Posted: 10/26/2011 7:59:56 PM EDT
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What do you enjoy about your job?
Where do you see the IT field in 5 years? What type of skill sets are needed? What was your career path? If you could change anything in your career, what would it be? Feel free to take some time and respond to those. It's part of my assignment to ask these questions to someone in the field. 
Thank you! |
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What do you enjoy about your job? All the love from the users, they worship me for the deity that I am Where do you see the IT field in 5 years? 8 figure jobs for all, free Mt Dew and hookers/blow too What type of skill sets are needed? the ability to spell IT What was your career path? stint in the Navy and a box of cracker jacks. If you could change anything in your career, what would it be? A USB blender for the afternoon margaritas. Feel free to take some time and respond to those. It's part of my assignment to ask these questions to someone in the field.
Thank you! |
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What do you enjoy about your job? The constant attention from the users. They call and email at all hours of the day and night just to hear my voice. Where do you see the IT field in 5 years? More coworkers that don't speak English or take showers. What type of skill sets are needed? Be able to install a mouse on multiple platforms. What was your career path? Facility maintenance and office support. If I stay in IT long enough I may be able to dabble in a bit of plumbing too! If you could change anything in your career, what would it be? The ladies. Having them fall over me all the time is just getting old and the wife doesn't appreciate it. Feel free to take some time and respond to those. It's part of my assignment to ask these questions to someone in the field.
Thank you! |
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#3
OK. Here's all you need to be successful in IT (but don't tell anyone I told you). Never quit on a problem. Everything has an answer. You may not like the answer but it's out there. It may not be easy to find but it's there. Keep working the problems and never quit until it's solved. If you want to do something chances are someone else already has done it. Google that shit. It may take all night to solve a tough puzzle or it may take a couple of days or even weeks but don't quit until it's done. One wrong turn will lead you to a new idea until the the problem is solved. |
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#3 OK. Here's all you need to be successful in IT (but don't tell anyone I told you). Never quit on a problem. Everything has an answer. You may not like the answer but it's out there. It may not be easy to find but it's there. Keep working the problems and never quit until it's solved. If you want to do something chances are someone else already has done it. Google that shit. It may take all night to solve a tough puzzle or it may take a couple of days or even weeks but don't quit until it's done. One wrong turn will lead you to a new idea until the the problem is solved. 
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#3 OK. Here's all you need to be successful in IT (but don't tell anyone I told you). Never quit on a problem. Everything has an answer. You may not like the answer but it's out there. It may not be easy to find but it's there. Keep working the problems and never quit until it's solved. If you want to do something chances are someone else already has done it. Google that shit. It may take all night to solve a tough puzzle or it may take a couple of days or even weeks but don't quit until it's done. One wrong turn will lead you to a new idea until the the problem is solved. Ok, this is actually good advice. |
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#3 OK. Here's all you need to be successful in IT (but don't tell anyone I told you). Never quit on a problem. Everything has an answer. You may not like the answer but it's out there. It may not be easy to find but it's there. Keep working the problems and never quit until it's solved. If you want to do something chances are someone else already has done it. Google that shit. It may take all night to solve a tough puzzle or it may take a couple of days or even weeks but don't quit until it's done. One wrong turn will lead you to a new idea until the the problem is solved. This is 100% true. The biggest tool at your disposal is Google. Learn how to really search google. http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861 |
| Also, don't be afraid to call the product vendor for support. There's probably someone at a helpdesk who has the answer to your problem, or can route your question to engineers that deal with that type of problem daily. You pay big money for the support contract, and you have way more important fish to fry at the moment. |
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Quoted: Also, don't be afraid to call the product vendor for support. There's probably someone at a helpdesk who has the answer to your problem, or can route your question to engineers that deal with that type of problem daily. You pay big money for the support contract, and you have way more important fish to fry at the moment. This. I pay BIG money for support contracts, and I use them. Don't be a lone ranger hero, use other people to make you the capital-H Hero. |
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Also, don't be afraid to call the product vendor for support. There's probably someone at a helpdesk who has the answer to your problem, or can route your question to engineers that deal with that type of problem daily. You pay big money for the support contract, and you have way more important fish to fry at the moment. This. I pay BIG money for support contracts, and I use them. Don't be a lone ranger hero, use other people to make you the capital-H Hero. Yep, can't support that statement enough. Also, learn the Google heuristics... If you know how to utilize google very well, some things are very easy to find. |
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What do you enjoy about your job? Where do you see the IT field in 5 years? What type of skill sets are needed? What was your career path? If you could change anything in your career, what would it be? Feel free to take some time and respond to those. It's part of my assignment to ask these questions to someone in the field.
Thank you! Over a period of twelve years I was a network engineer, system test engineer, network admin, and IT director. Now I'm in a completely different "industry." I liked the technical aspect of being able to use my brain to solve problems. I wasn't a data entry droid, or an assembly line stamper, or a garbage man. Every day I faced complex technical issues and it was vey fun, interesting, and satisfying to solve them. I got out after the dotcom bubble burst. I was offered to move to Europe to continue my work or take a large severance check and go home –– I took the money and ran. In five years I saw myself making a lot less money than I had been, if I could even find a job, so I switched industries. I had mouths to feed and couldn't afford to sit around and wait for the IT industry to recover, and I was quickly losing interesting in having to go home every night and basically study in order to stay competitive. New engineers were getting younger and smarter, and I was getting older and slower. Time to pop smoke. IT director was a fun job for the first twenty minutes, but it was for a large school district and the politics and bullshit made it something I would never wish upon anyone. Skills needed.... That's a complex question. I believe specialization is for insects. So don't be great at anything but be good at everything. And be able to adapt and think on your feet and be creative. There are a dozen solutions to any problem, you just need to find one. Also, most importantly of all, be able to explain complex technical stuff in terms that bean counters and tie wearers can understand. If I could change anything, I would probably have done more engineering and less administration because I enjoyed the technical stuff more. Also, I would have worn ear protection in the server rooms. |
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Skills needed.... That's a complex question. I believe specialization is for insects. So don't be great at anything but be good at everything.
Good advice. If you have specific knowledge that makes you irreplaceable at your job position, you might find yourself stuck in it much longer than you expect. Don't be afraid to share knowledge or cross-train co-workers to do your job. Also, be open to learn other people's jobs. If that person moves on to another position or leaves, you have a chance to move into their slot. |
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And always remember the definition of 'consultant'... Someone that will document 50 different ways to have sex, but can't get a date. I use that for all our new people that think they 'walk on water.' The flip side to this is you bring in an outside consultant, and people choose not to listen or follow his advice because he's not telling you what you want to hear. |
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#3 OK. Here's all you need to be successful in IT (but don't tell anyone I told you). Never quit on a problem. Everything has an answer. You may not like the answer but it's out there. It may not be easy to find but it's there. Keep working the problems and never quit until it's solved. If you want to do something chances are someone else already has done it. Google that shit. It may take all night to solve a tough puzzle or it may take a couple of days or even weeks but don't quit until it's done. One wrong turn will lead you to a new idea until the the problem is solved. 
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Quoted: What do you enjoy about your job? The money. Where do you see the IT field in 5 years? Maybe in my rear-view mirror. What type of skill sets are needed? Ability to deal with a wide variety of people, and learn new things daily. What was your career path? I just want to go home and tend my garden and play with machine tools. If you could change anything in your career, what would it be? More money, less bullshit. Feel free to take some time and respond to those. It's part of my assignment to ask these questions to someone in the field. Thank you! |