Troubling Findings

Hager

I am currently a teacher, I have a bachelors in Education and Communication Disorders and I am receiving another bachelors in Information Systems. (will include CompTIA certifications and MSCE)

I make around $36,000/yr and would hope to find an entry level position that pays around the same amount(30k-up), while I climb the ladder and obtain some experience.

But, every entry level job I research says that I would need 2-3 years experience. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of ENTRY. How is one suppose to gain experience if all entry level jobs call for experience?

Seems like a supply and demand problem, seems the market is oversaturation and they are trying to discourage newcombers from the field. But, most reports point to the IT and Networking fields will see growth.

KGhaleon

You have an MCSE, but no experience? or do you mean you are studying for it? An MCSE should prove that you are capable and knowledgeable enough to manage a windows infrastructure.

You don't really need years of experience for those type of entry-level jobs. Pay it no mind, as they will take you regardless if you know your stuff. Experience wouldn't hurt though and would help you against your competition(your major problem).

What do you teach? If you teach anything IT-related, then that should be considered experience.

Hager

KGhaleon wrote: »

You have an MCSE, but no experience? or do you mean you are studying for it? An MCSE should prove that you are capable and knowledgeable enough to manage a windows infrastructure.

You don't really need years of experience for those type of entry-level jobs. Pay it no mind, as they will take you regardless if you know your stuff. Experience wouldn't hurt though and would help you against your competition(your major problem).

What do you teach? If you teach anything IT-related, then that should be considered experience.

Im studying for it and plan to take the MSCE exams at the end of the year, Im knocking out the CompTIA certifications first.

I teach 4th grade, but I use to teach Math, but do to school system finances, I took what was avaliable. I'm 24 years old so I have some time to get some experience, but I am married and can't take a huge pay cut for experience. I'm also our schools Student Technology Leadership Coach. (We compete in competitions on state and national levels, I dont know if that helps)

dynamik

Any chance you can take on some IT responsibilities where you're at now?

Also, I don't think the field is saturated or that people are discriminating against entry level employees. I think a lot of places just don't want to be the place where novices make their mistakes and gain experience. I'd look at it as more of having a hard time finding someone to take a chance on you.

The requirements listed are often what they're "ideally" looking for. That doesn't mean they are set in stone. I'd still apply for them if I were you. You're just going to have to really sell yourself if you get an interview.

skrpune

correct me if I'm wrong Hager, but it sounds like you don't current have any certifications yet? Any applicable IT experience? What do you do as the tech leadership coach?

I think there's a lot of misunderstanding of what "entry level" means in terms of the IT industry. It generally means 1-2 years of applicable experience/knowledge and/or a bachelors degree (or an associates for some positions). Most often you have to pay your dues in IT (and in other fields) with not-so-glamorous or lower paying jobs in order to get someone to even set foot on their ladder if you don't have experience or certs or education (or some combination thereof). There are some positions which are listed as "entry level" which truly are meant for folks with little to no experience, but they will pay a lot less and/or involve some sort of downside (call center, night shift, etc.)

Imagine someone who's getting into plumbing or electrical trade, or mechanics or other similar hands-on fields. Do you know how LITTLE those guys/gals get paid at first? It takes some experience and some time for them to prove that they can handle things on their own & earn a higher paycheck & lose the on-the-job "babysitters" watching over them or training them.

I'm not saying you need babysitting, I'm just telling it like it is from an employer'$ per$pective. Anyone who doesn't already have some sort of knowledge or experience is a cost risk and a risk to their customer base and will take money out of their pockets either with additional supervision needed or possible mistakes/lost customers.

You may be able to get some jobs that pay in the $36K range, depending on when/where you want to work and where you live. I was offered a job in that pay range ($16/hr CAD in 2007) with just an A+ cert...but it was working night shift (with *possibility* of maybe later transferring to a daytime shift) doing call-center support for crackberries. Ugh. Instead I took a job paying $10/hr working for small home-based tech shop. I didn't make tons of money, but I liked what I did a LOT more and I learned a ton, and now I have a year's experience as a tech (building, repairing, troubleshooting, installing, etc.) under my belt.

If you're willing to give up a little something (either a nice daytime shift or super-great pay in the short term) then you can have a much easier time of getting that first IT job. But if you want to be in that pretty good pay range & have daytime hours, then you will have to look a little harder...but don't let that stop you. It's a tough economy, but keep at it, and the right job will find you in time.

sambuca69

I was looking around on Dice earlier and saw a 'Junior Network Engineer' position that required a CCIE, and some other wacky requirements. o.O

I'll post it later when I get home....

brad-

sambuca69 wrote: »

I was looking around on Dice earlier and saw a 'Junior Network Engineer' position that required a CCIE, and some other wacky requirements. o.O

I'll post it later when I get home....

lmao lol

Hager

skrpune wrote: »

correct me if I'm wrong Hager, but it sounds like you don't current have any certifications yet? Any applicable IT experience? What do you do as the tech leadership coach?

I think there's a lot of misunderstanding of what "entry level" means in terms of the IT industry. It generally means 1-2 years of applicable experience/knowledge and/or a bachelors degree (or an associates for some positions). Most often you have to pay your dues in IT (and in other fields) with not-so-glamorous or lower paying jobs in order to get someone to even set foot on their ladder if you don't have experience or certs or education (or some combination thereof). There are some positions which are listed as "entry level" which truly are meant for folks with little to no experience, but they will pay a lot less and/or involve some sort of downside (call center, night shift, etc.)

Imagine someone who's getting into plumbing or electrical trade, or mechanics or other similar hands-on fields. Do you know how LITTLE those guys/gals get paid at first? It takes some experience and some time for them to prove that they can handle things on their own & earn a higher paycheck & lose the on-the-job "babysitters" watching over them or training them.

I'm not saying you need babysitting, I'm just telling it like it is from an employer'$ per$pective. Anyone who doesn't already have some sort of knowledge or experience is a cost risk and a risk to their customer base and will take money out of their pockets either with additional supervision needed or possible mistakes/lost customers.

You may be able to get some jobs that pay in the $36K range, depending on when/where you want to work and where you live. I was offered a job in that pay range ($16/hr CAD in 2007) with just an A+ cert...but it was working night shift (with *possibility* of maybe later transferring to a daytime shift) doing call-center support for crackberries. Ugh. Instead I took a job paying $10/hr working for small home-based tech shop. I didn't make tons of money, but I liked what I did a LOT more and I learned a ton, and now I have a year's experience as a tech (building, repairing, troubleshooting, installing, etc.) under my belt.

If you're willing to give up a little something (either a nice daytime shift or super-great pay in the short term) then you can have a much easier time of getting that first IT job. But if you want to be in that pretty good pay range & have daytime hours, then you will have to look a little harder...but don't let that stop you. It's a tough economy, but keep at it, and the right job will find you in time.

You are right I currently do not hold any certification, I am just now starting to study for it, and I just started working on my 3rd Bachelors in IT. I'm just planning ahead, I want to knock out a couple certifications, so I can try to get an Entry Level position during the summer as a summer job, while school is out (perk of being a teacher.)

Thanks you guys for being very helpful.....how long did it take you guys to study for Network+, Security+ and CompTIA Tech?

sambuca69

sambuca69 wrote: »

I was looking around on Dice earlier and saw a 'Junior Network Engineer' position that required a CCIE, and some other wacky requirements. o.O

I'll post it later when I get home....

Here we go... http://seeker.dice.com/jobsearch/servlet/JobSearch?op=302&dockey=xml/f/7/f7b575bf12331381d6474723e921e03e@endecaindex&source=19&FREE_TEXT=%22junior+network%22&rating=99

My bad though on the CCIE required though... it's just 'preferred'. Still though, makes you wonder if they want all this for a 'junior' position, what do they want for a regular old networking spot? Some employers are just unrealistic.

Kaminsky

With your teaching background, if you climb up the certs toward trainer you will be laughing. There really is no point throwing those teaching skills away when they are so valuable. Some of the cert trainers I have come across in my time make an immense amount of money and are always in demand. Trying to be some kind of IT guru would be a complete waste.

IT job wise, you need to gain work experience so you know how your eventual students will be applying what you teach them. You should head for trainer posts in companys whilst you cert up and then start specialising in IT teaching and then go for the big cert training companies.

savior faire

I would not recommend trying to get into information systems through the technical end. You will be much better off getting on the business side of things.
I have been in IT since 1973, I know what I am talking about...stay on the business end. Try to get a job somewhere and keep a lookout for projects involved with IT.

blargoe

Why do you feel this way?