Career Advice- IT
Discussion
Well where to begin...
I'm currently a Team leader/Trainee Manager in a highly respected retail company. Thought it would be the route to go but I'm starting to hate the drag of retail. Prospects aren't as good as I once imagined and due to many cuts, the productivity that is expected cannot be maintained.
My education route is IT, I studied a Level 3 advanced diploma in IT and was the route I always wanted to go. I started a degree but quit as I didn't enjoy more full time studying and chose to persue a retail career which I obviously regret.
So the main question is where next? Which IT route does everyone reccommend in terms of prospects and salary down the road. I am quite open to gaining qualifications such as CCNA or anything that can be acquired short term. Just not sure whether my skillset is enough for certain positions. Being 22, I have time on my hands but want to make the change sooner rather than later.
I hope my fellow Pistonheaders can help a demoralised miserable git.
I'm currently a Team leader/Trainee Manager in a highly respected retail company. Thought it would be the route to go but I'm starting to hate the drag of retail. Prospects aren't as good as I once imagined and due to many cuts, the productivity that is expected cannot be maintained.
My education route is IT, I studied a Level 3 advanced diploma in IT and was the route I always wanted to go. I started a degree but quit as I didn't enjoy more full time studying and chose to persue a retail career which I obviously regret.
So the main question is where next? Which IT route does everyone reccommend in terms of prospects and salary down the road. I am quite open to gaining qualifications such as CCNA or anything that can be acquired short term. Just not sure whether my skillset is enough for certain positions. Being 22, I have time on my hands but want to make the change sooner rather than later.
I hope my fellow Pistonheaders can help a demoralised miserable git.
onedsla said:
I'd want to know a little more about your current role before giving any words of wisdom.
You say trainee manager - how far into training are you. Does it lead to a management position? A management role at a well known company is powerful on a CV in any industry, especially if you're young.
Do you have exposure to IT within retail. For example, ePOS or stock management services? If yes, how proficient are you?
Does the retail company you work for have any IT presence in the UK? If you were to gain IT qualifications whilst continuing in your current role, could there be any internal openings? Do you have any opportunity to talk about such possibilities in your network?
Reasons for the questions - it's quite rare to have IT people with good experience in a core part of the business. If you could take what you know and move sideways into IT, it would mean not having to start from the bottom and work back up to where you are now. I'm thinking roles such as IT business partner to a retail function, subject matter expert for retail IT systems, service delivery for the function or, to keep up with the times, a DevOps / agile PM type role in what Gartner now term bimodal IT - mode 2.
Do you mind if I drop you a PM?You say trainee manager - how far into training are you. Does it lead to a management position? A management role at a well known company is powerful on a CV in any industry, especially if you're young.
Do you have exposure to IT within retail. For example, ePOS or stock management services? If yes, how proficient are you?
Does the retail company you work for have any IT presence in the UK? If you were to gain IT qualifications whilst continuing in your current role, could there be any internal openings? Do you have any opportunity to talk about such possibilities in your network?
Reasons for the questions - it's quite rare to have IT people with good experience in a core part of the business. If you could take what you know and move sideways into IT, it would mean not having to start from the bottom and work back up to where you are now. I'm thinking roles such as IT business partner to a retail function, subject matter expert for retail IT systems, service delivery for the function or, to keep up with the times, a DevOps / agile PM type role in what Gartner now term bimodal IT - mode 2.
I think Networking interests me a lot, I have a basic knowledge of it. Interestingly I had the opportunity to go the CCNA route whilst studying but chose to go the web route, dabbled in a little Web Design, which included 3 months experience with a company, creating pages and photoshopping images. Coding really isn't my thing, and I guess I am a bit of a jack of all trades with IT, but master of none.
Would it be wise for me to attain a CCNA certification whilst working towards management at work and hope its short term?
University is out of the question, not only because I don't want to study for another 3 years, but my circumstances do not support it.
Would it be wise for me to attain a CCNA certification whilst working towards management at work and hope its short term?
University is out of the question, not only because I don't want to study for another 3 years, but my circumstances do not support it.
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