Networking career and the IT industry as a whole
Career development, Careers, CCNA, Certifications, IT jobs, Networking, Networking careers, Networking certifications
I'm interested in a career in networking. I hope to be a network admin/engineer. I just started a position in a Network Operations Center and plan to go to school and get some certs. The question I have is what is the state of the IT career field specifically networking. I go to forums like on Dice and other sites and all you see is negativity. People saying that IT is a dead due to lack of jobs, an influx of H1B's, outsourcing, and host of other reasons. Is it worth starting a career in this field or should I look into a different career?
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ASKED:
March 27, 2009 10:35 PM
UPDATED:
May 28, 2009 11:32 PM
Answer Wiki:
Do you love the this type of work ? So many people entered IT because of the salary and the law of supply and demand have saturated the field. The ones who don't love the work are moving on. I knew since I was 13 that I was going to be in IT. 20 years later, I still am and make a very nice salary. Although I am a generalist, I now do modeling and run simulations on networks, telephony, and communication systems. The jobs are both in the public and private sector, I choose who I want to work for and for how long. I had to start off with the basics but learned enough to work in R&D while troubleshooting the most complicated problems that specialists cannot figure out. I've worked with defense contractors which put me in environments that were the most exciting of my career, seeing things that most Americans never know exist or using things that they will ever come close to touching.
You have to enjoy what you will be doing for the next 50 or so years. Why not be happy and do what you enjoy? If you are motivated and love the work, the money will always be there regardless of the position..
Best of Success,
Gary Janssen
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I agree with the previous poster, except to observe that he meant to write “hearsay” rather than “heresay” but of course that’s neither here nor there! For those with interest, passion, and a certain amount of grit, IT remains a viable career arena. You have to be willing to work your way in (as you’re already done) and then to work your way up to make a real career out of IT, but that’s neither impossible nor ill-advised, as long as you enjoy what you’re doing, and your employer(s) find your work both necessary and sufficient to keep your job alive. The long-term outlook for IT is pretty good, in fact, thanks to a large number of aging baby boomers like myself who have already started to retire (those born in 1946 are now 63, whereas those born in 1955 are turning 54 this year) and who will be retiring in droves between now and 2020.
HTH, and thanks for posting.
–Ed–