How many late starters do we have on here?

I'm a late starter (35 yrs old) in IT due to some bad personal decision in my 20's. I am currently attending school at University of DC for my computer science with a specialization in network security. I'm hoping to find a entry level job maybe in a NOC or even better a SOC. I figured most of you guys are young but I was just curious to see if anybody else had their start in IT late.

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

UnixGuy

@StarxOn

What new career are you thinking of?

mart541

After my first semester in college I told my dad I hated econ and was thinking about switching to comp sci. He basically told me comp sci wasn't a "real" degree, so I switched to poli sci. May have been the single worst decision I have ever made. With the help of this forum I got A+ and Net+ a few years ago, which helped me get the job I have now, even though it’s really all legal work and no IT. I’d really like to switch to a job that has a legit IT crossover or to a straight up IT job, but it’s hard with over $100k in law school loans and I’d probably have to take a 50% pay cut. I’m 33. But I guess it’s either that or be bored out of my mind for 10 hours a day for the rest of my life…

Pratt2

Above mart541 post is me. Oops.

tkdgraben

36 here and just secured my first IT position. Graduated in Psychology worked in a hospital and a university. Moved to Japan to study Japanese and taught English for 10 years. Now moving back to the U.S. and will do help desk, server, and database work in Japanese. While working I got 3 certifications. A+, network+, and Windows 7 MCSA.

vlakarmis

Started at 28, got my certification in MTA October 2013 and then MCTS: Windows 7 Configuring in February 2014 and got a Job in 1st Line support in May 2014

I always wanted to do IT but veered off education wise and ended up wasting a lot of time working in Hotel Management.

Eventually my wife convinced me to take up my dream again and I did. Been working almost a year in a international recruitment agency supporting the consultants internally as well as the Executives etc.

Soon will have the 70-685 and move into 2nd line hopefully

Alexsmith

I'm glad others still find this thread helpful, since I created this thread last year this time I've moved on to security so it's possible to obtain your goals even if you started later in life.

Deathmage

I started IT at age 25 and I thought I was a late bloomer in the IT Industry. I guess I'm not as far a late bloomer as I thought. I got my 1st senior level IT manager role at 26 and it lead me to the point I am now 3 years later.

...However to be really granular, I worked at Geek Squad during boarding school in Burlington, VT when I was 15 through 18, but that was basically just advanced A+ stuff like PC repair, custom PC building, TV/Home-Network installs. I also had a clientele of about 45 people that I guess you would call consulting that I took care of and built home-networks and PC's for people from 17 til about 23.

Then from 23 to 25 I was a assistant manager at Mcdonald's but that just wasn't my cup of tea...