3 replies to this topic

[gold232]

I am thinking about a career in the IT field. From experience what are some of the pros/cons working in this industry?  What advice could you give someone in my position?

[Valdipants]

First off i would like to say that in order for this to be a fun and exciting field for you to work in you have to have an interest in technology not necesarly computers. No some pros of it are that you will definitely be challenged, you get to work in the a/c most of the time ( i work a 50 plus hour a week job digging trenches right now trying to pay for technical college and these certs so a/c sounds awesome) y, youll get to see things and have an understanding of technology that not many people have i.e you get to look better than your wifes sisters husband    bwahhahahaha okay so to the point its a great field if your interested if not well... its not and the cons you have to be willing to work and you absolutely have to learn troubleshooting skills

[Lightfoot]

Hi gold232,

From my experience, it is challenging and rewarding work.  Challenging because there is a large array of rare and unusual situations you will come accross, and it may be your responsibility to resolve the issues.  You will always be learning, and there is a great deal to learn.  

As a technician, it is often rewarding work, because of the skills you have can often resolve quickly, what a general user or manager simply cannot resolve, and that makes you feel good.  It is also fairly rewarding financially, as you are paid based on your knowledge and experience, which accumulates over time.

You could easily find yourself in a position of needing to train other people how to do things, usually in software, such as compressing images to suit email or perhaps specific scanner operation, it depends on your job role really.

For a technician, some of the cons could be it is difficult to obtain a start in the field without experience, some people expect you unreasonably to know everything, and many issues are time-critical for a business, so that there is pressure to resolve an issue rapidly.  

Overall, it is a very enjoyable field, where you have access  to lots of new technology coming onto the  market, and the skills and knowledge you accumulate are valuable to employers.

I suggest - research using google and wiki to clarify your goals.
Good luck!

That is my $0.25.
to Proprofs.

[sithlord67]

I think that working in the a/c, helping less educated users, and constantly learning new and exciting technologies are definitely pros when it comes to this profession.

As far as helpful advice, get as many certs as you can to be more marketable and constantly strive to learn as much as you can about various aspects of this profession.