Adam,

      I started in IT before there was such as thing as certifications, at least not the broad scope of certs available today. I joined they navy, left the navy, got back into IT at an entry level again, and worked up over a few years to making a huge salary as an engineer (without any degree or certification). 9/11 came and destroyed my career because the landscape changed. Everyone wanted to see certs and experience, and although I had a proven track record, I had no certs. At the time I refused to get certs because I didn't really think it would help. Went about 2 years working for a pitance while trying to find a gainful opportunity. At the last minute I ended up switching careers. Almost lost our house, almost got divorced...the whole nine yards...I went to school for health care and was waiting tables at bennigan's to bring "somthing" in while going to school. When I was graduating from school, bennigan's offered me a management position. I took it, and never practiced health care...I did the restuarant/retail management gig until july of last year, when I got fed up with the whole industry...it treat's people just as badly as call centers do, overworking you by demand and not compensating you for it, nor treating you fairly....My wife had to work while I was looking for work, and when I oculdn't get another gainful job, my wife and I decided it was time for me to re-enter the IT world. I spent $700 for an annual subscription to an online training library (its all self paced), which includes lectures, books, and practice tests, and includes a money back guarantee if you fail the same test two times.

 

Anyway, if you have a desire to get into IT, I am not sure how important a degree is for you...I am especially leary of technical degrees because they have a specific focus and are not valuable to you unless you remain in your field. I recommend to anyone going to college that they get a liberal arts degree of some sort, and forget technical degrees. The technical world is growing far too fast for their to be any worthwhile education getting a technical degree, whereas a liberal arts program teaches you how to think and research for yourself, instead of teaching a widget...its much better to learn HOW to learn on your own and that is the purpose of liberal arts...to educate your mind how to think and learn on your own.

 

If you have the capability, prepare for and gather certifications on your own. Although I had a background in IT, I had been away from technology for 6 years, and when I returned I gathered 6 certificates in 2 months. Some of those certs in domains of experience that I had NO experience in before taking the exams. It will probably be cheaper and faster, and the certs do tons more for you than an associates degree which is looked at like very little more than a HS diploma honestly. Even a bachlor's degree doesn't hold the weight it once did.

 

Do I think its important to get an education...YOU BET, but set yourself up for gainful employment before you devote 2 years to a program and not be any farther ahead. You can do online education in your spare time that will get you a legitimate accredited Associates degree in 2 years, AND you can be working now which will get you both the associates degree and also have the necessary experience that employers look for when selecting candidates. You will NEVER find a job for $40,000 if you only have an AS and couple of certs without experience...it won't happen...employers won't invest that much money in a person that has never done it before...you need the education  +  experience before you can make that kind of money..

 

As an entry level worker entering IT, you can expect to start at $20,000-$25,000, and perhaps $30,000 after a few years. If you continue to study and gain more certs in your chosen focus, you can speed that up a bit. Technology is not the sweet quick buck it was prior to 9/11. It is really hard to break into...learn all the different directions you can take...and then find jobs that help your career path instead of lead you down a side street. Its a GREAT industry if you have the talent and you have the passion for it...but until you know this, do not waste 2 years of your life to get into an industry that has made you no promises.....

 

I have gone from making $20,000 up to 6 figures and still almost lost everything in the end ... I am back on the upswing again...6 years later...but not where I was before...and I have 16 years of hands on technical experience and technical management and it still took my getting certs to get ANY job at all in Technology. In my case re-entering the technical world was just like being a new guy on the block...I had to prove I could still do it after being away for so long...and that's what you have to do is prove you can do it when you haven't ever done it at all...certs will help you get that entry level job, and then you can gain professional expereince and develop a background while continuing your education...The few years of experience will make you MUCH more presentable and valuable to a hiring employer.

 

I wish you the best of luck

 

Scot McPherson

 

On 4/6/07, maklak@... <maklak@...> wrote:

Wow!  Sounds like tuff times right now.  But, it sounds
like you are taking the right steps to get to a place you
want to be.  Keep your head up and keep fighting for what
you want in life and you will get.  Many people in your
situation just give up and let life push them around.
You're a fighter, so keep fighting.

Good Luck and take care,

Mark


On Fri, 06 Apr 2007 14:11:42 -0000
"Adam Zigler" <noktiis@...> wrote:
> --- In Mellennia22000@yahoogroups.com, <maklak@...>
>wrote:
>>
>> Where have you been?
>>
>>
>
> Well initially it was just a matter of Maria working
>until late to the
> point where we'd be late showing up to class by about 20
>min.  That
> was about 3 weeks ago.
>
> Basically, we've been doing a lot of thinking about our
>(Maria and
> myself) situation in life and we talk a lot about how
>we're
> unsatisfied with the way things are really going for us.
> We're just
> constantly struggling trying to get ahead or even scrape
>by with bills
> it's seriously terrible.  We moved into my parents house
>at the
> beginning of 2006, "just until we find a new apartment
>that we like."
> and here we are in April 2007 and we're still here
>upstairs and the
> fact of the matter is, is that we can't afford to move
>out even if we
> wanted to!  My situation at Focus (the telemarketing
>place where I was
> working..) SUCKED.  I never ended up with all of my time
>because when
> I stepped down from my supervisor position, they change
>the way they
> pay you to where only time you're getting paid while
>you're there is
> while you're actually THERE on the phone.  I still had
>sales reps from
> my team from when I was a supervisor (and they were
>basically without
> a supervisor here..) asking me questions and needing
>help so I ended
> up being off the phone all the time because the
>management at Focus
> just doesn't care about anybody or help anybody, and I
>can't be the
> bad guy.. and for some reason they always conveniently
>"forgot" or for
> whatever reason, my extra time on the phone never showed
>up on my
> paychecks.  So my checks were getting smaller and
>smaller and then 2
> paychecks in a row my checks were $26 and then $0
>because I got
> insanely overcharged for health insurance so I QUIT
>Focus... and this
> was in February.
>
> I made sporadic appearances through February and into
>the first half
> of March, but I haven't been to a full weeks worth of
>practices since
> January.  That's downright pathetic!  Anyways, Maria was
>still working
> and so we still had income, and we figured I'd stay with
>the baby at
> home until I find a job, and I was offered a job at
>Collis in Clinton
> making about $9, which isn't too bad!  Things are
>looking up.  Well...
> Maria and I were talking, and $9 isn't *really* going to
>work forever.
> I mean, can you really rely on $30,000 a year?  Not
>really....  I
> mean, you'll end up with more financial worries than new
>cars, let's
> just put it that way.  Well, that's how much Maria and I
>would end up
> with @ her current job and myself @ Collis.
>
> I looked into schooling and I've decided that I'm going
>to be going to
> school starting the first week of June..  signing up
>officially for
> classes next Tuesday, and I guess I'm going to be a
>computer
> technician haha...  The course plan that I have from
>Blackhawk right
> now, will have me end up with 3 certificates and my
>associates at the
> end of a 2 year tenure.. and with the associates alone,
>many
> technicians make $40.00 an hour.  That's friggin sweet.
>
> Well that's the battle plan, and where does that leave
>me?  Well right
> now, Maria and I are on the waiting list for Ster-Lynn
>Apartments in
> Sterling, IL.  It's low income housing, but it's not Mom
>& Dad's
> upstairs.  It's income based so no matter how much we
>make, we WILL
> have a home.  I'm going to find a part time job to
>supplement with our
> bills and hopefully have some extra money to do other
>stuff.  The only
> reason I haven't already done that is because I need to
>know what my
> school schedule will officially be so I know when I
>*CAN* work.  I'll
> probably end up at a gas station, and I'm ok with that
>for now.
>
> Anyways, as soon as everything is figured out, hopefully
>I can afford
> to finally pay Mr. Nixon, because seriously I owe this
>guy like a lot.
> Like $150 or something crazy and then I can come back!!
>
>
> Anyways, I miss you guys hopefully I'll see you all
>soon!
>
> -Adam
>




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