IT work

[Vigil80]

I've been thinking of expanding the IT portion of the ol' resume. I know that a lot of certifications are required. But, it's one of the few activities in the business world that doesn't fill me with disgust. I've enjoyed most of my time spent with computers and computer hardware. And if you're in the IT department, seems like noone else in the place knows enough about what you do to give you much crap.

I have no interest in programming (as I know it). That would take too much more time in classes than I have the patience to spend right now, even if I did have an interest in it. But networking, security, anything hardware related, and even some web design could be interesting work. I'm already qualified for some - hobbyist and IT minor and all - but I know there's specific certifications that would be good to get.

Is it true that this is the last year for permanent A+ certification? I'm not even sure what that is, but if there's a time limit on it, that's probably a good place to start. Hopefully I can get most of the stuff at the community college.

[BrassGecko]

I believe it's the last year for permanent A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications. I'm actually planning to take the A+ and Net+ tests next month.

Some links:
A+
Net+
Sec+

They don't have the objectives listed, but if you click the link halfway down the A+ page they'll email them to you.

If you've built or repaired computers on your own, then you've probably got a nice chunk of the A+ stuff down. The rest just takes some memorization, for various step-by-step methods and standards and such.

[Vigil80]

I wouldn't even have to take a course? Just some rote memorization and a test? Nice. Thanks for the links.

I'll probably stop by good ol' Barnes and Noble and look for some guides for good measure.

[BrassGecko]

Originally Posted by Vigil80

I wouldn't even have to take a course? Just some wrote memorization and a test? Nice. Thanks for the links.

Unless you're very confident, I'd recommend the course. It's good for learning about all the things you've never run into on your own, plus you can meet people who have a lot more or very different experience than you do. I've enjoyed the courses a lot so far, and the community college near me runs each one twice a year, I think.

If you do decide to just study up on your own, my classes used books by "Element K" that were mostly good. There are possibly better alternatives out there, I haven't looked around.

[Vigil80]

With a good book, I could probably handle the A+ and Sec+ on my own. I did have a security course as part of my IT minor. Networking I'm not as savvy on, so a course might be a good idea there.

[Voodoo]

That's great! I've worked in IT now for 18 years and have really liked it. My favorite thing about it is that you don't have to work in the same type of business all the time. I've worked at banks, non-profits, on a deep water oil drilling platform and for a ticketing agency. The positions I've held are help desk, LAN tech, LAN/WAN tech, LAN/WAN design & engineering, MS AD Administration in large enterprises and small SBS setups and finally to the IT Manager and IT Director role. If you need any help at all, feel free to get in contact with me.

[Khrymsyn]

Stay away. Stay far away.
IT will burn your insides out and leave you a sulking, unfeeling husk with no hope or positivity toward the human race whatsoever. You will experience the dumb, the dumber, and those too self centered to realize which one of them they are. You will no longer know what a national holiday is, and you will become twitchy at the sound of a vibrating cell phone on TV.

I cannot save me. You can only save yourself.

There's still time.

[Xydarc]

Originally Posted by Khrymsyn

Stay away. Stay far away.
IT will burn your insides out and leave you a sulking, unfeeling husk with no hope or positivity toward the human race whatsoever. You will experience the dumb, the dumber, and those too self centered to realize which one of them they are. You will no longer know what a national holiday is, and you will become twitchy at the sound of a vibrating cell phone on TV.

I cannot save me. You can only save yourself.

There's still time.

This. A thousand times this. Plus, you'll go from Hero to Hated within the space of minutes, at least a dozen times a day.

[Shieldmaiden]

Originally Posted by Khrymsyn

Stay away. Stay far away.
IT will burn your insides out and leave you a sulking, unfeeling husk with no hope or positivity toward the human race whatsoever. You will experience the dumb, the dumber, and those too self centered to realize which one of them they are. You will no longer know what a national holiday is, and you will become twitchy at the sound of a vibrating cell phone on TV.

I cannot save me. You can only save yourself.

There's still time.

Sounds like working in retail.

[Shjinta]

What do you mean it's the last year for those certifications? Sorry to sound dumb haha. I was considering them in a year or so.

Originally Posted by BrassGecko

I believe it's the last year for permanent A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications. I'm actually planning to take the A+ and Net+ tests next month.

Some links:
A+
Net+
Sec+

They don't have the objectives listed, but if you click the link halfway down the A+ page they'll email them to you.

If you've built or repaired computers on your own, then you've probably got a nice chunk of the A+ stuff down. The rest just takes some memorization, for various step-by-step methods and standards and such.

[Uatu]

As a 6 year IT journeyman I say this:

Just get a Helpdesk gig so you can see firsthand how terrible this field is before you go on wasting your money on the useless trifecta of the A+, Network+, and Security+ certs (most employers know they mean nothing in comparison to experience; the kid with a million certs and no knowledge in practice is the brunt of many lunchtime conversations). If that doesn't scare you away, the fact it also seems to attract the most pompous and socially inept people in the world might.

If you insist on ignoring the warnings of the fallen, I have some Test King stuff I can PM you. Further proof of the futility of this song and dance.

Just my observations so far.

[BrassGecko]

Originally Posted by Shjinta

What do you mean it's the last year for those certifications? Sorry to sound dumb haha. I was considering them in a year or so.

I believe that currently once you get them, they don't expire. If you get them after this year, I think you have to renew every three years. I'm not sure how big a deal this is, since a certificate on the 2009 objectives probably won't count for all that much in a few years anyway.

Uatu: I imagine experience is worth a ton more, yeah, but I've seen A+ listed as a requirement for some starting help desk jobs. Plus, I don't have to pay for them myself!

And really, I haven't heard IT horror stories that are that much worse than those from any other job dealing with other people.

[Vigil80]

I'm not looking for a career in IT, exactly. All jobs everywhere suck. Any work is a way to fill in the gaps until my master plan comes to fruition. But I figure anything that expands the resume is good, and I already have some interest/working knowledge in IT. Doesn't seem like some of these certs are extremely difficult to grab, so why not?

Originally Posted by Uatu

Just get a Helpdesk gig so you can see firsthand how terrible this field is before you go on wasting your money on the useless trifecta of the A+, Network+, and Security+ certs (most employers know they mean nothing in comparison to experience; the kid with a million certs and no knowledge in practice is the brunt of many lunchtime conversations).

I don't doubt what you're saying is true - every f'ing lummox in an office has something to say, anyway - but is it one of those situations where not having it is a bigger deal than having it? Sort of like a high school diploma. You have it, so what? But if you don't have it, you're in trouble.

P.S. I am so sick of that word. Not sniping at anyone here, it's just been burned into my retinas since before I even started college. Young guys don't have enough expewience, and old guys are too old, persnickety, and expensive, so screw it, layoffs for everyone. The business world is a dumb bitch.

[Stmfuller]

Originally Posted by Vigil80

P.S. I am so sick of that word. Not sniping at anyone here, it's just been burned into my retinas since before I even started college. Young guys don't have enough expewience, and old guys are too old, persnickety, and expensive, so screw it, layoffs for everyone. The business world is a dumb bitch.

Welcome to the real world my friend. I do a little bit of recruiting for the office I work for and believe me, it's absolutely true! People w/out enough exp points are too immature and more liable to job hop. People with lots of exp points that want the job I offer are probably losers or won't want the job because I can't offer enough as the job I offer requires work an dedication in order to do well.
you're best off doing whatever you're going to do for 2-5 years and then considering your money-making potential overall in the field given your reputation and skill at that point. it's only at the 2-5 year point of exp that you are most marketable. Any less, and you're still a n00b. Any more, and you should be ready for a promotion either internally or through a job move. Oh, and it's a career at that point.

[Whunpo]

I work in my schools computer center doing IT work, and I have an IT job lined up for me next year. If I know one thing about IT jobs, it would be the fact that I do not want a career in the IT industry.

[Vigil80]

Well, any desire I had to even wake up and walk out my front door has been ground into dust.

[Voodoo]

18 years and I still like it a lot.

[Rakael]

Originally Posted by Vigil80

Well, any desire I had to even wake up and walk out my front door has been ground into dust.

Bah! Don't be so dramatic ya whiner .

I used to really want to work IT too. Mainly just because it seemed like the easy thing to do. Somehow I stumbled ass backwards into EMS. I have my own kind of horror stories for sure, but it is a fucking amazing job. I would have been miserable in IT and probably still doing it at 28, hating my life the entire time. Now I actually enjoy getting up and going to work. Broaden your horizons man. It might just surprise you the things you will find.

[BrassGecko]

Originally Posted by Voodoo

18 years and I still like it a lot.

Your comments in this thread give me hope.

[Serapth]

Meh, programming side of things is where its at, so I have nothing further to add to this conversation.