Advice on getting into IT after redundincy

hobo28

I agree with the others that IT is not a goldmine. At least not anymore. Gone are the days where anyone with a MCSE could command £35k salaries. That was a y2k blip.

When people ask me, I always say that the key to success is to be actually interested in computers. Those who have a passion for all things technical are the ones who do best. Basically because they enjoy their work!

If your the type which enjoys tinkering with computers, gets the lid off to replace bits & bobs, the go-to guy when your family/friends computer dies then I think you'd be well suited.

You'll also need to be flexible. If your the type which likes 9-5 jobs then IT probably isn't for you. Because often you can only work when everyone has gone home or if the server blows up at 10pm.

Like most careers, you have to work your way up by starting at the bottom. I would suggest that if you can, get yourself on a networking course. Look at qualifications such as MCP, A+. But bear in mind that experience matters much more. What those qualifications teach you are the very basics! I've had MCSE's who have read the book but couldn't install Windows!

A good place to start would be on a helpdesk where you get exposed to a lot of different problems. Can be a bit soul destroying but its a foot in the door and all the time you are gaining experience. Then moving onto something like field engineer where you learn to stand on your own two feet and face customers.

I would still recommend people go into IT. Just not with false expectations! I remember getting a taxi to the airport once where the driver told me of his mate who reckoned once he'd passed his MCSE, he'd be making £60k a year. Yeah right! My mate who has his own firm offered an experienced MCSE a job last month.....£12k!

As jobs go, I think IT is pretty cushy. Its a knowledge job where you are paid for what you know rather than how many widgets you create. Therefore keeping up with technology is absolutely paramount. And thats where the interest kicks in. If you find IT boring, you won't do that. But if you do, you will.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Weggy

I was in the same position back in 2000. Made redundant from office work and decided to get into IT. I paid for my own MCSE training out of the redundancy money. 6 years later, I'm in IT support for a top 5 law firm in Canary Wharf.

The first job is the hardest to get, and mine paid just £16k, but once you've got that experience, you can move on.

Just don't believe any of the TV adverts you see. One, advertising IT training, says to a potential customer "how does 30k and a company car sound?". I always shout back to the TV "like bulls**t" which gets me in a bit of bother with the Mrs.... ;-)

hobo28

Weggy wrote:

Just don't believe any of the TV adverts you see. One, advertising IT training, says to a potential customer "how does 30k and a company car sound?". I always shout back to the TV "like bulls**t" which gets me in a bit of bother with the Mrs.... ;-)

Oh its certainly possible. Just not without a great deal of experience!

fgaughan

cybershot wrote:

Hi i have just been made redundent after 11 years of working on a factory,

the careers office now entitles me to £2500 for new training on anything i want.

want somthing totaly diff from factory work as want to use this to better myself at last

So any advice would be grate????


thought of sparky/plumber ect but ver hard to get into.

Now thought of IT as always been interested in pc's and apparently good money in it just dont know what IT to go for as so many about. so any ideas would be grate.
just dont know where to start.

also is CAD any good way to go about it?

If you have any form of disability then forget it as you have no hope in hell getting in.

WaveyDave_2

As others have said, you really need to breakdown which part of IT you are interested in. You say you like computers etc, what sort of thing do you do at home? Have you setup your home broadband account, tinkered with routers etc? Configured/installed Windows and software? Installed new hardware or built your own PC? Have you developed web pages or written programs?

It's a vast industry! I started off tinkering at home, then I was helping the boss at an old company with little things like trying out new apps etc. Then I moved and got a helpdesk job, then tech support, now I'm a Database and Systems Admin. I also run my own business offering consulting to small business'. You need to identify a clear path for yourself, and then tailor the training to that.

Hope this helps a bit!

Dave

magyar

hobo28 wrote:

You'll also need to be flexible. If your the type which likes 9-5 jobs then IT probably isn't for you. Because often you can only work when everyone has gone home or if the server blows up at 10pm.

Very good point! I used to get so annoyed when I needed to do an installation/upgrade/whatever on someone's machine and they would say "oh, sure - you can do it when I'm at lunch". Like I never had lunch either!

I frequently used to work until late at night and weekends. (And please don't think 'overtime' was involved!)

nej

Heh, no chance of me doing that. 5:30 and I'm out the door. If they want me to work extra, they can pay me for it!

simonts

Weggy wrote:

Just don't believe any of the TV adverts you see. One, advertising IT training, says to a potential customer "how does 30k and a company car sound?". I always shout back to the TV "like bulls**t" which gets me in a bit of bother with the Mrs.... ;-)

Lol I'm not alone in getting in trouble for muttering rude things when that ad comes on

Weggy

hobo28 wrote:

Oh its certainly possible. Just not without a great deal of experience!

It's possible alright, but they sell it like it's the first job you'll walk into when you finish their course....!! And there aint no chance of that happening!

IFA

I work in IT, have got an mcse and I agree its not the goldmine everyone thinks it is! I think the OP should consider a desktop/ server support role as I think this would interest him most (especially hardware). If you are lucky you can get lots of overtime and a standby allowance, if working on servers, (which really makes a difference to your take home pay)

Read on BBC that there is a skills crisis in IT? I think this is a "not wanting to work for peanuts crisis" If this skills crisis is genuine get in now as pay would surely go up (just like for plumbers?) I can but hope.... Just watch out for the Indians/ Polish competing for your job...