stiscooby

I am 24 and currently work for a small computer company (building/installing/supporting PC’s & small networks etc) and have been there since leaving college (about 7 years ago )

I am getting very bored with my job now because same old thing, no prospects, company treats me like something they stepped in and above all the money is total crap! (£12,500) I know I am a muppet.

Have been looking out for other jobs in I.T but for the few jobs there are they require either people who are qualified up to their armpits e.g. in different area’s for just one job such as MCSE, C++, Hardware, Software development, Networking qualification etc etc. Then on the other hand the other places just want someone out of School/College who they can train up or pay pea nuts!

I kind of fall somewhere in the middle as I have some years experience but not any qualification such as MCSE (don’t really think worth doing now) and don’t seem to be many, if any, IT jobs about especially in my area.

I wouldn’t mind trying something else, what I don’t know, but then come to the problem of don’t know how to do anything else as been working with computers since left college so going on courses etc will cost fair bit of money then have to try getting job with no experience so be crap money again – back to where I started.

Can anyone give me any advice, sensible if possible please about any qualifications I could look into to do with I.T that are worth doing? Or any info/comments about changing career etc??

Any help much appreciated.

fast bloke

Went through the IT ladder - started at 6k a year - ended getting the big R at 40k. Complete career change to selling insurance/mortgages/investments. Most of the guys i work with come from an IT backgroung - seems that the mathmatical side is useful. Income for March was about 15k. I've only been in the game for 8 months. I do tend to work about 80 hours a week, but being self employed I don't really mind.

wiltshire_boy

Why not become a self employed IT engineer. In my experience people/companies will pay whatever it costs to have their machines up and running ASAP, and if you can prove that you can do the job then few people will question your lack of qualifications.
An MCSE is excellent if you fancy that corporate route but bugger paying for them yourself, if you really want them try and get an IT job in your local council (sp?) who are usually brilliant at paying for all sorts of training.
A few ads in the local papers or supermarkets cost nothing or very little and peeps are usually v. grateful for anyone who will do onsite work.
Get VAT registered (costs nothing, bit of extra paperwork) and sort out some decent trade accounts (use your existing employers contacts) and build a name for yourself (the hard bit).
After that, sit back and post on Scoobynet all day and night.

Alternatively, find a rich/high earning bird and sit back and post on Scoobynet all day and night.

Vinesh

I work for the local council and the benifits and training is excellent.

mega_stream

IT aint what it used to be, since this ITIL standard, BS7799 and ISO lark come into play at my place its become a complete nightmare

Everything you do needs change control, everything that goes wrong needs a full stewards enquiry, service managers coming out the friggin woodwork everywhere at the slightest hint of a problem [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

Its all stress stress stress

Money is good though , would be nice to have a job where you know that you can start at 9 and finish at 5 though.

Trouble is lots of companies don't appreciate IT people when things are working as they should be, and when it goes wrong its always your fault. They would soon know if we all got up and walked out though , specially if we leave a few "easter egss" laying around

stiscooby

Thanks for your comments guys.

Think I will see what courses my local college do etc. See what they cost too!

Can try contacting my local council too, well the IT department there anyway, see if they have any positions etc.

That’s another thing with the company I work for they won't send me on any training etc so any training that I will do will come out of my pocket! Don't mind as long as it's worth while.

Would like to work for myself, looked into it once actually, but it's the uncertainty of not knowing how much work I would get etc.

Think I need to make the effort and try to do some training.

Thanks for the help

beemerboy

- and you dont have to spell properly either to work there....

- i personally didnt bother with any courses, or reading any books.

- just pi55ed about with as much software i could lay my hands on, and have gone through jobs ranging from trainer of microsoft office products, system config and installation of document management systems, desktop support, and now Network Manager for an internet based financial software house.

oh, i do have an o-level in Computer Studies though!!!! LOL

BB

Vinesh

Cheeky!

I was half a sleep.

Dicke C

I work in IT, and I tell you now get out of it. Get yourself to College and train to be an Electrian or a Plumber or something like that.
Theres more to life than Cisco's, Nortel's, PC's and Unix. It will be hard to start with, but in the long term, the smart move.

Dicke C

Little Miss WRX

Going to night college is a good idea.

I took the NEBOSH National Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health as well as the NEBS Certificate in Management via evening classes at college.

After bugging my old employers I managed to get the courses part funded by them.

I hope to continue along the H&S field now, but trying to find out who to speak to with regards to continuining to higher qualifications in H&S in Australia is like trying to get blood out of a stone.

[Edited by Little Miss WRX - 4/13/2003 3:32:51 AM]

kevin stanton

Boston Hospital had a IT maintenance job advertised a few months back @ 28k a year

CooperS

Get yourself on a night course at a local college or uni etc... not too expensive usually. my company send me on loads of courses, (I'm 24 like you) but I want to learn about CISCO programming, so I'm doing the Interconnecting Cisco Network Devices course, cos that's what I'm really interested in (the money had nothing to do with it - honest!) :-)

Seriously though at your age (even with no uni degree ) you should be on at least £15-16K

Andy

Edited cos I can't read.

[Edited by CooperS - 4/12/2003 8:25:57 AM]