Anybody get started late in IT?

R

Replicant1911

Gawd
Joined
Oct 14, 2004
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I need some stories to cheer me up because I feel like Ive wasted my life.

Well im 27 fixing to turn 28 this year, staring down the big 30 and still have no career. I moved to Austin after getting a degree in English with a minor in Tech Writing. Ive been out of college for 2 years now and Ive worked in a call center for one year and a data entry job in the next year. I don't like what im doing.

Ive always liked messing around with computers/fixing them for people and generally learning how they work. Lately ive been thinking about trying to start a career in IT. Anybody else here on [H] get started late in IT? Any advice?

My plan would be to go to Austin Community College and get an Associates Degree of Applied Science in Local Area Network Administration because they offer night classes. But would anybody hire an older guy like me with an associates degree? They offer classes in Unix, Novell Netware, and Microsoft Server 2003, I figure I could use those classes as a springboard for getting certifications and maybe this would help with lack of experience. How far off base am I in this thinking? All input is so very, very, appreciated.
 
What is wrong with your age? Trust me, from what I have seen, age has nothing to do with it, credentials though, other topic :)

Just take it easy and accomplish your academics . I still do not think IT is a stable career path...For one thing, no union, easily replaceable. Just my opinion.
 
:eek:

I have a BA in Creative Writing and minored in Professional Writing. I've been out of college for two years and I'm in an entry level office job. Unfortunately I went to a private school, so I have to keep a job to make sure I have loan payment funds.

Age is only important in showbiz. If you're a sit-com writer, chances are you're under 30. Anyone will hire you if you have what they want. If you know your stuff, they shouldn't hire you over a younger person. In fact, they might appreciate your age, wisdom, and poise (assuming you possess them :D).

Let me know how it goes. We English majors have to stick together if we're going to survive.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Yup...I started late...didn't get my first entry level job until easily past age of 30.
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I'd just like to say that makes me feel a hell of a lot better.

I'm 26, and am struggling to break out of a combined helpdesk/LAN support role and into real server administration. I've always felt so behind for my age, and would have thought someone like Stonecat would have been consulting by the time he was 6. :p Makes me feel better to know that some highly knowlegeable people were in my same shoes when they were close to my age.

[/feelings]

Hang in there Rep, I hear you.
 
im 20, going to community college...worked at compusa for 4 years...and now im an IT Admin for a manufacturing company..

I manage 4 servers and about 200 computers...

mostly surf the forums all day .. $14 an hour

I just spit mad game and told them i can do everything, (when really i cant)

and have learned on the way
 
Entered the IT biz at age 28. Got my MCSE in NT 4.0. Salary is good now too ;)
 
i started in the IT game when i was 22, took classes during the day, worked in a supermarket meat department nights and weekends. got my AA in 1.5 years, worked at a helpdesk for 1.5 years at $13/hr, now im 25, working at a Hospital as a Systems Analyst at $23 (and this in a technology inhibited state like Iowa). it doesn't take long to break through, keep your head up and in the game, my friend.
 
I worked as a carpenter for many years and later managed different aspects of building construction for a school district until around age 35. I was bored and burned out. I decided to go to night school at a technical college and learned computer networking. After graduating I replied to some ads in the paper. I was hired on my second interview. I changed careers in my late 30's and very happy I did so.
 
I'm 23 now. I started as a technician when I was 18.
Now I'm a network admin at the ministry of agriculture (Lebanon).
As other said, as long as you have the passion for what you are doing then just stick with it and continue. I've met people who started their IT career and are in their early 30's.
 
I started out in IT when I was 18 @ a local mom and pop shop, I moved on and have held a few consulting positions for various companies taking care of small and large businesses. I'm now an Admin for Pepsi. I'm 26 atm.

Check out techexams.net it's a good site about IT and certs and such...
 
ive been into it since i was young. went to a tech school (read loan generation plant) got an AA in computer networking, and landed my first gig b4 i graduated, doing support for D-Link wifi products.

that company lost the contract and i was out of a job 6 months past graduating. landed a few contrtact gigs here and there. now im 27 (in 10 days) and im busting my ass to get out of my current job. im a cctv tech support engineer, and office admin(1 win2k3 server and 10 client machines), and general jack of IT trades. i love WHAT i do, not WHO i do it for.

i really want to move on to real admin work, but i have such a passion for anything computer tech related. ive been interviewing many jobs these past few weeks, but havnt found a company id like to work for yet
 
I didn't start into IT until I was 27. I always felt the same way. Doesn't take long to go from entry level to doing reasonably well and making decent money if you have an aptitude for the field.

Good luck! :D
 
Wow man...You guys have no idea how much I needed to hear all your stories. You've put a smile on my face and really made my day and a few others too judging by the replies. I thought I was all alone but it looks there are others out there who have had similar struggles.


GSJNeptune-Its creepy how similar our lives are. I will definately keep you posted. I thought I was the only English major on this whole site! We should get secret decoder rings or something.:p

Inf0, Stonecat, Burner27, bigted, Mr. Natural,wtburnette- You all give me hope...seriously...thanks for sharing.

Im gonna check out that link The Creator.

So it's not entirely stupid getting an Associates Degree in Computer Networking? I mean I can get some kind of entry level job with that? I just want to get my foot in the door and let my hard work do the talking. What kind of stuff should I be studying?

Damn, this thread may be responsible for changing my life. :eek:
 
my idea was an AA and some certifications to show i want to get in the industry and quick, and dont have time (or money being young) to get a BA, but i DO want to go back and get my BA some day, hopefully on the companies dime as well. most respectable companies will send you back for certification training or schooling
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
Guess I am the only late starting old fart here huh? :p
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Make that TWO old farts :p . I'm 48, started my business about 8 years ago. Started it IT at a Mfg/Engineering firm in Quincy MA where I worked from '92-2000. Set up their first network in the mid-90's, expanded it, company was bought out by huge Swedish multi-national. Learned a LOT more about IT there, a lot through baptism under fire, and working with their IT staff. Also learned that what I hated most, was the huge Swedish multi-national :rolleyes:. They sure don't have the same work ethic or sense of urgency we do. Hated the corporate quagmire, as did the VP, so he arranged for me to get some training, then paid for my MCSE training and testing, and then I walked. Started my own company, been doing it ever since. Just like YOSC, small businesses, 5-40 users are our bread and butter.

Could never work for anyone ever again.
 
Nothing at all wrong with getting an associates in networking. I got my AAS in general computer info systems tech and that's taken me to where I am now (helpdesk supervisor making decent money). Along the way I've been a network admin and have also made better money, but I decided I didn't like networking as much as I'd thought and went back to the support side of things. Now that virtualization is getting huge, I'm thinking about getting into that, as it looks very interesting. That's one of the great things about this field, there's a lot of different things to get into. Again, good luck with what you're doing!
 
Hmm i was working on a really basic front line helpdesk when i was 22 - doing ultimate remedial tasks.. when i was 25 moved to a call centre doing proper first line support (not just your i cant type this in to work type queries) - 26 started working in london doing support, and a year later after meeting the right people - im the IT manager of a fairly large fast growing advertising agency, been doing this 1 year now.

Once you find yourself in the right place at the right time, its amazing how fast things can take off. I didnt really start a proper career untill i was 26 - and 2 years down the line im happy in my job (finally) :)
 
Welcome to the world of tech.. I'll give you guys a little bit of my background, and my struggles at trying to "make it" in this industry.

1998, I was working as a laptop repair tech for a local mom 'n pop computer shop. I worked there for a little over a year, and it was a very promising start to my career.

1999, I moved to Everett, WA, to work as a network hardware tech I, for Goodrich Aerospace. I figured I was on a meteoric rise up to the top.

1999, three months later. I'm laid off due to budget cuts. Weaksauce..

1999, a month later. I'm starting a 6 month contract job at Microsoft, doing top tier tech support for Win9x. At 19 years old, I was making 24.15 an hour. 6 months later, I'm unemployed again, and the dotcom bomb is starting to blow up.

2000, I'm unemployed almost the whole year. Living on government subsidy, eating at soup kitchens, and relying on unemployment checks to pay my rent.

Early 2001, I borrow some money to hit up an MCSE and CCNA boot camp. I got both certs out of the deal. A couple months later, I score a job with an assets management company, facilitating a 65,000 user desktop migration to Win2k.

Sept. 11th, 2001. I'm laid off, because my contract job was for a defense contractor, and they released all contingent staff.

2002 rolls around.. Unemployed for most of this year.

Here comes 2003.. Spent most of it unemployed as well. Worked a few jobs under the table for beer money.

2004 rolls around, and I manage to get a job working for a seedy used computer store. I work it for about a year and a half (@ $8.50/hr), then take a job for a competitor, making a whopping $10/hr. The latter employer ended up selling off the store, and screwing me out of two week's pay.

2005, I move to Eastern Washington, in hopes of landing a job in the now burgeoning IT industry there. I worked a couple really shitty contracts before getting the phone call that ended up changing my life. I was interviewed by Amazon.com for a datacenter job back in Seattle, and that is where I have been since. I've been working here for the better part of 2 years, and couldn't be happier about it. The road was long, and arduous, but I've since managed to obtain my CCNP certification, and that coupled with about 4-5 years' aggregate experience in Fortune 500 companies, I should be able to go anywhere now.

The IT industry, is without a doubt, one of the hardest job markets to penetrate. It's the one avenue where it seems that skill and experience will surpass a degree in importance, any day of the week.
 
"The IT industry, is without a doubt, one of the hardest job markets to penetrate. It's the one avenue where it seems that skill and experience will surpass a degree in importance, any day of the week."

Couldnt agree with you more - i went to uni doing an engineering degree, and dropped out in my final year - yet after working my way thru the ranks managed to land myself a good job - I really think experience counts for a hell of a lot in IT
 
I guess I'll give my exp:

EDIT: I'm 23 if that helps, but I feel I should already be much into my grad degree

I started messing with computers and fixing them when I was 10. People started paying me around age 14 to fix their home PCs. I did this for a few years then landed my first job at a mom and pop PC place at age 17. I continued to moonlight and built up a network of doctors and lawyers, setup their office networks, etc.

2000: Quit the mom and pop place, continued sidework
2001: Worked with a buddy to start one the larger PC modding sites out there now
2004: Moved to another city after getting my AA and pursued an undergrad in CS/IT (also left the site)
2004: Started working at an IT shop ($10/hr) at the uni while going to school
2005: Landed an internship in a Fortune 100 defense contracted company ($15/hr) (quit the uni)
2007: graduated with my undergrad, internship had since turned into part time ($19/hr). Hired fulltime making ~$27/hr

Currently a SA for the same company working in our Operations group. Working to get my Cisco certs and pursue a grad degree possibly later this year.
 
BakedA|aska said:
The IT industry, is without a doubt, one of the hardest job markets to penetrate. It's the one avenue where it seems that skill and experience will surpass a degree in importance, any day of the week.
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This is the point that many people fail to realize. When we were looking for another IT guy, all that really mattered to us was that they at least went to school. After that it was all based on what they had done and could do. Without a doubt experience is your single biggest advantage to landing a job.

25, Top technical guy at our bank, I'm the Network Engineer, FW Admin, Windows Domain Admin, Backup Admin, VM Admin, SAN Admin... pretty much everything but our few *nix boxes, which I'm learning about. I'm underpaid right now but I know that there's a promotion in the pipe once I finish our Exchange migration... which is what I should go work on right now... :p
 
A college degree and certifications will get your foot in the door and you're resume a 2nd look. Experiance is what will get you the job in this industry.

I've been pretty lucky thus far, was hired at 17 at mom-n-pop store, part time as a computer tech. Worked there ever since obtaining knowledge and moving up. I'm now 23, the Senior (meaning I have the most experience) Network Engineer and making pretty good money for rural ohio. Of course i'd like to make more, but i can't complain. I love this company. We've grown as well, we are the #1 in Cisco Sales in our region, #5 out of the Southfield, Mi Cisco Office. (http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ac123/iqmagazine/archives/q1_2005/rural_schools.html)
 
O2Flow said:
Currently a SA for the same company working in our Operations group. Working to get my Cisco certs and pursue a grad degree possibly later this year.
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Get those Cisco certs! I just recently finished the last test on my CCNP, and decided I was going to test the job market by throwing my resume out there. In two days, I have had four highly interested contacts. Incredible.

I've been noticing, as well, that the CCNA is carrying far more clout than it used to. I imagine it's due to the fact that they have shifted emphasis from the RIP and IGRP routing protocols, to EIGRP and OSPF.
 
I started doing tech related sales at 18...now I'm 25 and have worked for 4 different tech companies and a Cell phone company. Just threw my resume together for a networking specialist position and got it! Little bit of a paycut (sales makes a shitload!) but I don't have to feel like a blood sucking vampire any longer... Its never to late, and if you have a college degree no matter what its in, people always like to see that for some reason.

P.S. To the poster above me, I agree the CCNA and CCNP certs have gone a long ways, I'm in the middle of studying for my CCNA scheduled to take the test on April 30th Wish me luck!
 
BakedA|aska said:
Get those Cisco certs! I just recently finished the last test on my CCNP, and decided I was going to test the job market by throwing my resume out there. In two days, I have had four highly interested contacts. Incredible.

I've been noticing, as well, that the CCNA is carrying far more clout than it used to. I imagine it's due to the fact that they have shifted emphasis from the RIP and IGRP routing protocols, to EIGRP and OSPF.
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good because I studied the crap outta (related) EIGRP and OSPF stuff in school, the theory behind them, dijkstra, etc
 
Another Austinite here. I would say i'm just getting into an actual IT environment at the age of 26. I've done tech support for 8 years, and am just now getting an IT job with the state. Especially here in Austin, you have like hundreds of people all applying for the same job. It appears that the last 2 years or so ago the city is finally recovering from the dotcom bubble burst, which Austin took a HUGE hit with in 2000/2001. The Intel building that finally got demolished last year is a good example, and was an eyesore/reminder that showed how bad Austin fared after the dotcom bubble burst. School is definitely a good thing to have. Most jobs I found here in town want a college degree or relevant experience. Where i'm at, there are lots of ex-admins that either got laid off in Austin or surrounding metro cities (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio) and are taking calls like me.
 
experience experience experience

degrees and certifications don't mean anything if you don't know what you are doing!

I have been working part time as a web developer this past year and my company just offered me a full time position after I graduate in may (SIS). I can tell you that I used about 10% of what I learned in college at my job, the other 90% has all come from me working on various projects and my never-ending quest for knowledge in the field.

You really have to have a passion to make it in the field, nobody in going to sit there there and walk you through it, especially when it comes to learning new technologies or solving problems. You can't get that kind of experience sitting in a classroom!
 
I agree with the above, however, degrees and certs definitely help when you're starting out. Also, even an experienced IT worker with plenty of years under their belt can get an edge with a degree and certs. One way to rise above someone with similar experience and lack of education.
 
RangerSVT said:
What is wrong with your age? Trust me, from what I have seen, age has nothing to do with it, credentials though, other topic :)

Just take it easy and accomplish your academics . I still do not think IT is a stable career path...For one thing, no union, easily replaceable. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

No union...ahahahahhahaaahahaha....yes their are unions. Try working in IT for just about any state government and it will most likely be unionized....it will be like the teachers union...but yes it will be unionized.

Then again unions have draw backs too...so much so that I left for greener pastures. No ability to rise exponentially in salary or responsibility. just put in your time and you get your raises and step-grades regardless of skill level...
 
dx2 said:
No union...ahahahahhahaaahahaha....yes their are unions. Try working in IT for just about any state government and it will most likely be unionized....it will be like the teachers union...but yes it will be unionized.

Then again unions have draw backs too...so much so that I left for greener pastures. No ability to rise exponentially in salary or responsibility. just put in your time and you get your raises and step-grades regardless of skill level...
Click to expand...

The only problem with no unions (at least for most IT workers not in Govt) is that companies think being salary mean they can work you to death. If you have an IT job, are salary and only put in occasional overtime, consider yourself very lucky.
 
wtburnette said:
The only problem with no unions (at least for most IT workers not in Govt) is that companies think being salary mean they can work you to death. If you have an IT job, are salary and only put in occasional overtime, consider yourself very lucky.
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it depends on what you are doing for the OT. if you are implementing new projects that have direct impacts on the bottom line you can take that all the way to the bank. If you are clockin OT doing mundane admin tasks that should be automated....thats when you know its time to find another place to work.

IT as an asset not a cost center.
 
Sorry, don't mean to go off topic, but this is one of my biggest gripes in IT. I work helpdesk/desktop support. To me, unless you're working on a project that needs the OT, or actually on a support call when your time rolls around to go home, there's no need for OT. Making up for a shortage of staff by forcing people to do OT is what I'm talking about. I try not to tolerate it. Completely different if you're doing networking, programming, systems administration or other areas where you have to do a lot of after hours work.
 
I got started at 27 with a help deskjob. PolSci and International Studies degrees.

If you're going to get into IT think about your field and where to start. Seriously consider the computer security field - Cisco certs would be good too.

The big players off-shore work and are trying to do more of it all the time. - Make yourself marketable.
 
I think part of the success in the IT industry comes down to timing as well as right place and right time. I've been in IT for approximately 17 years and never regretted working my way up to the position I am in right now. My first real job was a Product Support Analyst position with Symantec Delrina Corporation doing support for their NAV product line. When I was laid off from Symantec, I moved to an IT outsourcing company called Quartet and worked as Network Administrator for 3 years. Quartet was mis-managed and eventually went bankrupt laying off all staff of approximately 100. From there I moved to a Managed Web Hosting company in a 30,000 sq datacenter that flipped ownership 5 times during my 6 years of employement. When things started to look bad again, I started on the job hunting trail again and scored a position as a Operations Manager and Senior Operations Technical Lead with a large financial firm. IT is definitely tough but the bottom line is never sell yourself short or lose sight of any of your goals.
 
I used to drive a forklift for a living. Got tired/bored with that wanted something mentally challenging so I taught myself how to fix computers. :eek: Anyway that was when I was 37 that I decided to do that. Now at age 47 I just got my First "real" IT job as a Contractor for a very large Pet food maunufacturer.

I had been a break/fix tech before this and in retail, so my current postion is a huge change for me, non retail envirornment and I have learned more about Active Directory, Domains and Networking then I ever cared to know. ;)

It's good for me though, keeps me learning, studying for my Networks + now and compared to the work I've done before I find it tough. Networking is something I actually have to work at and study to understand. Give me a computer that wont post, that's easy. :p
 
I know this is all about getting started late in IT, but it seems (i didn't finish the entire 2nd page) to go into that experience is the necessary to get your "foot in the door" at a comfortable, enjoyable job. Now i don't disagree with you, but I am wondering... for a guy who is getting h is BA in information systems (IT) and then (hopefully) going to grad school for some type of information security type thing, what would you say to him on getting his foot in the door... I mean right now as i said i'm working towards a BA in Information systems and i feel like although thesee classes are teaching really important things, it's so muhc information... how is it totally possible to remember it all, ya know. I go to a systems analysis and design working on using UML and other diagrams to visually show how a system can best be set up basically and although i could look it up and do it, if someone pulled me over and said "your life depends on it set up some diagrams for this mock company to show how their current system works and work towards making a better system" i would be hardpressed to do it in a efficent time period, i think. So my whole point is... through internships and lower-entry jobs right out of college is that where you learn the real stuff and start to remember it... or do companeis when they see you have a BA or grad school degree, do theye EXPECT you have a lot of stuff memorized and are able to do it??

Hope what i'm asking makes sense haha.
 
Learned the majority of what I know on the job. Books can do only so much.... until you actually start applying it in real life it does not mean much. Books can give you basic theory and an idea of where to get started on how to do something but hands on is the key.

Example, where I work there is a ton of super sophisticated lab equipment and that does not even mention all the software that is used. When I get a ticket in my job que most of the time I have to research the problem first so I know what to look for so I can fix it.
 
First off....I can't believe I've been away from the [H] for this long.

Got my start in IT while I was in college in 1998. A part time tech role for a big manufacturing company....age 19

Graduated w/ B.S in Telecommunications and got hired by Kraft in May of 2000.
Laid off in April of 2004.

Various roles with great Fortune 100/500 companies. Routers, switches, blah blah blah
I was worked to death (50-70) hours a week with no Overtime.

I got pissed off at companies and joined a volunteer fire department. They paid for a lot of my schooling. Meanwhile I passed my CCNA 821 with flying colors, I was days away from taking my 811 test and a full time union fire department hired me 9/11/07. I took it and haven't looked back. I was making 60k at my last IT job. For the fire department, my base is 50k and I'll easily clear 75k with my overtime.

Life lesson that I learned....Your career success shouldn't be measured by salary or title. Do I miss "technology"....not really. I still read all the techy websites daily. IF you enjoy technologies challenges and don't mind helping end users, managers, VP and big business....then by all means stick with IT. If not, get the efff out of the field and don't let the money be your motivation. Work a job that you love or at least like a lot.
 
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