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Discovering what I should do in the IT world – Career-wise

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I know no one here can give me the one true answer as to what IT career would best be suited for me, but I would like to know if anyone out there has some advice on how I can better go about finding that out.

Let me give you a quick run down…

Education background: New Media/Web/Video/3D
– Found out that this was not what I wanted to go into as a full-time career.

College job: Help Desk in campus computer labs

Current job: Technical support/Helpdesk
– Good company, good people. Lots of flexibility outside the stereotypical Helpdesk role (server admin, networks, VoIP, etc.) Not crazy about what the business does. My current skill-set lends itself to the job.

– I see myself to be more business minded rather than hardcore technical minded. So seeking an MBA down the road might be a possibility. (What exactly I would do with it I don’t know yet)
– Don’t really picture myself as an indepth technical consultant or network admin.
– Don’t like programming (Business Analyst is out of picture)
– Thought about getting a Masters in Information Science (search engines, cataloging information, etc.), but I didn’t have a clear idea what I wanted to do with it, or if I would enjoy it.
– Might be interested in starting my own business.

Would taking the CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+ and Server+ give me a good idea of what I might like to do and should specialize in (or whether I should get out of the IT dept)?

What else can I do beyond informational interviews, introspection about passions and tasks I enjoy doing, reading up on careers, keep getting job experience?

I know I want to stay connected to IT in some way whether that’s in an IT dept. or IT business industry.

Any advice (general or specific) would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Topic

*boggle*

In reply to Discovering what I should do in the IT world – Career-wise

– I see myself to be more business minded rather than hardcore technical minded. So seeking an MBA down the road might be a possibility. (What exactly I would do with it I don’t know yet)

The MBA typically is a manager and needs to have a skillset that matches, to some extent, the industry they are managing.

– Don’t really picture myself as an indepth technical consultant or network admin.

Why IT then?

– Don’t like programming (Business Analyst is out of picture)

Why IT then?

– Thought about getting a Masters in Information Science (search engines, cataloging information, etc.), but I didn’t have a clear idea what I wanted to do with it, or if I would enjoy it.

It’s lots of programming and in depth network and technical stuff.

– Might be interested in starting my own business.

First you need to figure out your business model and decide if you are going to partner with a company to sell their products.

I just don’t understand why you are in IT. If you don’t like the technical stuff, you need to get out and move into a field that fits your skill set.

Technical but not too technical

In reply to *boggle*

I do like the technical stuff and my skill-set is on par with where I’m at. I just don’t really see myself being a network admin or cisco engineer, and from what I’ve seen, that’s where I need to head to further climb the IT department ladder.

I like IT, but I also like the business side especially in the IT industry.

Yeah, I would forget about the certs

In reply to *boggle*

A+, Network+ will pretty much cover all that your doing in the HelpDesk role and a lot more. Waste of time if your not thrilled about IT tech support though.

JMGARVIN:

BTW, jmgarvin your in my neck of the woods,
Da Creek eh?

I just moved there about 5 months ago from S.F. Just not used to how everyone drives so freakin slow.

Other than that it is an amazingly clean, quiet and friendly town.

It’s the old farts that hold up the traffic…

In reply to Yeah, I would forget about the certs

Ya, Walnut Creek it quite nice! A little off the beaten path, but close enough to BART into SF in less than an hour and plenty of stuff to do in and around!!

Technical, but not too technical

In reply to Discovering what I should do in the IT world – Career-wise

I do like the technical stuff and my skill-set is on par with where I’m at. I just don’t really see myself being a network admin or cisco engineer, and from what I’ve seen, that’s where I need to head to further climb the IT department ladder.

I like IT, but I also like the business side especially in the IT industry.

Technical…

In reply to Discovering what I should do in the IT world – Career-wise

…sales or process consultant may be up your alley. It is a combination of technical (need to have your systems down pat) as well as business acumen (need to know how technology your company provides answers questions for clients and/or how it will integrate into their environment).

Note, this is NOT the same as a technical consultant/integrator.

You could also become a product specialist with a reseller such as CDW or Insight.

Truthfully, you should probably waste a few hours one rainy day, and just look through some postings on Dice. Get a feel for both what jobs specifically seem to appeal to you, as well as what companies sound like a good fit.

Sometimes, you have to do what you can do until you’re able to do what you want to do.

IT Recruiting?

In reply to Technical…

I have seen a lot of people with technical backgrounds move out of it into a technical IT recruiting role. You don’t HAVE to have a technical background, but some of the the better IT recruiting/consulting shops like to see such a background.
(Been a technical recruiter for 7 years – and have been impressed with some of the peeps I have met with a technical background. They can weed out a lot of candidates based on BS meters, haha.)

Also – my husband works for a software company that hires BAs that don’t necessary have programming experience. You could also go into implementation – a lot of companies will hire folks that have good business and some technical experience as long as they can take specs from a customer and translate them into good technical docs. Ooo and technical writing – or moving even further into technical communications and work in Instructional Technical design, etc.

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