience level, location, the persons current financial situation.
This is something I really believe is a case by case situation.

If you can afford a degree without taking any debt go for it hands down. If you have to get into debt, then I recommend to really do their research and create a plan that allows them to go to University and pay off that debt in 5 to 10 years maximum. I wouldn't recommend taking in more than 20-30k in debt for college

josephandre

this thread is hilarious.

"Here are my thoughts, agree or stfu"

devilbones

The right mindset. Be willing to learn, ask questions and share your knowledge with the team.