How To Start Your Career In Information Technology - Or
Jumpstart Your Current One !
Many newcomers to the IT field are surprised when they find out
it's tougher to get that first job than they thought it would
be. I know exactly what that's like. I've had a great career in
IT and I'd recommend it to anyone, but I had a tough time
breaking in as well. I'd like to share some tips with you on how
to get started on what can be a financially rewarding and
personally satisfying career in Information Technology.
School systems are a great place to start. A lot of newcomers
forget that schools around the world need IT personnel to
support school networks, printers, etc. I began my career with a
public school system and it was the best move I could ever have
made. If you land such a job, you'll be doing everything from
unjamming printers to supporting the school's Local Area Network
(LAN). You get experience that is going to look great on your
resume - you'll have a big advantage over those whose job
responsibilities are narrower. You won't make a lot of money,
but what you need at the beginning of your career is experience,
not money. Which brings me to my second point ....
Don't chase the dollars. I know, I know. We all like money, and
besides, maybe you've got some bills to pay! I'm not suggesting
you work for free, but the question you must ask yourself when
starting your IT career is this: "What do I want my resume to
look like in three years?" The money will be there - if your
resume shows a broad range of experience. That's what you need
to get when you're considering your first job. Use your
long-term vision to decide what kind of IT job you want to be in
three years from now, and get a job that will give you the
necessary experience.
Get certified. You have entered a field where you are always
learning - or at least, you better be! If you stand still and
stop learning, your skills will become obsolete and your IT
career will stall. Start adding certifications to your resume to
go along with your experience. Look into programs that deal
primarily with PCs, such as A+, and then look at more advanced
certifications such as the MCSE and the CCNA. When you are
certified in all three major networking areas (hardware, server
OS, and routers), you are a "triple threat"! Combine that with
some experience and you will end up with a very impressive
resume.
Network. Networking has two different meanings in IT, and you
know the first one. But besides computer networking, there's
human networking. Get out there and meet people. Your local
newspaper has a business section -check it for IT group
meetings. The more you're seen, the more chance you have of
being remembered. It's a small world, and IT is a small world as
well. Meet the business leaders of your area as well. It is
amazing how a quick face-to-face meeting or conversation can
lead to great things down the road.
Having a successful IT career isn't just about knowing a lot
about computers and networks. It's knowing the right way to get
started, getting the right combination of experience and
certifications, and meeting people. I know from experience that
it's tough to get started. I also know from experience that no
career field rewards individual drive like IT does. So get
started today - and if you feel your IT career is stalled, take
a step back, list the reasons why this has happened, and then do
something about it!