Advice for someone trying to enter Tech

Adriang33

Hello,

Starting fall, I will be starting my core classes in pursuit of an MIS degree at Florida State University (I am a good student, I have a 3.78 GPA). I have always been a nerdy person, playing a lot of video games BUT not knowing much anything about computers and tech. Sadly, I know neither the hardware nor the software of computers, and also do not how to code. The reason I chose MIS was because a friend of mines dad has an MIS degree and he recommended me go down the route. He says that it is a very broad degree, giving you knowledge on both business and IT. He also said that I should pick up a tech minor and after graduation, pursue a masters in data analytics because it has such a high job demand.

So my questions are, is this a good route for me to go down? Before this idea of MIS and data analytics, I had absolutely no clue what kind of degree or job I wanted to pursue and this sounds like a good idea to me (but as you know I am uneducated on the subject). If it is a good route to go, what minor or minors should I pick up? Is a masters in data analytics a good idea right out of college? should I worry about getting certifications like A+ and network+? I probably have many more questions but this is all the comes to mind at the moment.

I am just young with aspirations to be successful and want to choose a route and stick to it already. I would appreciate any advice anyone educated on the subject could give me.

Thanks a lot,
Adrian

N7Valiant

I would not attempt to pursue a Master's right off the bat as a lot of college with no experience could make it hard to find anything entry level:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/129349-have-degree-multiple-certifications-but-no-job-experience-no-one-will-hire-me.html

Bachelors would be a good way to go.

I'm not as familiar with MIS as a major, but that seems like the natural extension of IT once you get past the typical 2-year IT major.

One thing I wish I knew going into college was the different aspects of IT and wish I did enough due diligence simply because despite the common belief that counselors are there to help you, they will actually screw your career over if it benefits them (i.e. the IT program coordinator didn't want his budget cut, so he neglected to mention that the CS program in another community college in the same University system was what you would want to get into if your passion is in programming).

It might be worth setting aside a semester to "sample" a few different aspects of IT. Hardware, programming, networking, database, web design, etc to see what "clicks" with you. My first programming course as a final project I wrote the code for a Sudoku generator that you can solve in C# by looking at the flow chart of someone else who authored a Sudoku generator in C++(which I couldn't understand or interpret because they were different languages and it was my first course in programming) explaining the use of backtracking.

That's when I knew I had both an interest and aptitude in programming.

Alas, I went with the wrong major and now the closest I get to programming is running Powershell commands and occasionally writing some simple batch scripts.

yoba222

Plumbers, welders, accountants, jewelers--those kinds of trades you more or less learn once and then it's just of matter of doing your trade during working hours. IT is not at all like that--you will have the burden of perpetual, lifelong learning ahead of you. There is no such thing as going home and then forgetting about working until clock in time the next morning.

That said, I wouldn't go for an IT degree unless you know you love doing IT. Chicken and the egg situation here, I know. The sampler approach is a great idea. Also, a lot of the business core courses in a MIS degree can be applied to a different major down the road.

I also suggest getting a part-time IT-related job as soon as possible or even an internship.

I wouldn't do a degree in anything, ever based on someone else thinking it's a financially smart idea. Years after the fact you're going to end up doing what you want.

Check out regret #1:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying

EANx

There are jobs that require a masters degree before you can even walk in the door and those that don't. IT is one of those industries where you don't. I'm not sure why someone would take the time and effort (and cost) to get an advanced degree in a field they haven't worked in.

Look at life like a project working with wood. Rather than determining the project and then figuring out which tools you need, many people seem to be taking the opposite approach or walking into the garage and thinking "hmm, a hammer. I like hammers. What kind of project can I do with a hammer?" The hammer is a great tool but comes in many varieties. The claw hammer is very useful when building a fence but using it on the tiny nails used in cabinetry will get your wife yelling at you (dents in the wood). A much better plan is to pick the right tools based on the project.

Of course, no one who works with their hands ever stops at one project and life has its curves too. You might decide 10 years from now to have anther life project that requires different college tools.

So figure out the general direction you'd like employment to go for the first 8-10 years and see if your Bachelors is enough. You might decide at 30 to get that MIS degree or you might shift to an MBA or you might have decided it was best to avoid it all together since you're doing fine and don't need more student loans.

scaredoftests

try to get a variety of experiences, just in case you get laid off, you don't want to limit yourself.

NetworkNewb

Get an internship ASAP. Having any experience doing absolutely anything IT related (of course try and go after an internship specific to what you really want first though...) will look extremely good when searching for your first job out of college.

Internships can also help give you a better idea of what really might interest you.

Internship

McxRisley

networknewb wrote: »

get an internship asap. Having any experience doing absolutely anything it related (of course try and go after an internship specific to what you really want first though...) will look extremely good when searching for your first job out of college.

Internships can also help give you a better idea of what really might interest you.

internship

Internship

MeanDrunkR2D2

McxRisley wrote: »

Internship

Internships are key. Get good grades. Apply to larger companies known to hire directly into those higher level roles.

Forget about certs until you are working full time after college and your employer will pay for them.