Pursuing an IT career?

[Tsmit42]

I was recently thinking about starting a career opposed to just bouncing around from job to job. I am a college dropout(plan to go back in a few years probably), and I thought an IT career would be something to do until I go back, plus it would allow me to save up money for college as well. I am pretty smart, 3.9gpa/32 ACT in HS, but partied too much in college which leaves me in this situation.

So my questions are.

Are there any IT jobs that pay decent money that does not require a College Degree? I was looking at Cisco/MCSE etc. but don't know if they require one or not.

How much would the training for a job like that cost?

How long would training for a job like that take?

If anyone is in the IT field that went through a similiar situation please help me out with this? I would love to do something in the programming field since that is what I love to do and what I want to go back to school for, but I can't seem to find anything that doesn't require a 2 or 4 year degree.

 

[John Reynolds]

If anyone is in the IT field that went through a similiar situation please help me out with this? I would love to do something in the programming field since that is what I love to do and what I want to go back to school for, but I can't seem to find anything that doesn't require a 2 or 4 year degree.

Bear in mind that when employer's list a job opening they're describing an ideal candidate. I would still apply if I were you and hope you get an interview. In my overall department of roughly 18 people, only two of us have college degrees. The rest are former military, one is a former car mechanic (he's the main sys admin in a different building), etc. I had to sort of pay my dues with a few crappy help desk jobs, but they gave my resume the experience I needed to land my current position as a DoD computer contractor (my 9-year stint with the Air National Guard didn't hurt either).

 

[digitalwanderer]

My last sysop job at US Steel they "wanted a college degree" too, but they hired me 'cause I knew my shit in the interview and they were just desperate for bodies to fill vacants spots.

I was informed after a year and a doubling of my pay later that I was going to be hitting a glass ceiling soon in my department because you needed a college degree to make manager.

No biggy for me, I don't like managers in general and I don't envy anyone the job....I'd rather just be an overpaid grunt.

Give the interview a go, the worst that can happen is you get a "no" and you gain some interview experience. (And even bad interview experiences will help you with your next interview, honest...took me a while to learn that.)

 

[Tsmit42]

Thanks for the replies guys, but I was wondering what types of jobs are out there for someone like me? Digi, you said you are a System Operator? How did you aquire the knowledge, certifications? I know it's rude to ask someone salary, but how much does a job like that pay(before and after raise)? You could PM me it if you don't feel like telling the whole board.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Nah, no prob...I'm proud as hell of that job considering I got it with just a high school diploma and a year of college to make up for the two other times I'd failed out.

I got hired by a headhunting service that supplied techs to US Steel. USS sub-contracted out almost their entire tech department and I think that was a huuuuge mistake on their part.

Basically the recruiters would find anyone with ANY computer skills who looked halfway clean-cut and set them up with an interview at USS. You do good at the interview, you got the job.

Pay started out at around $8/hr for the first two months, then I was bumped up to $10/hr two months later, then $12/hr two months after that....then the raises slowed down a bit.

What I later found out and it still pisses me off is that USS was paying my headhunter $25/hr for my services...and I just hated that. The big goal of being a sub-contractor there is to get hired on full-time by USS and your pay jumps to the mid $20/hr range with great benefits and job security.....contractors could be fired on a whim. (And often were)

But it's a great way to get into it if you have very little actual job experience/training, since USS knew they were just getting warm bodies sent to 'em they had a 4-12 month training program where you stood your shifts with a supervisor who taught you everything until they were comfortable with you running one by yourself. (My training period ended at 4 months, thus my last payraise...they worked different during training)

When I told them I was leaving to become a stay at home Dad in 99 they offered me $16/hr to stay with bonuses & built in overtime on top of it (it was swing-shift duty; 10 days of mornings, 10 days of afternoons, 10 days of midnights...you got bonus pay for midnight duty)

Sweet deal and the best I'd ever done getting a job, but my wife had a job offer that she'd make easily twice that with better benefits and it would be a 9-5 type with weekends off....and swing shifts were just too hard on the family.

So she went back to work and I started rasing the family/keeping the house, it's worked out well since. I just post online to keep my hand in on PCs and to give me something to keep me kids from driving me nuts!

 

[Sage]

you dont need a college degree to do helpdesk. headhunters seen to be useful- you cant even get an entry-level possition right now at Perot Systems unless you go through one -because they give you a chance to get a foot in the door. I would suggest A+ certification but that's a piece of cake. You're probably going to have to start off with a degrading helpdesk experience but, depending on the company you work for, once you've done your time at the helpdesk you can quicly move into better possitions making more money.

Additionally, I STRONGLY encourage you to see if Perot Systems is anywhere near where you live and, if they are, try your ass off to get in. There is a lot of hype about Perot and not all of it is true but, the main thing that Perot gives you is total security. Once you're a Perot Associate (ie not contractor anymore, just do your 90 days and dont screw up too bad) you are in. The benefits are fantastic and job security is tops. Management kicks ass (because if they are jerks they wont make it to management or wont last long) and will never hang you out to dry. If you are genuine and put out a honest, solid work effort then you will not have to worry abut your job no matter what happens to you. Yeah, and I'm leaving them in exactly 1 week (to go to college! i already have security from family, now i want to be greedy!)

 

[Deepak]

You guys are lucky, here you must (almost) have a master's degree, that too in IT field.

 

[mito]

Dear friends,

Anyone from Toronto here?
I'm looking for a job there, anything will do: helpdesk, maintenance, etc...

Headhunters in Toronto?

 

[PC-Engine]

MCSE certification means very little without actual IT experience. It is very difficult to get an IT job without proven IT experience and especially difficult without a degree or certification.

Dear friends,

Anyone from Toronto here?
I'm looking for a job there, anything will do: helpdesk, maintenance, etc...

Headhunters in Toronto?

How about McDonalds? They're always hiring. You can make pretty good money working fulltime too.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Just a word of warning, standard IT jobs are dwindling. I'm 19 years old and decided the IT field was for me. It turns out that "general IT work" (Building PC Hardware/Software, Installations and other various things) are very laborish (if thats even a word ). Theres also a ceiling to what you can achieve in this field....it seems as though to get to the next level..you would need to take college classes in Managment and become a director/manager of some sort. I currently work with guys that are 40+ in age, that are doing the same shit as me...and that scares me.

I'm currently looking into graphic design (and maybe learn basic coding, to get the wheels in motion just in case). Art was my true calling when I was younger...this is possibly the route I should take. My job..quite frankly...sucks!!! I love the politcal nature of the setup here though (its not a good thing, but it is amusing). Managers bickering with eachother, 100s of VP (Vice Presidents) that don't deserve to be VPs (basically theres a VP for like every department). And spoiled users, no wonder IT workers get so bitter after years of this..bleh!!!

 

[Sage]

Just a word of warning, standard IT jobs are dwindling. I'm 19 years old and decided the IT field was for me. It turns out that "general IT work" (Building PC Hardware/Software, Installations and other various things) are very laborish (if thats even a word ). Theres also a ceiling to what you can achieve in this field....it seems as though to get to the next level..you would need to take college classes in Managment and become a director/manager of some sort. I currently work with guys that are 40+ in age, that are doing the same shit as me...and that scares me.

I'm currently looking into graphic design (and maybe learn basic coding, to get the wheels in motion just in case). Art was my true calling when I was younger...this is possibly the route I should take. My job..quite frankly...sucks!!! I love the politcal nature of the setup here though (its not a good thing, but it is amusing). Managers bickering with eachother, 100s of VP (Vice Presidents) that don't deserve to be VPs (basically theres a VP for like every department). And spoiled users, no wonder IT workers get so bitter after years of this..bleh!!!

same thing here!!! hell, i couldnt even FIND a job at like a local PC place, fixing and building PC's. I had a job like that summer of '98 when i was like 14 or 15. But now I'm stuck on a helpdesk with people ni their 30's, 40's, and even 50's. All of the team leads here are in their 30's or 40's. I see people that hve moved up from helpdesk to other possitions (still not making that much) and they are the same age (a few younger ones though). I feel like I'm going nowhere in the IT field. I say go ahead and move all of the grunt stuff to other countries, anything that doesnt require a degree is going to end up dead-end.

 

[PC-Engine]

IT field is pretty saturated already.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I've been working for over 8 years in the IT Network industry. I don't have a MCSE or CCNA/CCNE but am doing ok money wise $1,850 which is just off the the industry amount here which is about $2000.

I'm really interested in doing my CCNA/E now because it's much much harder to get work now that pays well.

It can be easy it get the certification but experience I feel does count for much much more as i've seen people with certification that know alot less than what I know. It will get you work though, easier than if you don't have it.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Well...where I work i've worked on Phones and PCs. I currently build and deploy Avaya phones and also work with the Avaya software to make extensions and physically patch the lines. I also replace phone hardware (headsets, amps etc etc). On the PC end, i've helped build the standard GHOST image for where I work and I'm the main guy that builds out the new hires (newly hired employees PCs and Laptops). I've been doing this since last June and i've build and deployed about 500 Laptops and PCs (around 8 new hires every week). Random computer builds also add to that number. I also do other random things, like installing hardware and software and setting up fax lines and polycoms (conference phones).

Its a great place to put your foot in...but its not good to stay for long (unless your getting payed good money). I'm currently being payed crap money for what I do (basically as much as one would make at McDonalds...if not more). The reason being is...I was an Intern before..and they basically must have thought they could save some good money by hiring me. So...obviously...i'm looking for other avenues right now.

 

[Sage]

I currently build and deploy Avaya phones and also work with the Avaya software to make extensions and physically patch the lines.

isnt Avaya now Spectel? I work with Avaya, too.

 

[BlueTsunami]

isnt Avaya now Spectel? I work with Avaya, too.

I'm not sure, the software suit (this is the telco department that mainly uses it..I do lower to mid level telco work, telecommunications) is Definity which is Avaya's software....I'm not sure if that changed though...

 

[Sage]

I'm not sure, the software suit (this is the telco department that mainly uses it..I do lower to mid level telco work, telecommunications) is Definity which is Avaya's software....I'm not sure if that changed though...

hmm well our software suite is "spectel" but was formerly known as "avaya" although pretty-much all i do is making accounts and reservations


edit:
you dont happen to be in an OPAS assignee group, do you?

 

[BlueTsunami]

you dont happen to be in an OPAS assignee group, do you?

Nope, i'm not quite sure what that is. Just your regular joe, young, exploited, wide-eyed, aspiring (money wise) IT worker

 

[MasterBaiter]

I kinda fall in line with John & Digi. I started in help-desk, and applied for a higher position after about 1 1/2 years. I was able to get it, and I beat out people who had their masters degree. It wasn't because I knew so much more than the other people who applied, but it was a combination of a few things. I was already familiar with the campus, and it's staff/faculty, and had a good repore on campus. I came across as having good bedside manner (hehe, foolish mortals!!!), and I interviewed really well.
I don't have a college degree (yet), and I pretty much have one position to move up into before I hit that lovely glass ceiling, but I don't want to go into management as well, so I'm pretty much a happy camper. I work in the art department of a community campus. I maintain the systems in a graphics lab, a digital animation lab, as well as all other systems in the art area. It's not always my favorite place to be, but I really do like my job & most of the people are really cool (cept one, but everyone has got one of those...)

 

[Sage]

Nope, i'm not quite sure what that is. Just your regular joe, young, exploited, wide-eyed, aspiring (money wise) IT worker

okay then you don't work for the corporation that I am on servicedesk for