I.T. Jobs

[SYCK SS]

So I am going to pursue a job in IT. I know there are a few of us on here that are in that field. I have tried my hand at a lot of things but I am most comfortable on computers.

So just curious on what path those in the field took to acquire their position. And if schooling was involved where did you go?

I appreciate any feedback in regards to this as I currently dislike my job a lot, and want to get into the technical side of things.

Thanks in advance!

sent from my galaxy s3. that would explain the errors.

[steveo9043]

My story

The company my sister was working for let her go when they got bought out. She went threw a hiring agency and got the job she has today (5 years ago). When she started here I was an apprentice to a HVAC and refrigeration company (owned by my uncle). After figuring out HVAC wasn't for me and leaving the company I ended up delivering pizza's while I figured things out.

Fast forward a year and I decided to go to Devry for Computer informational systems.

Fast forward 6 months and the company my sister was working for ended up buying out another company, more then doubling in size. To get some extra money I offered to help with manual labor. During lunch I was talking to two of the owners and they asked what I did. I told them i'm in school for computers and I deliver pizza.

2 months later I was offered the job.

been with the company 3.5 years now. I will be graduating with a bachelors of science in computer informational systems on Devry's flex program. The flex program lets me pick classes from different specialties, (health information systems, networking, computer forensics, etc.)

most old school IT guys say a degree isn't needed just certificates but its getting harder and harder to get a job without a degree.

After I get my degree I plan on trying to acquire a different certificate 2 times a year.

[SYCK SS]

Thanks for that steve.

Most of the guys i talk to have a similiar story where they dont have a degree, but just certificates. But a lot of them have stopped expanding due to already having a job.

How has devry been for you? are you doing online courses or attending classes?

[steveo9043]

Thanks for that steve.

Most of the guys i talk to have a similiar story where they dont have a degree, but just certificates. But a lot of them have stopped expanding due to already having a job.

How has devry been for you? are you doing online courses or attending classes?

Devry is good, the financial aid department sucks sometimes. I do both online and on campus classes. depends on what the class is. I liked taking the gen ed's online and the courses directly related to my degree on campus. Some of the directly related classes I felt comfortable enough with to take online.

[steveo9043]

a family friend works for Microsoft and he only has certificates but he has many years experience. I can't go into further details about what he does for Microsoft since he can't tell us lol

[SYCK SS]

haha i got some connections over at microsoft from my AT&T days. So i know how they are over there. Same thing as apple too.

[Altma]

I have 2 Bachelors of Fine Arts Degrees from Illinois Institute of Art. I worked for a video game company for a while, and when they went bankrupt, I didn't have much of a portfolio to get another job - I went to computertraining.com - got Microsoft Certified, then got another chance with another video game company - worked there for 2 years - they also went bankrupt. Worked with my brother for 2 years as an electrician - by this time my Microsoft XP and 2003 certs were junk - My cousin was working for this company, and said they were hiring - I went in for the interview, told him, I had certs from like 6 years ago, but still know basic networking and a few things - I build computers on the side etc.. He gave me a shot, and now 3 years later, I'm implementing full VMWare Virtual Environments and doing all sorts of crap I never learned. Learning on the job is really the best way for me to learn stuff. Bit more nerve racking when you're working with live environments, but you learn fast, and you learn things you won't learn in perfect environments. In my classes, scenarios are just that - rarely will they ever be that way. You get some messed up issues in the real world. Anyhow - that's my story.

TL : DR - Artist didn't know networking - now is Network Engineer.

[HumanWiki]

My education consists of the following:

AAS, Network Engineering - Cisco
AAS, Network Engineering - Microsoft
Technical - Level 1, Network Engineering - Cisco
Technical - Level 2, Network Engineering - Cisco
Technical - Level 1, Network Engineering - Microsoft

(Yes, I have 5 of them and got them all before 23)

I got lucky and was noticed by a local ISP when they were out installing one of the early DSL lines in our area. They commented on the lab I had in my bedroom with parts all over the place, so I got a career related job while I was still in school.

At the time I was still working in a Pharmacy (certified, but not what I wanted to do) and while it was a step down in pay, it was a sacrifice that was needed to start my career.

I started as basic tech support and worked my way up to Asst. Network Admin for the #3 largest ISP in our area.

I was then noticed by a very large local Credit Union and as luck would have it, my college professor grew up with their Senior VP and that she allowed her name on my resume was a "done deal".

I took the CU job as far as I could and found I needed to do more and get out of SETex. I was noticed by a global trading firm here in Chicago and started the interview process. During the interview, they had me take a series of tests (internal to them) that basic rate you against the people already working there. To their surprise, I scored better than 90% on one test, 93% on another and 97% on the third. They had to double check it because apparently that rarely happens.

They moved me up here with a full ride and relo package and I worked in their NOC for about a year and a couple months. While there, I was exposed to global operations and the internal workings of a multi billion dollar hedge fund. I worked directly with some very complex systems and demands the likes I've not seen since. Towards the end of my term there, I got the chance to basically start the redesign of their monitoring systems and survived 2 different mass layoffs. That place has a joke about being an old timer if you can last longer than a year on your own will.

Then I turned 26.

I got picked up by a major global law firm in their Sr. Engineering team and basically re-wrote their take on monitoring, helped deploy and design their (now global) virtualization scheme along with all manner of other things I don't really have the time to list out.

That place gained me a ton of "street credit" if you will and many contacts across the Chicago IT crowd, so when I finally left there, I was easily picked up again by another very large global law firm.

Basically the same type of work there, but they realized my variable IT abilities, so I jumped between monitoring, security, firewalls, custom code, servers, data centers, build/deployments, application diagnostics/error sourcing, remote devices/mobile device management, automation, etc.

I'm now the Sr. Network Engr for a start up here in the Loop and I pretty much own all aspects of the infrastructure that aren't under the direct realm of programming.


-----

Now.. What I can tell you about IT is this. It's more than memorization, education, certifications, training, etc. Way more. To truly be good at it, you have to not think like a Human being. Machines don't act like we do and I've seen too many IT staff sit there and bang their head on a problem because they're anthropomorphising the system with their own persona.

Also, ask, friggin, questions that have actual meaning and not just ones that are an attempt to make you sound like you know more than you do. I see this time and time again. Joe Blow IT Guy will just start spouting off technobabble he read in a CEO magazine like he's fluent in the tech. That's easily noticed and discounted and most likely to get you looked upon negatively by other IT people that know what they're doing.

IT is a lifestyle for me. It has been for a very long time and will most likely be that way until I die. I don't just speak geek. I am the embodiment of it. You can't just go to school and expect to learn everything you need there. That will just give you some basic foundations to pull from. Likewise, you can't just go to "certification school" and become an expert at the topic. That gives you a pretty piece of paper, some resume fluff and a lighter wallet. You need to have passion for it. Want to know why something acts the way it does and not simply accept that it does.

When I come across something I don't know, I look in to it. I hate not knowing how something works. I always have. Even as a child I took things apart just to see what was inside. It's the same with all the disciplines of IT. I look around and truly want to know how things act the way they do. Because of this, I'm so widely versed in so many areas of technology that I'm actively sought out by other teams because they know I can "talk their language" and "bridge the gap" between departments, vendors, customers, etc.


I'm in the middle of many things at the moment, so I apologize for the stream of consciousness style of writing. If I didn't cover something, just let me know and I can focus in on that area.

Here's my public LinkedIn so you can see more details about my career past.

Randy Woolley | LinkedIn

[steveo9043]

My education consists of the following:

AAS, Network Engineering - Cisco
AAS, Network Engineering - Microsoft
Technical - Level 1, Network Engineering - Cisco
Technical - Level 2, Network Engineering - Cisco
Technical - Level 1, Network Engineering - Microsoft

(Yes, I have 5 of them and got them all before 23)

I got lucky and was noticed by a local ISP when they were out installing one of the early DSL lines in our area. They commented on the lab I had in my bedroom with parts all over the place, so I got a career related job while I was still in school.

At the time I was still working in a Pharmacy (certified, but not what I wanted to do) and while it was a step down in pay, it was a sacrifice that was needed to start my career.

I started as basic tech support and worked my way up to Asst. Network Admin for the #3 largest ISP in our area.

I was then noticed by a very large local Credit Union and as luck would have it, my college professor grew up with their Senior VP and that she allowed her name on my resume was a "done deal".

I took the CU job as far as I could and found I needed to do more and get out of SETex. I was noticed by a global trading firm here in Chicago and started the interview process. During the interview, they had me take a series of tests (internal to them) that basic rate you against the people already working there. To their surprise, I scored better than 90% on one test, 93% on another and 97% on the third. They had to double check it because apparently that rarely happens.

They moved me up here with a full ride and relo package and I worked in their NOC for about a year and a couple months. While there, I was exposed to global operations and the internal workings of a multi billion dollar hedge fund. I worked directly with some very complex systems and demands the likes I've not seen since. Towards the end of my term there, I got the chance to basically start the redesign of their monitoring systems and survived 2 different mass layoffs. That place has a joke about being an old timer if you can last longer than a year on your own will.

Then I turned 26.

I got picked up by a major global law firm in their Sr. Engineering team and basically re-wrote their take on monitoring, helped deploy and design their (now global) virtualization scheme along with all manner of other things I don't really have the time to list out.

That place gained me a ton of "street credit" if you will and many contacts across the Chicago IT crowd, so when I finally left there, I was easily picked up again by another very large global law firm.

Basically the same type of work there, but they realized my variable IT abilities, so I jumped between monitoring, security, firewalls, custom code, servers, data centers, build/deployments, application diagnostics/error sourcing, remote devices/mobile device management, automation, etc.

I'm now the Sr. Network Engr for a start up here in the Loop and I pretty much own all aspects of the infrastructure that aren't under the direct realm of programming.


-----

Now.. What I can tell you about IT is this. It's more than memorization, education, certifications, training, etc. Way more. To truly be good at it, you have to not think like a Human being. Machines don't act like we do and I've seen too many IT staff sit there and bang their head on a problem because they're anthropomorphising the system with their own persona.

Also, ask, friggin, questions that have actual meaning and not just ones that are an attempt to make you sound like you know more than you do. I see this time and time again. Joe Blow IT Guy will just start spouting off technobabble he read in a CEO magazine like he's fluent in the tech. That's easily noticed and discounted and most likely to get you looked upon negatively by other IT people that know what they're doing.

IT is a lifestyle for me. It has been for a very long time and will most likely be that way until I die. I don't just speak geek. I am the embodiment of it. You can't just go to school and expect to learn everything you need there. That will just give you some basic foundations to pull from. Likewise, you can't just go to "certification school" and become an expert at the topic. That gives you a pretty piece of paper, some resume fluff and a lighter wallet. You need to have passion for it. Want to know why something acts the way it does and not simply accept that it does.

When I come across something I don't know, I look in to it. I hate not knowing how something works. I always have. Even as a child I took things apart just to see what was inside. It's the same with all the disciplines of IT. I look around and truly want to know how things act the way they do. Because of this, I'm so widely versed in so many areas of technology that I'm actively sought out by other teams because they know I can "talk their language" and "bridge the gap" between departments, vendors, customers, etc.


I'm in the middle of many things at the moment, so I apologize for the stream of consciousness style of writing. If I didn't cover something, just let me know and I can focus in on that area.

Here's my public LinkedIn so you can see more details about my career past.

Randy Woolley | LinkedIn

Well said! A shorter version would of been "if you like what your doing you will never "work" a day in your life.

I personally do not see myself growing with the company I'm at. It is very repetitive and specific. things that used to take me a hour now take take me 20. It's like riding a bicycle to me. Do it enough and you won't forget. I'm hoping to expand after i graduate.

[greennv]

Damn Randy if I ever need a hacker I'm callin you ! I have trouble just logging in !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SYCK SS]

Well said! A shorter version would of been "if you like what your doing you will never "work" a day in your life.

I personally do not see myself growing with the company I'm at. It is very repetitive and specific. things that used to take me a hour now take take me 20. It's like riding a bicycle to me. Do it enough and you won't forget. I'm hoping to expand after i graduate.

that quote is exactly what got me thinking. I hate what I do now. And they are trying to put me on a career path that does not interest me at all.

i love computers, technology, and everything about it. Shoot thats why i started a website too. combine my two passions... cars and technology. so i really am hoping to find some sort of entry level position as you both have stated... the majority of the knowledge comes from experience.

Damn Randy if I ever need a hacker I'm callin you ! I have trouble just logging in !


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

haha its always good to know "that guy" ...



but thank you randy. That was very well said and does help me. Everyone that has commented so far as well, this is the path i want to venture down so it is very cool to see the different ways that these positions and opportunities come about.

[HumanWiki]

While I was in College, I went to the local Goodwill Computer store and purchased 8 old Compaq DeskPro 486 machines that were non-functional for various reasons. I was able to make 6 functional systems from that and started my farm in my room in the early 2000s. I owned a domain, ran my own DNS, voice relay, file sharing, SETI@Home, etc. all out of my bedroom (opposite my 110G of fish tanks). I picked up a standard server rack and a Cisco Cat4005 from ebay during the .com bust for next to nothing. I knew the guys at our ISP's ISP so they cranked up my ADSL line from 1.5M/128K to something like 5M/1M -- which, at the time, for a kid in his early 20s paying 40/mo it was insane bandwidth.

I also co-ran an early Counter-Strike server -- well before people knew about Steam, before Team Fortress, etc.

During my time at that local ISP, I also got exposed to installing and configuring Satellite internet (which didn't last all that long because, well, it sucks) and some more obscure flavors of xDSL like IDSL (ISDN over DSL), early ATM T1s and frac DS3s.

Mom and Pop shops, while not paying what the big guys pay, pay in terms of useful experience. I've been more siloed and walled off in the larger places than I care to admit to and that's where you end up stale and easily discarded.

Never let someone corner you in to a very specific area of IT. You'll find that you're easily thrown out with that tech when it is no longer needed or changes beyond your ability to have useful experience with.

The bigger places I've been love to talk budget and how there's no money for training, won't let you do the architecture bit because someone's buddy is a consultant and you pay the price by languishing. Then, the ultimate middle finger comes in their decision to let you go because you're no longer "up 2 date" and they don't really care that the company is responsible for that by not allowing you to actually design the new stuff, won't let you move much out of your little bubble and always farming stuff out to resellers or consultants.

I've seen that play out time and time again and it's one of my primary motivators to never let myself get stuck in a technorut. Sure, I'm not as fluent in any one area as I could be, but, that's never been a hindrance to me because places (unless they're specialized) don't like to keep around expensive one-discipline experts long. They cost a lot of money and are only good for 1 thing and you rarely need that level of detail in day-to-day and I've usually been able to pick up the required depth when needed and support contracts take up the remaining slack.

[SYCK SS]

Thanks Randy, that is very helpful and good to know.

[Altma]

Alot of what Randy said is why I like working for an MSP - We do a variety of work, and we're constantly learning new things all the time. I'm no expert in 1 thing by any means, but I know a broad spectrum of stuff.

I too enjoy the fact that I just go hang out with friends at work. We mess around all the time, and have a great time. Hardly any times in the last 3 years have I actually "WORKED" - pulling 40,000ft of cable through a warehouse - that's work, but interesting since I'd never done that before. So all in all not bad.