What to expect in the Tech field?

jairic · #1 12-13-2007, 05:25 PM

I'm in college right now, going for a Network Administration A+ Certification and Associates Degree. I've got 2 quarters done and I've gotten a 4.0 in both of them and only missed one day, cause I had the flu. So I'm wondering, if anyone knows... what can I expect when I graduate and try to compete for a job in the "tech" field so to speak?

jemplayer55 · #2 12-13-2007, 05:31 PM

Didn't you talk to your guidance counselor before committing to this? Or how about any investigation on your own before making a decision? You know, like talking to someone in the business? Jeez......

wilch · #3 12-13-2007, 07:55 PM

Right now there's a shortage in the IT field in Australia. So move out here and get an internship with IBM if you really want to go places quickly....

Otherwise, if the US market is the same as the Australian market, in 2 years the industry will be flooded with people trying to get positions, and the money will be crap for new starters.

Lefty Robb · #4 12-13-2007, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jemplayer55

Didn't you talk to your guidance counselor before committing to this?

I bet the guidance counselor was to busy trying to find the perfect egg...

**jemsite** · #5 12-13-2007, 11:28 PM

jp no need to be obnoxious, more often then not guidance counselors are inept & judgemental, squirreled away in the safe, non-reality of school.

maybe someone with recent IT experience can comment in a more useful manner

.. glen

jairic · #6 12-13-2007, 11:29 PM

Thanks for the heads up Wilch. It seems like the field is pretty crowded right now, but I've noticed that a lot of people tend to coast through school and then not be able to compete in the job market in this field, I'm hoping my good grades will help me sort of rise above the average Joe. Continuing education is another thing that seems to be a big part, you have to advance your own knowledge along with the technological advancements that are made.

Axayacatl · #7 12-13-2007, 11:44 PM

expect tons of nerds

bammbamm · #8 12-14-2007, 10:01 AM

Ask Shredmaster... *Cringe*

Davey · #9 12-14-2007, 10:21 AM

It's NOT a good idea to go into the repair trade. I'm in it now but only part-time since there just isn't enough work to go full-time. It suits me because I'm only using it to move onto greener pastures in the future and to keep my 'hand in' so to speak.

I work for a callout company right now and whilst that's all well and good, there are pros and cons in going through a company that I'll (briefly) try to outline.

Pro:

You get your taxes dealt with (not sure what the score is on taxes in the US.)
You get jobs allocated to you without having to search for them yourself.
You can always put on your CV that you've worked for 'X' company for 'X' amount of months.

Con:

People will haggle regardless because they think you're self-employed no matter what you tell them. This might not sound like much, but it can really try your patience.
If you don't have the right tools and your own reliable transport you don't stand a chance.
Sometimes a job will only be as fast as the customers system will allow and for that you very often get disgruntled customers despite it not being your fault (since they will pay via the clock.)
If you get called to a rough area it can be VERY scary. I've done jobs all over Manchester including some of the hellish-rough areas like Gorton, Rusholme, Longsight, Salford, etc. You literally feel that sometimes you aren't going to walk out of the building in the same physical state as when you walk in... or at least will all your belongings (and wallet) in tact.

Apart from that, I have to say I enjoy this kind of work. Especially when you help out and do a good job for somebody that appreciates it.

One final word of warning:

I worked full-time in a small lab. Yep it's great for the first 2 weeks, but then it gets BRUTALLY depressing. Go for field work if you choose to go down that road.

Davey · #10 12-14-2007, 10:23 AM

Just a quick one too...

Don't worry about getting the grades too much. Most employers only give a crap about whether or not you can get the job done and how efficiently you can do it.

Good luck mate

**jim777** · #11 12-14-2007, 10:28 AM

If you really want a long term career in tech you need to get into programming. Hardware will be come cheap enough to simply replace when it breaks (rather than repair) before you can retire. Lots of things will become wireless that aren't now, and thin clients will eventually take over from the current PCs with locally loaded enormous drives with OSes paradigm. Programming will allways be necessary, but the hardware field will get very much smaller in the decades to come. Just a thought

shredmaster · #12 12-14-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bammbamm

Ask Shredmaster... *Cringe*

"WHY YOU.....!!"

thanks Bamm, i'll take the call. being in IT and networking since '96 with no college degree in it, i can say that employers would like to see experience over a degree and i have been told that by employers and co-workers. a degree is nice to have don't get me wrong, but where i have been it's just icing on the cake. i have been hired by large corporations by working my way into them and letting my resume and references speak for me. please get out there and learn what you can and try to get some big names on your resume. get that resume beefed up with experience. there are so many people out of school looking for work, and people who have been in the field like me...who will be out of work due to corporate takeovers and layoffs...i will tell you it is tough. our company was bought and taken over end of summer. this is the 4th takeover i have been through in 8 years. my friends who were let go are still looking for work. most companies know it is a saturated market so they offer very little pay since they know they can get anyone. It is very hard out there in IT and has been for the last couple years. don't let this hinder or scare you...just get the experience. especially when starting out, you may have to take some job to get experience that pays less. one thing i would recommend is going through a headhunter / IT placement agency. They will get you in the door and have connections to companies that may not be advertising for work. Contract work is a great way to go, especially being out of school. One I will recommend is Tek systems. Good luck. hey, this is my 2000th post. took long enough.
Steve

jairic · #13 12-14-2007, 11:54 AM

Thanks alot shredmaster, good info there. My school has a placement program for grads, and they have something like a 95% success rate of placing grads, but I'm ready and willing to start with the low pay and crap work and get my foot in the door that way. I just really like this area, and I hope it's worth it to stick with it and hopefully it pays off in the long run.

Lefty Robb · #14 12-14-2007, 10:55 PM

oh come on, nobody got the Egg joke?

jb4674 · #15 12-14-2007, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shredmaster

"WHY YOU.....!!"

thanks Bamm, i'll take the call. being in IT and networking since '96 with no college degree in it, i can say that employers would like to see experience over a degree and i have been told that by employers and co-workers. a degree is nice to have don't get me wrong, but where i have been it's just icing on the cake. i have been hired by large corporations by working my way into them and letting my resume and references speak for me. please get out there and learn what you can and try to get some big names on your resume. get that resume beefed up with experience. there are so many people out of school looking for work, and people who have been in the field like me...who will be out of work due to corporate takeovers and layoffs...i will tell you it is tough. our company was bought and taken over end of summer. this is the 4th takeover i have been through in 8 years. my friends who were let go are still looking for work. most companies know it is a saturated market so they offer very little pay since they know they can get anyone. It is very hard out there in IT and has been for the last couple years. don't let this hinder or scare you...just get the experience. especially when starting out, you may have to take some job to get experience that pays less. one thing i would recommend is going through a headhunter / IT placement agency. They will get you in the door and have connections to companies that may not be advertising for work. Contract work is a great way to go, especially being out of school. One I will recommend is Tek systems. Good luck. hey, this is my 2000th post. took long enough.
Steve

Typical IT arrogantish response shredmaster. Don't get me wrong but, some people in the IT field need to be more humble when talking to others and share their knowledge as opposed to simply saying "get that resume beefed up with experience" and "learn what you can".

Follow up some more in my next post, so you can see where I'm coming from.

Jimmy