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Home > Archive > General Discussion > June 2001 > Am I too Old for IT Already???
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Am I too Old for IT Already???
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| Pavlov 2001-06-08, 10:36 pm |
| I was just reading one of the threads where age came up and, for the record, you all made me feel ancient.  I'll be 35 this summer and got my first cert 2 yrs ago. I've been tech support/jr. network engineer for almost 4 yrs now. Prior to that I was an Admin. Asst. for 15 yrs. Also an excellent background to open the first door to IT. A solid demonstration of application knowledge can go a long way to building a successful career.
Anyway, I sure hope I can keep up with all you youngin's. | |
| Paisleyskye 2001-06-08, 10:57 pm |
| Definitely Not!! You are nowhere near too old! I'm 32, and I know that there are plenty of other members on this board that don't fit into the 18-29 year old category anymore. In reality, age is irrelevant and you are only as old as you feel - so technically some days I'm 100 and other days I'm 19.
Most of the time I am proud of my age (I still get ID'd all the time), until some 16 year old sales clerk calls me ma'am! That really puts a damper on my day! | |
| OmnipotentOne 2001-06-08, 11:20 pm |
| I'd say age is pretty irrelevant, also other jobs would have probably given you more people skills that will end up helping you out in your IT career. Just my opinion, I'm going strait into IT and I'm not finished high school, my people skills are seriously lacking. | |
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| Not unless you think you are. | |
| Ms^Pepsi 2001-06-09, 6:53 am |
| Hey there Pavlov,
I will be 38 this summer and only in the IT industry for about a year and a half, a year of which included going to school. Prior to that I completed my BA, as a mature student. The skills we achieve as we go through life are beneficial to any company who has the opportunity to have us in their employ.
We do bring up age a lot but it really doesn't matter. I'm sure us older IT people could teach the youngins a thing or two :-)
So if you are old I must be ancient!!
Have a Good One!!
Ms^Pepsi | |
| Nicole 2001-06-09, 8:51 am |
| Pavlov,
You're "in," and that seems to be the hardest part. There are some negative attitudes toward older folks (at least here in CA), but I think the recent glut of paper certs and young whippersnappers that think they are going to retire at 24 will work in the favor of those of us outside that magic age bracket. Remember, the womand doing the hiring probably doesn't relish the idea of hiring a 22 year old for twice what she makes 
Just be sure to stay abreast of new technologies and you'll do great!
-Nicole | |
| Pavlov 2001-06-09, 10:23 am |
| Thanks friends. I needed some words of encouragement. The small start up I worked for had a layoff yesterday and support is usually one of the areas cut - and it was - and I was. Now I have the summer off (not necessarily by choice) to reflect on what to do next. I know I will probably just kick back for a few days next week to get caught up on life's little things that get ignored when you're going at full speed every day, like laundry, dusting, etc. Then I will buckle down and finally seriously attack Net+. I loved the small company environment but also enjoyed the stability of the large corp, so my next job hopefully will fall somewhere in between the 2 | |
| Freddy 2001-06-09, 11:33 am |
| I'm 44 and I have been in IT for about 2 years now. Age really isn't the issue. There are such factors as reliability and loyalty that a lot of younger workers don't have yet. I rose right straight into management because of my years of experience and steady work ethics. As long as you are not to old to learn, you are not too old... | |
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| Never too old! But always consider of the risk... | |
| EBlend 2001-06-09, 10:47 pm |
| i'm 17, got my a+ just a few weeks back and now working on MCSE
hehe, sorry...just had to say that...no i don't think you are too old for this, its all good | |
| exar07 2001-06-09, 11:21 pm |
| You are in good shape! Keep in mind each year you are older - you have also aqcuired another year of experience. Experience is worth more than any certification.
Certifications may get you a job but it will not keep you at that job.
Certs and Experience work together great!
But without experience certs will not take you to far.
I am your age too! | |
| EBlend 2001-06-09, 11:30 pm |
| plus to that experiance i suppose you have education, experiance and certs won't get you as high as education, certs and experiance will | |
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| I am 47, and have been in IT for about 6 years. Recieved my first certification 2 yrs ago. Working on upgrading to Win2k. I find that being a woman is this field is sometimes tougher then age, at least in the company that I am working at. I have to deal with a lot of men older then me who think I should not be working. The younger men have no problems at all with women in the field.
This is just an observation of my company, not to offend anyone. | |
| Kyle Smith 2001-06-12, 7:18 am |
| Well, far be it from me to rain on any happy self-delusion, but if you're looking for straight goods on the question instead of a virtual pat on the back, here it is. Yes, unless you're happy with spending the rest of your career in IT at the entry level or close to it, you're too old to head into it. I'm in my early 30's, have been in the field for 10 years, have managed 5 corporate networks and run 2 I.T. departments, and now have my own company. I've hired all manner and age of tech personnel, and the hard truth is, over the last few years IT has become very "fashionable", and that means everyone and their grandma wants in, in many cases without even really having an affinity for or basic love of the work. Ask any manager how many entry-level resumes they receive for any basic admin posting. Throw in the age factor (and again, this isn't about politically correct b.s.; you can find plenty of that everywhere else. This is about how things really are.) and you're looking at quite a barrier to medium or long-term development. Bear in mind that the resistance and difficulties will not just come from within IT, either...people in general, whatever their area, are used to dealing with people in your age bracket that are management-level or at least veteran bellwethers in their particular department. It doesn't engender the greatest respect from end-users to be comparing techs that are a generation apart (and if you don't believe me, you haven't supported end users. Period.). Plus, last but not least, bear in mind that the very high competition in the field is not age-restricted...most of the folks you'll be up against at your level of skill will be far younger.
Anyway, those are the straight 2 cents, though I fully expect some warmth (ahem) by the clueless. Bottom line is, if you love the work and have a knack for it, nothing I or anyone else will say will stop you anyway, and in that case, more power to you. Otherwise the answer to your header question is yes. *shrug* | |
| OmnipotentOne 2001-06-12, 10:23 am |
| well I'd have to say Kyle has some good points, but if you really do want to do it don't listen to what anyone says and just do it for yourself... "It doesn't engender the greatest respect from end-users to be comparing techs that are a generation apart" if you ask me, and this isn't so much speaking from experience, but the majority of people who need tech support are going to be older, and they don't want to feel inferior asking for help from a teenager, or having their computer, which they paid 3 grand for.. and still think its worth that being taken appart by a teenager, no matter what kind of knowledge and skills they have. I'd say its harder getting in when your too younger rather then when your too old, as someone else posted in this thread 'younger people tend to be too unreliable' |
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