The hiring manager at my friend'* company is going to shoot me an offer early next week for the Drafting Tech./IT support position. Hopefully I like what I see. There are opportunities to become a land surveyor (friend is currently in training there) or a construction observer.

I've been in IT since '82, courtesy of the Navy. Since then I've worked a variety of IT jobs, from programmer to senior manager, in pay ranges from $20K to $120K.

My experience is that the level of happiness you get depends almost entirely on the size of the company you work for. I'm most comfortable in mid sized companies; I did a 7 year stint at a major telecom and although the pay was good, I left a great deal of my sanity behind when that job ended.

If you end up at a helpdesk, you may want to check this first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCEQKuzxozk


Best of luck,
Matt

Help Desk IT work is definitely mind-numbing and usually just a foot in the door--or I guess I should say, 'can be' mind-numbing work. As the video illustrates, sometimes people just don't have their computer powered-on. I've also had monitor failures reported to me because it wasn't turned on. Wow-- the thought 'my brain was meant for more than this' typically enters my head throughout most weeks! If I take the drafting / IT job, hopefully that will give me an idea of where more of my interests lie. I'm betting on drafting.

Take that job. It'* more rewarding to see what you draw come to fruition. I'm still kicking myself for leaving the drafting/IT job, and it'* been 2 years.

I hear ya about IT jobs sometimes. I work for the Fed Govt as an IT Spec. who covers all of Northeast TX for 3 Ag agencies. I do everything from deployment to support. I get out of the office at least 2-3 times a week, so it doesn't feel like it'* an "office" job. Been doing it for over 15 years and yes it'* feast or famine. Sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall!

Then to top it off, it doesn't have much challenge. With the Govt so big, everything is controlled for the most part. I spend half my time reading instructions on how it WILL be done.. "Most" of the other IT folks have no formal eduction, so all of us are treated like them, which also drives me crazy. But hey, it pays the bills and allows me to have this extra Bonneville and a descent house.. So I try not to complain. And when it'* boring, just hang on, it will get wild soon and normally does. It doesn't take much to impress the higher ups...

Pat

I'm not big on formal training. I've seen IT'* that knew alot more from experience and never went to college than those "formally educated" that thought they knew it all, and knew little.

I learned alot more from reading and experience than most college students do in 4 years. But, of course, I supposed I'm different than most. I read something ONCE, and it'* programmed in my brain for life.

I've worked very proficiently from structural engineering, to welding of all sorts, to chemical engineering and production, to network administration and IT, all without any "formal education". At my last job, I went from welding, to working in the office. At the time, I didn't even know how to turn a computer on. Within 2 months, I was keeping the network, and I was drafting my own full-sized jobs (complete design and steel engineering, concrete engineering and design of entire grain storage and milling facilities) on my own.

Oh, I've tried it, but college only slowed me down, so I quit to learn at my pace.

So, as I see it, they should be treated equally.

I took the job with the civil engineering firm to do design work and IT duties. Hopefully it turns out to be a good move.

Mark:
Congrats on the new job.

**** tell me about it.
It is not much but I have an associates in Computer networking. I would call around about job listings and always got this enthusiastic response - "Well we have had 300 applications this week and have invited in only 4 for an interview.."

It took me a while to earn even my stupid 2 year. Now where do I work? A distribution warehouse doing a job that is super boring.
I remember when they were talking about "all these computer jobs opening.." What a crock. I wish I had known then... I know if I ever go back to college, I will not be wasting a single credit on anything computer related.

If I had the skill level and if it were needed, I would be an Interpreter for French speakers.

So for those of you wanting to persue an IT degree - Change your major immediately!

BIG X2

IT is not the place to get into right now. unless your going for really high end type stuff like. Management or Programming software.. or something.