#CareerChange #TechCareer #ITCareer #CareerAdvice #CareerDevelopment
Feeling lost and stuck in a career rut? 🤔 It’s never too late to make a change and pursue a career that excites and fulfills you. Many individuals find themselves at a crossroads, unsure of which direction to take next. If you’re feeling like you’ve wasted time in your current job and are ready to make a change, you’re not alone.
Identifying the Problem
At 32 years old, married with a toddler, and working as a local truck driver in Northern Virginia, you may feel like you’re at a standstill in your career. While your current job provides stability and a decent income of $65,000 a year, it lacks challenges and opportunities for growth. The allure of the IT/tech industry, where many individuals enjoy lucrative careers, has sparked your interest.
Reflecting on your past experiences with website development and design, you realize your passion lies in technology. The desire to advance your career and increase your earning potential motivates you to explore a career in IT.
Finding Solutions
Transitioning into a tech career may seem daunting, but with the right approach, you can achieve your goals. Here are some practical steps to help you navigate this career change:
- Identify Your Interests: Determine which area of IT interests you the most – networking, programming, cloud computing, etc. Focus on building skills in that area to enhance your employability.
- Gain Relevant Skills: Invest time in learning new technologies and tools. Experiment with Linux in a virtual machine to strengthen your understanding of operating systems.
- Build a Portfolio: Create projects and homelabs to showcase your skills to potential employers. Developing a portfolio demonstrates your practical knowledge and commitment to the field.
- Earn Certifications: Pursue certifications relevant to your chosen IT specialization. Certifications validate your skills and expertise, boosting your credibility in the job market.
- Network: Attend tech events, join online forums, and connect with professionals in the IT industry. Networking can open doors to job opportunities and valuable connections.
- Consider Entry-Level Roles: Explore entry-level positions in tech companies, such as logistics roles. Use these roles as stepping stones to transition into more technical positions within the organization.
Remember, it’s never too late to pursue a new career path. Embrace the excitement of starting fresh in the tech industry and set yourself on a path towards a fulfilling and rewarding career. Good luck on your journey!
Sadly, you suffer from poor timing. With thousands of tech people recently laid off, newcomers without CS degrees are having a tough time landing interviews. Can you tough it out with your current job for 3-5 years? By then the job market should be more sane and in the mean time you can make use of free online training to see if tech really is your thing.
1. Start Binging on Youtube Tutorials.
2. Focus on easy languages (Javascript and Python)
3. Get Internship
Don’t listen to that other guy. I got 4 job offers with my A+ and Net+ from Jan to now. Granted, I’ve spent a lot of time on my resume and have sent out 500+ applications on the low end of the spectrum
Getting familiar with Linux and Python would be a good starting point in my opinion. Coming up with a personal project to work on always helped me learn quickly and keep it interesting. A certification would also be a good starting point and might help get your foot in the door somewhere.
IT is VERY competitive right now, you will not only need to have the skills required for the job (don’t expect on-the-job training for entry level right now) but especially if you want to stay in NOVA you need differentiators; become an expert at something and do a big project, get a degree, certifications, etc. if you want to break into the industry. I believe you can do it, and I also believe it’ll be worth it, but you have to REALLY want it. IT is not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Honestly if you had a clearance it might be easier to find work in Northern Virginia. Most IT jobs I have seen listed require a clearance (I’m in Maryland but still considered in the DC area). Of course if you manage to land a job at a MSP like my first job was then you won’t need a clearance but MSP work sucks in my opinion. Also for an entry level helpdesk job you are most likely going to have to take a pay cut around here because most Helpdesk jobs start around $20 an hour or 40k a year.
You might not enjoy your job but currently it might be more valued than going into IT. I am also in a similar position: I am an engineer making good money but enjoy IT more. However, I will never have a shortage of work and I am well respected and valued in my industry. When I see how people fight to land a job in IT, it made me realize I should rather focus on my current skills to develop new products and start a business to support my family instead of fighting it out with fresh grads with CS degrees.
I am sure there is a way you can capitalize on your experience to find some opportunity to make more money.
Good luck my friend, I believe in you.
Just start applying to jobs and work on certs as you have time. You may have to take a pay cut, but getting your foot in the door is the first step. You can work your way up as you get more experience.
Be realistic with the salary. Most of us are not making six figures. You might be able to land one of those positions one day, but it could take years.