Please Help Me I am studying for A+ need counseling

eljunbo809

Ok guys thank you so much for reading this. well the reason why i became a member from this site is because i want answer to my questions, and maybe you guys are the best to answer my question. I am currently 22 years of age and jobless, thru out my life i have been deciding what to do with my life i go to college but get bored of it because there isn't a thing that interest me so i have no college credit only F's because i stop going, I love computer alot i have been using computer since age of 10 i recently switch to mac this year because i want to try it and so far love it, well sorry for my grammar and spelling to make story short i have been working security guard jobs so far since age of 18 at that age i was taking a almost 1 year program to become cisco certified but i drop out after like 2 weeks because that was when i found a job doing security and they need it morning person so i decided to take the job. Now That i am 22 I am looking at my self in a mirror and i am saying i need some kind of job that could give me a descent paid and so far i am wasting my life doing nothing just sitting around with my girl at home now for 1 year without working no unemployment living in my mom house.

well my question is this i order the book A+ i am going to study and than take the test. now after i do that what should be next should i start looking for a job as a entry level help desk or should i get another certificate i was thinking doing NEtwork after i pass the A+.

Ok if i do pass the A+ and I start Looking for help desk entry level job is there other way other then sending resume over the internet to look for job like for instance going to a building and asking for it supervisor?

What kind of salary i am going to expect as entry level help desk with A+? can you share with me what salary you had what you did after you gotten the job. please share with me your experience.

I live in NYC

I am honestly good with computer i know how to install hard drive burners more memory processor etc.

PLEASE CAN SOMEONE Give me some kind of counseling i will appreciate it a lot.

Plantwiz

WOW....where to begin :scratch?

First, Welcome to TE.


As far as the rest? I think you may want more then some opinions from a bunch of strangers here. Because, frankly if you are only 22, you need to get some goals set and knocking out the steps toward each goal.

I'm not trying to rag on you here, but to be blunt...it's time to grow up!
which simply means, like it or not, you'll now need to take work regardless of how much you enjoy it, and probably finish at least a 2yr degree, though a 4yr will at least get you to 'average' if you want to compete with the talent already in the marketplace

I am currently 22 years of age and jobless, thru out my life i have been deciding what to do with my life i go to college but get bored of it because there isn't a thing that interest me so i have no college credit only F's because i stop going,

...it's going to be difficult to get beyond anything entry-level without some degree or some means to validate your knowledge...and 22 is pretty young to be 'full' of experience.

Being bored in school is not an excuse, and it costs money, so what's the real reason you won't finish? I have a relative who pulled this nonsense...he's changing oil these days and has nothing to show for it the years and $$$ he spend on his schooling...for him, it was fear of finishing something.

So, get with a school advisor and have them help map out a plan with you. I don't know you, and cannot say what will work for you. Perhaps you have a learning disability? There are folks who help people work through this sort of thing. So, it may be a small hurdle, but not an excuse to not finish school.



Board swapping tech-jobs, if you can find one, tend to be $8-10 per hour. In NYC, that seems to be about the range too (maybe as much as $12), but the market is flooded with folks unemployed and WITH experience, I would focus on getting a degree if I woke up and was in your position....(and I'd also go get about 3 jobs doing 'anything' that paid such as construction, delivery work, tutoring, etc..)

eljunbo809

Plantwiz wrote: »

WOW....where to begin :scratch?

First, Welcome to TE.


As far as the rest? I think you may want more then some opinions from a bunch of strangers here. Because, frankly if you are only 22, you need to get some goals set and knocking out the steps toward each goal.

I'm not trying to rag on you here, but to be blunt...it's time to grow up!
which simply means, like it or not, you'll now need to take work regardless of how much you enjoy it, and probably finish at least a 2yr degree, though a 4yr will at least get you to 'average' if you want to compete with the talent already in the marketplace


...it's going to be difficult to get beyond anything entry-level without some degree or some means to validate your knowledge...and 22 is pretty young to be 'full' of experience.

Being bored in school is not an excuse, and it costs money, so what's the real reason you won't finish? I have a relative who pulled this nonsense...he's changing oil these days and has nothing to show for it the years and $$$ he spend on his schooling...for him, it was fear of finishing something.

So, get with a school advisor and have them help map out a plan with you. I don't know you, and cannot say what will work for you. Perhaps you have a learning disability? There are folks who help people work through this sort of thing. So, it may be a small hurdle, but not an excuse to not finish school.



Board swapping tech-jobs, if you can find one, tend to be $8-10 per hour. In NYC, that seems to be about the range too (maybe as much as $12), but the market is flooded with folks unemployed and WITH experience, I would focus on getting a degree if I woke up and was in your position....(and I'd also go get about 3 jobs doing 'anything' that paid such as construction, delivery work, tutoring, etc..)

So you telling me that certificate isn't gonna help me get a descent paid ? Because I thought that by me having the A+ and Maybe The Network certificate i could have get a descent paid job paying atleast 14-18 dollars down the road. and then maybe get a Associated Degree Just to boost my paid. ? Wow honestly that made me feel upset.

Yea Believe me is easy to say get a job in construction field or as a tutor but is hard all i could get is working in a fast food restaurant or doing security which that is something i don't want to do the rest of my life.

Deathgomper

I agree with plantwiz, a 4 year degree would be best. You're still young enough to do what you want. I would start working towards a degree and work on certs starting with the A+. After that you can do the other compTIA but at that point you can go in specific directions. My experience, happiness come in achieving of goals, so IMHO start making some goals. Start with an ultimate goal and work it into sub-goals.

If your unemployed then it may be easier to go to college, in MI you get 2 free years of college (if approved) from the no worker left behind program. The market is in the bottom of the toilet and with no experience and no education.....it don't look good.

On the plus side if this is what you want then go for it, figure out your goals, get enrolled in school, if you can't find a paying job then volunteer your time if possible because that counts as experience, even if it is one day a week.

After that it will be your attitude that really makes or breaks you.

Good Luck!!!

eljunbo809

So for me to join this field i need college degree? Certificate and experience is not going to get me no where and when i mean no where i mean descent paid 15+

Deathgomper

eljunbo809 wrote: »

So for me to join this field i need college degree? Certificate and experience is not going to get me no where and when i mean no where i mean descent paid 15+

No, I am just calling the shots like I see them. The one thing I didn't mention is that classic saying "It's not what you know, it's who you know." In other words your experience in finding a job will different than anyone elses. You will have a better shot with a 4 year degree. You will have a better shot with Certs. You will have a better shot with experience. You will have a better shot if you can impress the hiring manager. This is like calling a game that hasn't been played, and until it has we play it by the numbers.

If you have Certs plus experience then you will do well in my opinion because experience counts more than anything. If you have certs and no experience than than you will struggle. If you can get interviews than your impression will make or break. Certs, education, and experience truley only gets you noticed, it's how you handle yourself that get's you a actuall job.

Your pay will always be uncertian starting out.

mikej412

eljunbo809 wrote: »

So you telling me that certificate isn't gonna help me get a descent paid ?

There's nothing magical about any certification that will get you a job.

eljunbo809 wrote: »

14-18 dollars

There are people that use just their people skills to land their first job and make that -- or more. And there are people with Certifications and Degrees that are unemployed.

It comes down to what YOU do to find a job and maximize your opportunities.

The more education you have, the more opportunities will be open to you.

The more certifications you have -- and are able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills on a job interview -- the more opportunities will be available to you.

The more experience you're able to acquire, the more opportunities will be available to you.

The more time you spend OUT LOOKING for a job -- and not sitting at home hoping a job falls off the internet into your lap -- the more available jobs you're likely to find.

If you need some motivation, go talk to a recruiter or two for the various Military branches.

Devilsbane

You could read a book on what to do with your life and still not have any idea.

I'll keep it short. You need to get something. It doesn't matter what just go get it. Pick up a degree, do A+, get a job working with computers. (3rd would be the hardest). Try to find a school that you like and go there. A 2 year degree is nearly required just to prove that you can commit to something. And if you can't commit to school, then what makes you think you are going to commit to a job?

A+ alone probably won't be making $14-$18 an hour. Probably closer to $10. (Which isn't too bad). And even if it could, it is a tough job market out there. There are people with 10+ years experience getting helpdesk jobs just because they need to have some type of cash flow. You need to compete with them, jobs aren't just going to come find you. (They still don't come looking for you when you have A+, Net+ either.)

eljunbo809

Deathgomper thank you for your quick response. Can i ask how you started in this field did you enter with a college degree or without? And what advice can i receive from you is A+ good enought to hunt for a job or should i get another certificate ? Because something i want people to know in this forum that i dont care if i make minimum wage what i care the most is the knowledge that i am going to get in this field. So i dont mind starting at 8 but i would like to know if there is advancement like can i start at 8 and the after 1 year end making 18 ? You get what i am trying to said?

eljunbo809

I appreciate everyone quick response. And i am learning alot from you guys thank you.

Deathgomper

eljunbo809 wrote: »

Deathgomper thank you for your quick response. Can i ask how you started in this field did you enter with a college degree or without? And what advice can i receive from you is A+ good enought to hunt for a job or should i get another certificate ? Because something i want people to know in this forum that i dont care if i make minimum wage what i care the most is the knowledge that i am going to get in this field. So i dont mind starting at 8 but i would like to know if there is advancement like can i start at 8 and the after 1 year end making 18 ? You get what i am trying to said?

I started in this field when I worked steel construction. Yes I walk steel beams and do a lot of connecting, which was fine between the ages of 18 and 25. I have worked steel while getting a A.A.S and my certs. The Certs + a degree have gotten me interviews but because I have little experience it's tough love. But I never give up and I know what I want.

Certs do one thing, "get you noticed." Depending on where your at in this crap economy depends on some of your options.

IF you get a entry level job than it depends on you. Some people like tech support jobs and are willing to do that for years or ever. Most continue education and climb the IT ladder.

The Point of this entire thread is one thing........... YOU!!!!!! If your a drunk lazy arse that is content on working a job just so he/she can pay rent and have a 6 pack each night than you will go nowhere. If you get an entry level job in IT and continue to learn, better yourself than you can achieve more than you ever dreamed (maybe).

eljunbo809

Deathgomper wrote: »

I started in this field when I worked steel construction. Yes I walk steel beams and do a lot of connecting, which was fine between the ages of 18 and 25. I have worked steel while getting a A.A.S and my certs. The Certs + a degree have gotten me interviews but because I have little experience it's tough love. But I never give up and I know what I want.

Certs do one thing, "get you noticed." Depending on where your at in this crap economy depends on some of your options.

IF you get a entry level job than it depends on you. Some people like tech support jobs and are willing to do that for years or ever. Most continue education and climb the IT ladder.

The Point of this entire thread is one thing........... YOU!!!!!! If your a drunk lazy arse that is content on working a job just so he/she can pay rent and have a 6 pack each night than you will go nowhere. If you get an entry level job in IT and continue to learn, better yourself than you can achieve more than you ever dreamed (maybe).

thank you so much.

NetworkingStudent

eljunbo809 wrote: »

Ok guys thank you so much for reading this. well the reason why i became a member from this site is because i want answer to my questions, and maybe you guys are the best to answer my question. I am currently 22 years of age and jobless, thru out my life i have been deciding what to do with my life i go to college but get bored of it because there isn't a thing that interest me so i have no college credit only F's because i stop going, I love computer alot i have been using computer since age of 10 i recently switch to mac this year because i want to try it and so far love it, well sorry for my grammar and spelling to make story short i have been working security guard jobs so far since age of 18 at that age i was taking a almost 1 year program to become cisco certified but i drop out after like 2 weeks because that was when i found a job doing security and they need it morning person so i decided to take the job. Now That i am 22 I am looking at my self in a mirror and i am saying i need some kind of job that could give me a descent paid and so far i am wasting my life doing nothing just sitting around with my girl at home now for 1 year without working no unemployment living in my mom house.

well my question is this i order the book A+ i am going to study and than take the test. now after i do that what should be next should i start looking for a job as a entry level help desk or should i get another certificate i was thinking doing NEtwork after i pass the A+.

Ok if i do pass the A+ and I start Looking for help desk entry level job is there other way other then sending resume over the internet to look for job like for instance going to a building and asking for it supervisor?

What kind of salary i am going to expect as entry level help desk with A+? can you share with me what salary you had what you did after you gotten the job. please share with me your experience.

I live in NYC

I am honestly good with computer i know how to install hard drive burners more memory processor etc.

PLEASE CAN SOMEONE Give me some kind of counseling i will appreciate it a lot.

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Devilsbane

It wasn't hard for me to show up. I missed a few classes here and there, (English or something). But I never had a problem with tech classes. I wanted to be there and I wanted to learn. If you are finding it hard to pay attention in a tech class it could mean a few things.

1) Wrong class. Maybe this class is too advanced for you and you're lost. Maybe it isn't advanced enough and you got bored.

2) Bad teacher. A bad teacher can make any class a horror.

3) Wrong field. If you are sitting in these classes and don't care about any of the material. Then maybe you just aren't cut out to have a job with computers. Enjoying computer games is one thing. Having a constant desire to learn and tinker is another.

A former teacher of mine used to say, the day you stop learning is the day you start planning for retirement. I think this could pertain to nearly any field, but it is especially important with regards to IT. Technology is always changing, and if you aren't willing to keep up it will blow right by you. He used to say that once you stop learning you better be less than 5 years from retirement. This number can be very subjective, but I think 5 years is a good average. This doesn't mean you need to be in college forever, but you will need to read books, read articles, or even talk with other fellow nerds, to keep your skills sharp. Studying for new certs is a good way to learn new material and keep yourself on track. If you can't commit to that, then again, maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

eljunbo809

Devilsbane wrote: »

It wasn't hard for me to show up. I missed a few classes here and there, (English or something). But I never had a problem with tech classes. I wanted to be there and I wanted to learn. If you are finding it hard to pay attention in a tech class it could mean a few things.

1) Wrong class. Maybe this class is too advanced for you and you're lost. Maybe it isn't advanced enough and you got bored.

2) Bad teacher. A bad teacher can make any class a horror.

3) Wrong field. If you are sitting in these classes and don't care about any of the material. Then maybe you just aren't cut out to have a job with computers. Enjoying computer games is one thing. Having a constant desire to learn and tinker is another.

A former teacher of mine used to say, the day you stop learning is the day you start planning for retirement. I think this could pertain to nearly any field, but it is especially important with regards to IT. Technology is always changing, and if you aren't willing to keep up it will blow right by you. He used to say that once you stop learning you better be less than 5 years from retirement. This number can be very subjective, but I think 5 years is a good average. This doesn't mean you need to be in college forever, but you will need to read books, read articles, or even talk with other fellow nerds, to keep your skills sharp. Studying for new certs is a good way to learn new material and keep yourself on track. If you can't commit to that, then again, maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

well I was taking Criminal justice and then switch to accounting they dont have computer major in my school yeah i know is crazy, that is why i get upset because is boring the course i dont like accounting or criminal justice and then the school that offer computer degree are tooo expensive and they are private institute.

Devilsbane

eljunbo809 wrote: »

well I was taking Criminal justice and then switch to accounting they dont have computer major in my school yeah i know is crazy, that is why i get upset because is boring the course i dont like accounting or criminal justice and then the school that offer computer degree are tooo expensive and they are private institute.

You shouldn't be requried to attend private college for computers. There are plenty of (at least in my area) community 2 year and state 4 year colleges with much lower prices. There are also numerous computer technical schools that you can go, and some of them are online based so no matter where you live you have the potential to go there.

Just from what I've read, it seems like online classes might not be the best choice for you. At least for me, it is far to easy to slack off, or to just get lost in the material and not spend enough time trying to learn it.
(Keep in mind that I don't actually know you, I've only read a few posts you've written and I could be completely wrong. Maybe online classes would be perfect for you.)

eljunbo809

Devilsbane wrote: »

You shouldn't be requried to attend private college for computers. There are plenty of (at least in my area) community 2 year and state 4 year colleges with much lower prices. There are also numerous computer technical schools that you can go, and some of them are online based so no matter where you live you have the potential to go there.

Just from what I've read, it seems like online classes might not be the best choice for you. At least for me, it is far to easy to slack off, or to just get lost in the material and not spend enough time trying to learn it.
(Keep in mind that I don't actually know you, I've only read a few posts you've written and I could be completely wrong. Maybe online classes would be perfect for you.)

is true what you are saying online classes is not for me i took some for my criminal justice major and i always slack off. yeah is true what you are saying that there is public college but they are far from where i live 1 hour on the train maybe more, and i want a school close to my area less than 30 minutes that when if someday hopefully i found a job i wont be so tired so get me?

Devilsbane

eljunbo809 wrote: »

get me?

Completely.

Not everything works out perfectly though. I would love to have all my schooling paid for and have it across the street so I can walk over. Not gonna happen. I worked 40 hours a week to pay for it, and drove 25 minutes to get to school. Not the ideal situation, but a couple years later I'm graduated with a job in the field, making more money, and not being upset in the morning that I have to go to work.

Couple years of hard work has paid off, and if I play my cards right, I should make more money, working better hours (worked overnights while going to school), and actually liking what I do for the rest of my life.

dancreaney

Very important. I'm taking one cert after the other and I wish I had started sooner. I can see it being very tough to get a new helpdesk job when you lose one the older you get. When I start a new job I try to follow a piece of advice I was given 'make the job yours, and make yourself indispensable'. If no one else can do your job, it's harder to lose it.

I very much recommend a 4 year degree, it's hard to get an interview in NY even for a entry level tech job without one. Also commuting is a b*tch but it has to be done sometimes. I commuted an hour in and an hour back for the last three years, and I consider that a standard commute.

burner27

Deathgomper wrote: »

I started in this field when I worked steel construction. Yes I walk steel beams and do a lot of connecting, which was fine between the ages of 18 and 25. I have worked steel while getting a A.A.S and my certs. The Certs + a degree have gotten me interviews but because I have little experience it's tough love. But I never give up and I know what I want.

Certs do one thing, "get you noticed." Depending on where your at in this crap economy depends on some of your options.

IF you get a entry level job than it depends on you. Some people like tech support jobs and are willing to do that for years or ever. Most continue education and climb the IT ladder.

The Point of this entire thread is one thing........... YOU!!!!!! If your a drunk lazy arse that is content on working a job just so he/she can pay rent and have a 6 pack each night than you will go nowhere. If you get an entry level job in IT and continue to learn, better yourself than you can achieve more than you ever dreamed (maybe).

I agree with you here man. My story is this:

I went to college as a criminal justice major. I did horrible on the pre-requisites. I switched my major to psychology in my sophomore year. The last class I took in college for my degree totally turned me off of psychology--but I finished and got my degree. The entire time I was in college I was also running my own landscaping business. Working 60 hours a week while taking a full course load of classes. I was determined to finish in 4 years. I did it though. After college, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I still continued running my business while I took classes for my post-graduate degree in exercise physiology. I was doing poorly at that as well. I was always interested in computers and I didn't want to do landscaping the rest of my life. The money was great but I wanted something more--something better for my life. I enrolled in MSCE classes at a technology training school and passed all the exams to become an MCSE (took me 1.25 years to do it but I did).

Looking for a job was another story. It is totally true that it's not what you know but who you know when trying to get a job. You will get the bottom of the barrel job starting out. It's up to you to gain the experience while on the job. My first technology job was a document conversion job at a law firm in NYC. I had to watch over 12 computers that were running batch jobs of 1 million documents to convert them from WordPerfect to Word97. I was not allowed to leave until the jobs were completed. This would mean if I came in at 9am (9 to 5pm was my normal schedule) and a batch job started, it may go into the next day. Yeah, you read that right!! Sometimes my shift was 9am one morning till 12pm the next day. Oh sure I would get to go home after the batch job was done and 'rest up' but I would have to be there the next day at 9am. It sucked. But I put my time in and finally worked my way up the ladder.

After I got all the experience I could from that job, I networked with people I sat on the train with and got a job working for a bank. Did the same thing in terms of gaining experience. Then I went to another job. I got to one job where i was making $100k/yr--I thought all was fine and dandy. I stopped studying, I stopped learning--I did a mundane job that wasn't really challenging. I would spend the time on the train ride home watching movies rather than learning. I got soft - intellectually. Then my world got rocked. Because of the 'economic meltdown' I lost my 100k job as did many of my co-workers. I had to sell my house (no, I didn't live in a McMansion) to avoid foreclosure and I had to move in with my in laws. I had trouble finding a new job that paid as much as my old job. I had 10 years experience and I could not find a job. It took me 4 months to find a job and the best i could do was 60K/year. I vowed never to let myself get soft again. I threw away the things that distracted me on the train. I bought books. I studied. I have a better job now but I am not where I want to be. I don't want to put my family through that again if I can help it.

Keep learning--never stop. If you do, someone who has the 'eye of the tiger' will pass you and get the job you wanted. You are young enough where you can pay your dues now -- get the experience. Volunteer for things. Who cares if you don't get paid for it (duh- that's what volunteering is). The experience you gain cannot be taken away from you.

It's all up to you.

rogue2shadow

burner27 wrote: »

I agree with you here man. My story is this:

I went to college as a criminal justice major. I did horrible on the pre-requisites. I switched my major to psychology in my sophomore year. The last class I took in college for my degree totally turned me off of psychology--but I finished and got my degree. The entire time I was in college I was also running my own landscaping business. Working 60 hours a week while taking a full course load of classes. I was determined to finish in 4 years. I did it though. After college, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I still continued running my business while I took classes for my post-graduate degree in exercise physiology. I was doing poorly at that as well. I was always interested in computers and I didn't want to do landscaping the rest of my life. The money was great but I wanted something more--something better for my life. I enrolled in MSCE classes at a technology training school and passed all the exams to become an MCSE (took me 1.25 years to do it but I did).

Looking for a job was another story. It is totally true that it's not what you know but who you know when trying to get a job. You will get the bottom of the barrel job starting out. It's up to you to gain the experience while on the job. My first technology job was a document conversion job at a law firm in NYC. I had to watch over 12 computers that were running batch jobs of 1 million documents to convert them from WordPerfect to Word97. I was not allowed to leave until the jobs were completed. This would mean if I came in at 9am (9 to 5pm was my normal schedule) and a batch job started, it may go into the next day. Yeah, you read that right!! Sometimes my shift was 9am one morning till 12pm the next day. Oh sure I would get to go home after the batch job was done and 'rest up' but I would have to be there the next day at 9am. It sucked. But I put my time in and finally worked my way up the ladder.

After I got all the experience I could from that job, I networked with people I sat on the train with and got a job working for a bank. Did the same thing in terms of gaining experience. Then I went to another job. I got to one job where i was making $100k/yr--I thought all was fine and dandy. I stopped studying, I stopped learning--I did a mundane job that wasn't really challenging. I would spend the time on the train ride home watching movies rather than learning. I got soft - intellectually. Then my world got rocked. Because of the 'economic meltdown' I lost my 100k job as did many of my co-workers. I had to sell my house (no, I didn't live in a McMansion) to avoid foreclosure and I had to move in with my in laws. I had trouble finding a new job that paid as much as my old job. I had 10 years experience and I could not find a job. It took me 4 months to find a job and the best i could do was 60K/year. I vowed never to let myself get soft again. I threw away the things that distracted me on the train. I bought books. I studied. I have a better job now but I am not where I want to be. I don't want to put my family through that again if I can help it.

Keep learning--never stop. If you do, someone who has the 'eye of the tiger' will pass you and get the job you wanted. You are young enough where you can pay your dues now -- get the experience. Volunteer for things. Who cares if you don't get paid for it (duh- that's what volunteering is). The experience you gain cannot be taken away from you.

It's all up to you.

Well spoken

eljunbo809

burner27 wrote: »

I agree with you here man. My story is this:

I went to college as a criminal justice major. I did horrible on the pre-requisites. I switched my major to psychology in my sophomore year. The last class I took in college for my degree totally turned me off of psychology--but I finished and got my degree. The entire time I was in college I was also running my own landscaping business. Working 60 hours a week while taking a full course load of classes. I was determined to finish in 4 years. I did it though. After college, I didn't know what I wanted to do. I still continued running my business while I took classes for my post-graduate degree in exercise physiology. I was doing poorly at that as well. I was always interested in computers and I didn't want to do landscaping the rest of my life. The money was great but I wanted something more--something better for my life. I enrolled in MSCE classes at a technology training school and passed all the exams to become an MCSE (took me 1.25 years to do it but I did).

Looking for a job was another story. It is totally true that it's not what you know but who you know when trying to get a job. You will get the bottom of the barrel job starting out. It's up to you to gain the experience while on the job. My first technology job was a document conversion job at a law firm in NYC. I had to watch over 12 computers that were running batch jobs of 1 million documents to convert them from WordPerfect to Word97. I was not allowed to leave until the jobs were completed. This would mean if I came in at 9am (9 to 5pm was my normal schedule) and a batch job started, it may go into the next day. Yeah, you read that right!! Sometimes my shift was 9am one morning till 12pm the next day. Oh sure I would get to go home after the batch job was done and 'rest up' but I would have to be there the next day at 9am. It sucked. But I put my time in and finally worked my way up the ladder.

After I got all the experience I could from that job, I networked with people I sat on the train with and got a job working for a bank. Did the same thing in terms of gaining experience. Then I went to another job. I got to one job where i was making $100k/yr--I thought all was fine and dandy. I stopped studying, I stopped learning--I did a mundane job that wasn't really challenging. I would spend the time on the train ride home watching movies rather than learning. I got soft - intellectually. Then my world got rocked. Because of the 'economic meltdown' I lost my 100k job as did many of my co-workers. I had to sell my house (no, I didn't live in a McMansion) to avoid foreclosure and I had to move in with my in laws. I had trouble finding a new job that paid as much as my old job. I had 10 years experience and I could not find a job. It took me 4 months to find a job and the best i could do was 60K/year. I vowed never to let myself get soft again. I threw away the things that distracted me on the train. I bought books. I studied. I have a better job now but I am not where I want to be. I don't want to put my family through that again if I can help it.

Keep learning--never stop. If you do, someone who has the 'eye of the tiger' will pass you and get the job you wanted. You are young enough where you can pay your dues now -- get the experience. Volunteer for things. Who cares if you don't get paid for it (duh- that's what volunteering is). The experience you gain cannot be taken away from you.

It's all up to you.

Hey Thank you Man That what you wrote is great, So what i learn from what you wrote base on my understanding is that look at all you went thru you had a degree and than decided to go into the it department and you went to school for 1.25 yr to finish that certificate the MCSE. so the moral of this is that base on my understanding College Degree Is not that important, and also the knowledge and skills that you develop that is what counts. thank you all this people had me scare saying for me to go to school and finish a 2 or 4 year degree and that is something i don't want to do, I rather last 1 year taking a good certificate course and try to volunteer somewhere or accept a low offer paying job as a help desk where i could add many months of experience and then try to find me something that i could have my own apartment car raise my kids the proper way. Hopefully God Give me the strength's and motivation to accomplish this. THANK YOU

eljunbo809

rogue2shadow wrote: »

well spoken :d

yes well spoken a++ guy

rogue2shadow

eljunbo809 wrote: »

Hey Thank you Man That what you wrote is great, So what i learn from what you wrote base on my understanding is that look at all you went thru you had a degree and than decided to go into the it department and you went to school for 1.25 yr to finish that certificate the MCSE. so the moral of this is that base on my understanding College Degree Is not that important, and also the knowledge and skills that you develop that is what counts. thank you all this people had me scare saying for me to go to school and finish a 2 or 4 year degree and that is something i don't want to do, I rather last 1 year taking a good certificate course and try to volunteer somewhere or accept a low offer paying job as a help desk where i could add many months of experience and then try to find me something that i could have my own apartment car raise my kids the proper way. Hopefully God Give me the strength's and motivation to accomplish this. THANK YOU

My well spoken comment was probably not that helpful lol but he hit it right on the nail.

Essentially, what you wrote in response is a good start. Keep your head up high and stay determined and motivated. My moto has been that "your shadow is your own worst enemy". It is a reflection of the self beyond the light of the sun, it takes your shape and spiritually it is what you have become. We've all taken time at some point in our lives to take a step back and say "you know what x is where I am, and x is where I want to be" and believe it or not it takes a lot of strength to endulge in that kind of deep self-analysis.

Make sure that no matter what career path, whether it be IT (this new direction) or anything else, is something that you'll fall in love with as opposed to something that just pays the bills. The college degree thing; I would say take care of it sooner than later because as was cited above, alot of mid ranged to upper level jobs require a bachelors or higher.

As cited above, you're young; you're about my age (I'm 23). Time is somewhat on your side. I've been throughout alot trying to break into the IT world even with a bachelors degree, pro desktop technician experience, and a year of fed. tech support experience and I am still not where I want to be; but everyday I wake up, I promise myself that I will always learn more than I did the day before (I do have my lazy days though :P).

All in all, take this not as a revelation but as a new beginning of a new you; an IT professional who's about to show yourself, and the world, what you're made of.

Deathgomper

rogue2shadow wrote: »

Well spoken

Totally agree.

burner27

eljunbo809 wrote: »

Hey Thank you Man That what you wrote is great, So what i learn from what you wrote base on my understanding is that look at all you went thru you had a degree and than decided to go into the it department and you went to school for 1.25 yr to finish that certificate the MCSE. so the moral of this is that base on my understanding College Degree Is not that important, and also the knowledge and skills that you develop that is what counts. thank you all this people had me scare saying for me to go to school and finish a 2 or 4 year degree and that is something i don't want to do, I rather last 1 year taking a good certificate course and try to volunteer somewhere or accept a low offer paying job as a help desk where i could add many months of experience and then try to find me something that i could have my own apartment car raise my kids the proper way. Hopefully God Give me the strength's and motivation to accomplish this. THANK YOU

A 2 or 4 year degree IS very important. You misinterpreted what I was trying to say. Your education is very important. I finished college, attempted grad school and then went on and got my MCSE. Never did I stop learning. If you want something bad enough you will have to work for it. Don't take the easy route. No one will take you seriously in the professional world without a college degree (mostly).

burner27

rogue2shadow wrote: »

Well spoken

Congrats on getting the CCENT. I was wondering how hard that is compared to the Network+? What materials did you use to study?

eljunbo809

burner27 wrote: »

A 2 or 4 year degree IS very important. You misinterpreted what I was trying to say. Your education is very important. I finished college, attempted grad school and then went on and got my MCSE. Never did I stop learning. If you want something bad enough you will have to work for it. Don't take the easy route. No one will take you seriously in the professional world without a college degree (mostly).

Hey man sorry for been so sarcastic so in what way does that 4 year degree that you have help you get your it job? so you telling me because of that you are were you at?

burner27

eljunbo809 wrote: »

Hey man sorry for been so sarcastic so in what way does that 4 year degree that you have help you get your it job? so you telling me because of that you are were you at?

A 4 year college degree demonstrates that you're serious about your life goals and that you can commit to seeing something through. You should do that first then get your certs.

Deathgomper

burner27 wrote: »

A 4 year college degree demonstrates that you're serious about your life goals and that you can commit to seeing something through. You should do that first then get your certs.

Agree! A 4 year degree is where it's at, especially compared to a 2 year degree (what I have). That is why certs are so important to me in the game of getting started.

rogue2shadow

burner27 wrote: »

Congrats on getting the CCENT. I was wondering how hard that is compared to the Network+? What materials did you use to study?

I won't know how hard it is compared to Net+ until June 17 lol. This exam was no joke though. It'll keep you on your toes from the get-go.

I agree with burner about 4 year degrees.