Please be honest!

msb2u

First of all, hello all!! I just stumbled upon this forum while trying to do some research.

Now, after hours upon hours of trying to find answers to my questions, I beg for your honesty.

My story:

I am about to start schooling for a 4 year degree in information technology. However I have been struggling with this decision because I am terrified that I won't be able to find a job. Quite honestly, I refuse to go to school and answer phones regarding 'technical questions'.

I really want to know what personality types are good for these careers.

Obviously, I"m curious by nature and love to see how things work. Love computers, and all forms of informational outlets. But really, that applies to almost everyone.

I am not fond of math, I can do it, but not my favorite. I can not find anything explaining the necessary math for this field.

Also, what are the odds of graduating, getting a decent job (not answering the phone)? Nothing outrageous. Just a normal, entry level job with potential.

Thanks in advance.

sambuca69

msb2u wrote: »

First of all, hello all!! I just stumbled upon this forum while trying to do some research.

Now, after hours upon hours of trying to find answers to my questions, I beg for your honesty.

My story:

I am about to start schooling for a 4 year degree in information technology. However I have been struggling with this decision because I am terrified that I won't be able to find a job. Quite honestly, I refuse to go to school and answer phones regarding 'technical questions'.

I really want to know what personality types are good for these careers.

Obviously, I"m curious by nature and love to see how things work. Love computers, and all forms of informational outlets. But really, that applies to almost everyone.

I am not fond of math, I can do it, but not my favorite. I can not find anything explaining the necessary math for this field.

Also, what are the odds of graduating, getting a decent job (not answering the phone)? Nothing outrageous. Just a normal, entry level job with potential.

Thanks in advance.

So, you're main concern is not having to answer/talk on the phone? What are you asking for? Suggested areas to go into IT?

Odds of you graduating and getting a job with a degree is greater than not having one.

msb2u

sambuca69 wrote: »

So, you're main concern is not having to answer/talk on the phone? What are you asking for? Suggested areas to go into IT?

Odds of you graduating and getting a job with a degree is greater than not having one.

Not per se, its more of being able to get a decent job.

Is this industry inundated with qualified individuals, thus making it hard to move up and get experience?

And I am very open to any suggested areas....

ipconfig.all

You could always try and get some sort of certifications while you are doing your degree. Also I am sure that your school might have a job replacement programme that will help you to get your foot inside the door. Also try and build up some contacts that are in I.T field. It is all about who you know more than what you know now a days sad isnt it ? Finally do not worry stress too much do your degree and take it seriously.

veritas_libertas

msb2u wrote: »

First of all, hello all!! I just stumbled upon this forum while trying to do some research.

Now, after hours upon hours of trying to find answers to my questions, I beg for your honesty.

My story:

I am about to start schooling for a 4 year degree in information technology. However I have been struggling with this decision because I am terrified that I won't be able to find a job. Quite honestly, I refuse to go to school and answer phones regarding 'technical questions'.

I really want to know what personality types are good for these careers.

Obviously, I"m curious by nature and love to see how things work. Love computers, and all forms of informational outlets. But really, that applies to almost everyone.

I am not fond of math, I can do it, but not my favorite. I can not find anything explaining the necessary math for this field.

Also, what are the odds of graduating, getting a decent job (not answering the phone)? Nothing outrageous. Just a normal, entry level job with potential.

Thanks in advance.

Ah yes, another fellow Math hater. I totally understand how you feel. I get like this every time I am in a math class ==> I am at the end of my degree and I foolishly left my Accounting class till last. The class makes my blood boil, the instructor is known campus wide for being the worst teacher of the material. Yuck! My Networking degree program has not involved much math. Business Math and Accounting for me. If I had gone Computer Science / Programming way then I would have probably met up with much more math.

That being said, it matters where you are interested in going in the field. Programming? Networking? Desktop Support?

Here is my personal thoughts. Everyone out there correct me if I interpret this wrong. I would never want to guide someone wrongly.

Programming - You had better love Math like I hate it! (Computer Science)

Networking - You will need to know some basic math for subnetting, etc. (Computer Information Systems / Computer Networking Technology)

Desktop Support - Not really in my opinion. (Computer Information Systems)

As far as personality, hmmm. I don't know, my wife calls me a nerd. I will tell you this, you should have a passion for technology. I first started out going after Criminal Justice. Its a family thing. My family is full of cops, SWAT, etc. I realized that I couldn't have the same passion, and I feared getting shot. Sorry, no Rambo personality here. I also realized that I was avoiding going into IT field because I had the old, your going to hate it if you do it all day, view going. This has turned out to not be the truth. I love what I do. Not always the people, but definitely the technology.

msb2u

ipconfig.all wrote: »

You could always try and get some sort of certifications while you are doing your degree. Also I am sure that your school might have a job replacement programme that will help you to get your foot inside the door. Also try and build up some contacts that are in I.T field. It is all about who you know more than what you know now a days sad isnt it ? Finally do not worry stress too much do your degree and take it seriously.

Thank you! I plan on taking it very serious. I have spent the past 6 months weeding out degrees that did not interest me. And I know degrees in a specific area can be beneficial or terrible. I have an associates degree in accounting and hate the whole field!! So I decided to not pursue it further. There are only so many chances you get to change careers, so I just want to make sure this is it!!

veritas_libertas

msb2u wrote: »

Thank you! I plan on taking it very serious. I have spent the past 6 months weeding out degrees that did not interest me. And I know degrees in a specific area can be beneficial or terrible. I have an associates degree in accounting and hate the whole field!! So I decided to not pursue it further. There are only so many chances you get to change careers, so I just want to make sure this is it!!

I know that feeling intimately. I spent more than a few years chasing rabbits. It was a serious mistake. Don't let it get you down though.

Accounting, yuck

On that thought though, you might be fit with that background for Business Information Systems. Just a thought, I don't know how hands on you want to get with the technology.

ipconfig.all: Very good advice. Do go after certs. I wish I had worked on them while I was in school. I couldn't afford it though.

msb2u

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Ah yes, another fellow Math hater. I totally understand how you feel. I get like this every time I am in a math class ==> I am at the end of my degree and I foolishly left my Accounting class till last. The class makes my blood boil, the instructor is known campus wide for being the worst teacher of the material. Yuck! My Networking degree program has not involved much math. Business Math and Accounting for me. If I had gone Computer Science / Programming way then I would have probably met up with much more math.

That being said, it matters where you are interested in going in the field. Programming? Networking? Desktop Support?

Here is my personal thoughts. Everyone out there correct me if I interpret this wrong. I would never want to guide someone wrongly.

Programming - You had better love Math like I hate it! (Computer Science)

Networking - You will need to know some basic math for subnetting, etc. (Computer Information Systems / Computer Networking Technology)

Desktop Support - Not really in my opinion. (Computer Information Systems)

As far as personality, hmmm. I don't know, my wife calls me a nerd. I will tell you this, you should have a passion for technology. I first started out going after Criminal Justice. Its a family thing. My family is full of cops, SWAT, etc. I realized that I couldn't have the same passion, and I feared getting shot. Sorry, no Rambo personality here. I also realized that I was avoiding going into IT field because I had the old, your going to hate it if you do it all day, view going. This has turned out to not be the truth. I love what I do. Not always the people, but definitely the technology.

Thank you so much for taking the time to address all of my concerns! I feel much more at ease about the math situation now as well.

My husband refers to me as a nerd as well, so that doesn't scare me.

I'm leaning toward networking or business analysis. After reading some stuff here, I am quite excited.

Thanks again!

msb2u

veritas_libertas wrote: »

I know that feeling intimately. I spent more than few years chasing rabbits. It was a serious mistake. Don't let it get to you though.

Accounting, yuck

On that thought though, you might be fit with that background for Business Information Systems. Just a thought, I don't know how hands on you want to get with the technology.

I will go as deep as it lets me. One thing that I love is the constant change and learning. Unfortunately, accounting is extremely stagnant! And the only other field that does that, that I can think of at the moment is health care, so not my thing.

Bokeh

Well once you have your degree, certs, etc you will still , more than likely, spend some time on the phones unless you fall into a cushy job, have a relative who needs help at the business they own, etc. Just dont be fooled into thinking you have all this education and certs now and you deserve the high paying prestigous jobs. I would say the majority of the folks on here have cut their teeth so to speak on help desk and desktop support roles before gaining further experience and moving up the chain.

If the healthcare field also interests you, there's a lot of work to be done in their IT departments, especially when it comes to wireless and HIPPA, computerized records, etc.

Is there a lot of folks in IT? Yep. Are a lot of them out of work? Yep. Just dont be stagnant, always keep learning. Other markets are better than others right now.

Ashenwelt

You know, I hate to disagree here. Yes, you only need basic math. True. You need to be able to do some basic math in binary and hex. If you want to really learn networking, you will have to even go a little further.

I dunno, I have a wire out phillosophy, which most others don't seem to share. So, YMMV.

veritas_libertas

@Ashenwalt: I agree, to me that is requirement for networking (My Networking instructor beat us with Binary and Hex). I guess I still think of it as basic math compared what CS demands (Calculus, etc). Thanks for clarifying the issue. As I said earlier I do not want to guide someone wrongly.

ipconfig.all

You could always do this. Study for 2 years and gain something like a 2 year associate degree in a computer discipline. While you are doing your degree study you can study for certifications such as mcp, mcse, mcsa, ccna or comptia ones. Some of the stuff that gets covered in your degree will be covered in your certifications and some of the stuff you study in your certifications will be covered in your degree which will make things a lot easier. Then after your degree depending on how things go you could try and find an entry level I.T job and work for a while before you go back and get your bachelor degree. Most people start off as helpdesk and then they move their way up however you can find a system administrator or a system engineer job depending on how things go of course.

elover_jm

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Ah yes, another fellow Math hater. I totally understand how you feel. I get like this every time I am in a math class ==> I am at the end of my degree and I foolishly left my Accounting class till last. The class makes my blood boil, the instructor is known campus wide for being the worst teacher of the material. Yuck! My Networking degree program has not involved much math. Business Math and Accounting for me. If I had gone Computer Science / Programming way then I would have probably met up with much more math.

That being said, it matters where you are interested in going in the field. Programming? Networking? Desktop Support?

Here is my personal thoughts. Everyone out there correct me if I interpret this wrong. I would never want to guide someone wrongly.

Programming - You had better love Math like I hate it! (Computer Science)

Networking - You will need to know some basic math for subnetting, etc. (Computer Information Systems / Computer Networking Technology)

Desktop Support - Not really in my opinion. (Computer Information Systems)

As far as personality, hmmm. I don't know, my wife calls me a nerd. I will tell you this, you should have a passion for technology. I first started out going after Criminal Justice. Its a family thing. My family is full of cops, SWAT, etc. I realized that I couldn't have the same passion, and I feared getting shot. Sorry, no Rambo personality here. I also realized that I was avoiding going into IT field because I had the old, your going to hate it if you do it all day, view going. This has turned out to not be the truth. I love what I do. Not always the people, but definitely the technology.

It doesn't matter which area of IT you want to specialize in, we are talking about a degree here. Math forms the base upon which IT builds, If the OP passionate abt IT then i'd say in order for you to be successful in this field and for any other career it starts with having a degree (just look at the first thing jobs ad ask for).

Start with a positive approach regardless of what subject you hate or like (you'll encounter many subject areas unrelated to IT), it's not just abt wanting to be a IT Guru it's about having an education.

Chances of you being successful in any career you persue depends on hardwork and dedication.

peace......

gcarroll357

I pretty much agree with everyone here. To add my $.02, i would say try to get as much experience as u can while going thru school (internship, ft/pt jobs) as posisble. I recently graduated college and dont have a lot of paid experience in the area i want to go into and im finding it difficult to find work (not to mention the economy's helping hand) Looking back at it, i wish i would have made the IT decesion earlier in life so i could have worked on my experience factor more to match my degree

apd123

Someone remind me which part of my job involves advanced mathematics? Programming on the other hand I would consider something different. There are so many areas to focus in IT that clumping them all doesn't really make sense.

Aldur

gcarroll357 wrote: »

...i would say try to get as much experience as u can while going thru school (internship, ft/pt jobs) as posisble....

Yes, this is exactly what I was waiting for somebody to bring up. If you have exp in the field when you graduate with your degree then you will be so much further ahead of the curve with the other grads who have no exp. Granted it can be tough to work and go to school at the same time but it's definitely worth the effort in the results it will produce. On top of this I would also recommend getting certified while working/going to school. That way when you graduate you'll have the triple threat, certs/degree/exp.

I worked FT while going to school FT and picked up certs along the way, school M-Th 8:30 am to 2pm and work from 2:30pm to 11pm M-F. I worked at a help desk role, picked up my JNCIE-M, and then as soon as I graduated I got an amazing job with Juniper as a Resident Engineer making more then I could have ever imagined right out of college.

The moral of the story is that if you have exp and certs by the time you graduate then you will have a much much higher chance of landing a great job then those around you who are just graduating from college.

msb2u

Aldur wrote: »

Yes, this is exactly what I was waiting for somebody to bring up. If you have exp in the field when you graduate with your degree then you will be so much further ahead of the curve with the other grads who have no exp. Granted it can be tough to work and go to school at the same time but it's definitely worth the effort in the results it will produce. On top of this I would also recommend getting certified while working/going to school. That way when you graduate you'll have the triple threat, certs/degree/exp.

I worked FT while going to school FT and picked up certs along the way, school M-Th 8:30 am to 2pm and work from 2:30pm to 11pm M-F. I worked at a help desk role, picked up my JNCIE-M, and then as soon as I graduated I got an amazing job with Juniper as a Resident Engineer making more then I could have ever imagined right out of college.

The moral of the story is that if you have exp and certs by the time you graduate then you will have a much much higher chance of landing a great job then those around you who are just graduating from college.

Makes perfect sense to me. I work full time now and have grown use to managing work and school. And I would have no problem quitting my current job for one that is more in line for what I'm going to school for.

Thanks everyone, I read every post and appreciate the feedback!

rsutton

I am a Sys admin and there are times, rarely, where I have to use math. It all depends on what your focus will be as has already been stated. If you do Sys admin type stuff for a small company, like what I do, it's more important to have a well rounded skill set & be able to do a variety of tasks. If you decide to do a more focused line of work your skill set will probably be more intense in certain areas.

If you are just now starting school, I would not worry too much about the job market in 4 years. It will probably be better than it is today.

And regarding the talking to people on phone bit; that is cool if that is not something that you are interested in, however don't think that it is below you. There are phone support gigs that do require a four year degree plus experience which you would not yet be qualified for. Having a good attitude is important in your IT career.

msb2u

rsutton wrote: »

I am a Sys admin and there are times, rarely, where I have to use math. It all depends on what your focus will be as has already been stated. If you do Sys admin type stuff for a small company, like what I do, it's more important to have a well rounded skill set & be able to do a variety of tasks. If you decide to do a more focused line of work your skill set will probably be more intense in certain areas.

If you are just now starting school, I would not worry too much about the job market in 4 years. It will probably be better than it is today.

And regarding the talking to people on phone bit; that is cool if that is not something that you are interested in, however don't think that it is below you. There are phone support gigs that do require a four year degree plus experience which you would not yet be qualified for. Having a good attitude is important in your IT career.

Not that a phone job is below me, but it's not what I see myself doing. All I was meaning to say is that I would be quite disappointed if that's all was avaiable at the end of this.

nash0924

In regards to the post above I would recommend going for a Computer Science degree over a CIS or others, even if you are NOT going to be in the programming field. I feel that the CS degree will give you more of a foundation and look better on your resume. You can supplement your CS degree with certs(MSCE/CCNP etc) and/or obtain a masters in Information Systems or Telecommunications later on which will put you right up there. It's sort of like working your way from the inside out..lol

My personal opinion, hiring managers might see it differently?

jrs91

nash0924 wrote: »

In regards to the post above I would recommend going for a Computer Science degree over a CIS or others, even if you are NOT going to be in the programming field. I feel that the CS degree will give you more of a foundation and look better on your resume. You can supplement your CS degree with certs(MSCE/CCNP etc) and/or obtain a masters in Information Systems or Telecommunications later on which will put you right up there. It's sort of like working your way from the inside out..lol

My personal opinion, hiring managers might see it differently?

I don't have a CS degree and I agree with this completely. I think MIS degrees are worth about as much as my Classics degree. CS is the only worthwhile computers degree.

ServerProvides

nash0924 wrote: »

In regards to the post above I would recommend going for a Computer Science degree over a CIS or others, even if you are NOT going to be in the programming field. I feel that the CS degree will give you more of a foundation and look better on your resume. You can supplement your CS degree with certs(MSCE/CCNP etc) and/or obtain a masters in Information Systems or Telecommunications later on which will put you right up there. It's sort of like working your way from the inside out..lol

My personal opinion, hiring managers might see it differently?

Based off job requirements for a lot of IT based jobs (system admin, network admin, security analyst, ect.) I see "Bachelors in Computer Science" come up quite frequently so it seems as if hiring managers might see it the same. =P

I think a B.S. in C.S. just gives a good understanding of how computers on a lower level which helps you absorb higher level concepts easier. I might be just a little partial though considering its the degree I'm currently pursuing.

pipemajor

When I went active duty several "decades" ago, I was a business major working in a technical program management field. Most other junior officers in my career field were either CS or EE graduates. I guess it helped that I had 8 years work technical experience in a data processing environment and a technical 2 year degree.

There was a retention scare which prompted Congress to authorize a generous retention bonus program for junior officers. It provided the EE folks with a huge incentive payout but the CS people were pretty much left out of the picture.