the "average salary" myth

The Prize Is Lobster

Seems that this constantly comes up especially amongst people first entering into the IT field.


I took a break from IT for about three years, and when I got back into the field, I was in the interesting position where the more junior level help desks said "you did network support, this will bore you", and the network jobs said "its been three years, your experience isnt recent enough". Luckily I was able to find an intermediate help desk position within a month and everything was fine.


Now, I work for a company that has a very large help desk with upwards of at least 100 employees, and its amazing the number of people I talk to who got in with no experience that just landed the job that think theres no reason to take it that seriously because their 2 year AAS will net them $50,000/yearly sans experience. I dont know if colleges/tech schools/etc push these numbers down peoples throats but they are not helping anything.

IT in that regard is no different than almost any other field save being a doctor or a lawyer. Odds are when you get out, you wont make much, and it will take some experience and work before the big money comes in. There is no magic bullet that suddenly increases your demand or cash flow. Its a combination of many things...work ethic, work experience, your drive and motivation, continuing your education in some format or another.

The very entry level jobs that people get when first completing school may be dissapointing, but its reality. You will not walk out of the door of a university or tech school with a 100k yearly salary, and initially you may actually have some difficulty finding work. Anything you were told about what you can expect in pay may be realistic in five years...but for now, do what you can to get that first job and see it as a means to an end.

blargoe

Right on.

Kasor

I agree, but a lot of college/HS students don't think like that. They expect a good salary after they passed their A+/MCP/MCSA/CCNA. A college degree mean you took time to study for 4 yrs and learn how to communicate with the reality. However, many of them still like a kid.

The Prize Is Lobster

^ good point. I think its actually more prevelant with the certification/tech school training than it is a BA. I think the people with BAs end up in the same situation, but they are able to earn more $$ with a degree than the person without after they do get the experience under their belt.

IT is kind of deceiving because technology is such a big part of the daily routine now that everyone who doesnt work in the industry or just starts out thinks its a fast track to big bucks.

Aquabat [banned]

I hate the way schools try to brainwash you into thinking you will make more money than you really will.

a recent survey says that the average ccna makes $60,000+, yea right. i make nowhere near that

blargoe

All "average CCNA" means is they are taking everyone who has a CCNA and taking the average. There's CCIE's, CCNP's, etc. in that average too I would think.

jace5869

I think you really have to develop your "tossed salad" You need to go to College, achieve Certs, and mostly gaint he experience...nothing proves that you know your stuff more than having experience back you up.
College degree's all theroy and can cheated (teachers giving out grades)
Certs can be cheated
but experience can hardly lie..

Sometimes the crap jobs, you learn more

The Prize Is Lobster

I work alongside a guy who constantly rants about what a Linux expert he is, and while that may (or may not) be true, he feels like because he is in an entry level help desk position theres no reason for him to work hard at it because he should be working a job with Unix.

What he fails to realize, of course, is that the Unix department is not going to rush out and hire an obnoxious braggart that fails to meet the expectations of a fairly simple Tier 1/1.5 helpdesk because he is so far above it.

This whole brainwashing college trend seems to come in many forms. My girlfriend works for a staffing agency, and she interviewed an applicant who rejected a high paying position because the position did not require a bachelors degree. Her justification was that "since I paid for the schooling I should be getting work exclusive to those with a degree". She also had been unable to find work in six months.

Seems pretty cut and dry to me...just because you have an education does not place you in a position to be picky about the work you get. There seems to be this assumption that school somehow means you can skip being at the bottom of the ladder, which is ridiculous.