So what's your ultimate goal in I.T?

Just wondering you know...If someone was to come and ask you why I.T.? Whats your ultimate goal in this vast arena of switching, voice, routing, pc repair, network security, client security,e-commerce, data processing.... i mean everything...What do you like most about the industry and what is your goal to master..by lets just say the next 5 years.

I would love to have a very strong handle on security and voice. At the same time still remain flexible.

Think this would be a nice thread...I mean afterall windshields are bigger than rear view mirrors for a reason.

Kenny.

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seuss_ssues

Masters in InfoSec, CISSP, and a job in the infosec industry that would allow me to either research or do pentesting.

Darthn3ss

next 5 years? id like to be back out west... somewhere between san francisco and seattle... with a degree and some experience.

Slowhand

In the next five years I plan on gravitating away from IT, and work in general, actually. While I love the work, I really do enjoy learning about networking and all kinds of computer-related geekery in general, I'm hoping to get myself through school sooner than later. I'm really leaning towards computer science, but electrical engineering has a certain appeal for me. Fortunately, the school I plan on attending balances out both in an EECS program, not forcing you to choose one or the other until the Master's or PhD paths.

In the time between then and now, though, I can't really seem to put IT behind me. I'm still working my way towards the MCSE, I'm planning on taking the CCNA exam pretty soon, and I'll probably start looking at Windows Server 2008 and the MCITP certification, before long. There's still my old haunt, the LPI certs, along with my desire to push a little further in Cisco-land and do the CCNP. Basically, I'd like to get well-rounded and experienced, so I don't ever have an excuse to really leave it all behind. Besides, doing what I love to do while I'm working my way through school isn't such a bad deal. Of course, I can't seem to get away from web development either, those ASP.NET 2.0 books never seem to stay shut. . . dammit.

So, where do I see myself in five years? I see myself taking a break from IT, holding a few mid-level certs and a Bachelor's degree in EECS, working on a graduate degree in either computer science or electrical engineering. What happens after that, where do I want to go? Who knows. What I do know is, I don't want to have to sacrifice one thing I enjoy in order to do another, so I've decided that I'm not going to.

/usr

Why IT?

I find myself extremely interested in all aspects of it, basically.

As for where I want to be in five years?

Holding a job in the field. I've yet to be exposed to half of what I would like, so I really haven't found a specific area that interests me more than another. I've realized that programming is not my preferred area.

I'm finding myself really interested in the entire life cycle of installing a network, from time pulling cable starts to when the first user logs in.

I just finished my bachelors not too long ago, so for now I'll just keep doing what I'm doing and see where it takes me.

Ricka182

Originally, I wanted to obtain CCIE, through a path of M$ to Cisco, going through system admin and networking support, to full out design and implementation at the highest level.....I haven;t really done anything with IT so far though. I've been stuck on 70-218 for my MCSA2K forever it seems. I haven't even taken the exam yet either for one reason or another, and now I have to try to get it done before it gets retired; not to mention the upgrade to 2003. I still have dreams of getting that big IT job, but I'll probably being doing the little side of IT for a while.....

garv221

My goal is to be a small business owner in the IT consulting field which would be the money catalyst for future real estate investments. I have no desire to continue with hands on IT work for someone else at all, I need the next level. I just turned 26 by 35 I will no longer be in IT and have a nice portfolio. I'm getting bored and for sure cannot see myself working anyone but myself. I cannot stand the day to day employment field and babysitting a network and its users.

impelse

I agree with garv221, I wan to have my own business.

Raul

sir_creamy_

My goal is simple: make enough money to soak myself with loose women.

Pash

To be happy in my job, ie doing what im doing now...being a techy

/usr

I cannot stand the day to day employment field and babysitting a network and its users.

If you don't mind me asking, have you always felt this way or did it come from supporting users?

I'm just curious, because at my previous job I had the same role that I have now more or less, but I only supported one network and one set of users, day in and day out. I grew to absolutely hate it. Now I have a fairly large base of users and networks that I support, but I'm exposed to many different types of problems and it doesn't bother me.

Granted, I do see your point. I would much rather design and implement a network than support end users.

nice343

CCIE.

After that I will work from the house and do out of country contracts!

I know a ccie who just came back from saudi aradia. Got paid over 40K to setup a couple of Frame-relay's and VPN's. Man, it must feel good to be a CCIE

johnnyg5646

in 5 years I want to have my masters degree (should be done in 3), my security+ & CCNA certifications (hopefully within 12 months), and maybe working as a network admin. But we'll see, 5 year plans have a way of not always turning out how you want.

garv221

/usr wrote:

I cannot stand the day to day employment field and babysitting a network and its users.

If you don't mind me asking, have you always felt this way or did it come from supporting users?

I'm just curious, because at my previous job I had the same role that I have now more or less, but I only supported one network and one set of users, day in and day out. I grew to absolutely hate it. Now I have a fairly large base of users and networks that I support, but I'm exposed to many different types of problems and it doesn't bother me.

Granted, I do see your point. I would much rather design and implement a network than support end users.

I don't mind you asking.

This feeling has been getting worse as my experience has grown and have taken promotions. When I first started out working in IT 6 years ago, all I did was support users and I enjoyed it. Now I have a director job where I am responsible for everything, servers, routers, windows, my whole dept/employees, if something fails its on me . But somehow I still find myself being tracked down and asked problems about printers, mice, slow software ect.. I just do not like the feeling that every conversation I carry on with someone is going to result in them asking me to fix something, like someone always wants something from me. A lot of these issues I believe people just pawn off on an IT dept because they don't bother to care or learn how to work it themselves. I am a great people person too and it actually frustrates me that I get frustrated at users lol. As selfish as it sounds as I have grown in IT I actually feel above fixing user end issues as it should be left to those entry level positions and they are where I work but I still can't escape it. I know users have no clue what I do or that there are many areas and levels of IT and they assume I should fix printers all day. It just feels like I am head of the Babysitter's club, a work ticket comes in and I send out a babysitter to resolve the issue. I want out of that system and into a system that I created that generates income on the higher levels of IT like design and implementation.

I'm glad things changed for you and many times I have considered that an option for me because maybe something new would re spark that interest. We'll see

kenny504

Well said...Well thats sort of the reason why i started this thread. In a sly way i guess it is nice to recognize your current state then look ahead and talk about it a bit. I mean I'm 19 and my certifications and experience has not made me a whole lot of cash but i feel as though the seeds are being sewed sure enough...I get alot of client exposure as a Technical Trainer and Systems Admin where i work.

I have been in environments that have left me dazed. Like this guy who is like 50 years of age and has like a gillion years of experience and certifications...never bothered with the CCIE but knows cisco like he made the stuff. He set up a wan/lan connection, from here (Bahamas) to india for a local company and got 150k for a three month project. He designed it mounted the switches, servers, routers i mean everything was done by him straight down to the client pc's and ip phones. He was not dependent on anyone or anything exept the company who hired him. The company didnt have much organizational contstraints anyway. After being introduced to somebody like that... i say in 5 years i want to be the guy that is called upon to do the "big" stuff. Sure..the small stuff gives you some nice experience for a while. But oh man the big stuff..gets you that paper.

I'm really not on a big "money-hype" like some of my I.T associates, probably because there all married and got kids and bills (watever that is??). For me top priority is salvation..then to make it well in I.T. I know the respect and the cash should flow after all the seeds i sew. Hopefully.

Kenny.

BigTone

i want to find my niche...

right now i'd love to say CISSP, doing infosec, etc. but truth be told I haven't gotten deep enough in the water to know whether I really like Cisco, Microsoft, Linux, etc.

You could say my ultimate goal is to not stop learning.

1) I want to learn linux to a level that would be applicable in business
2) Get my MCSA
3) Figure out if this Cisco stuff is worth all the hype :P (ie learn the elements of Cisco)
4) Get my feet wet in security

I'd like to be ina position to be a consultant so I could spend more time at home. A job less than 50 miles from home would be nice too short term.

TechJunky

Become owner of a million dollar business and turn it into a multbillion dollar business.

Darthn3ss

my ultimate goal i think is to start my own hosting company while working for whatever company. when knowledge and money permits, i'd like to work on getting into my own facility (ie, start my own datacenter type of deal... host websites, dedicated severs, colocate, game servers, online backup and such, etc)

sprkymrk

kenny504 wrote:

If someone was to come and ask you why I.T.? Whats your ultimate goal in this vast arena

kenny504 wrote:

and what is your goal to master..by lets just say the next 5 years.

Probably won't happen in 5 years, but "Supreme Ruler of the Known Universe" works for me.

However, more than likely, in 5 years time I will hopefully have obtained 2 paychecks per month x 12 months in a year x 5 years = 120 paychecks. :P

Seriously? Continue education and obtain a BS in Information System Security and move up from my current Sr LAN Admin position to more of a Tiger Team or A-Team and Site Survey consulting type of position.

KGhaleon

One day when I hopefully have plenty of money, I would like to switch career's and go back to school to study a particular science of Biology.

Then I wouldn't mind retiring to Okinawa, since everyone there seems to live to be 100.

nel

i feel the same as alot of you's. i used to absolutely love learning sys admin and cisco stuff (or trying to learn them anyway! haha). anyway ive been waiting for that chance of moving into an infrastructure type job and gaining more hands on but sadly that has not happened yet (although im only 21 but i have been doing help desky stuff for nearly 5 years now) and its boring the hell out of me.im halfway through a PT honours degree but im thinking of changing it into a project management / management honours degree, just so i have another option to fall back on.
i even moved 150 miles from home (which is quite a distance for the UK! but like crossing the street in the US!) to a sys admin job but its not like the title suggests.

so i guess im saying i dont know where the hell i'll be in 5 years. i would like to be either in a management(maybe project stuff) career or have a good infrastructure based job.

but either way at the minute im at the stage where IT is not the way it used to be and i need that extra lift now! any suggestions lol? i would love to own my own business aswell but theres that many other firms doing it support etc i think it will be a very tight make or break scheme! (well for me anyway). one thing i do hate about my job is the lack of hands on (physically) and too much infront of my screen - sometimes i wish i took that electrician job! or maybe start a building company! working for yourself must feel so good!

Come on guys start lifting me!

eltoro

I will be getting my bachelors in MIS in 3 months. My ultimate goal is to become a software engineer but unfortunately my MIS program is more project management focused. I need good programming skills so I am enrolling for a Master's in Computer Science next Spring.

Mishra

Although I will probably still be in IT and hopefully happy, I want to become an inventor. I like working on side projects, some related to IT and some not. I have 2 projects going right now that I am doing research and design to bring up to prototype levels.

I would love to see one of my ideas actually turn into a business and be able to run with that business for a while until it is sold in turn I will spend full time to work on other ideas I have. Because inventing is such an iffy field then I will stick with IT until I am completely sure that I can run with a business without scare. (I.E. an investor pays be enough money to be able to work 2-3 years straight).

RATTLERMAN

5 yrs ago i never thought i would be married or still stuck doing desktop support. i have learned the hard way not to plan too far ahead but to have a blueprint or roadmap of where you would like to be. life sometimes has a way to get in the way. i like a lot of people would like to work in some aspect of network security but that is a long and hard learning curve for someone with a non it major in college. i hae been reading here lately that the days of just being a pure techie are gone... if you want to move up the food chain you have to have these mysterious magical business skills to add to your tool set.. right now i see my self trying to set up shop in a growth industry like healthcare or financial services and try to go vertical... they way things are working out a network/systems analyst position seems like the next move but i have a feeling that it would take me away from the tech side of things and i cant afford to get a masters degree at this time... the way i see it you just have to keep your eyes open and let the chips fall were they may

just my $.02

agile... mobile.. hostile

Crucio666

my ultimate goal is to become a CTO with a MCA!

amyamandaallen

Why do I do this job??? ( field engineer )

Hell, I get to drive between sites like smokey and the bandit!
Fix problems and equipment like McGuver!
And my boss pays me good wages too

Why wouldn't I do this job?

My goal.....to keep doing this for as long as I can

manny355

I got into IT because I love computers...I found that networking is where I want to be so that is what i'm working towards. I currently work in Desktop Support and am liking it so far...my goal in 5 years is to work my way through networking to a CIO or atleast a IT VP position with a good company. A few years ago when I was completing my Bachelors degree I noticed that alot of IT guys in my area didn't have soft skills to complement their tech skills so I got an associates degree in business management to go along with my bachelors in IT. Since then both degrees combined with a few well timed certificates have gotten me through doors that would have otherwise been closed. After I grab my mcsa, mcse and maybe a cisco cert (hopefully within the next 18 months) I will probably complete an MBA program or continue on to the PMP certificate.

Now in 10 years, I plan on owning my own business and will be out of IT but you only asked for the 5 year plan...lol

garv221

sir_creamy_ wrote:

My goal is simple: make enough money to soak myself with loose women.

Well thats a given.

jbaello

For my goal in IT I would like to be a CCIE, MCA and probably a Masters Degree in Information Technology

Sepiraph

Within 2-3 years - CCIE
Then gearing toward either network manager/network designer?

After that, who knows ....
5-7+ year maybe a MBA to gear toward a possible CTO/CTO in 10 years

or

Start my own company.

cablegod

garv221 wrote:

/usr wrote:

I cannot stand the day to day employment field and babysitting a network and its users.

If you don't mind me asking, have you always felt this way or did it come from supporting users?

I'm just curious, because at my previous job I had the same role that I have now more or less, but I only supported one network and one set of users, day in and day out. I grew to absolutely hate it. Now I have a fairly large base of users and networks that I support, but I'm exposed to many different types of problems and it doesn't bother me.

Granted, I do see your point. I would much rather design and implement a network than support end users.

I don't mind you asking.

This feeling has been getting worse as my experience has grown and have taken promotions. When I first started out working in IT 6 years ago, all I did was support users and I enjoyed it. Now I have a director job where I am responsible for everything, servers, routers, windows, my whole dept/employees, if something fails its on me . But somehow I still find myself being tracked down and asked problems about printers, mice, slow software ect.. I just do not like the feeling that every conversation I carry on with someone is going to result in them asking me to fix something, like someone always wants something from me. A lot of these issues I believe people just pawn off on an IT dept because they don't bother to care or learn how to work it themselves. I am a great people person too and it actually frustrates me that I get frustrated at users lol. As selfish as it sounds as I have grown in IT I actually feel above fixing user end issues as it should be left to those entry level positions and they are where I work but I still can't escape it. I know users have no clue what I do or that there are many areas and levels of IT and they assume I should fix printers all day. It just feels like I am head of the Babysitter's club, a work ticket comes in and I send out a babysitter to resolve the issue. I want out of that system and into a system that I created that generates income on the higher levels of IT like design and implementation.

I'm glad things changed for you and many times I have considered that an option for me because maybe something new would re spark that interest. We'll see

I know exactly how you feel. It sounds exactly like my feelings and situation as well.