Not good field, giving up, have any of you ever done this?

SrSysAdmin

A fifth of Jack makes a man do crazy things.

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mikedisd2

JrSysAdmin wrote: »

A fifth of Jack makes a man do crazy things.

Just one? Courageous comes after 3. Crazy comes after 5.

hex_omega

Lightweight!

wd40

I want to quit IT and live on an "organic" Farm.

earweed

It's why I'm starting out in IT. Doing retail now, used to do maint. in manufacturing plants but gave it up. Still trying to land first IT job. I've been on interviews and even second round interviews but no luck so far.
Started at WGU and it's getting paid for by VA. 1 year left til i have my degree and I'd hate to START my first IT job with a degree as I expect to start on bottom somewhere.
This'll essentially be my third career change Navy > Manufacturing > IT

jahsoul

earweed wrote: »

It's why I'm starting out in IT. Doing retail now, used to do maint. in manufacturing plants but gave it up. Still trying to land first IT job. I've been on interviews and even second round interviews but no luck so far.
Started at WGU and it's getting paid for by VA. 1 year left til i have my degree and I'd hate to START my first IT job with a degree as I expect to start on bottom somewhere.
This'll essentially be my third career change Navy > Manufacturing > IT

I know exactly what you are talking about man. I'm in the same boat (minus the certs). It's just one of those things while I sit patiently.

Air Force>Manufacturing (shakes fist @ HMMA)>IT (one day)

Forsaken_GA

I'm more of a Maker's Mark man myself

GWadejr34

I'm curious because I'm going into this field. Is it really that hard to get into or move up in the IT field? I will starting at WGU in May and will concentrate on a BS IT - Security. I'm 33 so I don't think I'll be starting over too many times as I'm running out of time and to add to that I'm married with four young daughters...hmmm...I've been reading the post for this forum for a while now and learned a lot of great things just by paying attention, but a recurring theme has been the difficulty of the IT field and it really concerns me at this point. I don't want to make a decision that will put me 10 steps back in life.

I really thought IT would be a great field to go into, I guess at this point I have to continue along the IT path and focus on security to make myself as much of an assest as possible. Ultimately I guess each of us that's new to the field has to have a goal to focus on and a path to get there. I wish all of you luck and I hope things work out for those of you that are new like myself. For those of you that are in the field and lookign to move out; what is it that made you want to go in another direction?

crrussell3

GWadejr34 wrote: »

I'm curious because I'm going into this field. Is it really that hard to get into or move up in the IT field? I will starting at WGU in May and will concentrate on a BS IT - Security. I'm 33 so I don't think I'll be starting over too many times as I'm running out of time and to add to that I'm married with four young daughters...hmmm...I've been reading the post for this forum for a while now and learned a lot of great things just by paying attention, but a recurring theme has been the difficulty of the IT field and it really concerns me at this point. I don't want to make a decision that will put me 10 steps back in life.

Today's economy has made things a little interesting in the IT field for all of us, especially those of us who have been displaced. But, as in most specialized fields, its "typically" only as difficult as the time and effort you put into it. You have to realize, that you will start at the bottom, or pretty much close to it. You won't be a Systems/Network Administrator in one or two years. You won't be make 70/80/90k year in one or two years.

This field takes dedication and determination to move ahead. You have to make yourself stand out from the crowd, and show that you are trustworthy and knowledgeable enough to take on those "special" projects from the Sys/Network Admins.

You mentioned that you have plans on going to WGU and getting your BS in IT. That is a great start. That will get you the degree and certifications along the way that can help make you stand out. Just realize that they aren't the only part of the equation, and don't equal a magic ticket to the big bucks. It takes time, dedication, and being able to apply your knowledge on the job.

You mention your keep reading people who are "giving up", and find the field "too difficult" to advance in. While yes, there may be a smaller percentage of those of are having a stroke of bad luck, but, for the majority of them, its because of they are looking for that "magic ticket". They enter the field thinking in one or two years they should be doing Sys admin work, and making the big bucks. Whether they were mislead by a recruiter or ad for a school, promising big bucks with a degree, or they just expected everything handed to them with minimal effort, they are the reason they failed in this industry, not the other way around.

Basically, to sum it all up, if you are dedicated, put in the time working your way up, and never stop learning, you can go far in the IT Industry, and maybe, along the way, make the big bucks. Just realize it won't happen overnight, there are no magic tickets or free rides, and you just have to keep trying.

laptop

Everyone always say start from the bottom.......

But, the worst thing is that I'm willing to start from the bottom doing IT work. But, nobody will hire me. Even this is so hard to get my foot in the door. I tried to volunteer in IT and guess what? Requrie several interview sessions and everyone is competing for IT jobs in recession.

I have no idea what to do now.

skrpune

laptop wrote: »

Everyone always say start from the bottom.......

But, the worst thing is that I'm willing to start from the bottom doing IT work. But, nobody will hire me. Even this is so hard to get my foot in the door. I tried to volunteer in IT and guess what? Requrie several interview sessions and everyone is competing for IT jobs in recession.

I have no idea what to do now.

not to oversimplify the problem, but my answer would be to keep trying. This economy is making it difficult for just about anyone to find a job, and breaking in when you have little to no experience is hard when there are qualified people who are willing to take just about any job. It's going to take some time and patience to find something.

Use your contacts, tweak your resume & cover letter, send out resumes, send out more resumes, and then send out some more resumes. I'm not a huge fan of contract positions (I personally hate the idea of not having a permanent position), but they're a good option to look at if you're trying to get some real experience to add to your resume. If you haven't done so already, try contacting some "head hunters" - they have access to a wide variety of positions, and if you interview well and impress them, they can put you up for a multitude of jobs that you may not have otherwise known existed.

UnixGuy

I started learning music 6 months ago...I might quit IT who knows :P

dynamik

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

I'm more of a Maker's Mark man myself

I bought a bottle of that the other day. Some crazy lady behind me threw a fit because the wax wasn't red, which clearly meant it wasn't authentic. It was a special black and gold Saints edition...

bwcarty

This all reminds me that I haven't taken my tour of all the distilleries in Tennessee and Kentucky like I've been meaning to do....and someone from LA needs to send some Old New Orleans rum for me to sample. I can't find it in Atlanta.

Forsaken_GA

I keep meaning to pick up a bottle of absinthe, ever since the TTB relaxed it's restrictions on the thujone content. Maybe I'll do that after I get off work!

Paul Boz

pfffffffft make your own. Get the wormwood from your own source.

Absinthe Liquor

Forsaken_GA

well i'm not going to invest the time to make it if im not sure I'm going to like it! I want to try it mainly out of curiosity as to what the big deal is!

Paul Boz

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

well i'm not going to invest the time to make it if im not sure I'm going to like it! I want to try it mainly out of curiosity as to what the big deal is!

Then come on down here to New Orleans. You can get it at bars all over town. Some of the "darker" bars serve it the traditional style (cold and poured over a sugar cube).

Forsaken_GA

Paul Boz wrote: »

Then come on down here to New Orleans. You can get it at bars all over town. Some of the "darker" bars serve it the traditional style (cold and poured over a sugar cube).

I would love to man. I was in New Orleans for thanksgiving the year before Katrina hit, and fell in love with the city. I'm sure there's a few bars in Atlanta that server it as well, but seeing as how I get off work a 9am, most bars aren't open!

jeanathan

Honestly absinthe isn't worth the money. It gives a slightly speedy drunk, but a fifth of Early Times and a pack of smokes does the same thing. Both induce serious dehydration and vomiting. Btw, I am 30 days sober so stop making me want to party it is expensive

On a side note is 30 too old to join the army, I don't want to work at Walmart with a BS in Computer Science and CCNP to top it off soon?

Forsaken_GA

jeanathan wrote: »

Honestly absinthe isn't worth the money. It gives a slightly speedy drunk, but a fifth of Early Times and a pack of smokes does the same thing. Both induce serious dehydration and vomiting. Btw, I am 30 days sober so stop making me want to party it is expensive

C'mon man, when it comes to drinking, I have to try it for myself! Taking other peoples word for it doesn't work! If I did that, then I'd have listened to all my friends who hate tequila and never become a fan of Patron!

mikedisd2

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

C'mon man, when it comes to drinking, I have to try it for myself! Taking other peoples word for it doesn't work! If I did that, then I'd have listened to all my friends who hate tequila and never become a fan of Patron!

Go for the 55% stuff; it has some taste. 70% stuff just tastes like kerosene. You can light it up though, which is cool.

loxleynew

laptop wrote: »

Everyone always say start from the bottom.......

But, the worst thing is that I'm willing to start from the bottom doing IT work. But, nobody will hire me. Even this is so hard to get my foot in the door. I tried to volunteer in IT and guess what? Requrie several interview sessions and everyone is competing for IT jobs in recession.

I have no idea what to do now.

Eh there are ALWAYS job opening on help desk/call line type It tier 1 level jobs. The turnover rate at those places are so high and all you need to know is how to press keys on a keyboard and answer calls. Start there for 6 months to a year then move on to a real IT job.