Path to IT job

Need some advice. Graduated high school a few years ago thinking I wanted to direct indie films. Since then I've pretty much just wasted my time dicking around, making a few short films, and taking community college classes. But...I think it's time to grow up. Odds are I'm not gonna be monetarily successful as a director. I'll probably finish my (worthless) associate's degree this fall, but I'm probably gonna put my bachelor's on hold for a few years.

I'm thinking IT seems like a decent career, especially since a bachelor's doesn't seem to be required at the lower levels. I don't have any experience in the field beyond upgrading/troubleshooting my own PC, but I'm relatively smart and I learn fast.

Here's my plan:

1. Get A+
2. Get repair tech or helpdesk job
3. Get CCNA
4. ?????
5. Profit!

Any suggestions? I've heard the A+ isn't worth much, but since I don't have any experience I'm hoping it'll at least get me in the door some place.

1. Learn C#
2. Profit.

You don't want to be on the service side of IT, it doesn't pay as well and it's definitely not as respectable.

Took a C++ class one semester. I was good at it, but I hated it. I don't want to sit in front of a screen all day. I've heard network security is reasonably respectable and lucrative.

What exactly do you expect to do in IT then? Most office professionals sit in front of a screen all day, that's how we post on SF.

I dunno. I don't mind sitting in front of a screen most of the day, I guess. I just really disliked coding.

Originally Posted by Jekyll

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I dunno. I don't mind sitting in front of a screen most of the day, I guess. I just really disliked coding.

Buniness Analyst son. Although that requires a Bachelors...

Originally Posted by whiteslashasian

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Buniness Analyst son. Although that requires a Bachelors...

Wiki'd it. That actually looks really cool. How do I do it.

Originally Posted by Jekyll

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Wiki'd it. That actually looks really cool. How do I do it.

Go to a college and join their IT program and take business courses with it, or do what I did and go for a Business degree with concentration in MIS (basically IT).

I'm a business analyst, I have nothing to do with IT although I do know how to code and sometimes I do run data analytics.

Just go back to school, man. You sound like you want to do it sooner or later, anyways, so it might as well be sooner.

Take out a loan, get a part-time job, and enjoy undergraduacy. undergraduateness. undergraduatude.

If you are set on joining IT, I would highly recommend steering away from programming unless (a) you're interested and (b) you have experience.

It's a saturated market and guys from Asia would run laps around you for half the cost.


I would suggest you getting into the IT Security side of things. To work your way there, you would probably have to start finding gigs related to "access provisioning" which is the area which grants/remove people's access to the network/applications.

However, first line of matter is to get your Bachelor's degree. Don't listen to the fools who say it's worthless. They're not the people you want to emulate.

Originally Posted by Butter

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If you are set on joining IT, I would highly recommend steering away from programming unless (a) you're interested and (b) you have experience.

It's a saturated market and guys from Asia would run laps around you for half the cost.


I would suggest you getting into the IT Security side of things. To work your way there, you would probably have to start finding gigs related to "access provisioning" which is the area which grants/remove people's access to the network/applications.

However, first line of matter is to get your Bachelor's degree. Don't listen to the fools who say it's worthless. They're not the people you want to emulate.

+1 on everything you said.
programming IS saturated.
security i heard on the latest news there are well over 30,000 jobs unfilled for security positions alone in US , i dont recall. something like that. i was discussing with my company's security IT guy (we van pool together).
i know someone who is working in IRAQ of all places for IT security and is making bank.
get your degree. listen to us. the wise ones.

I'm sick of classes, and I don't wanna do loans unless I really have to. I've heard too many horror stories.

Originally Posted by Jekyll

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I'm sick of classes, and I don't wanna do loans unless I really have to. I've heard too many horror stories.

Well, there's always indie film directing to fall back on then.

foreign legion