Looking for insight coming into the IT field.

Outkhast

Hello everyone,

I'm here to find some insight into this career field. I'm currently 31 and finally decided on what I would love to do as a career. My question is do you, as a group of professionals, do you think someone my age getting a A.A.S in Computer Networking from he's state community college could find a job in the IT field easily after graduation?

My main concern is my age when graduating. I will just be turning 34 and have 0 experience in the field, but I will be looking to relocate to Ohio after words, will that help me? Also after reading about WGU I will be taking their B.S. program in one of their IT fields after finding a decent job and settling into my new home.

Any input or thoughts would be great to hear!

Thank you,
Eric

it_consultant

What do you do now?

Outkhast

I know the basics pretty much. I know how to install software, build pcs and trouble shot most hardware issues in my pc. I've been building pcs personally for over 13 years for friends and family.

I think my biggest asset is my common sense.

I do have a goal for certifications when I graduate which will be my A+ and CCNA. After reviving those and working for a few months I will start WGU most likely.

it_consultant

I was wondering what your line of profession is now.

I have a 2 year degree and I can tell you that as it has never held me back, it never put me ahead of the pack. What DID was a CCNA in conjunction with some MCP tests.

Outkhast

Well I've been a factory rat most my life and with the fall of the economy came the fall in my past job. I've worked a lot of dead end jobs and just need a stable career and I'm praying this is it as I'm not getting any younger. lol

VAHokie56

Go for the degree you are not to old by any means. While you are in school try as hard as you can to get experience by volunteering or interning even if you don't get paid. If I was you and at the end of that 2 years of getting your degree I would try and have at least the A+ and enough legitimate experience to put on your resume and you should be able to get a decent entry level job.

MrRyte

Age is irrelevant; but don't think that it's a sure thing to get a IT degree or cert then find a job and make big bucks immediately.
Even if you got your certs in network administration or storage area networks, you'll still most likely have to enter the IT field via the unglamorous position of help desk then build up experience to move upwards.

blargoe

Outkhast wrote: »

Hello everyone,

I'm here to find some insight into this career field. I'm currently 31 and finally decided on what I would love to do as a career. My question is do you, as a group of professionals, do you think someone my age getting a A.A.S in Computer Networking from he's state community college could find a job in the IT field easily after graduation?

My main concern is my age when graduating. I will just be turning 34 and have 0 experience in the field, but I will be looking to relocate to Ohio after words, will that help me? Also after reading about WGU I will be taking their B.S. program in one of their IT fields after finding a decent job and settling into my new home.

Any input or thoughts would be great to hear!

Thank you,
Eric

You don't necessarily have to wait until graduation to start gaining experience; I think with your "off the record" experience, you could land a contract basis helpdesk job, a gig deploying PC's, or something like that. Anything like that you can find, do it. That will be a differentiator.

I think the biggest bang for the buck these days is the combination of 2-year community college degree (probably the cheapest way to get IT education out there), some entry level certs, and whatever jobs you can pick up along the way, even short term gigs.

drew726

I started out working for free by volunteering. You gotta do what you gotta do.

CodeBlox

VAHokie56 wrote: »

Go for the degree you are not to old by any means. While you are in school try as hard as you can to get experience by volunteering or interning even if you don't get paid. If I was you and at the end of that 2 years of getting your degree I would try and have at least the A+ and enough legitimate experience to put on your resume and you should be able to get a decent entry level job.

This is exactly what happened to me. I finished the associates of science in CS and am working towards the BS in CS. I got A+ around the time I finished A.S. in CS and I finally have my entry level job that has tremendous opportunity It works out because the job is full time and I don't have the money to go to school full time so I work full time and school part time. By the time I finish my B.S. I'll have enough real experience to land a nice gig. However by the end of the year or early next year I hopefully can get into our NOC here.

bababooey1

I switch from landscape designer to IT when I was 30 (11 years ago). It involved a lot of late night and early morning study time (and still does) but if you stick with it, it'll pay off. Go for it.