IT work / Career

[Dsparil]

anyone know of a company hiring individuals for basic IT work who do not have certifications or degrees in anything computer-related but do know their way around computers VERY well. And what I don't know, computer-wise, I learn VERY quickly. I have a natural talent when it comes to computers and am currently looking at the possibility of basic IT helpdesk work and computer building. If I'm not at work working, I'm usually at home screwing around on the computer. Most of my systems run ubuntu linux except my gaming computer.


Any company out there that'll do say $50k a year? Where should I begin. Currently in law enforcement and I'm already getting burned out (mostly because of the attitude at work).

 

[Rum Runner]

IMO, $50k a year with no paperwork is a tough row to hoe.

 

[matefrio]

Take a computer forensics class or two and upgrade.

 

[Dsparil]

hmmm where can you take those and how much do they run?

 

[matefrio]

Certified Computer Forensics Examiner (CCFE)

 

[majormadmax]

IMO, $50k a year with no paperwork is a tough row to hoe.

Agreed, there is a lot of competition out there who do have the CISSP certifications or are at least working on them. Without them, you are way behind the power curve, and thinking you're gonna pull $50K without them is a pipe dream.

Sorry to be so brutal about it, but my company does employ a lot of IT folks (I'm not one of them, but I do have a grad degree in IS) and I know the market in the major Texas cities (Houston, SA, Austin, DFW) is pretty competitive.

I'd advise doing some research on the ISC² web site and seeing what you might be able to knock out quickly. The more courses and certifications you can get on your resume (and you do have a resume, right?), the greater your chances of getting picked up at the apprentice level. But be prepared for a lower starting salary...

Cheers! M2

 

[matefrio]

Agreed, there is a lot of competition out there who do have the CISSP certifications or are at least working on them. Without them, you are way behind the power curve, and thinking you're gonna pull $50K without them is a pipe dream.

Sorry to be so brutal about it, but my company does employ a lot of IT folks (I'm not one of them, but I do have a grad degree in IS) and I know the market in the major Texas cities (Houston, SA, Austin, DFW) is pretty competitive.

I'd advise doing some research on the ISC² web site and seeing what you might be able to knock out quickly. The more courses and certifications you can get on your resume (and you do have a resume, right?), the greater your chances of getting picked up at the apprentice level. But be prepared for a lower starting salary...

Cheers! M2

Certifications or tons of experience. Certs gets you in, experience gets you the job. Most helpdesk Jockies are getting around $45k and have their MCSE with 5 years experience now adays. :-)

CISSP is getting too easy\popular IMHO. Helps to have that and another one like CISA.

 

[Schue]

anyone know of a company hiring individuals for basic IT work who do not have certifications or degrees in anything computer-related but do know their way around computers VERY well. And what I don't know, computer-wise, I learn VERY quickly. I have a natural talent when it comes to computers and am currently looking at the possibility of basic IT helpdesk work and computer building. If I'm not at work working, I'm usually at home screwing around on the computer. Most of my systems run ubuntu linux except my gaming computer.


Any company out there that'll do say $50k a year? Where should I begin. Currently in law enforcement and I'm already getting burned out (mostly because of the attitude at work).

I have been in IT for a long time and without a degree in IT, experience, and certs you are not going to be able to find a good IT job at all. I barely make 50k and I have a degree in IT, several certifications, and 10 years of experience. The job market is kinda crappy and there are ALOT of IT folks nowadays so the money that IT professionals used to make is no longer there.

 

[jgalvanatx]

I have to agree that salary expectations, given relevant work experience, are a little high. If you really want to start out doing help desk in a corporate environment, I suggest an A+ and/or MCSA certifications. Work experience counts for more than certs, but fixing home machines and provisioning corporate work stations and managing Active Directory is another ball game. You can work way into a Systems Administrator role from there where you could probably make 50k or more, but it will take a few years of experience. Linux, Unix, Storage, and Networking admins can typically earn more than Windows admins, because demand is high and there are less to go around. Without a CS degree, it is hard to get into these areas, but not impossible.

CompTIA A+ Certification

Systems Administrator| MCSA | Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator

 

[majormadmax]

Yeah, unfortunately too many people were told that IT was the career field to be in; so a lot of people flocked to it. Now there seems to be a glut, and the market is very competitive. That is the reason I went and got a second grad degree, because my plan to retire from the military and slide into the IT world didn't pan out for me. I had some experience with IT while in uniform, but not enough to be competitive. Still, my military background and my masters in IS did get a few companies to pursue me; but it is actually the combination of my two degrees that made me very viable for what I do now.

The problem is I am becoming too senior to stay at the operational level of what I do, which is where I enjoy being. I am actually next in line to be the task lead if our current one moves to something else, due to all my time with the company (I've worked for the same company since retiring over five years ago). I honestly had enough of the administrative side when I was in the military, I actually prefer to do more "hands on" work but there comes a point when you gain seniority and enough promotions and pay raises that there's no avoiding it.

I would agree with matefrio's advice, look to specialize in either computer forensics or computer security. Too many people focus on IT sys admin/support jobs, I think there's still some room left in those fringe areas where it's a little less desirable because of the increase education and training requirements. Plus, the money's better in those specialized fields; so if you're really looking for a $50K+/yr job, that's where your sights should be focused...

Cheers! M2

 

[jgalvanatx]

I'd have to say there are many specializations that yield 70K+ and even 100K+ jobs in IT. There aren't enough Linux/Unix admins and they make good money. This is how I got started, though I've taken on more of a systems engineering role. Forensics Analysts and Security Analyst make good money, but their compensation is pretty comparable to the following:

Unix Admin:

Unix System Administrator Salary | Indeed.com

Storage Admin:

Storage Administrator Salary | Indeed.com

Network Admin:

Network Administrator Salary | Indeed.com

Systems Engineer

Systems Engineer Salary | Indeed.com

 

[Rum Runner]

I think salary surveys and unicorns have a lot in common.