Laid off. AKA "Career transitions for the IT guy"

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

flatwins

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Dec 30, 2008
Messages
8,739
Reaction score
33
Location
Broken Arrow
After 21 years in the IT field, primarily in the volatile energy industry, I was laid off this spring. My company downsized headcount by 40% in the past two years. This has provided me time to work on projects around the house, travel a bit, and do a lot of soul searching as to where to go from here.

I'm thinking it's time for a change. I'm open to various possibilities. I'm a mechanical person, working on cars, motorcycles, lawnmowers, etc. I can do some light welding. I've painted houses, done woodwork, laid tile, done some plumbing, etc.

While I've enjoyed the time off, unemployment compensation has a finite duration so I need to get to work.

In the IT industry, most of my experience has been with Windows Servers with SCCM as a specialty. I've done a lot of software packaging & distribution as well as automated updates.

I'm interested in positions repairing equipment and have applied to some medical equipment maintenance companies.

I'd even be interested in helping out if someone was flipping houses and needed some labor.

If anyone hears of any place where I might be a fit, please let me know!

Thanks in advance,
Steve
 

Perplexed

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Apr 7, 2009
Messages
15,831
Reaction score
10,721
Location
Tulsa
Geez Steve, I feel for you. I don't have any leads, but have you considered applying for jobs in the Federal sector? They won't pay as well, but someone with that much IT experience would be considered carefully. Have you tried www.usajobs.gov ?
 

slas

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Oct 21, 2015
Messages
1,023
Reaction score
638
Location
OKC
One thing about being in or near the Tinker area is that it seems there are always quite a few IT opportunities here. Not sure how you feel about a move but contractor positions at Tinker pay quite well even though they're not as permanent as federal work. When I was in the job market several years ago I was considering a move to Tulsa but found that the opportunities near OKC were abundant compared to there.
 

Honey Badger

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
6,717
Reaction score
2,848
Location
Ponca City
Dude! Oklahoma is short of teachers right now. If you have a degree you can alternative certify and becoming a computer teacher, keyboarding, business apps teacher. The other alternative is to go work for a school district. They need lots of help with IT.
 

sh00ter

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Aug 15, 2012
Messages
4,567
Reaction score
3,156
Location
Twilight Zone
I too am an IT person who can do some blue collar work on the side. I think it is the analytical nature we have that makes us curious to learn other skills and how things work, etc. This is an advantage; I too have actually wished I could make the same or more doing something different that is a trade or manual work because I am burnt out with desk job. Let me know how it turns out even though you didn't "choose" this. It would still be inspiring to hear where life took you if you do not return to a full-time server admin job. I wish you the most possible luck the Internet can support brother.

I will also keep my ear to the ground.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom