Just starting out!!

forcedinleftout

i am recently home from the military, and currently going to school for general IT. I am at a low end job, wanting to get my foot in the door working in the it field. Any suggestions on where I can start? Should i start trying to get certifications, or wait until I get my degree?

mrmcmint

Welcome to TE!

Its certainly worth studying for certs, however you need to first determine which area of IT you would like to end up in, and focus your studies from there.

Do you want to be a desktop support technician?, Servers & infrastructure, networks, TDA, Security?

Figure out roughly where you would like to be and start from there. Depending on your current knowledge of IT, you may want to start with the Comptia A+ to get the general gist of hardware and how it all fits together. If you are already comfortable with all that, and have general use and experience using various Windows OS's then go straight for the MCSA - XP client exam first.

Stick with this website - it will prove invaluable.

Good luck!

networker050184

What did you do in the military?

slinuxuzer

The Xp client exam will get you familiar with the OS to a good level and is a good step in preparing you for a helpdesk job, wich is generally the first step in IT. Either this exam or the A+ and Network+ should be your first start, these are good entry level certs, and I know I landed several jobs early in my career just because of A+ and Network+,

expect to spend a fair amount of money on exam fees and testing materials overall it is expensive and depending on where you work you may have trouble affording them, when I got my A+ I was making 7$ an hour as phone support and it was tough, but it is worth it in the end.

brad-

forcedinleftout wrote: »

i am recently home from the military, and currently going to school for general IT. I am at a low end job, wanting to get my foot in the door working in the it field. Any suggestions on where I can start? Should i start trying to get certifications, or wait until I get my degree?

If you're in school, focus on school. You can do certs inbetween semesters and when you finish.

While you're at school, make as many contacts as you can. Social networking and developing real world contacts and friends is more important than knowledge when it comes to landing a job.

veritas_libertas

brad- wrote: »

If you're in school, focus on school. You can do certs inbetween semesters and when you finish.

While you're at school, make as many contacts as you can. Social networking and developing real world contacts and friends is more important than knowledge when it comes to landing a job.

+10: Nothing can be as valuable as who you know, and who knows you

maumercado

brad- wrote: »

While you're at school, make as many contacts as you can. Social networking and developing real world contacts and friends is more important than knowledge when it comes to landing a job.

+1

Better to have friends than money...

Aldur

brad- wrote: »

If you're in school, focus on school. You can do certs inbetween semesters and when you finish.

I would suggest picking up some certs while you are in school if you can swing it. When I was doing my BS CS degree I didn't have any breaks between semesters and worked full time. I picked up some good certs during this time which allowed me to pick up the job I currently have.

If I would have just focused on school and did certs when I finished I'd still be at my old job and not making very much money.

Just a thought

coding-toting*

and what if i want to study for certs along with my degree?
and even look for online projects? Will it help me ?

Plantwiz

networker050184 wrote: »

What did you do in the military?

I was wondering too!

Did you obtain any marketable skills while you served? (And generally that is a 'Yes' response, but just asking). Most of my friends and family who have served came away with some good experience (even the one who mastered the grease gun He's working with cars today).

Otherewise, volunteer at school, other schools, churches, etc...to gain some experience.

tpatt100

brad- wrote: »

If you're in school, focus on school. You can do certs inbetween semesters and when you finish.

While you're at school, make as many contacts as you can. Social networking and developing real world contacts and friends is more important than knowledge when it comes to landing a job.

Good point and I can relate. My very first IT job was due to a classmate in one of my PC repair classes in college. He graduated the year earlier and one day I get a call and its him. We studied together a lot for the A+ exam that we scheduled to take the week after our class together ended.

So he calls me and says his manager asked him if he knew anybody he would recommend to replace him on the help desk. He referred me, I had NO EXPERIENCE and an A+ and MCP Windows NT workstation lol. Got me hired into Northrop Grumman directly, I skipped the contractor to hire scenario.

forcedinleftout

I was in the Infantry! Airborne infantry, to be more exact. The only skills that i could use to get a job in the real world are, anything that has to do with guns, and security jobs. I do have manager skills, but most employers do not look at that. I was really wanting to get into the Security aspect of IT. The only real knowledge I have about computers so far is basic. I know how to navigate my way through programs and the web. I am pretty good at figuring out how to get things to work, when it comes to computer stuff. I have been studying for my CompTIA Security+ certification, but it sounds like I need to study for A+ or Network + instead. Thank you for all the info.

networker050184

forcedinleftout wrote: »

I was in the Infantry! Airborne infantry, to be more exact. The only skills that i could use to get a job in the real world are, anything that has to do with guns, and security jobs. I do have manager skills, but most employers do not look at that. I was really wanting to get into the Security aspect of IT. The only real knowledge I have about computers so far is basic. I know how to navigate my way through programs and the web. I am pretty good at figuring out how to get things to work, when it comes to computer stuff. I have been studying for my CompTIA Security+ certification, but it sounds like I need to study for A+ or Network + instead. Thank you for all the info.

All the way! Did my time in the deuce, fortunately for me I wasn't infantry

I'd say start working on your certs while you are in school and see if you can get your foot in the door somewhere. Your military background will be a major plus to employers even if it was infantry. It would probably be a better idea to start with the A+ rather than the Sec+ if you are looking for an entry level job.

NetAdmin2436

Thanks for serving and welcome to TE

As mentioned, I'd concentrate on college and do the certs as you go. If your course study was anything like mine, then you will find you may be studying straight from an A+, network+, cissp, etc, book. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone.

brad-

forcedinleftout wrote: »

I was in the Infantry! Airborne infantry, to be more exact.

<-- 82nd 11b