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rubicon · 01-19-2004, 10:29 PM

I've been in the IT field for over 10 years. Here's my two cents, peppered with some humor:

-- Avoid hardware support - it's akin to being an auto mechanic: you keep things running but no one really cares

-- Avoid customer support - after about a year or two you'll wonder how dumb even the smartest people are; you'll find yourself fixing user's self-inflicted problems and get frustrated at why the company doesn't implement a tight environment to avoid the whole mess

-- Web developer: if you're going this route then you better learn how to program and manipulate databases: VB, Java, PHP, SQL, etc. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take a graphic design and ASP or PHP course before you start building web sites. I have seen far too many self-proclaimed web geniuses who think that pink text on a yellow background looks good. Or, the more animated GIFs and Flash, the better. And lastly, pasting 200 lines of ImageReady code when 10 would have done it better.

-- Programming: you can't go wrong here but you've got to know your stuff. Probably the latest VB.NET and C will get you off to a start. SQL and database technology a must. GUI design is very important too - see "pink on yellow" from above.

-- Networking: lots of good stuff here but it can be pretty technical depending where you go with it.

-- Server architecture/support - it's decent for awhile but then you'll start feeling the torture of customer support all over again. If the company you work for allows you to lock down the servers, implement security, and a controlled user environment, your job will be fun and a piece of cake. Otherwise, stay clear!

-- Security: prob not a bad choice but you might want to specialize in an area

I encourage you to look for a job in this manner: find a company you really like and believe in then find a job in IT. If you simply get just a "computer job" you'll probably hate it, especially if it's customer support related.

In case you couldn't tell, I've had my fill of the IT world. However, I'm a firm believer in finding a need and fulfilling it with technology. Perhaps you work as an environmentalist and find a need for special software, etc.

If you do want to dabble for awhile, I recommend a large corporation in health care or finance. You'll usually learn the "right way" of doing things which will pay dividends later. Educational organizations are a loose, fun, environment but tend to be chaotic. Non-profit, if you can find a good one, may give you interesting growth opportunities.

01-19-2004, 10:29 PM	#17 (permalink)
rubicon Stop. Think. Question. Location: Redondo Beach, CA	I've been in the IT field for over 10 years. Here's my two cents, peppered with some humor: -- Avoid hardware support - it's akin to being an auto mechanic: you keep things running but no one really cares -- Avoid customer support - after about a year or two you'll wonder how dumb even the smartest people are; you'll find yourself fixing user's self-inflicted problems and get frustrated at why the company doesn't implement a tight environment to avoid the whole mess -- Web developer: if you're going this route then you better learn how to program and manipulate databases: VB, Java, PHP, SQL, etc. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE take a graphic design and ASP or PHP course before you start building web sites. I have seen far too many self-proclaimed web geniuses who think that pink text on a yellow background looks good. Or, the more animated GIFs and Flash, the better. And lastly, pasting 200 lines of ImageReady code when 10 would have done it better. -- Programming: you can't go wrong here but you've got to know your stuff. Probably the latest VB.NET and C will get you off to a start. SQL and database technology a must. GUI design is very important too - see "pink on yellow" from above. -- Networking: lots of good stuff here but it can be pretty technical depending where you go with it. -- Server architecture/support - it's decent for awhile but then you'll start feeling the torture of customer support all over again. If the company you work for allows you to lock down the servers, implement security, and a controlled user environment, your job will be fun and a piece of cake. Otherwise, stay clear! -- Security: prob not a bad choice but you might want to specialize in an area I encourage you to look for a job in this manner: find a company you really like and believe in then find a job in IT. If you simply get just a "computer job" you'll probably hate it, especially if it's customer support related. In case you couldn't tell, I've had my fill of the IT world. However, I'm a firm believer in finding a need and fulfilling it with technology. Perhaps you work as an environmentalist and find a need for special software, etc. If you do want to dabble for awhile, I recommend a large corporation in health care or finance. You'll usually learn the "right way" of doing things which will pay dividends later. Educational organizations are a loose, fun, environment but tend to be chaotic. Non-profit, if you can find a good one, may give you interesting growth opportunities. __________________ How you do anything is how you do everything.