Opinions on these IT careers?

[SpaceGhost92]

I am in college and I am thinking about changing my major. I love working with computers, and have considered going into the IT field. I know it requires a lot of math, and isn't easy but I figure why not give it a shot.

Here were a few things I thought I might try and I was wondering about your input:

Hardware Engineer

PC Support Specialist

Programmer (I'm learning the basics of JavaScript right now through self teaching on codecademy)

I really like programming so far, although I know little to nothing, but I was wondering if I'm missing anything about it. If any of you are programmers as a career, what is the biggest advice you could give someone like me?

 

[JimF_35]

"I know it requires a lot of math, and isn't easy but I figure why not give it a shot."

Not really unless you go into programming. I got a BS in CIS and I only need Pre-Calc II.

"I really like programming so far, although I know little to nothing, but I was wondering if I'm missing anything about it."

Scripting is not real programming. If you want a more in depth programming language I would suggest you try C#. Depending on weather you are going to be doing game development or web application, you may need to learn SQL because you are going to want to hook your programs up to a database of some sort. I recommend SQL Server or Oracle because they are the two biggest databases.

I hope that helps.

 

[mrmez]

Not that I know much about working in IT, but theres a lot of scope from what you've listed.

A PC support specialist could be working in a call centre.
A hardware engineer will likely mean a degree in electrical engineering as an absolute minimum.
Programmers can end up coding websites, creating the next Windows, or making the next Flappy Birds.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

Out of the three, Programmer has the highest amout of job opportunities, is easy to learn yourself, and the highest pay ceiling. A lot of time has to go into it to be really good at it and constant skill updating

PC support specialist/networking i found hard to get into, and you really had to know someone up the ladder and a lot of luck combined with skill to get anywhere. Again, a skill set that is constantly changing and constantly renewing accreditaion. Its not so bad if the firm you work for can pay for the ongoing updated training.

Hardware engineer, im not sure specifically what your refering to, do you mean hardware design from a component level? or actual component/IC design? this is very specialised and hard to get into, and depending where you live, would likely require relocation to land a job. But if your really passionate about it then i say go for it, you could develop the next gtx Titan one day, or save lives with some medical device breakthrough.

For some advice, I would say expand your horizons around the same specific fields you have there. It's not just windows PC's that require these specialisations, but medical, scientific, various consumer and professional electronic devices that require these skills. For example i was lazy, never went to university, found studying a drag, got myself some networking and pc hardware skill as i was interested in it and had been building and playing around with pc's since i was 12. Now i'm working for a very known worldwide company installing and maintaining high end, specialized production printers and equipment, and the pay is decent. Not what i originally had in mind but im enjoying it now, and still involves a lot of electronics and PC skills. If i could go back i would have gone to university, aimed a lot higher and got a degree of some sort, even if it didnt work out and i ended up in the same job, at least i could have presented myself with other opportunities.

 

[SpaceGhost92]

"I know it requires a lot of math, and isn't easy but I figure why not give it a shot."

Not really unless you go into programming. I got a BS in CIS and I only need Pre-Calc II.

"I really like programming so far, although I know little to nothing, but I was wondering if I'm missing anything about it."

Scripting is not real programming. If you want a more in depth programming language I would suggest you try C#. Depending on weather you are going to be doing game development or web application, you may need to learn SQL because you are going to want to hook your programs up to a database of some sort. I recommend SQL Server or Oracle because they are the two biggest databases.

I hope that helps.

It absolutely helps. Also, what do you do in your area of CIS? (If you don't mind me asking)

 

[SpaceGhost92]

Out of the three, Programmer has the highest amout of job opportunities, is easy to learn yourself, and the highest pay ceiling. A lot of time has to go into it to be really good at it and constant skill updating

PC support specialist/networking i found hard to get into, and you really had to know someone up the ladder and a lot of luck combined with skill to get anywhere. Again, a skill set that is constantly changing and constantly renewing accreditaion. Its not so bad if the firm you work for can pay for the ongoing updated training.

Hardware engineer, im not sure specifically what your refering to, do you mean hardware design from a component level? or actual component/IC design? this is very specialised and hard to get into, and depending where you live, would likely require relocation to land a job. But if your really passionate about it then i say go for it, you could develop the next gtx Titan one day, or save lives with some medical device breakthrough.

For some advice, I would say expand your horizons around the same specific fields you have there. It's not just windows PC's that require these specialisations, but medical, scientific, various consumer and professional electronic devices that require these skills. For example i was lazy, never went to university, found studying a drag, got myself some networking and pc hardware skill as i was interested in it and had been building and playing around with pc's since i was 12. Now i'm working for a very known worldwide company installing and maintaining high end, specialized production printers and equipment, and the pay is decent. Not what i originally had in mind but im enjoying it now, and still involves a lot of electronics and PC skills. If i could go back i would have gone to university, aimed a lot higher and got a degree of some sort, even if it didnt work out and i ended up in the same job, at least i could have presented myself with other opportunities.

Well see that's the thing, I am not sure exactly what I would be into when it comes to specifics. I love building PC's and working with hardware, I wouldn't necessarily need to be someone who is creating new hardware, I would love working on them or with them in general; even improving them if I could. I also have had fun with scripting, which I now know is not really programming. Still I am open to learning it and growing. Like I said, I am still feeling everything out.

 

[jerseyIT92]

Out of the three, Programmer has the highest amout of job opportunities, is easy to learn yourself, and the highest pay ceiling. A lot of time has to go into it to be really good at it and constant skill updating

PC support specialist/networking i found hard to get into, and you really had to know someone up the ladder and a lot of luck combined with skill to get anywhere. Again, a skill set that is constantly changing and constantly renewing accreditaion. Its not so bad if the firm you work for can pay for the ongoing updated training.

Hardware engineer, im not sure specifically what your refering to, do you mean hardware design from a component level? or actual component/IC design? this is very specialised and hard to get into, and depending where you live, would likely require relocation to land a job. But if your really passionate about it then i say go for it, you could develop the next gtx Titan one day, or save lives with some medical device breakthrough.

For some advice, I would say expand your horizons around the same specific fields you have there. It's not just windows PC's that require these specialisations, but medical, scientific, various consumer and professional electronic devices that require these skills. For example i was lazy, never went to university, found studying a drag, got myself some networking and pc hardware skill as i was interested in it and had been building and playing around with pc's since i was 12. Now i'm working for a very known worldwide company installing and maintaining high end, specialized production printers and equipment, and the pay is decent. Not what i originally had in mind but im enjoying it now, and still involves a lot of electronics and PC skills. If i could go back i would have gone to university, aimed a lot higher and got a degree of some sort, even if it didnt work out and i ended up in the same job, at least i could have presented myself with other opportunities.

What area of the world do you live in that it's hard to find a networking/admin position?

 

[iam2thecrowe]

What area of the world do you live in that it's hard to find a networking/admin position?

Australia. Let me correct that statement, its hard to get a position like that that which pays as much as i'm on now, and its hard to get into it with no/little experience and in the smaller city im from. I would have to move to Sydney or Melbourne. Its hard to get experience unless you get a trainee-ship or know someone to let you in the door. I was at a semi it-based firm and they weren't offering a whole lot of money. There I was doing about 90% printer and pc hardware repairs and 10% IT/admin. They didnt let me have enough time at the admin/networking side of things so i wasnt inclined to stay around. I had been out of IT so long at that stage that i would have had to go do courses to update my accreditation. Another job came along more into high end printers and they offered me a 150% pay-rise straight up, and have received pay-rises constantly every year, with training and company car provided. So i'm pretty content with where im at and still use my networking skills from time to time, but its a lot more electro-mechanical type work which i enjoy. i dont think i would go back to IT it just seems like a lot of work and constantly updating knowledge. If i was born 10 years earlier and could have got into it in the 80's/90's it would have been great, but in the 00's when i was studying everyone was wanting an IT position and the market flooded.

 

[jerseyIT92]

What area of the world do you live in that it's hard to find a networking/admin position?

Australia. Let me correct that statement, its hard to get a position like that that which pays as much as i'm on now, and its hard to get into it with no/little experience and in the smaller city im from. I would have to move to Sydney or Melbourne. Its hard to get experience unless you get a trainee-ship or know someone to let you in the door. I was at a semi it-based firm and they weren't offering a whole lot of money. There I was doing about 90% printer and pc hardware repairs and 10% IT/admin. They didnt let me have enough time at the admin/networking side of things so i wasnt inclined to stay around. I had been out of IT so long at that stage that i would have had to go do courses to update my accreditation. Another job came along more into high end printers and they offered me a 150% pay-rise straight up, and have received pay-rises constantly every year, with training and company car provided. So i'm pretty content with where im at and still use my networking skills from time to time, but its a lot more electro-mechanical type work which i enjoy. i dont think i would go back to IT it just seems like a lot of work and constantly updating knowledge. If i was born 10 years earlier and could have got into it in the 80's/90's it would have been great, but in the 00's when i was studying everyone was wanting an IT position and the market flooded.

That's insane because around my area, near NYC, it's completely different. I always see networking/system admin jobs for 80K to 100K a year. I would rather do this stuff any day of the week then look at lines of words and letters all day.