Career change… IT?

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BobbyV

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I’m utilizing the VRE at the moment the 1st things they pitched to me were IT and becoming a teacher, imagine that…my wife was in IT in a security role and is now a project manager because she hated compliance and all the crap that goes with IT security. I dabbled with the idea of cybersecurity BUT just know you will not be getting a cybersecurity job upon graduating. Certs are great and often required however experience, especially networking experience trumps all.
Cloud stuff is really hot right now too . . .
 

HoLeChit

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I’m utilizing the VRE at the moment the 1st things they pitched to me were IT and becoming a teacher, imagine that…my wife was in IT in a security role and is now a project manager because she hated compliance and all the crap that goes with IT security. I dabbled with the idea of cybersecurity BUT just know you will not be getting a cybersecurity job upon graduating. Certs are great and often required however experience, especially networking experience trumps all.
I’m supposed to be doing the self employment track to being a residential home inspector, but even the regional director said things have been totally bumblefecked and they could have gone about this better.

I don’t expect getting into cybersecurity right off the bat, in my mind I’ll get any and all training I can get my hands on, start somewhere as the IT guy, and work my way up from there. If cybersecurity ends up being where I land/what I enjoy, then cool. I just figure getting myself placed somewhere in tech is going to be my best bet. I figure cloud stuff would be good too, cause that’s huge.
 
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I’m supposed to be doing the self employment track to being a residential home inspector, but even the regional director said things have been totally bumblefecked and they could have gone about this better.

I don’t expect getting into cybersecurity right off the bat, in my mind I’ll get any and all training I can get my hands on, start somewhere as the IT guy, and work my way up from there. If cybersecurity ends up being where I land/what I enjoy, then cool. I just figure getting myself placed somewhere in tech is going to be my best bet. I figure cloud stuff would be good too, cause that’s huge.
I heard it’s a pain in general to get approved for the self employment track and everything depends on how crappy your counselor is or isn’t. Expect to fight for a decent computer that’ll support the things you’ll be doing if you go the IT route. VRE is great but man do they make **** unnecessarily difficult but then again it’s the VA. As long as you have that mentality you should be ok, that’s what usually gets people caught up once they graduate.
 

trekrok

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I’m supposed to be doing the self employment track to being a residential home inspector, but even the regional director said things have been totally bumblefecked and they could have gone about this better.

I don’t expect getting into cybersecurity right off the bat, in my mind I’ll get any and all training I can get my hands on, start somewhere as the IT guy, and work my way up from there. If cybersecurity ends up being where I land/what I enjoy, then cool. I just figure getting myself placed somewhere in tech is going to be my best bet. I figure cloud stuff would be good too, cause that’s huge.
I'm not familiar with the program. So you've got the training stuff handled on home inspections but need the tools of the trade? Is there more required than I'd think? The inspectors I've used didn't seem to pack much more than basic stuff - ladders, lights few hand tools etc.

The marketing side of that business always seemed a little dicey. From what I see most of the referrals come from realtors. So, I always felt the inspector wasn't incentivized to do a super thorough job. I mean, if an inspector blows up very many of their deals, ie commissions, I'm betting the referrals go away. But I'm a pessimist sometimes.

Google has some interesting courses in IT that are cheap. I read an article somewhere that said a lot of companies look favorably on them and are starting to accept them in place of degrees for entry level stuff.
 

AguaFriaRanger

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The best advice I can give here is that if you don't have some sort of passion for computing/networking, do NOT try to get into IT. You WILL burn out. It's just so technical, especially cybersecurity. Cybersec isn't just learning what's going on and what to do, it's CONSTANTLY learning the new threats, the new vulnerabilities, the new architecture, etc. It isn't a field where you go to school, find a job, and never open a trade publication or scholastic journal ever again. You have to be constantly learning or you will find yourself behind the curve. Also be careful going into help desk - you can make it up and out but you may be better suited to just do a little cert bootcamp and get your Sec+ if you're already tech savvy. This is all just my two bits though.
 

SoonerP226

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I will tell you that IT is a young man's game, and it sucks if you don't want to move into management, because that's pretty much where you have to go as you get older. As a result, in addition to your technical education, you need to be studying leadership.

I'd suggest a lot of non-technical reading, starting with Dale Carnegie's How To Win Friends and Influence People. Computing might be about technology, but IT is about people, and Dale Carnegie knew a heck of a lot about dealing with people.

Next, I'd recommend SGM Kyle Lamb's Leadership In the Shadows. Dude knows a lot about training warriors (he's the co-founder of Viking Tactics, after all), but he also learned a lot about leadership, and he does a good job of distilling it into a readable book.

John C. Maxwell has also written a bunch on the topic of leadership, so I'd suggest reading pretty much everything he's written on the subject.

This will sound corny, but also read (I'd suggest listening to) Zig Ziglar. Some of his stuff is dated, but there is power in positive thinking, especially if you're going into a field where people aren't coming to you because everything is working perfectly and they just want tell you what an awesome job you're doing...

Last, but not least, I'd recommend Booker T. Washington's Up From Slavery. It dovetails nicely with Zig Ziglar, because almost everything he accomplished he did through maintaining a general positive attitude, even when he was doing menial work.
 

montesa

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Here’s a new opinion. Consider starting a business. Any business. You have a broad range of skills it sounds like. All of that will transfer. What do you really want in life?
 

Snattlerake

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Here’s a new opinion. Consider starting a business. Any business. You have a broad range of skills it sounds like. All of that will transfer. What do you really want in life?
Yeah, talk to the fiber optic splicer seller on here. Just to get a feel for the job he does.

@tyromeo55

 

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