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  • #2248975

    Is there life after IT?

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    by lumbergh77 ·

    I have a bachelor’s in computers and have been programming and working with databases for nearly 10 years. While I am content at this point, I can’t see myself coding for the next 40 years. I feel like I’m starting to burn out and not really excited about CONSTANTLY learning new programming terminology like I used to be. They pay is decent but not great, and it seems there are easier ways to earn the same amount. Also, I’d like to have a life outside of work someday. It seems almost impossible in this field with the long hours and constant study. Programming is a lonely gig and I’d like a little more people contact.

    So I’m looking for a possible career change. I would be willing to go back to school. I’ve considered an MBA but they seem to be a dime a dozen these days. I’ve also considered a masters in psychology because it is an interesting subject IMO. However, I’m not sure how well I could utilize my IT skills in that field. So my questions are: 1) What is a good degree to pair with an IT degree? What field(s) are good for those with an IT background? I’m looking for a field with some longetivity. 2) Have you or do you know anyone else who has successfully transitioned from a career in IT and how they did it?

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    • #3217432

      Just the reason

      by now left tr ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I did not go in to programming in the first place….happy with system design and management. Meet peeople & interact all day.

      So why not try a different IT area instead?

      Failing that you can never go wrong with Law these days.

      • #3225995

        Why not move backwards of my path

        by deskanthony ·

        In reply to Just the reason

        I started with Chemical Engineering project management, as i was graduated ChemEng about 18 years ago. Then, for the subsequent 7 years, i switched to Production Management (so I needed Management Skills), you know dealing with people, planning of raw materials, meeting/presenting ideas, finance numbers/office politics (that i hated)…..etc. I was the youngest Director amongst company Dir’s at age of 30’s. Not by coincidence, i got my MBA by distance learning during that time, and married with small small kid. Then, i shifted whole family to other country nearby Singapore (migrated rather…), started still with Ops.Management (the easiest), then felt bored so i took quality management’s role (ie. systems, compliances, audit etc., became the best’advisor’ of the Ops.team)and stayed for about 6 years. Not a coincidence, i worked in an Australian’s company for about 3 years, learnt of OZ’s culture and kept my eyes open of this great ‘lay-back’ country, and prepare to say ‘goodbye’ to one of the most competitive country int he world.

        As Ops. is closed to Planning (ie. the same ‘ops. supports area’ as quality) i took ‘Planning’ role, managing about 2000 manufactured ‘fast moving goods’ products with stress/sweats/…and semi dealing with suppliers/stocks/etc….here, i did a tremendous data crunching and moderate ‘negotiation skills’. Beleive it or not, i did this role in one of Australia’s company.

        Now i can see i’m moving towards IT, as now i’m the business systems and quality manager of a construction company..(so i learn and set up company database (using access & sql)/flowcharting (processes) part of workInstructions /networks (IT administration) such as intranet & internet accessibility of my depots within our state-wise depots as part of so called ‘systems’. We are about to implement application systems such as SAP, so now i’m learning about this system, so excited about how the IT can help company operations…beleive it or not, next year i think i think i’m moving towards ‘Project Management’ as my contruction company seems need a good project manager (so i’ll learn- project management software such as MicrosoftProject/ Autocads….starting next month)…wow- life seems very exciting to me…but still i’m a dust in the middle of an ocean, part of our ‘earth’ that i used to dream to own when i was 5 years old’….One say once i’m a granpa..i should be able to tell my grandson/daughter of ‘excitements’ along the paths i took in many different countries/different companies/with different people…

        I’m considering USA of my next destiny- if only if God supports us…

        So, the above is some ‘small’ paths you could try….

        JA- an indonesian now in WA,OZ

      • #3223482

        New Horizons

        by harold-brown ·

        In reply to Just the reason

        I was a consultant to a telecom advising on technology for digital cable rollouts. After the age of 70 years I could not get work in this area, so I used the info, which was still being emailed to me daily, to start the Digital Technology Group which is now 6 years old.

    • #3217190

      go with what you like

      by bigbigboss ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      There is life after IT. You can count on it. You will find something worthwhile for you to do, in IT or out.

      There are many areas in IT besides programming and database. Education, management, consulting, law, security, privacy, system design, architecture, networks, etc. And there is a whole new world of other fields, like business, law, psychology, medicine, engineering. I know a lot of good lawyers and doctors who used to be programmers. There are many successful managers and CEO’s who used to be programmers too. Bill Gate was a programmer once, before he bought DOS.

      So, first rule: Know what you like to do. Don’t rule them out because you don’t know of any link to IT. You may find these links when you know more about it. Take marine biology. No apparent link to IT, right ? Nah… You need GPS and GIS to track those stupid whales… And analizing the skull structure of whales in association with thier vocal and sonar ability needs scanning and digitizing and image data management. Analysing the data about skull structures needs a lot of statistical computing too. It’s more like a statistical computing job than anything else.

      One of my earliest assignment in IT was to come up with a portable system a disabled lawyer can go to court with, keeping track of all the evidence and arguments. That was in mid 80’s, before all the new case management systems were even conceived.

      Only 29 percent of US medical doctors are using computers in keeping their patient records and receiving alerts. That is a great opportunity for a computer literate medical doctor or psychologist.

      There are many ways you can us IT in all fields. You just have to pick the one that interests you – so that you can put in the hardwork and still remain excited – and forget about IT for a while until it dawns on you what you can do with IT.

    • #3217176

      Plenty of opportunities, and ways to leverage your current skills

      by deadly ernest ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      Your degree shows that you know how to study, and how to learn. Your programing skills shows that you know how to put things in order, and make sure they’re correct, and attention to detail.

      Combine an MBA with what you have and you’d probably be looking at an IT management job. But you could probably do better at moving away from IT, by getting some recognised training in project management, and move over into managing projects, initially IT projects and then anything else. I know a few programmers who did this quite successfully.

      I also know a lot who move over into being office middle managers. It’s mainly a matter of applying yourself, and NOT expecting to start new the top when you swicth. You shouldn’t need to start at the bottom either.

    • #3219132

      Be ready to walk away from IT

      by bschaettle ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      RE: “I’m not sure how well I could utilize my IT skills in that field.”

      So what? You just got done saying you’re sick of programming, and you’re ready for a change, so be prepared to walk away from it. Another poster put it well: ten years in IT shows that you have excellent analytical and organizational skills that will translate well into other areas where you’ll have more interaction with people.

      Are you working for a company that’s primarily in the IT area, or is IT just an ancillary function at your company? If so, have you developed relationships with staff outside of IT? Take them to lunch and talk to them about their department, the work they do, and the steps you might need to take to be considered for a position in their department. My wife did this twenty years ago and her career really took off when she left IT and joined an operations group. FWIW, she has an MBA with an emphasis in Information Systems.

      • #3219125

        This is interesting

        by dcmjoker ·

        In reply to Be ready to walk away from IT

        I’m considering going into college for IT areas and solutions. Currently, I’m a student in Telecommunications and Web Design, I grew up hacking and doing graphics and little programing [mostly dead languages]

        And you kind of sparked a question I can’t answer

        Will I be satisfied with doing this for the rest of my life?

        Because I planned on devoting at least 6 years of college to learning every aspect Computers in general and now I’m wondering if it will just lead me to a life of frustration and solidarity

        • #3219111

          Try Medicine instead — it’s easier

          by bschaettle ·

          In reply to This is interesting

          For the effort you’ll put in over your lifetime constantly retraining in the IT field, you could easily become an MD and have much better employment prospects.

          Also, your boss will never call a meeting to tell you that a month from now all your patients will be switched over to WinBlood version 6.2 (the one where they’ve dropped support for hemoglobin) so you’ve got 4 whole weeks to learn about it in your spare time….

        • #3218131

          A few things to consider

          by lost_in_ny ·

          In reply to Try Medicine instead — it’s easier

          Lots of good advice from the previous posters in this thread. My husband is a clinical psychologist and if you’re considering that area then keep in mind that you’ve got to have a PhD in it for most positions. A friend in industrial/organizational psych does very well with a Masters in the subject.

          If having a life outside work/study is a top priority to you, then think long and hard before opting for med school. And law (at least as I personally know it to be in large firms) is driven by ‘billable hours’…and lots of them are expected to be well rated.

          My advice – consider carefully what’s most important to you in life and seek to truly understand what you greatest strenths and talents are and you will make the right choice. Be sure to discuss this with those who know you best since they often see things you might miss.

          A few more thoughts if you are people-oriented and want to avoid OT then the HR/Benefits area seems worth checking out. Project Management generally leaves enough time for a life – be sure to pursue PMI cert for the the best pay in this field.

        • #3218084

          Question about gettng a position in PM

          by russdwright9 ·

          In reply to A few things to consider

          Project Management generally leaves enough time for a life – be sure to pursue PMI cert for the the best pay in this field.
          I am a soon-to-be MBA and will be pursuing my CAPM from PMI shortly thereafter, as Project Management is one of two fields that really grabbed my attention (the other being DBA).

          I am wondering how you can get into PM if you are just starting out.

        • #3217963

          Getting into PM

          by lost_in_ny ·

          In reply to Question about gettng a position in PM

          Can you clarify what you mean by ‘just starting out’? If you’ve already got professional/operational-type experience in an area relevant to that in which you want to PM, then I’d suggest putting some focus on how performed aspects of PM in those assignments. For example, were you responsible for supplying various project doc deliverables to the PM of a project on which you were a resource? Did you actually perform an end-to-end subset of the overall PM of a project (as many managers whose teams get dedicated to a huge project wind up doing)? Even if your PM-related experience is simply attending project meetings as a proect team member, try to leverage what you contributed and gained out of those experiences.

          On the other hand if you mean right out of school without any professional experience that involved being a project team member, then all I can think of is having a solid educational background (including some additional study or cert in PM from preferably PMI or from a university PM cert program) and highlighting your PM-relevant skills in resume/interview.

        • #3223752

          Get the CAPM or PMP Cert

          by ron-in-miami, pmp ·

          In reply to Question about gettng a position in PM

          Many will argue that certifications don’t matter anymore, but I will tell you from experience, if you choose to pursue a career in Project Managment you need a PMI certification. If your company works with the Federal Government and you wish to work in Project Management it is almost a requirement. Get the PMI cert.

        • #3223045

          You got four weeks!

          by itguyy ·

          In reply to Try Medicine instead — it’s easier

          We were always told the day after the change was made!

      • #3225872

        Some things to gather n remember from above …

        by unni_kcpm ·

        In reply to Be ready to walk away from IT

        Dear All,

        1. Walk away from IT.
        **********************
        a. Didn’t get from your description whether
        you work a Small/Mid/Enterprise level
        Company in their IT Department or for
        a Software One or Independent Programmer.

        It is true that the life of
        a “Programmer” seize to exist(some what,
        can be argued) at an age of 30-32 years
        and he should be graduated to the next
        level into System Analysis/Design,
        Project Management etc.

        To be frank, I too face similar issue
        and was ready to pose this question to
        you all through this.

        If first one, you can “talk” to your
        Company Boss, Branch Manager or like
        and ask for a Job/Dept./Position change
        and move on. As you are the same
        Organization(for some years), you are
        better knowledgeable in most of the
        functioning of the Organization.

        If second and third case, you can ask
        for options as mentioned above to the
        field of Project Management.

        2. Doing an MBA or course on Project Mgt./
        Information Systems.
        This will be an additional attribute
        to your core skills. You can find
        requirement of able hands in the field
        of Project Management especially in
        the area of Web Development.

        Best Wishes !

        • #3225871

          Few more to add ..

          by unni_kcpm ·

          In reply to Some things to gather n remember from above …

          1. Somewhere I have ready that there will
          be shortage of Networking Professionals
          in the years to come.
          2. As mentioned Security Management,
          IT Infrastructure Management, Storage
          Management etc. some fields you can
          try on as interested.

    • #3225837

      Life after IT

      by mdindayal ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I found myself in the same place and thought serously about watering plants in Home Depot. Thankfully I found an out, I am now in my 3rd year of law specializing in Regulatory compliance, e-commerce and IT Audit. This to me has longevity and allows me to use what I have done in IT as a solid to do foundation.

    • #3225828

      I.T. is not the end-all..

      by drdosus ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      After 26 years in I.T., dealing with various micromanagers, clueless users, Microchannel, the transition to Windows, the subsequent toilet-paper MCSE ‘certifications’, I finally made the move.
      Electronics seemed to be a natural side effect of working with hardware all those years.
      The training took a little over 2 years and the move into electronics engineering about another year. I had to start as an engineering aide, but the pay was _better_ than that in I.T., there is room for advancement, and there are NO bs certifications. Either you know it or you don’t, there is no room for hot air.

      • #3222995

        Microchannel…

        by Thorarinn ·

        In reply to I.T. is not the end-all..

        …I wonder how many people here actually know what you’re referring to… 😉

        • #3222939

          *Sigh*

          by jruby ·

          In reply to Microchannel…

          I do, and I’m in the same boat – after too many years in IT being a ‘resource’, not a person, and doing it all, I’m seriously looking to find some other career. I’ve been very successful, but it’s time to change.

          Find a job you enjoy and you’ll never work another day in your life.

        • #3139550

          Agree

          by scphanse ·

          In reply to *Sigh*

          Jeez!!! I never realised till it was down in print we really get accustomed to being a “resource” that we dont notice.
          Am looking to move on too, but havent made up my mind where or what.

        • #3222875

          Microchannel..EIDE…

          by drdosus ·

          In reply to Microchannel…

          Here’s another…
          anyway, not too many. The last few batches of ‘engineers’ don’t know that there was anything before Windows, PCI, USB, etc.

          I wonder how many of these computer systems ‘engineers’ have told me that “it is impossible to attach to a Microsoft network without Windows”.
          Another groaner from one of the programmers here at work, “I don’t need to know anything about computers, I’m a _programmer_!”
          The last in response to my finding that he did not check parameters with his gooey visual programming ‘language’ and the routine did not recognize input from the RS232 port.
          sheesh!

    • #3225826

      Entered backwards

      by prefbid ii ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I came to IT via another career path and have so far stayed around for 17 years. I often wonder if I’m on the right path anymore and if I should shift my focus again. The reason I shifted to IT was because I was curious and naturally good at it. I’ve moved up the chain and have been just shy of becoming the CIO for a major company twice. I have taken short stints in Marketing where I find the attitude to be more exciting, but I have also found that they too work some mighty long hours.

      It probably works out that the best thing you can do is to follow Solomon’s advise — “there is nothing better under the sun than to find satisfaction in your work.”

    • #3225811

      Use IT Consulting to aid your Transition

      by rc185062 ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      One approach to help you figure out what direction you’d like is to join an IT consulting firm that has a practice area in an industry that interests you. Your interpersonal skills will be valued, you can get first hand industry knowledge and you will make new contacts quickly. Plus you may even get paid for overtime!!

    • #3225802

      Interesting: IT and Psychology

      by andersontofly ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I came to IT through the environmental field. I enjoyed both (22 years). The IT work had perspective beyond the code and their was satisfaction in making a direct contribution. I’ve been out of the Enviro business about 6 years and I’m really missing that direct contribution.

      I suggest you explore your interest in psychology, not so much to leave IT but to find a new path that may or may not be in IT.

      You may want to look into “dynamic modeling” where you can utilize your experience but are required to understand the interactions of people, organizations, and economies. Google matthias ruth “dynamic modeling” to get started. This is not an easy field to break into but with Global Warming becoming a real issue, dynamic modeling and sustainable development might become a hot field.

    • #3223800

      I know what you mean……

      by jenny.mealing ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I have been in IT less time than you and I am already burning out. I think its the thanklessness of what I do. No-one wants change and no-matter how successfully I introduce a change to a company, people love to whinge.
      I am retraining to be a florist believe it or not. 😀 1 day a week of bliss playing with flowers. We shall see where it takes me……

    • #3223775

      Find a niche market

      by r.de.koster ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      Why don’t you stay in programming but move to a niche market? I work for a greenhouse automation company which has a product change cycle of >10 years. This gives you lots of time to learn something new in your own pace. For me that meant that I didn’t have to learn every friggin’ language that’s on the market right now (I mainly program in C). Sometimes I just pick up another language just for fun (ADA, Python). Also, extra hours are rare and quality of code is more of an issue than meeting deadlines. Apart from my existing programming skills I developed skills in process control technology. And IF I need to make a Windoze app I just pick a language which give results fast (ie Delphi or VB). I still have to program my first .NET app and frankly I don’t give a …. 🙂

      The pay is decent, working in small R&D teams is fun, contact with colleagues is nice and the wife and my daughters are also happy.

    • #3223757

      Yes there is life – lots of it!

      by paul ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      Brief nutshell career to date:

      First degree is psychology – but went into business instead. 15 years with my own successful sales and marketing consultancy company.

      Started a computer business for my first career change(programming, repairs etc now into databases big time and online facilities for clients etc) Mainly myself plus subcontractors as and when. Now in about its ninth year and a related degree for me since too. But…. computer screens can get boring after a while… soo….

      I teamed up with one of my clients who run a business with such diverse activities as counter terrorist services and boat charters.

      The Boat charters I have always had an interest in being a keen sailor etc. I now take out fast ribs jumping them 15ft clear of the water at 45 knots etc.

      I also take groups of disabled people out and those with mental health problems out for the day in specially converted Dories. Last week I was helping out on one of the luxury charter yachts we use doing a BBC filmed James Bond copy to advertise the new film. Pouring champers for “bond” and his (Very attractive)”bird” as they stood on the back waving buy to the baddies as the bombs went off and they zoomed away. OK I wasn’t Bond but near enough 🙂

      I photograph a lot of what I do and that goes on the web sites. Photography is also a great passion. I take days off when I need them and keep the whole lot running in virtual servers in the data center (no offices required!) I can do basic /critical admin from mid solent on my pocket pc phone.

      Do I have a great time? You bet! and I am still earning IT money plus some. If I do need a desk I use the Boatability office which is the lock office at Port Solent – Probably the best office in the UK as it was premier Marina’s Directors old office before the out grew it.

      So some tips – look for something you enjoy. Don’t abandon IT completely – leverage it and combine with something you enjoy.

      Check out the pics on http://www.boatability.co.uk or ramorauk.com and you’ll see how much fun IT can be! OK there is the Virtual servers and IT infrastructure to look after but if it’s a sunny day you know where I won’t be.

      If you down at the lock office in Port Solent Hampshire UK any day send me an email and Tea and boat trip are on the cards.

      Seriously though a job of career is like life generally – its what you make it.

      If you are umming and R’ing now then start looking as if you ask me you are already bored so do something now before you get rooted and scared to change.

    • #3223751

      Transfer to Library Profession

      by cosintad ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I live in Australia, and have heard and read many posts on IT persons becoming involved in the Information Profession sector (Libraries, corporate libraies, knowledge mangement, information mangement, information architecture strategies, etc).

      IT skills are a very good background for work in libraies because of the diversity of tasks involved with presenting, relaying, and communicating all forms of information.

      There are plenty of Graduate Dipllomas or Masters degrees both coursework as well as research that will broaden your qualifications and make you that much more employable in a diverse range of sectors and occupations.

      There is a tendency for libray professionals to stay in the field for a long time.

      There is also the option of teaching IT, computer skills, and multimedia if that is your bent.

      Good luck.

    • #3223716

      There’s ALL of Life after I.T.

      by dr_zinj ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I can’t think of a single discipline or career field that doesn’t or can’t benefit from the use of information technology. Hell, I.T. can (and is) even used to help dig ditches better. People who can marry programming, network design and operation, and database design and operation with career field(s) other than I.T. will always have a job somewhere. The tricks are finding jobs that require I.T. knowledge, but are not strictly I.T.; and finding a job you like.

      First of all, if you’re not doing something you like and need, you really shouldn’t be doing it at all.

      Second, you need to do some serious self-examination. What are your (real) skills? What do you really like to do? What brings you the greatest pleasure to do? What is your ideal lifestyle? What are your life goal(s)? If you can’t answer these questions, in detail, and feel they truely represent you, then any other advice offered will be useless.

      Third, steer your education and training to add application of I.T. concepts to various other disciplines. I started as a statistical analyst for the military, became a erzats network engineer cum administrator and DBA. Went into automotive maintenance service and scheduling manager. Then became a DBA, service technician and network administrator for a Medicare contractor. Finally ended up being an application analyst for a mid-sized hospital. There are so many side-bar types of jobs that I.T. can cross-train into with a few extra classes (or even none at all) it’s almost mind boggling.

      Fourth, there are a lot of businesses that need I.T. knowledgeable workers and managers that can’t or don’t have a full-time need for them. Those kinds of jobs are a wonderful way to test the waters to find the kinds of jobs you’ll like, and get experience in other fields. Just remember, those are almost all temp jobs, and temping can be a grueling rat race with little job protection. But if you can do that in addition to your current full time or parttime job, it’ll act as a stepping stone.

      Finally, everyone basically stays the same person, but their situations change constantly. Be true to yourself, but be open to adaptation to changes in your health, knowledge, and work environment.

      Good luck, and remember the first point.

    • #3223645

      Have you considered law enforcement?

      by blueknight ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      In reading your question, my first thought was that you only mention programming, but programming isn’t the only aspect of IT. What about working in the communications side of the IT house or even data center management?

      That said, have you considered law enforcement? I don’t know your location, but here in California many departments pay very well, including the one for which I am a Reserve. Depending on what you’re making currently, the start could mean a temporary step back in salary but with overtime and training days (also OT) you should be able to make it up. Most of our younger officers (those with 2 years on and less) are making $80K+. If you’re biingual you can get an extra 2 1/2% to 5%… the same for specialty positions. K-9 officers make more than the chief.

      There is a real need for IT knowledge in law enforcement both from the standpoint of equipping departments with technology and in having the knowledge for investigating crimes.

    • #3223625

      Life Before/After IT

      by gsquared ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I got into IT because I was in sales in a small company and I needed a system to keep track of my customers. Here I am, 5 years later, and I haven’t touched sales/marketing in 4 years and am a full-time Database Analyst. It’s working out pretty well for me.

      So, the point is, related skill-sets may or may not matter.

      If you want to remain connected to IT, but are no longer thrilled by the actual writing of code, and want a more human touch in your job, have you considered IT management?

      Sure, in a small shop, IT management also does IT work. But in larger shops, management is more about dealing with people. Your experience in and understanding of the actual skills of IT give you an inside look at what an IT worker needs/wants/can do, while management is more about dealing with people than with computers.

      If you want to escape from IT altogether, then maybe something else that’s analytical and requires organized thinking. That would mean any of the sciences (go back to school), some other form of engineering (probably back to school for that too), or, again, management (just not in IT).

      If you want a complete escape, then anything you’re interested in is open. I recently read about a guy who just does part-time, short-lived jobs. He’s constantly job-hunting, but he works an average of 30-50 hours per week between multiple part-time jobs, and he’s constantly meeting new people and learning new things in new industries. He considered that fun. Might be a way to find something you really like and then you can change that from part-time and temporary to full-time and permanent.

    • #3222991

      Is there life after IT

      by yemboado ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      hi,many IT are face on this problem…i’m one of those too. let me share with you my experience. i have been looking for what i’m going to do to change my profile for 2 years now. it will be quit difficult to tell you what degree pairs with IT degree,it depends on what you want to do. but i’m sure now what field(s) are good for an IT background. during these 2 last yeears my analysis and investigations confirm that the best fields are these one:
      1. Management(project, public)
      2.Economics, finances
      3.business administration
      so i have decided in my case to do a part time courses in Economics and Finances this year. my advice is that you try to analyse these fields and find out what is you convenience.
      Best regards.

    • #3222981

      Share your learning

      by merlin7 ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      Have you considered lecturing? You have gained a lot of experience in your 10 years which many students would benefit from (as opposed to lecturers who have never been in the real world), there would be people contact and it’d take very little transition time.

    • #3222928

      I am just like your case

      by ammarcs ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      hi

      i spent now about 7 years in the IT field and i am planning to change, because the market here just looks full with IT and specially development.

      my next step is Accounting, its a very good if you are coming from an IT background.

      i will start AAT and then ACCA.
      and all the doors will open later.

      wish you good luck in your move.

      Regards

    • #3222914

      Business Degree served me well

      by jkadinger ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      While MBAs are a dime a dozen, the paper is still valuable. I spent 12 years in IT. During the dot com days I took on a role with a startup as a Technical Marketing Engineer. It allowed me to do what I liked about IT (learn new things) and learn new skills (Marketing). I learned IT on the job and earned a business degree at night. I think the combination has serverd me well. I am now in product management defining what the products should do and how they should look. Solving business problems for customers.
      Assess your skills and what you enjoy about your job and look for opportunites that can combine them. The TME (also known as a system/sales engineer) for me was perfect because what I enjoyed about IT, learning new things and then sharing that knowledge, was exactly what was required.

    • #3222748

      After nearly 40 yrs of IT, I’m with Jruby ..

      by desd ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      “Find a job you enjoy and you’ll never work another day in your life.”
      I’ve tended to flip flop between back office and front office IT jobs every few years. So I’d write assembler exits for database load balancing or whatever for a while (which I enjoy), then start wanting a bit of people contact, and change to project manager or analyst. The best time was a couple of years doing custom reports etc for small businesses running an early ERP package. Clocked up over 30000 miles p.a. just visiting them. Got both the people contact(not just IT types) and some bit fiddling as well.
      For you , the question to answer is “What do I enjoy?” Do a Myers-Briggs test, if you haven’t already. Possibly even better, check out http://www.strengthsfinder.com for the book “Now, Discover Your Strengths”
      good luck

    • #3139506

      Be the boss… and the CEO

      by stepmonster ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      There are a few good IT franchises available, do a search, or try FranChoice.com and investigate them. Maybe you need to be the boss and earn the big bucks. Maybe I should too.

    • #3139490

      i’m considering a move as well

      by Anonymous ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I’ve been working in the IT department of a hospital for the last 4 1/2 years, just kinda fell in to IT, not really a career choice. I’ve been considering changing my major to Economics. either way i have to get away from the end users.

    • #3279640

      i am right with you

      by ihateid10t5 ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I also get worried about what the hell I am going to do after IT. I am almost 30, and have about 7 years of IT “generalist” experience (jack of all trades). I am pushing to do mcse/mcsa and cisco up to ccnp or hopefully ccie (kind of leaning towards network engineer or sys admin). Either way, I don’t see myself doing this when I am 40 or 50, unless I am lucky and land myself a kushy managerial position (hard to find). I was kind of leaning towards Physical Therapy, but it means more schooling just to apply and another 2-3 years to finish, then hopefully starting and reaching comfortable money while enjoying helping people.

      Everyone keeps saying to find what we like and work is not work when you enjoy it….who is to say what we do is what we are meant to do? I have no problem with the people I work with (though not too intelligent), and I do enjoy most days of trying to figure out problems and trying to put out fires…but do I thoroughly enjoy coming in everyday when I could be sleeping in or enjoying some hobbies or ACTUALLY getting a damn vacation to travel and not think about work???? Anyone have any thoughts/ideas on this?

    • #3288487

      IT Law

      by rucinskj ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I always thought getting into either cybercrime or Information Technology Law would be interesting.

    • #3223302

      Have you considered becoming an independent consultant?

      by lgreene ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      While it?s not for everyone, you can set your own hours, pick your projects and clients, and maybe reclaim your time a little. In the short run you might need to work harder to get established, but in the long run you?re a free agent.

      There are a lot of options for how you can manage your business. Before you give up on the idea because of the complexities of self-incorporation, check out the option of having a Portable Employer of Record. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portable_Employer_of_Record). One that I?d recommend is MyBizOffice. Here is the URL: http://mybizoffice.com. Instead of being a 1099 for taxes, using this kind of option means you still get a single W-2 at the end of the year.

      Hope this helps. Good Luck!

    • #3223954

      I hear you

      by jgmsys9 ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      I find myself in a similar situation. I am currently stuck in a proprietary IT position, and have been for the past 8 years, despite numerous efforts to escape it. After untold thousands of dollars shot on various education programs taken in an effort to enhance or change my IT skills, it seems that no matter what direction I set my sights on in IT, I’m too late because all they want is senior-level types, or the vast majority of the the positions are being offshored. And I agree. There’s only so much constant retraining you can put up with. It’s too expensive and requires too much of your life. And for what? A thankless job that nobody understands, and no life to show for it. I would have loved getting involved in video game programming, but mark my words, the vast majority of that will get offshored, too.

      Law is not the answer for me. At 40, the possibility of a complete reeducation in law is ludicrous. The only viable IT pathway is to start my own SOHO system integration/repair/network consulting business. Otherwise, it’s back to school for something I can get into quickly and cheaply, like mortgage brokering, for example. Will I like it? Who knows? With all due respects to the idea of doing what you like, sometimes what you like is simply impractical for survival. Being married and paying a mortgage forces you to think twice about such things.

    • #3319638

      I thought I was “alone”…

      by ravenlost2 ·

      In reply to Is there life after IT?

      Wow! I thought I was really “alone” in this type of situation. Been working in the IT field for nearly 10 years now. Been desktop support, web master / administrator, web programmer and designer. Java programmer / Analyst. Worked for a few years supporting Novell networks and today, a unix administrator. A jack of all trades as someone else called himself!

      Seems like it doesn’t matter which way in IT I go.. I still end up sick of it. Bores me out. Perhaps it’s because I work at the government. Who knows! Private sector… well, you definitely have “no life”; especially in IT. Your job HAS to become you life. At leasts, that how I felt a few years back.

      And yes… hard to keep track sometimes! Too many things to keep on learning… to little time.

      When you come to point that you have to say to yourself “I just work here”, I think it’s time to review your career. Especially if you’re only 30 like I am… sucks. Hard to do as well, with a car, house, etc to pay…

      Sometimes… think you just got to bite the silver bullet and take chance. Like in my case. Sell of everything… move back into an apartment and start over. But also hard to drop all the benefits, and salary…

      I actually thought of going into 3D animation. Thought it would a good move for me… since I love that world! I’m the kind who likes to dream. Have a lot of imagination. However, don’t have any “drawing” skills and competition is hard as hell in that field… takes A LOT of practice hours… how to keep up! What to do… what to do. So confuse 🙁

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