If you had to do all over again

abinclane

Well, if I had to do it all over again, I would have waited for the first university I applied for. They put me on a waiting list and I thought I would be accepted.
When it comes to my major, I wouldn't have it any other way since I met great people along the way.

spicy ahi

I originally joined the Air Force National Guard a year into college to earn the GI Bill and pay for my degree. I think what I would've done differently would have been either gone active duty and hopefully stayed (I'd probably be testing for E-7 by now, if not an officer) Either that or gone back to school and finished my EE degree instead of taking the full time job with my unit. Granted, it was a government job that made decent money, but it was in a field that was both dying (small electronics repair; I soldered components to a circuit board for four years) and ultimately unrelated to my desired profession. A good friend of mine from my unit who came in a year after me instead turned down the same job and went off to became a defense contractor. Now he's got a good six figure job and basically all the certs (CCIE in particular) and the job that I'm pursuing while I'm still chasing the dream.

Rakurai

I have some very small changes that I would make.

1. Grown up faster and done college/certifications once I go t my first duty station (07). Instead, I just started college in Nov 09, right after I got my A+, and stopped for current deployment in Afghanistan... 1 more week and I'll be home.

2. Pushed harder for my TS. Originally applied for a position in DC before first deploymnet to Iraq, 08. After returning home it seemed like nobody was willing to help me finish my TS (needed 2nd interview) until I emailed OPM about the problems I was having.

3. #2 would have lead me to having my TS about 6 months earlier and I would not be sitting in KAF right now waiting to go home, I would be sitting in DC.

Luckily at the age of 21 1/2 I realized playing video games wasn't going to get me very far... yet I still play as a relaxer from studying.

GAngel

Economics professor. But i'm still young so I'll get there.

Forsaken_GA

I'd have followed the same path into IT, but I would have avoided the mistakes.

As it is, I regret nothing. If I hadn't have made those mistakes, I wouldn't have learned anything, and I wouldn't have any hindsight to look back on and realize what I should have done differently. The past makes a good guide to the future, so that's what I focus on.

Piers

I'm in a pretty good place career-wise, I get paid not too badly and the job isn't a millstone so I have lots of time to be with my family..

I *would* however try to drink less during my 2nd go-round at post-secondary and get my degree when I was there.. I spent a lot of time on wine women and song, and the rest of my time and money I wasted

I also might like to know how different things would be if I'd stayed in my original city rather than taking the very first offer within my organization that relocated me to another city.

but wish in one hand and .. well, you know. the other hand is more full

bertieb

- I should have done a few certs earlier on than I did, but its never too late.
- I should have practised more at cricket.
- I should have taken more care and not cut and pasted the wrong config onto a production router in 2001.
- I should have avoided the pie from a well known UK store that kindly gave me salmonella last year.

Nothing major (apart from the pie incident ) Look forwards I say!

bermovick

That's easy. I would have started this about 15 years earlier. Sucks turning 40 this year and just now officially starting to get into IT. It's a bit rough feeling the lack of years and years of time available to advance up to where I'd like to be. Makes you feel the need to move quicker and be sure every move is in the direction you want (and stressed out when those aren't happening, like my current NOC job, but that's a different thread I should make)

instant000

I'm not sure I'd want to do it any other way.
Majoring in Chemistry and then quitting because I didn't want to work with it was a good lesson for me.
Attempting then a major in information systems and quitting because I hated going to class was a good lesson for me.
Joining the U.S. Army and getting to go around the world was a good lesson for me.
Getting a bachelor's degree from a nationally accredited school was a good lesson for me. (Note to others: nationally accredited is essentially worthless, if you plan to go to a good school later on.)
Working a job of 14 hour days and driving across three states was a good lesson for me.
Working a job of perpetual on-call and things breaking constantly due to improper change control and un-educated users and admins was a good lesson for me.
Working a job alongside servicemembers and contractors is currently a good lesson for me.

And in personal life? I've had my share of bad relationships, but without those, I wouldn't have learned what I really wanted out of a relationship, and would not be with the great woman I am with right now.

I mean, consider that I had younger dreams like this:

1. Play sports in high school, be a running back, and break the all-time NFL rushing record (Yes, this used to be a dream of mine, how ridiculous is that?)
2. Live a life of purity, and sacrifice myself for the entire world. (This was a childhood dream of mine, when I was just learning what a Messiah was, talk about ambition! ... this one was particularly rediculous in retrospect.)
3. *** life of Wilt Chamberlain, longevity of George Burns

Now, if I could take all of that wisdom and experience that I had right now, AND be young all over again, then I would do this:
(Management Track)
1. Enter college out of junior high school, when I first had the opportunity.
2. Join the military after securing a couple master's, and be a signal officer
3. CIO/CEO of a top-notch defense contractor
(Technical Track)
1. Enter college out of junior high school, when I first had the opportunity.
2. Join the military after securing a couple masters, and go enlisted
3. Go warrant
4. Be a top technical mind, like Mark Russinovich, Scott Morris, Brian Madden, etc.

VAHokie56

bertieb wrote: »

- I should have taken more care and not cut and pasted the wrong config onto a production router in 2001.

Whomp..Whomp

Biggest thing I would change ( I am only 28 ) would be not buying a brand new shiny vehicle fresh out of college...much better things to be putting the money from a car payment towards at that age

cyberguypr

I'm a big believer in chaos theory. Everything that happened in the past helped shaping what/where I am right now. As a result, there's nothing I would change. I guess I've been lucky I've never been fired or went thought jobs that feel and looked like the portal to hell.

it_consultant

I would never have gotten any stupid credit cards!

QHalo

I would've went into graphic design and studio art. I'm rectifying that now by looking into continuing education classes and what it would take to get an MFA. I kinda want to teach on the side and see if its a full time gig if you can find a part-time art teaching position. In the meantime cert up and keep the money coming in and not lose my mind.

UnixGuy

I really don't know !

I consider myself very lucky in so many things, but the grass always look greener on the other side of the fence.

I'm very happy with my career choices so far, and looking forward the next step. I have a secret wish of attending a top university, but I think this is not possible anytime soon. Maybe it's better this way, who knows

MrRyte

bermovick wrote: »

Oh sheesh, the things I would do different, but then again I'm 39 and just now trying to get into the game.

I think the biggest thing I'd change though would be 8-9 years ago when I first started studying to get into IT. Found out I had a daughter on the way and got a mailroom job with a big corporation (with lots of room for advancement). Took the job and stopped studying. Now I'm not working (after 9 years with only 2 promotions (both within the first 1.5 years)) and I think where I'd be if I'd've continued studying and applied for IT jobs while still working at the mailroom/data entry.

Kinda like my situation except for having a child.
As much as I want to cry about how unfair life is, I've come to realize that the choices I've made in my past are the reasons that I'm at where I am in life as of the moment.

There are many things that I would love to do over: choose better friends, been more studious in college, not wasting time being a Don Juan wannabe, not play as many video games, practice piano and guitar more, joined the Air Force Reserves, not waste time in a "be-your-own-boss" multilevel recruitment scam for two years, pay more attention to paying bills, be more disciplined and focused in college and not allow the duties of life get in the way of achieving goals.

Don't know when it happened; but I just got to a point where I finally put my foot down and started to get serious with myself and got more focused on what I wanted to do with my life. As a result, my social life has been reduced to just spending time with my nephews and taking my girl out on cheap dates (for now). I don't socialize and most of the time I'm awake I'm either studying, practicing guitar or piano (trying to improve my sight-playing skills), exercising (basic cardio) or practicing CISCO. Heck; I'm studying/practicing REAL HARD for the CCNA/ICND2 exam so that I can move up and out of this mailroom/distribution center position ASAY.

chrisone

I would pursue the same goals, i just would have done them earlier. I took off 3 -4 years in my early 20's to study "other" careers. I am 30 now , but i wish i could have completed all my cert goals before 30. It wont be that bad, I only have a few left to go i know i can get them all done before i turn 32.:D

crrussell3

My progress to where I am at today was been an interesting one...

I started off finishing college, ITT Tech (ya I know) with my AAS for Computer Aided Drafting/Design. After a year or two, I started going back to school for Systems Administration. I completed all my MCSE 2000 classes, CCNA classes, dropped out of A+ as the teacher was a complete idiot, and finished most of my general ed classes. I had about a year remaining of gen ed classes. Some things came up, I dropped out and never went back.

I didn't take any of my exams at the time, and wish I would have. I guess I was "scared" to make a change in career at that time, as I was comfortable making decent money doing CADD. For another seven years I kicked myself for not getting into IT, and then I was laid off. At that time I had switched from a job doing 50% CAD/Design/AutoCAD Programming and 50% IT, to being a full time Mechanical Technician (designing hvac, plumbing, fire protection, etc for commerical buildings). I was then able to secure a couple contracts doing IT, as there was nothing for me in the Engineering field, as they wanted degreed Engineers, which I wasn't.

Basically, I would have finished my degree, took my certs, and got a job right away in IT instead of letting me getting laid off seven years later make that decision for me.

thenjduke

erpadmin wrote: »

1) Gone to Seton Hall University.

2) Studied either Pre-Law or History.

3) Gone to Law School (either Rutgers or Seton Hall)

4) Had a decent practice.

5) Call one of you guys for my IT issues instead of learning/doing it myself.

Instead....I...

1) Did the bare minimum in high school and got in a third-tier public school.

2) Pledged a fraternity my first semester and partied like it was no tomorrow and forgot about going to class.

3) Got a full time job doing IT work.

4) I now go to school online for a BS degree in IT...15 years later. (Better late than never, right? )

5) Will apply for the same school I wanted to go to for my BS to earn my Masters.

Mind you, I have a number of options Post-WGU...including getting a Graduate Certificate in CyberSecurity, which would be paid for. But as of now, I'm considering SHU as one of my top three-four.

Wow does this sound all familiar

Turgon

Trained to be a doctor. But by the time I had an inkling I would have liked to have done that I was too old and doing a different degree

Lamini

If I could do it all again... hmmm, thats easy... not a day that goes by that reminds me about it...

#1 Stayed in the Military, get a degree while in, then reap the rewards after the quick 20yrs, savings in medical bills, extra paycheck every month... ride on that clearance when you join the real world.

#2 With a degree and as a retired military, it would be tough to not get an OK career. Add certs as needed.

#3 Enjoy time with the family, pay off house.

Jinuyr

Had I known that I was going to end up in IT again I would have completed my IT degree and would have been working on or completing my Master's by now.

Now I have a Culinary Arts Degree in the IT Industry =P

elphrank0

I would still be in IT as I knew from a young age this is where I wanted to be. But:

1. I wouldn't have the high student loan amount by not going to ITT for my Associates.

2. Lessened my student loan amounts by not getting my BSIT from UOP.

3. Went to a small IT firm to get more in depth knowledge of products.

4. I love my job but very limited with the skills I have learned here as there are so many teams that handle things.

5. Took time off from Classes while handling the facil move last year. This would have allowed me to not be on academic disqual for a few months and could possible finished my MBA sooner.

XiaoTech

I would have gotten my A+ after finishing a technical school six years ago, get some good exp, and have a decent career by now. But instead, after the technical school, I ended up entering a university, saw a Asian Studies/Japanese as a major, and messed up my career plans (Liberal Arts degree = McDonalds certification). ^^;; I don't regret my time in Japan, but I do regret my time here in Korea (at least they pay extremely well). I hope to bring everything back to normal in a few months with certs and some networking back home.

alan2308

I would have started College immediately after leaving the military and not tried holding on to a career in a dying field. Instead, I waited too long and ran out of GI Bill eligibility about half way through.

Besides that, nothing major.