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Author Career changers speak out!!
chodan

2001-10-30, 8:31 pm

I`m setting up this poll to get a feel for the career changers in this forum, I get the feeling there are many here who are coming from many diferent backgrounds.
I came from the field of Barbering which I had been doing for 18 years. I`m 37 now and a couple years ago I took the plunge after earning an MCP in NT4 workstation & Server and got a job as an "IS specialist" with a company on contract I then was brought on full time salary 2 months later, after a year and a half in that position I was promoted to Network Administrator.
Please vote in this poll and while you`re here tell us your story about your career change what you did or are doing and how you got into IT it will be fun and encourage other career changers.
I`m not talking about moving from a DBA to networking or anything like that hehe.
I mean changing from a non IT job to IT.
Piranha

2001-10-31, 7:41 am

I moved to the USA and had to quit my boring job (Bank) in Germany anyway. So, it was just the right time to change careers and as I like working with computers it was worth a try and worked out pretty well for me. I am now doing system/network administration and are responsible for about 60 machines (mostly W2k servers). It's fun but also plenty of work.

Anyway - my dream got true and it's worth all the lonely hours studying for this stuff!

Good Luck everyone!

P.
peterd

2001-11-01, 2:02 am

Hello,

I was a British Telecom phone engineer for 23 years, took an early redundancy package and then worked for myself installing phones, intruder alarms and satellite systems.

A friend of a friend was starting a new business and he wanted some PC's linking together so I did that for him. Ended up working for him on PC support with a bit of programming thrown in.

His company folded within a year but he got a sales job with a bigger company who just happened to need a network admin/PC support type and he suggested me.

Eventually I moved, via a couple of other jobs, over to network engineer and I'm still doing that...

by accident really, but I love the work!

Regards
Peter
Tronn

2001-11-01, 4:17 am

At the begining of the year I suddenly though "why am I doing this boring job when I've always been interested in computers". So I set out to study for my MCSE and CCNA.

It just so happens that I was made redundant at the begining of September and am now working my 4 months notice and studying like a demon. 31st of december I'm out of a job and have to find my first .IT job.

Scared is not the word for it.
exar07

2001-11-01, 11:12 am

I switched to the IT field because it will keep my busy and learning. I needed something to keep my attention. Some of the previous jobs I worked were brainless jobs!

But I must say that the IT industry is moving faster than what I expected!
Gundyman

2001-11-01, 11:22 am

Eveybody want to be rich and good living. IT is hot! I want a piece.

That's most common answer I found! Me, always be a IT in the beginning of my college life... Maybe all the way until the day I ****.
peterd

2001-11-02, 7:39 am

Tronn,

bad news, sorry to hear it! It's a bad time to be looking for an IT job right now, but for some reason IT jobs seem to dry up around December/January each year. It just seems far worse this time around due to the recession creeping in.

Companies seem to start hiring again around the end of February and it's hoped that the current trend ends early next year and there are more jobs on offer.

It's also sometimes difficult to get your first IT job but if you're willing (and able) to re-locate, possibly starting at a lowly position then you should find something.

Having said that, don't despair! Once you have an IT job it's easier to get a better one.

Play on the sympathy of your prospective employers with regards to your redundancy, etc. Try to negotiate an early release with your current employer so that you can offer a new employer an immediate start (and if they won't release you then consider walking out, they started it!).

Don't just look at job adverts, look through your local phone book and send letters/resume to every company that looks big enough to need IT staff. Ring the switchboard and ask for the name of the IT manager and send your letter directly to him/her.

Also, if you have time, research the company, what they sell, where they sell it, are their annual accounts made available to the public? Look up some details. Pepper your letter with enough deatils to let the other guy know that you've done some research, it may just be enough to get an interview...

Unfortunately these are the sort of tactics that you need to be thinking about for a while.

Good Luck
Peter
Tronn

2001-11-02, 7:56 am

Hi Peter,

Thanks for all your advise it will come in handy. Luckily I'm only about 30 minutes from London so hopefully that may increase the amount of potential employers. I just need that, so called, foot in the door job.

Your definitely right about the amount of work available around Christmas but I think that goes for all industries.

The other problem now is my training provide Amraf have gone into liquidation. As far as I know they've closed all there offices around the country apart from the head office in Basildon which is lucky because that's where I live. I've got my CCNA course booked with them for the end of November, I just hope they'll still be open by then.:/

Thanks again Peter,

Jeff.
peterd

2001-11-02, 10:11 am

Hi Jeff,

dear oh dear! You're having problems all around I see! Hopefully your course is still there for you.

I get Network News magazine every week (it's free!) and a couple of months ago there must have been six pages of jobs. Last week there was one page with about 20 jobs, this week it's down to about nine...

they've had to increase the text size to fill the page!

Part of the problem could also be the numbers of jobs now advertised on the internet rather than in print but I still wouldn't fancy looking for work now.

It could be happening for me sooner than I'd planned...

I was looking to finish my CCNP around February next year and start looking around then. Apparently the owner of our company is now starting to look at staffing levels and who he can get rid of the cheapest...

I reckon I'm the prime target in our department...

it's always as well to try to anticipate these things...

Regards
Peter
kccruiser

2001-11-03, 1:08 am

I think alot of us that are older and have careers that we started when we were younger and the career paths were different have made the choice of going into IT for any number of reasons listed.
My are having a lack of savings and working from pay check to pay check and nothing to fall back on when I retire. Which for me is a whole lot sooner than most of you, I am over 50. But feel younger, and making a career change can help that. Also it is said that most people make at least 2 to 3 changes in life.
That is the short answer. The long one is I worked in the food industry for many years, enjoyed but could not open my own operation, lack of equity and financing. Retired from the Air Force Reserves in Avionics which lead me with that training to computers and now networking admin. I this year finished my degree at DeVry with a bachalors in technical management and work doing help desk for a computer manufacture in town until I can complete my CCNA at least soon. I recently did pass my MCP for win2k pro. I am hopefully taking the right steps to get where I am going. Time will tell.
I also read the book Prep Kit By Heather Osterioh that covers the subject pretty good, any thoughts about anyone using this for studying with. Also got a deal on Cisco routers for IP networking Black Book.
This is probably too long a reply but hope this is what you was looking for.

kccruiser

quote:
Originally posted by chodan
I`m setting up this poll to get a feel for the career changers in this forum, I get the feeling there are many here who are coming from many diferent backgrounds.
I came from the field of Barbering which I had been doing for 18 years. I`m 37 now and a couple years ago I took the plunge after earning an MCP in NT4 workstation & Server and got a job as an "IS specialist" with a company on contract I then was brought on full time salary 2 months later, after a year and a half in that position I was promoted to Network Administrator.
Please vote in this poll and while you`re here tell us your story about your career change what you did or are doing and how you got into IT it will be fun and encourage other career changers.
I`m not talking about moving from a DBA to networking or anything like that hehe.
I mean changing from a non IT job to IT.

Tronn

2001-11-03, 1:00 pm

Hi Peter,

Just got an email, unofficial, that Amraf have now stopped training at Basildon as well. So It looks like self study now. Oh well such is life.

Sorry to hear about your job, I wish you luck, but hopefully you'll be OK.

Anyway, good luck Peter,

Jeff.
chodan

2001-11-03, 5:12 pm

These are exactly the type of posts I was hoping to get!
kccruiser
If your wanting to get into Cisco I recomend anything by Sybex including the virtual labs CCNA and CCNP
Pavlov

2001-11-04, 9:56 am

I love this topic!

I spent 15 years doing secretarial/office management type jobs. One day someone asked me (the only person in the office that didn't drink the coffee) if I had made a new pot. That was it for me. No more slave type secretarial demeaning treatment jobs. "I'm outa here!"

I spent a summer searching for my first job in IT at the help desk. I figured in all those years of using the computer and all those MS products to produce wonderful results for others must be worth something in IT. I was right! My opening was there because they needed someone with office application knowledge to help the user base. I spent almost 2 years with that company while also studying for my MCP in NT4. Since I also have a mangement degree I fell into a job as an tech support Manager for a really huge company. I didn't care for that as much as I thought I would. Now I work as a System Admin (5 years into IT) for a small start-up where I have learned lots. Because it's small you gotta' know a little about everything. Never bored and genuinely appreciated.

I love IT!!!!
chodan

2001-11-04, 10:31 am

Pavlov
I agree about working in a relatively small company.
The company I work for has a staff of around 50 and several affilates agencies over 100 hosts in all.
We are federally funded and get lots of tows to work with.
We are doing the last 9 installs of our 40 county WAN as well as working server and desktop support, a PBX system, event tech support, Consulting for a 21 million dollar Law enforcement Technology Grant, and a lot more stuff I won`t mention.
All with a staff of 3.
My IS Manager.
Myself network admin
and a Computer support Specialist.
And ya know what?
I love it!!
Sometimes it gets insane but overall its an awsome job with which to get expierience. It is unlike anything I`ve ever seen anywhere else.
An example of the type of stuff that goes on
we had a grant that was running out it still had 300,000 dollars in it.
We had 2 weeks to spend it. no problem right?
Wrong, we had to tie it back to the grant and make it tie logically.
We got 2 enterprise level APC UPS`s
a Cisco 2500 series router
a 7200 Series Cisco Router.
A new video bridge
6 new Cisco 3xxx series gigabit switches
3 new Cisco Wireless access points and nics
and several other cool things.
Chodan
Grollo

2001-11-05, 3:57 am

I got into IT because I just loved tinkering with PC's and wanted to spend the rest of my working life doing something I really enjoyed. Spent 12 months studying and have spent the last 2 months installing cable modems for the largest telco in Australia working as a subcontractor. This means bringing in the cable connection from the street as well as the Pc configuration. Not that glamourous but pay is reasonable; as a career changer in this climate you can't be to fussy. Networking PC's is what I like to do and now dabbling with Linux (Red Hat). Hoping to combine both down the track.
mike2201

2001-11-05, 11:59 am

HI

I am in the process of getting into IT, I got my A+ 2 months ago and in about 2 weeks my Net+ and I am going to school for MCSE and MCDBA.

I was in real estate appraisal for more than 12 years, It is a thankless job with no future, no rewards and nothing but headaches. I have reached the point where i cannot go any higher. I have always been interested in IT, I fix all the computers in my office, before anyone calls the help desk, they call me. A friend told me of his experiences in the field, years ago. I was always interested but put it off, huge mistake. I have wanted to do this for a long time, but thought i was trapped in real estate.

mike
Nicole

2001-11-05, 2:13 pm

There's more than one way into the industry... some of us just kind of ended up here Up until 1995, I was a sound engineer. I had an argument with an air cannon, and unfortunately it won, leaving me almost completely deaf in my left ear. Most of that hearing has come back by now, but that still put a quick end to my career.

After months of legal and medical mess and moping around the house, I really needed to go get a job. After a brief stint cleaning houses, I ended up working for a regional computer retailer in So Cal. They were just adding Windows machines to their formerly Mac only line up, and desperately needed someone who knew something about Windows machines. "Something" defined my experience level at the time For the next 3 months I spent a lot of time setting up and fixing machines on display and even helping out in the repair department. So needless to say, my sales goals (And commission!) stunk big time.

So I got promoted. I went up to corporate sales in an inside role, for much the same reason that they originally hired me on the retail floor... that I knew "something." I didn't do much sales... I developed databases and customized Office solutions, helped IT guys find solutions to their problems, and racked up every technical sales certification you can think of out of sheer boredom. (Of course, no one cares if your a Certified Gold Level Apple Product Professional.)

After 4 years, I got tired of being bored. I considered becoming an official techie, but I was still resisting the computer geek label. I got a job managing the administrative department at a mid-sized company. Within 2 months, the whole company had reorganized and I not only ended up firing almost all of my staff, but I was again doing database and Office development to automate procdures that were 20 years old and still on a typewriter. The day after the boss threw a can of Diet Coke at me because he was mad at somebody else, I made plans to move to Sacramento and quit a couple of months later. Once in Sacramento, I again moped around for a few months, did some traveling, and finally decided that I WAS a computer geek, I might as well make it official and I started learning Oracle because of my past database experience.

I signed up at a temp agency to do some part time work, and they asked me if I could go out that afternoon on an assignment that was below my level, but they were desperate. I showed up, determined the source of the panic was that the fax machine was out of paper, and the next day I was offered a job as the IT Manager. Fortunately for them, I actually did know what I was doing. I migrated them from a small office with a half-working file sharing scheme to a big new office with an NT Server/Workstation-based network and the various needed bells and whistles, email, centralized document control, etc. And I developed yet another database system, except this time I started having fun with it.

Since the Oracle entry-level market has tanked, I've switched over to SQL Server, which leverages my Access experience better. I finally got around to earning my first certification last week.

They don't need me here any more -- my work is done, but I'm tenaciously hanging on to that paycheck in this stinky job market. Almost everyone at our location has been laid off, and I've taken to answering the phones. I have a mortgage to pay, after all; I'm not to proud to answer phones if it keeps me employed. But being bored is great for studying. Sometime next year I will be moving to Melbourne, Australia... where I get to try to land that first "intentional" IT job.

Ironically, my future brother-in-law works for Oracle in Melbourne.
The Ghost

2001-11-06, 12:42 pm

That is one interesting story there Nicole, I am sorry to hear about the accident and the Diet coke thingy kinda giggled me, sorry.

Hmmm , my career... I don't have one yet. I don't even have a job and don't plan to get one any time soon either. I have been in IT since I was like 9, I was a Qbasic programmer back then, a real kiddy crappy one too. Then as I grew I started playing with C and other stuff. Now I don't even know what i am doing... I am twisted I think.
I actually got into real IT after getting locked up for a good time when I was 13...
Nicole

2001-11-06, 2:20 pm

quote:
...and the Diet coke thingy kinda giggled me, sorry.


Oh, it's hysterical, unless at the moment you're dodging a twirling can spewing soda in every direction

He also liked to break keyboards over his thigh (ooooh... manly man!). A funnier throwing incident, which I unfortunately did not get to see, involved throwing his mouse. Of course, it was still attached to the computer and it bounced back and hit him in the head.

It's only funny when they're your ex-employer
The Ghost

2001-11-08, 7:35 am

amusing.

Dad... breaking a keyboard on a thigh would look good though , I gotta try that sometime. I'd probably end up hurting myself...
oldsaltdoggie

2002-02-14, 11:41 pm

I know this poll is kinda old, but I'd like to see it revived.
I myself worked for a septic co. for about 20yrs. yup did everything from sweep the floors to being a foreman. I won't get in to details of in between some of you may have weak stomachs. LOL
On 4/10/98 I slipped and hurt may back for the last time in the past 10yrs. Had to have major low back surgury a year and 1 month later. In that 13mos. I helped out at a nonprofit public accsess place called "THE HARD DISK CAFE" untill the day before the surgury.
After a long recoup. I finally asked my lawyer about retraining in the computer field, witch at the time was looking pretty good! But the wonderful insur. co. didn't think that I should go to Boston U. for training, to much $$$.and the course was about 8mos. long. So I ended up at a training school that taught me eveything in 3 1/2 weeks, A+, MCP, now I know this is typical training, but I'm a hands on type of learner. You try home studying with 4 girls & a wife, and only 1 computer!!
Well as of today I only have my A+ Hardware, hopefully I'm going for the OS by the end of this month!! I have untill Oct. 2002 to get my MCP. I would love to find an internship close by, but like everyone is saying they all want someone with exper. even if you'll work for free!!
O well it's 12:40 AM est I think I'll go read for a couple of hours before I get up at 6:00 AM and do it all over again. LOL
kappagamma698

2002-02-15, 12:39 am

Well as some of your past work history is longer than my whole life mine will be somewhat shorter. I was going to college and decided that I should get married so as a man that thinks I should support the woman that I marry I took the full time position at the video store I was working at. I did do the setup of the computer network and wiring and that of the networks at the new store locations but not much more than that with computer there. Mostly I asked if you would like this for one night or two. Well I finally go tired of them telling me I could not run a store by myself because they do not hire people for their store managers that are younger that 25 unless you have worked there for 4 yrs then they might think about it. So I finally got tired of having 4 different managers in 6 months and non of them were worth anything (and when we were between managers guess who ran the store and kept everything going ME) Well That was it I had applied for a job at a helpdesk that a friend had told me about and well I quit my video store job without knowing if I had the job. Well this was the beginning of Sept well I was suppose to know the answer on Sept 14th but with what happened on sept 11th they wanted to make sure that they needed someone else. Finally at the end of the month I was Hired and I enjoy the job every call is something different but after I am here for about a year (can leave in the middle of building a house) I will look into either network Admin or desktop support rather have the network admin but whatever is out there. Well mabye mine is not as short as I thought it would be. Well I have a call and have to answer it mabye the network is down in china
algerp131

2002-02-15, 3:09 am

I was a CNC machinest for 20 something years. I put all this money away for my kid for college and when she didn't go to college, I decided that it was finally my turn. I always loved computers so I went to a community college and got a couple of associate degrees. I know that it will be hard to find someone willing to hire a 47 year old lady with no working computer experience, but I spent most of my life in a job that I hated and now I want to spend the rest of my life doing what I love.
chodan

2002-02-15, 6:43 am

"Part of my story I might not have mentioned"
Much of your history is the same as mine in relation to major back surgury.
I had been a barber for 18 years and eventually standing that long took its toll and a disk ruptured.
While I was down waiting for surgury and after surgury I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do, barbering was out I couldn`t do or teach Martial Arts anymore but I loved working on/with computers.
A year earlier a good friend wanted to ge through the win95 MCP together but I said "nah, what for?" I wish I had started then but when I did start it was with a vengence its been 3 years and I`m almost "overcertified" if there is such a thing.
I love the work and the challenge of IT and the people in IT are awesome.
I would encourage you to keep doggin it till you get where you want to be, then doggit some more.
Drummer

2002-02-15, 9:34 am

I'm glad OSD bumped up this thread. I missed it the first time.

I was working for a cable television network in Atlanta for about 8 years. Then I got laid off. I had been building web pages as a hobby for a few years anyway and I had been thinking of taking classes and making the switch to do it professionally. Now I had severance money and a lot of free time so I took the plunge.

I now have two Master CIW certs and I'm instructing for the company that trained me. I hope to do the hard core web design soon but my foot is in the door and I'm in a new career so I'm pretty happy. I'm also making more money than I did before so that's a plus as well. Getting laid off was the best thing that happened to me.
oldsaltdoggie

2002-02-15, 2:59 pm

Thanks for the encouragement, and from the looks of the IT field I mite be doggin it for a while!!! I did spot a new public access place that just open I going to check it out later!!

"doggin it" I like that!
Ling663

2002-02-15, 4:01 pm

Hello. I thought this would be a good 1st post for me. Hope it won't be too long. I'm way new to the forum game, love to read, not big on participation. Story of my life..Which is why I'm writing this in the 1st place! I'm not a career changer, and not new to IT. I'm in my late 30s (ugh) and have been in the field since grad (BS in MIS, URI), in only 2 companies. Therein lies my prob now. I didn't know what i wanted to b when i grew up (still don't..) and decided quite suddenly that i needed a "job" that would support my independent self - wasn't going to rely on a finding prince charming (still looking there too..). Computers were the hottest thing then (days of giant IBM PCs and dBaseIII and punch cards). So that made my decision. Got my BS in MIS cuz i liked the business mix. But i'm not the go-getter-beemer-wanting-perky-pot-of-ambition i'd need to be to be successful in big corp America.
So here I sit in a company that doesn't keep up with tech very well, and employs an IT staff of 1 - hello. I started here as a jr prog in cobol when we had a staff of 10. Over the yrs the whole dpt was downsized to the dp mgr and me. Then it was just me, as the co decided to outsource everything. Later we decided to finally buy new hw and a totally customized business system. I was in on it from day 1 acting as liaison between us and the consultants. Yrs later, we haven't kept up, and neither have i. Yes, fell headlong into the comfy trap, completely my own fault. The security of this co still believing i'm a great asset to it helps with that comfort level of course.
I love to write (duh) but don't know how to make a living at it. Now i'm just figuring i should stick with what i've always done, no matter how unnatural it is to me (i really have to work at this IT stuff unfortunately), and start working on certs up the wazoo. For months i've been researching certs, reading, even doing the emailed practice quests for 'fun', without much studying.
So why am i here now rambling on to folks i've never met? Well I guess so I know I'm not alone in this pickle. Maybe that's all! I think this site in particular is very informative and i get a kick outta the forum folks!
So in answer to the original request, i guess i got into the field originally for the $$, but wasn't dedicated enough to hit it big.
Hope at least 2 of you are still awake.. see? told you i enjoy writing. Thanx for daily chuckles and useful info, no matter what i decide to do with my life!!!
lifelearner

2002-02-16, 1:35 pm

I am like several others and got into my current field at a very young age. I am now in my early 30's and have 15 years in a field that I can no longer see keeping me employed until I can afford to retire.
I have also grown weary of having to worry every fall if I will be laid off! There are only so many mortgage positions in a medium sized city, so I decided I needed to evaluate what I like to do and decide what I want to do. I did this about 2 years ago. After 6 months of research, (I knew NOTHING about the IT field in the beginning), I was ready to start learning the skills.

Now, 1.5 years later I have my first cert and am working the next. In the meantime, I also finished an Associates degree in Business that I started 15 years ago.

Hopefully, one day in the relatively near future, I can get an IT job!!!!
I have found it very difficult to stay up to date on 2 career fields at the same time. Not to mention learning what is going on from the ground up. But I have no doubt that one day it will all be worth it.

These forums are helpful! Thanks for asking us career changers!
BravoTwo

2002-02-17, 1:09 am

What a nice thread for a cloudy Sunday afternoon..
Coming from France, I have been working in Japan for 6 years as a coordinator or translator for various employers. Wishing to specialize in IT and to stay employable I got my A+ as a first step. I am now studying Net+ before going for CCNA or Server+.
Working 5 days a week as a coordinator for an international removals company (no fun) I wish I will be able to switch soon to a position of technical translator or something else. Besides translation, I wonder in which kind of IT job you could make the best use of language skills (French and Japanese in my case). To make things simple, I would also like to relocate to another country. Any advice from career changers? Thanks for helping. I just love this board.
timmyq45

2002-02-17, 4:11 am

Well I am not really a career changer or I am? I retired from the navy two years ago ( I was on subs for 20 years) and while there I worked in IT related fields including computer security, help desk, network admin, and many others including project manager for a $70 million IT project for 5 years in an r and d environment. I was always the ace troubleshooter, and mr fixit everywhere i went, and at one point was the it guy for 4 admirals which was pretty fun. I had no formal training until 1999, when I got an NT certificate at a large technical college, still with 0 certs. After I retired I taught networking for about a year at that college, including A+ and Net+. I went to work for a large county (8500 employees) and became IT guy for the politicians. I began certifying about 16 months ago, mostly studying things my experience could back up. I have always been an ace at taking tests and passing them my whole life, and I have a dream job in IT - 8-5 monday -friday. The primary reason I began certifying is based on interviewing with folks who told me great knowledge, too bad you are not certified. And I love to teach, but only a little bit, which is why I became an MCT. I do contract teaching, which pays for the certs, and eventually will complete the masters which will move me towards the ultimate goals, which are director of network security or CIO. I have helped many a career changer find jobs, including some of my best students, who currently work with me. Good luck to all of you!!
The Ghost

2002-02-17, 2:52 pm

I too want to be a CIO one day...
JoniF

2002-02-18, 12:29 pm

I was a waitress for many years. The money was excellent but there are no benefits. My youngest son got interested in computers in 8th grade and I followed his interests. Once both of my children finished school I went back to school and earned a degree in Computer programming and one in Internet Technology, and also achieved some certs. Best thing I ever did was going back to school. Now I am a Q&A manager of a software test lab. I work for a major publishing company.
Shrink

2002-02-19, 8:29 pm

I have been a child Psychologist for almost 30 years and, although it is an interesting and rewarding field, I am just burned out on the work. Two years ago, at the ripe old age of 56, I took the advice of my son (a computer tech) and took several classes through the local community college. I now have my A+ and Network+ certs, and plan to get i-Net+ and at least MCP in the near future. I also now have a quarter of my time at the clinic I work at, designated as Network Administration, where I manage a network of 19 workstations and 2 servers. I really enjoy my computer work and want to eventually end up in full-time network administration position.

This is a good discussion topic....some interesting stories!
natswift

2002-02-21, 8:48 pm

ok here go's,

It all started about 31 years ago when my mother gave birth to...

Ooops sorry wrong thread, maybe you could start one Shrink.

I first started out as an electrician about ten years ago, got my journeymans liscence, as a matter of fact I still keep it active, hey you never know. Then after four years of conduit wire and high voltage, I decided my knees and back weren't quite what they had been. So I began pulling network cable. That's what i've been doing for the past six years. Pulling cable. I've always loved computers. My first was a Commodore 64! Wow, time flies.

Well now i'm getting tired of pulling cable. People in the telecomm field really don't get much respect. I guess it's because most network installers can't even spell network, oh uh did I say that out loud.

Anyway, I have decided to finally put my tinkering to the test and get a few certs under my belt and along with them maybe more people will realize that I actually do know that a DSL is not something my uncle drives across the country and has 18 wheels.

Anyway thank you all,
These boards are awesome and everyone seems pretty level headed and enjoyable.

Talk to ya,

Nathan
chodan

2002-02-21, 9:43 pm

quote:
Originally posted by natswift
.

Well now i'm getting tired of pulling cable. People in the telecomm field really don't get much respect. I guess it's because most network installers can't even spell network, oh uh did I say that out loud.

Nathan


I can vouch for that personally.
trying to talk networking with most telcom network installers can be almost painful at times.
Quotes from telcom people I`ve worked with.
"whats this layer stuff you keep talking about"
"They had a question on the CE exam about BRI, whats BRI?"
"Oh they don`t use IP for their internet connection"
hehe you get the point.
What they do know is physical layer trouble shooting, I will give them that.
I don`t mind ignorance but I detest an unwillingness to learn.
I should say that this doesn`t represent all telco installers just many of them in the area I live in.
lenee

2002-02-22, 10:06 pm

i did my bachelors in biochemistry in india and came back to my home country after quite a long time. I tried to get a job in my field(research,technician any darn thing)but had no luck.I then decided to do a career change and started to work on web design softwares like flash and dreamweaver along with basic html(about 5 months).I then went door to door at some IT companies and one of them felt that i had the urge to learn and the capacity to pick up in this field. Its been 10 months ever since i was hired and i have a A+ and 1 more exam away from hitting both the MCSE and MCDBA in one shot.
Just remember all of you out there
Its never too late !!!
YoungOne

2002-02-24, 5:43 pm

The decision to change careers is probably influenced by various factors. I could have gone back into a different business, but I do not like the 'cut throat' environment we live in today.

In IT I can do my bit as I want to, as little or as much as I choose.

Good thread!
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