Dido… setup a test system/environment at home. or do a system for charity, this would give you live experience and you would be doing them a service. They will be patient with you too!

Business experience is just as important as IT experience. I started out as an accountant – then moved into ABAP due to a shortage of resources at the time (I had a programming background) and the moved into FI/CO functional analysis and support. Obviously luck helps but always be on the lookout for opportunities – and be keen.

John.

All IT Professionals would agree that “hands-on” experience is a MUST in our field! And as noted, having test resources readily available is invaluable.

Nonetheless, speaking from experience , I would talk over any attempt to bring your work home with any significant other(s) … IT is time-consuming, ever-changing, but rewarding.

But before becoming the ultimate techie, I would also pursue a balance of business AND project management skills.

Not to offend anyone, but in my observation of the industry, techie’s are becoming a dime-a-dozen. Corporate environment are “rightfully” demanding more from their IT employees as they (the IT Pros) are becoming more visible, revenue-generating, and or cost-saving to the organization. Business and Project Management skills are now value-added requirements.

Suffice it to say, however, that it would all depend on your overall career objectives.

Take a look at the PMI certification as an excellent complement to any of your pursuits.

System Analyst, Business Analyst, and the like are more than likely to interface with the key stakeholders, business units, and executive as well as operational staff of an organization. These professionals and technical liaison need to bridge the communication gaps between IT and Business. A tremendous amount of effort is undertaken in problem-definition, data gathering, and project scoping. And this occurs before any real detailed administrative or developmental hands-on.

Best of luck …

I think that finding a non-profit to work with is agreat idea

I personally feel the ground would be set by the following in sequence / preferrence:

1.There should be some basic IT education to begin with;
2.OR some work experience of business processes
3. Like my other peers suggested of having the environment at home and practicing it….seems to be a fair enough one.
4. Join a growing concern who are expanding their IT infrastructure
5. And then it would primarily depend upon the individual’s IQ towards the IT learnings and the likewise.

Regards,

My opinion is being a Business Analysis/System Analysis – gap between business management & tech. Understanding of the business process of the industry you are working for is important.

Otherwise, it is quite hard to get a job in the AsiaPac region, even you have a lot of different certified qualifications plus a formal education in e.g. finance or marketing etc..

Best is to get into worldwide consultant group to get as many explosure as possible in different industries. Organizations tend to trust them more, even though sometimes the consultant sent to an org. is a fresh graduate…..