Best Field To Get Into In IT

[zafeer20]

I want to do IT, I am a senior in highschool and I am confused on what path I should go in. Do you guys have any suggestions on what is rising/needed in the industry? Also what certifications would be good to have for it. I am planning on going to a community college and getting an associates in business and then transferring to either VCU or GMU and get a bachelors in IT. Thanks for the help.

[zafeer20]

Fast misc

[WalterCrunkite]

information security

start out with networking+, a+, security+, then build up to higher security certs

[P3nguin]

CCNA
CCNA Security

work your way up thru the miscrosoft certs

A+ is a always(nooby cert)

Networking field is you best bet.

[zafeer20]

Thanks for the replies, I repped you both. Would getting an associates in business be a safe thing to do or should I change that?

[DrunkBus]

You dont **** with tech, uva, or jmu?

[spazzin]

should major in CS

take a couple IT networking and computer repair classes as some of your electives

get a couple certificates

employers will hire the CS major with IT certificates over IT major with/without certficates

[P3nguin]

Thanks for the replies, I repped you both. Would getting an associates in business be a safe thing to do or should I change that?

I went to a 2 year community college in Canada. I started as support for alarge company, then got a job (where i cam currently) as an Event Monitor

**** like computers is all about working you're way up, unless you wanna get on the Buisiness side of it.

[Ace Thedics]

employers will hire the CS major with IT certificates over IT major with/without certficates

Wrong. Don't give this kid some stupid fuking info.

I've looked at tons of resumes and don't even focus on the major, the skills are what everyone cares about. Heck, we just hired an Econ major who had significant tech skills.

[zafeer20]

You dont **** with tech, uva, or jmu?

I was thinking about tech but would rather do VCU or GMU. Because my brother and some family go to VCU so it would be better for me, and GMU due to it being so close to home I would save money and not have to pay for housing.

[Hobbsyy]

Look into data science, its pretty hyped at the moment.

I was thinking about tech but would rather do VCU or GMU. Because my brother and some family go to VCU so it would be better for me, and GMU due to it being so close to home I would save money and not have to pay for housing.

Living at college is part of the experience!

Most australian college students live at home or rent off campus.. and we are all jelly of the US college experience.

[zafeer20]

Look into data science, its pretty hyped at the moment.



Living at college is part of the experience!

Most australian college students live at home or rent off campus.. and we are all jelly of the US college experience.

Yeah that's why I'm leaning more towards VCU that and family but at the community college I'm soon going to attend they offer a program which only requires a 2.8gpa to get into GMU and it includes guidance throughout your education in both the community college and GMU etc. And it's free, I guess we will see what happens when the time comes.

[OniichanJoe]

Join the army for a couple of years and go in as a 25B or 25N or airforce and whatever signal mos they have and learn as much as you can and they pay for your certs. Get out and work as a contractor making easy 6 figures

[Bongos]

security, data mining

[zafeer20]

Join the army for a couple of years and go in as a 25B or 25N or airforce and whatever signal mos they have and learn as much as you can and they pay for your certs. Get out and work as a contractor making easy 6 figures

Can't do the Army stuff, but thanks for the suggestion.

[Sinergy2010]

Been doing IT for 10 years, successful, accomplished.. I tell people the same story

There two types of people who do it

TYPE 1: The ones who are meant for it, have the right mind set and it just comes natural. These are the guys who can practically solve anything or get obsessed figuring it out.

Type 2: The more common, the guys who thought they should do IT, the guys who were ADVISED to do IT, the guys who think IT would be good money. If you fall in in any of thos categories you fail.

Honestly, its a stressful job, the hours are long, you get **** on ALOT, if your going to make any real money you need advanced certs in Security, must be well versed in numeorus platforms and have strong management skills. I mean Im not bitching there are worse jobs, and its been good to me, but There are other paths out there.

I do well in it, but I still think I would have enjoyed something more difficult and rewarding. I would go back and do 8 years in med school if I could do it all over again.

[Sinergy2010]

Wrong. Don't give this kid some stupid fuking info.

I've looked at tons of resumes and don't even focus on the major, the skills are what everyone cares about. Heck, we just hired an Econ major who had significant tech skills.

ACE is right, people offer jobs to people with no degrees every day that pay 100,000 plus a year, Its about your experience and your accomplishments. You know how many guys send me a resume eveyr day and they are fresh out of college and you talk with them and you wonder if they have ever used a computer in their life except for reddit?

[lulbrah]

should major in CS

take a couple IT networking and computer repair classes as some of your electives

get a couple certificates

employers will hire the CS major with IT certificates over IT major with/without certficates

lol wut?

age:20 with baseless statements...

pls go

Honestly, its a stressful job, the hours are long, you get **** on ALOT , if your going to make any real money you need advanced certs in Security, must be well versed in numeorus platforms and have strong management skills. I mean Im not bitching there are worse jobs, and its been good to me, but There are other paths out there.

i can confirm, but it depends on your role. say if you are in an IT consulting firm, you probably should expect long hours at times if not consistently and the stress lvl can get to you.

[Q-Tip-81]

I'm a data scientist/analyst at a fortune 50 company, so I have a little experience any way. Its not a bad path if you want to work on the business side. Unless IT is the business, I'd always rather be in a BU. IT in most corporations is almost exclusively support for other units.

You'll need a background in CS or Statistics, depending on the specific DA position. I only dabble in the statistics side.

[anonymous]

Been doing IT for 10 years, successful, accomplished.. I tell people the same story

There two types of people who do it

TYPE 1: The ones who are meant for it, have the right mind set and it just comes natural. These are the guys who can practically solve anything or get obsessed figuring it out.

Type 2: The more common, the guys who thought they should do IT, the guys who were ADVISED to do IT, the guys who think IT would be good money. If you fall in in any of thos categories you fail.

Honestly, its a stressful job, the hours are long, you get **** on ALOT, if your going to make any real money you need advanced certs in Security, must be well versed in numeorus platforms and have strong management skills. I mean Im not bitching there are worse jobs, and its been good to me, but There are other paths out there.

I do well in it, but I still think I would have enjoyed something more difficult and rewarding. I would go back and do 8 years in med school if I could do it all over again.

Fuark, afraid I might be type 2. Struggling like chit on some assembly. Am I gonna make it?

[zafeer20]

Been doing IT for 10 years, successful, accomplished.. I tell people the same story

There two types of people who do it

TYPE 1: The ones who are meant for it, have the right mind set and it just comes natural. These are the guys who can practically solve anything or get obsessed figuring it out.

Type 2: The more common, the guys who thought they should do IT, the guys who were ADVISED to do IT, the guys who think IT would be good money. If you fall in in any of thos categories you fail.

Honestly, its a stressful job, the hours are long, you get **** on ALOT, if your going to make any real money you need advanced certs in Security, must be well versed in numeorus platforms and have strong management skills. I mean Im not bitching there are worse jobs, and its been good to me, but There are other paths out there.

I do well in it, but I still think I would have enjoyed something more difficult and rewarding. I would go back and do 8 years in med school if I could do it all over again.

I understand what you're trying to say, I enjoy using computers but I am not obsessed with it. I want a job where I can make decent money, and not be extremely stressed about. A majority of the people I talk to say IT is one of the best career paths available and that I should hop on to that and I guess I'm going for it.

[Q-Tip-81]

I understand what you're trying to say, I enjoy using computers but I am not obsessed with it. I want a job where I can make decent money, and not be extremely stressed about. A majority of the people I talk to say IT is one of the best career paths available and that I should hop on to that and I guess I'm going for it.

I wouldn't equate enjoying computers with IT being the right fit necessarily. You need to enjoy problem solving more than anything. Can you bash script? Do you like SQL? Etc.......

[zafeer20]

And after getting my A+ and a few other cents over the summer I was thinking about applying to Geek Squad at Best Buy and if I get the job I can use the time spent there as experience and beef up my resume. And if I truly dislike IT I would switch majors as this would only be the beginning.

[denrocks1]

should major in CS

take a couple IT networking and computer repair classes as some of your electives

get a couple certificates

employers will hire the CS major with IT certificates over IT major with/without certficates

I have seen this too, employers are phucking retarded and are looking for people that have CS degrees to do basic crap like tech support.

[zafeer20]

I wouldn't equate enjoying computers with IT being the right fit necessarily. You need to enjoy problem solving more than anything. Can you bash script? Do you like SQL? Etc.......

I am going to be completely honest with you and say I don't know what that is.

[Q-Tip-81]

And after getting my A+ and a few other cents over the summer I was thinking about applying to Geek Squad at Best Buy and if I get the job I can use the time spent there as experience and beef up my resume. And if I truly dislike IT I would switch majors as this would only be the beginning.

Geek Squad would help you get a feeling for what it would be like to work in a 'desktop support' role. That's only a small part of IT, however.

[Deceus]

I was thinking about tech but would rather do VCU or GMU. Because my brother and some family go to VCU so it would be better for me, and GMU due to it being so close to home I would save money and not have to pay for housing.

Go to JMU *******, sloots of peace. Focus on security, that's always a huge ticket and is something no business can ever afford to skimp on.

[cpatel23]

My brothers friend focused on Networking. Not sure how much he earns but hes 28 and drives a BMW m7 and has a two story house just for him and his dog.

[Q-Tip-81]

I am going to be completely honest with you and say I don't know what that is.

That's okay, its good to know what you need to learn. Do you want to program or do support? I was exclusively a hardware guy before college, so its not too late learn if you've got a good work ethic and have the mind for it.

[echsos]

There's money to be made in all fields as long as you actually develop skill in them. As far as a specific job in IT, I believe developers have the highest starting salary.