Newbie's Guide To Choosing the Right IT Career Path
Are you a career-changer looking to break into IT? Don't just go for an MCSE and assume you'll make it. Your first step towards a successful career in this industry should be researching the different options available. This guide will get you started.
by Robert L Bogue
11/7/2001 -- Each year thousands of people, people just like you, decide to make a career change into IT. Some start by taking classes or pursuing certification, others venture into the unknown by blindly replying to job openings on the Internet or in the local newspaper.
But IT is an industry just like any other: Saying that you are looking for a job in IT is like saying that you want a job in construction, or banking, or insurance, or any other industry. IT offers a range of positions that vary in their requirements, duties, and (ultimately) pay.
Therefore, the first step in making a successful career change is to learn about these options. Yes, you may enjoy computers, but what aspect? What is your background? Skill base? Personality? All of these factors can tell you not only if you're really cut out for IT, but what type of IT job might be best for you.
IT has several position categories, many of which have been defined by the National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies (NWCET). Below, I focus on those that can be entered with minimal or no previous direct experience, at least according to the ITAA study, "When Can you Start: Building Better Information Technology Skills and Careers." They are:
- Network Design and Administration
- Programming/Software Engineering
- Technical Support
- Technical Writing
Toward the end of this article you'll find the rest of the categories defined by NWCET with brief descriptions. For now, let's explore the main categories.
One note before we get started: The summaries below are admittedly cursory; to cover each in complete detail would take a full-length book! However, this should be enough to at least introduce you to the major areas of IT and point your research in the right direction.
Network Design and Administration
Common Skills/Attributes: Problem solver; analytical thinker
Common Activities: Building and maintaining servers, designing networks, troubleshooting
Personality Types: Somewhat extroverted; flexible; calm under stress
Typical starting position: Junior network administrator (or promotion through technical support/help desk)
Applicable Certifications: Network+, Server+, MCSA, CNA, CNE, CCNA, many others
Number of New Positions in 2001: 186,613
As the category name states, those in these positions design, install and administrate networks. In some organizations, especially smaller ones, they may also act as the second line of support for the technical support staff in an organization.
The typical day for a network engineer might include checking on the error and performance logs of the network, building a new server for an application to be deployed next week, and troubleshooting network issues like bandwidth bottlenecks and remote connectivity. Network administrators also deal with security, messaging, clustering and other issues.
These are good positions for those with problem-solving experience, and who don't mind long hours or days where you get interrupted multiple times to address "quick questions." It's not for those who want to punch the clock precisely at 5, or for those for whom a regular, predictable workday is important -- as a network admin, you can't usually predict what you'll be doing in the next hour, let alone the next day or week. You're also the first person that will be called (blamed?) should something go wrong, often at 4 a.m. or whatever time is most inconvenient for you.
One of the most popular areas of IT, it's also the one that seems to have embraced certification the tightest. Some certifications that relate to this area include: CompTIA's Network+ and Server+, Microsoft's MCSA/MCSE, Novell's CNA/CNE, Cisco's CCNA and CCDA, as well as many specialty titles, including those from Citrix and various security organizations. There are also OS-specific certifications for those working with Linux, Unix and Apple OSX. In a previous article I described how one might use some of these certifications to chart a career path in this arena.
One important note about this career path: While the ITAA study says you can find a position without previous experience, that's becoming less true. The current IT climate means admins are changing jobs less often, since there are fewer opportunities elsewhere; it's also due in part to the extreme amount of competition currently out there. More often than not, people who want to become network admins work their way up through a technical support position (discussed later in this article). However, you may be able to find an entry-level position as a junior admin, especially if you're willing to work cheap in order to get the experience.
Programming/Software Engineering
Common Skills/Attributes: Logical thinking, attention to detail, ability to focus for long periods
Common Activities: Gathering requirements, coding, testing
Personality Types: Introverted, detail-oriented, self-sufficient
Typical Starting Position: Coder/programmer
Applicable Certifications: MCSD, SJCP
Number of New Positions: 134,637
Programming and software engineering is the image many have when they think of computer people. The typical stereotype is of someone sitting in the dark and quietly tapping keys in front of a glowing computer screen. Although that's still a key component of the job, it's expanded beyond that to include more interaction with co-workers and clients.
To be a successful programmer/developer/software engineer, you need to love details. No matter which position you pursue in this area, the work is likely to be very detail-oriented. Debugging code isn't for everyone, and if the little things give you headaches, programming may not be right for you. On the positive side, programming chores tend to be more predictable than system/network administration. You're not as much of a firefighter, running from one emergency to the next (although that certainly does happen from time to time, like when your program crashes the previously uncrashable server).
Although there are some certifications within the programming category, certification itself hasn't caught on like it has in network administration. Perhaps it's because these jobs often come down to an easily quantifiable variable -- your skill with a particular language or tool. If you're a real Java guru, a lack of a degree or certification or even experience probably won't hold you back if you can prove your expertise with the code. Even so, a four-year college degree is often recommended for those who want to move up to higher-level positions.
If you are interested in certification in this area, some of the more popular titles include Microsoft's MCSD, Sun's SCJP and Macromedia/Allaire's ColdFusion developer.
Technical Support
Common Skills/Attributes: Patience, problem-solving, strong communication skills
Common Activities: Talking users through problems
Personality Types: Extroverted, laid-back
Typical Starting Position: Help desk
Applicable Certifications: A+ (hardware), MOUS (for helping end-users with MS applications)
Number of New Positions: 218,138
This category of positions includes help desk, PC support and technical support roles. Tech support simply helps other people with their computer problems. Because these positions are often seen as entry-level, and because helping solve other people's problems can get frustrating at times, there is a higher-than-average turnover in this specialty.
While it's hard for most people coming from other careers to start "at the bottom," help desk really is the best place to begin your IT career. With little experience and no certifications, you can normally find a job somewhere doing technical support. Plus, you'll gain a good working knowledge of the basics – a foundation that can only help as you move up the IT ladder. From a personality perspective, these jobs require patient people – or people who can learn to be patient. It's likely that you'll be dealing with users with varying levels of computer sophistication. That's why communication skills are so important for tech support people. Often, users are frustrated when they talk to you (or why else would they be calling?), and you have to soothe their nerves as well as discern what the problem might be from people who may not be able to clearly explain their difficulties. That's also why it's critical to make yourself understood. If you talk to them in technical terms, they'll get more frustrated with you (and possibly mention how unhelpful you are to your boss).
Here, certifications can help your prospects of getting that first job. CompTIA's A+ hardware certification, for instance, is often seen as the perfect starting point. For those on the help desk, there are several help desk-specific certifications available.
Tech support is often the place to start for the neophyte. Yes, you won't make much, but you can get experience that will open the doors to other paths that may otherwise be inaccessible. Also, if you find you like it, permanent careers in help desk management and repair/consulting can be both financially and professionally rewarding.
Technical Writing
Common Skills/Attributes: Strong writing/communication skills, desktop publishing knowledge
Common Activities: Writing software documentation for print and/or online use
Personality Types: Somewhat introverted, planner
Typical Starting Position: Tech Writer
Applicable Certifications: none
Number of New Positions: 17,461
Everyone knows family members or friends who want to write the great American novel. It's part of the American dream. Technical writing is not nearly as glamorous or as fun. Technical writers help translate the technical information spoken by programmers and engineers into information digestible by end-users. Whether the audience is a group of systems administrators or the general public, it's the technical writer's job to make sure the original designer's intent and implementation is translated clearly and precisely to the correct technical level. Technical writers have to be able to quickly learn information, and communicate what they have learned succinctly to others.
From a personality perspective, technical writing is more for the introvert than the extrovert, as writing is necessarily an introspective process. Even for experienced wordsmiths, writing is a draining, and often lonely, activity.
Even so, you do need people skills – at least on the one-to-one level – to be a successful technical writer. Rarely will everything you need be handed to you on a silver platter; more often than not, you'll need to track down those engineers and programmers and coerce them into giving you the information you need to finish the project. Forging friendly, professional relationships with the technical staff will make your job that much easier.
Of the IT career categories presented here, technical writing has the least potential for future job growth. According to the ITAA study referenced above, the demand for technical writing positions has dropped 72.6 percent between 2000 and 2001. Currently, there are a lot of technical writers out of work, including writers with experience. This could make it difficult to break in unless you bring unique skills, such as subject matter expertise. For instance, a developer of accounting software might be more inclined to hire a writer with a background in accounting than one with more writing experience but no practical industry knowledge. Other pluses can be a writing-related degree such as English or journalism, and/or hands-on experience with one or more of the layout programs, like RoboHelp and QuarkXpress, used to produce technical materials.
Other IT Jobs that Require Experience
There are four other NWCET categories not included in the above list because they almost always require some kind of IT experience. These jobs are normally entered through one of the other categories above. They are:
- Database Administration
- Web Development
- Enterprise Systems
- Digital Media
Database Administration
Common Skills/Attributes: Organization skills, programming background
Common Activities: Verifying backup operations, performance tuning, database design
Personality Types: Detail-oriented, planners
Typical Starting Position: Junior database administrator or programmer
Applicable Certifications: MCDBA, Oracle DBO/DBA
Number of New Positions: 110,104
Database administrators (DBAs) maintain the information the corporation needs to be successful. As a DBA, you'll most likely be responsible for performing the housekeeping and maintenance tasks necessary to keep the databases of information available and efficient.
DBAs typically work closely with programmers in designing new databases. They also work with the network administrators who run the servers on which their databases reside. DBAs normally have a relatively small group of people they work with.
Although certifications exist for DBAs (e.g., Microsoft's MCDBA and Oracle's OCP DBA), you usually have to put in years as a programmer or network/systems administrator first.
Web Development
Common Skills/Attributes: Sense of aesthetics, rapid development/prototyping, programming skills
Common Activities: Creation of prototypes, refinement of graphics, testing, problem-solving
Personality Types: Driven, creative, detail-oriented
Typical Starting Position: Web developer or designer
Applicable Certifications: Prosoft CIW, Adobe, Macromedia/Allaire
Number of New Positions: 110,104
Web development often merges two sets of skills: programming/systems design and art/graphic design. Typically, projects are collaborations of two or more individuals with different skills, but the nature of the Web dictates that both the artistic person and the programming person know at least a little about what the other does. In many ways Web development is a specialized form of programming. Thus, on that side of development, getting a job in Web development is like preparing for a programming position.
There are some certifications available for this career area, include those from Adobe, Macromedia and ProsoftTraining.com.
Enterprise Systems
Common Skills/Attributes: Analysis, architecture development, strong technical knowledge and background
Common Activities: Develop implementation plans, contingency plans and growth plans
Personality Types: Thorough, thoughtful, excellent planning skills
Typical Starting Position: Mid-level networking positions
Applicable Certifications: MCSE, MCNE, CCIE
Number of New Positions: 75,177
Don't even think about this arena unless you have many years of experience. Enterprise architects and planners design and implement large computer networks with dozens, or hundreds of servers, Web sites with millions of page views per month, and a user base numbered in the thousands, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands. Your energies instead will be centered on design and integrating customer needs into an overall architecture. You want new technologies to work with, budgets and resources to manage, a global architecture to design? This is the job for you.
The problem, of course, is that you won't even be considered for jobs here without a decade of experience. Enterprise-level workers often have premier certifications like the MCSE or CCIE (Cisco's top certification), but even these usually aren't very important. At that stage, experience is what counts, not certifications. Certifications can, however, help you get to that point.
Digital Media
Common Skills/Attributes: Creativity, Graphics Design
Common Activities: Develop interactive CD-ROMs, Web sites, Special Effects
Personality Types: Energetic, Creative, Extroverted
Typical Starting Position: Producer
Applicable Certifications: none
Number of New Positions: 11,940
These positions are more a hybrid of video production, graphics design and IT. They are largely creative positions that often combine writing, artistic and production skills. It can be argued that they're not IT workers at all, and instead producers who work closely with IT professionals. Even so, IT enters the picture since the video, audio and graphic elements that make up a production are stored on server farms often containing hundreds of boxes that need maintenance.
Where To Go Now?
As you can see, there really are wide variety of positions available to you in the IT world. Now it's up to you to find a category of work that fits your personality and desires. If you want more detail on the types of careers available, peruse the NWCET site. They have a wealth of detail and links to information about IT careers. Or you might consider purchasing the ITAA study for more detailed information. For more about the certifications mentioned above, visit CertCities.com' certification database here. Best of luck on finding the right career path for you.
Robert L. Bogue is an MCSE (NT 4.0 & Win2K), MCSA, etc. He runs Thor Projects, a systems consulting company in Carmel, IN. Robert is also the lead author of Que Certification's MCSA Training Guide (70-218): Managing a Windows 2000 Network (ISBN 0-7897-2766-8, Available June 2002). If you want to learn more about Robert's other books go to http://www.thorprojects.com/author.
More articles by Robert L Bogue:
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