When should you start to consider yourself an "IT Professional"?

I was at work here on the helpdesk and I was talking to someone who also works on the helpdesk just as I and I said something along the lines of "I was very excited when I got this job as a way into IT finally" to which he responded "This isn't a real IT job". While I caught what he said, it didn't make the conversation end or anything, it went on. What I want to know is, when should people start considering themselves "IT Professionals"? Are helpdesk techies considered "IT Professionals"? Is it when you land some engineering or admin level job? WHEN?!

EDIT: Just to be clear, I'm just wondering when people begin to call themselves an "IT Professional". I haven't been "worrying" about obtaining a "meaningless title invented by HR".

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Comments

ptilsen

If you guys are involved in fixing computers or networks, that's IT. Entry-level IT is still IT. Helpdesk is just as much a member of the IT department as directory (sometimes more so). I think he was being derisive of the accomplishment just because, yes, there are many ways up from helpdesk. That doesn't mean helpdesk "doesn't count".

NetworkVeteran

You're a professional (rather than an amateur) as soon as you're making a living from IT rather than doing it for the pure love of it. 'Professional' doesn't imply skilled, knowledgeable, etc.

dustinmurphy

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

You're a professional (rather than an amateur) as soon as you're making a living from IT rather than doing it for the pure love of it. 'Professional' doesn't imply skilled, knowledgeable, etc.

What if you do it for the pure love of it... and make money?

I think you said something that should be emphasized. Just because you're a "professional" at something, doesn't mean you're good at it. It just means that somehow you're making money from it.

paul78

I don't do a lot of hands-on work and some may consider it as nonIT. But I enjoy my work and I still consider my work as IT related. My point - it really doesn't matter what others think. It's how you feel about it.

wweboy

OP,

How are you still on the help desk you have a CCNA, are you able to put your Cisco skills to good use? no disrespect or or anything just curious has the CCNA been beneficial for you?

CodeBlox

wweboy wrote: »

OP,

How are you still on the help desk you have a CCNA, are you able to put your Cisco skills to good use? no disrespect or or anything just curious has the CCNA been beneficial for you?

I just got it last week

Daniel333

When you stop worrying about meaningless titles that HR departments pat themselves on the back for inventing and getting yourself paid!

WafflesAndRootbeer

wweboy wrote: »

OP,

How are you still on the help desk you have a CCNA, are you able to put your Cisco skills to good use? no disrespect or or anything just curious has the CCNA been beneficial for you?

Don't read into that, even though he did get it last week. The CCNA is really not much of anything but a stepping stone and it's not going to get you hands-on time with anything in most cases unless you happen to be one of those lucky kids who gets a gig with training at a Cisco partner.

NetworkVeteran

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

The CCNA is really not much of anything but a stepping stone and it's not going to get you hands-on time with anything in most cases unless you happen to be one of those lucky kids...

Or, alternatively, a hard-working person who also has something else.. like a competitive degree.

N2IT

Sounds like your co worker has grown disinterested in the job. It happens and that's okay, but like others have said, if you are fixing computers (hardware/software) and making a profit you are a professional.

What he probably really means is this isn't super technical IT and he is tired of it.

I've been there before

powerfool

A professional is someone that gets paid for their work. Congratulations.

NOC-Ninja

wweboy wrote: »

OP,

How are you still on the help desk you have a CCNA, are you able to put your Cisco skills to good use? no disrespect or or anything just curious has the CCNA been beneficial for you?

not everybody gets lucky. CCNA is a ticket but that doesnt mean you will get hired or find a networking job. I have a few friends that are CCNA's with Security + that cant get a networking job. They have been looking for a networking job for more than a year now.

DevilWAH

I am responsible for developing and upgrading a network for a world leading scientific research institute. and on a decent wage to go with it. Indeed my dream job that I hoped my career would end up being.. I still don't think of my self as a professional and don't think i ever will.

You can call your self a pro by being a support desk engineer, or wait until you get you CCIE. You don't get jobs or money by calling your self a professional.

Some people refer to me as an IT pro, but I always think it for other individualise to make up there mind. IT is nice when some one referes to you as the "networking pro of the company" but I would never introduce my self as such.

If I was to have to pick the point I knew I was successful in my field. Was when after a few years in networking, and was working on a medium large enterprise network. The IT manager responded to a question from one of the company directors with "you have to ask him (pointing at me) its his network..."

wweboy

CodeBlox,

Congrats on the pass. I do hope having the CCNA helps you move up the career ladder

YFZblu

CodeBlox wrote: »

I just got it last week

How are you liking 'Network Warrior'? Excuse me if I'm incorrect, but based on the thread it looks like you don't have any experience administering a production network - That being said, does reading 'Network Warrior' help fill in the gaps left by the CCNA, in terms of using the book to understand real-world networking more deeply?

I'm asking because I'll have my CCNA shortly and I'll have a total of zero experience in networking - My biggest fear is forgetting things and losing my feel for networking. I'm looking for a resource that can keep me fresh and maybe even give me MORE insight into the daily grind of a production network. Would you say Network Warrior does that for you?

CodeBlox

I feel that it does do that at this time. It explains things a different way with more examples. Like in the chapter on spanning tree, there's a part where they demonstrate what adding a loop into the network by disabling spanning tree does. They then do "show interface" to show how the different values are affected and a "show process cpu history". I think it's pretty solid so far and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn some more. I suppose it explains things from his perspective of being in the field with examples of things that have happened. Having gone through the CCNA material extensively, this book isn't difficult at all to read. When I'm done with it, I think I'll go to CCNP: Switch first. I'll continue learning and labbing until I eventually do land a networking gig. May have to relocate for this too.

GOZCU

YFZblu wrote: »

How are you liking 'Network Warrior'? Excuse me if I'm incorrect, but based on the thread it looks like you don't have any experience administering a production network - That being said, does reading 'Network Warrior' help fill in the gaps left by the CCNA, in terms of using the book to understand real-world networking more deeply?

I'm asking because I'll have my CCNA shortly and I'll have a total of zero experience in networking - My biggest fear is forgetting things and losing my feel for networking. I'm looking for a resource that can keep me fresh and maybe even give me MORE insight into the daily grind of a production network. Would you say Network Warrior does that for you?

don't worry. network warrior is a great book but also easy to read. I was reading it before i got my CCNA. I am still reading it, some chapters are good for a reference. Author language is simple and interesting. he makes you feel that you are in the dialog too. English is a foreign language for me and didn't find anything difficult to cover. Go for it, you will like it. For example he says : " ahh, you know if you are doing QoS don't forget to give the priority for your boss' line.Otherwise when users consume the connection by downloading various types of things, your boss may have low connection speed. I don't suggest " ( something like that)

YFZblu

CodeBlox wrote: »

I feel that it does do that at this time. It explains things a different way with more examples. Like in the chapter on spanning tree, there's a part where they demonstrate what adding a loop into the network by disabling spanning tree does. They then do "show interface" to show how the different values are affected and a "show process cpu history". I think it's pretty solid so far and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to learn some more. I suppose it explains things from his perspective of being in the field with examples of things that have happened. Having gone through the CCNA material extensively, this book isn't difficult at all to read. When I'm done with it, I think I'll go to CCNP: Switch first. I'll continue learning and labbing until I eventually do land a networking gig. May have to relocate for this too.

If you're in the position to relocate, I would definitely suggest doing so in the name of your career if it comes to that. I ended up needing to go that route. I was having a ridiculously hard time getting out of helpdesk, so I moved for a job - I ended up getting a 25% salary increase, and I now work for an employer who values certification to the point of paying for any test I pass - even if it doesn't apply to my position.

I see you live in VA, I guess the only downfall to living in that area is IT in that realm often requires security clearances; for someone not in the military, asking them to obtain a security clearance is akin to asking that person to jump over a building. Or so it seems

Sponx

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

Don't read into that, even though he did get it last week. The CCNA is really not much of anything but a stepping stone and it's not going to get you hands-on time with anything in most cases unless you happen to be one of those lucky kids who gets a gig with training at a Cisco partner.

I don't know if I fully agree with that statement....

CodeBlox

YFZblu wrote: »

If you're in the position to relocate, I would definitely suggest doing so in the name of your career if it comes to that. I ended up needing to go that route. I was having a ridiculously hard time getting out of helpdesk, so I moved for a job - I ended up getting a 25% salary increase, and I now work for an employer who values certification to the point of paying for any test I pass - even if it doesn't apply to my position.

I see you live in VA, I guess the only downfall to living in that area is IT in that realm often requires security clearances; for someone not in the military, asking them to obtain a security clearance is akin to asking that person to jump over a building. Or so it seems

I do have a top secret clearance, the helpdesk I work on required, and sponsored me for it. I was given some advice from some fellow members here about potentially relocating elsewhere to land a gig as the clearance is valuable.

YFZblu

CodeBlox wrote: »

I do have a top secret clearance, the helpdesk I work on required, and sponsored me for it. I was given some advice from some fellow members here about potentially relocating elsewhere to land a gig as the clearance is valuable.

Oh, nice - Top secret clearance + CCNA....You're in good shape.