eliminator111

I've worked in finance for several years. Needless to say, the job prospects in that sector have dried up and I'm looking to enter the IT field (my first love). Questions:

1. How do I get my 'foot in the door'?

2. Should I get certified? At this point, I'm intersted in networking. However, I'm willing to enter any IT field.

I've seen a lot of self-teach books. This seems a much more fiscally prudent route than taking a class to get certified.

3. What's the best non- programming field that could potentially yield the highest salary?

4. What's the most promising IT field ( I realize that this is subjective)?

5. Is this still a promising field ($ is not necessarily my sole intention)?

Any adice is appreciated,
TIA