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

By ITBiz5 ·
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!

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*boggle*

by jmgarvin In reply to Discovering what I should ...

- 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.

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Technical but not too technical

by ITBiz5 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.

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Yeah, I would forget about the certs

by netforce 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.

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It's the old farts that hold up the traffic...

by jmgarvin In reply to Yeah, I would forget abou ...

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!!

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Technical, but not too technical

by ITBiz5 In reply to Discovering what I should ...

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.

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Technical...

by NotSoChiGuy In reply to Discovering what I should ...

...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.

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IT Recruiting?

by sherrykarr 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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