IT Career Advice
Discussion
I am currently inbetween jobs and considering a change in Career, I have a degree in Engineering and since graduating 3 years ago my main employment has been in sales. Searching the jobsites the salaries in IT are very attractive and I like the fact I could contract anywhere in the world with the right experience of course.
My question is, what is the best route for getting into IT? I have spent a few hours searching on the net but get so many mixed opinions and courses etc depending on the company selling the training!
Do I have do decide first whether I want to go into programming, networking or testing etc? Which would you advise?
Thanks in advance for your comments.
Piers
What IT skills do you have? Have you done any coding / network stuff / testing?
I would suggest looking into what the different areas entail, and picking one that sounds interesting, rather than picking what pays best - you'll be much happier doing something you enjoy than something that pays an extra £2 an hour.
I would suggest looking into what the different areas entail, and picking one that sounds interesting, rather than picking what pays best - you'll be much happier doing something you enjoy than something that pays an extra £2 an hour.
tigger1 said:
What IT skills do you have? Have you done any coding / network stuff / testing?
I would suggest looking into what the different areas entail, and picking one that sounds interesting, rather than picking what pays best - you'll be much happier doing something you enjoy than something that pays an extra £2 an hour.
I would suggest looking into what the different areas entail, and picking one that sounds interesting, rather than picking what pays best - you'll be much happier doing something you enjoy than something that pays an extra £2 an hour.
If you're starting off - I'd say, IMHO and in very broad brush strokes, that coding will pay the most ultimately (aside from project management, specialisation etc.) but take the most time to achieve the salary. Network stuff (especially desktop support) will be quicker to get enough experience to contract but won't pay quite as well.
It depends what makes you tick to be honest. Desktop support stuff involves a lot of dealings with people which you may or may not "need". Development/coding is often more a case of sitting in front of a PC, solving problems, with little interaction (what I do, and I hate the isolation - hence PH!)
If you do go the coding route, you might as well start with C# as I suspect it will be the "Visual Basic of it's day" in the next couple of years. Rates will drop accordingly (as the market saturates with experienced coders) but it will still pay well (a friend of mine does C# and earns £600 a day. Very high but not exceptional).
Unfortunately - you're going to have to start on a low salary to get the experience. You may still be eligible for a graduate position (but it might be 2 years from graduation). Failing that, check out www.jobserve.co.uk and look for appropriate roles (trainee C# developer for example).
I can only speak from the experience I've had from the networking/support side of IT, but you seriously need to first decide on which area interests you most and that you want to move into.
Unfortunately, if you have no previous experience, you aren't going to be able to walk into a job paying £20k plus - experience is usually gained from a 1st line helpdesk kind of role. Whilst these jobs are great for building up some of that all important experience, they tend to be somewhat tedious and the pay isn't great either - probably looking £15k - £18k if your lucky.
You'll also need to get some industry recognised qualifications - a Microsoft MCSE or a Cisco CCNA are the favourites, unfortunately every man and his dog has them these days and there's lots of competition for the jobs that are out there.
Having the qualifications on paper isn't enough though....did I mention experience?
One thing to be aware of - the Microsoft MCSE is being replaced at the end of the year by a new certification track and although the current MCSE will still be valid, to keep it up to date will involve more training, exams and expense.
There is good money to be made, but you really need to look at specialising in something, but that comes with time...and experience.
Good luck!
Unfortunately, if you have no previous experience, you aren't going to be able to walk into a job paying £20k plus - experience is usually gained from a 1st line helpdesk kind of role. Whilst these jobs are great for building up some of that all important experience, they tend to be somewhat tedious and the pay isn't great either - probably looking £15k - £18k if your lucky.
You'll also need to get some industry recognised qualifications - a Microsoft MCSE or a Cisco CCNA are the favourites, unfortunately every man and his dog has them these days and there's lots of competition for the jobs that are out there.
Having the qualifications on paper isn't enough though....did I mention experience?
One thing to be aware of - the Microsoft MCSE is being replaced at the end of the year by a new certification track and although the current MCSE will still be valid, to keep it up to date will involve more training, exams and expense.
There is good money to be made, but you really need to look at specialising in something, but that comes with time...and experience.
Good luck!
Hi guys, thanks for your comments....it's always refreshing to hear opinions coming from real people working in the trade rather than some website promising the world.
I have no IT experience, you all agree that there is no quick way into the industry and decent money, I will have to start at the bottom in order to make my way up. I guess I need to think about what role would suit me best, given my love of cars and Engineering degree there must be lots of work in the Automotive field? Will do more research today.
Who did you use to gian your qualifications, MCSE etc?
Thanks again.
PieroW said:
Hi guys, thanks for your comments....it's always refreshing to hear opinions coming from real people working in the trade rather than some website promising the world.
I have no IT experience, you all agree that there is no quick way into the industry and decent money, I will have to start at the bottom in order to make my way up. I guess I need to think about what role would suit me best, given my love of cars and Engineering degree there must be lots of work in the Automotive field? Will do more research today.
Who did you use to gian your qualifications, MCSE etc?
Thanks again.
I have no industry qualifications and, to be honest, in my field (Investment Banking) and development, they mean very little - mostly because a load of revision will get you through the exams without really knowing the subject.I have no IT experience, you all agree that there is no quick way into the industry and decent money, I will have to start at the bottom in order to make my way up. I guess I need to think about what role would suit me best, given my love of cars and Engineering degree there must be lots of work in the Automotive field? Will do more research today.
Who did you use to gian your qualifications, MCSE etc?
Thanks again.
I do, however, have an IT degree - but I would imagine an engineering degree would be pretty much as useful. Similarly a Maths degree and so on.
Good luck mate. The one thing I would say from experience, make sure the job/career path interests you. Ignore the money as much as you can (or try to combine the both!)
I'm a data analyst, working towards business / commercial analyst or project maangement. My route in was a maths/stats degree, and then relevant IT exposure in numerate roles, which have got progreesively more technical in their nature, so that now mine is an IT role with use of numbers rather than a numbers role with use of IT.
In your situation I'd try to do something similar...use what you know to get in the door and then try to evolve your position into something different. Does your current employee have people doing what you want to do? Do you work with people in yout area that use the IT skills you want? Use them...
In your situation I'd try to do something similar...use what you know to get in the door and then try to evolve your position into something different. Does your current employee have people doing what you want to do? Do you work with people in yout area that use the IT skills you want? Use them...
freddies_dad said:
andypowell said:
id youve got sales experience, why not do IT sales?
60-100K no problem, I know, I do
Whereas us coders couldn't take the pay-cut. 60-100K no problem, I know, I do
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