Confused and need advice. Looking to get into I.T

**SofaKingdom** · 24 July 2010, 15:14

My thoughts:

1) Why are you disenchanted? Is it the nature of the work with regards to your current career? Why the desire to move into IT? Is the motivation money, interest in IT as a career? Are you any good?

2) Agents are very low down on the list of people I would seek career advice from.

3) £4000 on a course sounds extortionate. Particularly given that you will end up with apiece of paper and no experience.

4) Why contracting for your first job in a new career. Surely you should look for something permanent where you can build of in demand skills at someone else's expense?

5) In summary, I don't think you have a hope, I've been wrong plenty before though.

**Zippy** · 24 July 2010, 15:33

SofaKingdom is right. You need to find a perm job to get some experience. There are many skilled and experienced contractors on the bench at the moment and you don't stand much of a chance against them.
Again - what is it that is attractive about IT?

**wellred** · 24 July 2010, 17:17

The nature of my job now is part editorial but mostly operational so there is a lot of tackling issues on an ad hoc basis. I have always had an interest in IT so it's basically revisiting something i've wanted to get into for a while.

As mentioned the course includes some work experience (4 - 6 weeks) which they say usually results in the company offering the person a job. But they also guarantee a job after finishing a course too.

I don't have any problem trying to go straight into a job where I can learn but the problem is will it not make it harder for me to get that first job in IT if

1) I have no formal qualifications and
2) I have no commercial experience

The course is expensive I know but it will give me both so that's why I was asking.

**Clippy** · 24 July 2010, 18:33

The so called 'commercial experience' you would gain from something like this is, IMHO, not worth the paper it is written on.

I'm not suggesting Just IT are like this, but in the past I have heard stories of other companies offering similar promises of guaranteed work after completing some of their courses only to have the student work on that companies own IT for the required time thus meeting the requirements of the offer.

If I was you, I'd stay put and spend the next 12 - 24 months doing some self learning in a particular area of IT and then look again at the job market which should have improved by then.

I would suggest investigating networking, specifically Cisco qualifications as a potential future career path - some local colleges offer Cisco qualifications via evening courses which last about 6 months.

Whatever you do, avoid the First Line Support path as most of it has been off-shored and what is left of it doesn't command much in rates/salary.

Whatever you decide, good luck.

**Fred Bloggs** · 24 July 2010, 18:47

I agree, if the OP takes off his/her rose tinted glasses and takes a serious look at what is on offer on the jobs boards, the rates that are on offer and the skills required if he/she has any sense they'll quietly move on. I have over 30 years in my business behind me and if I wasn't in my current role, I reckon I could quite easily be out of work. Either that or slashnig my current rate by about 75 to 80% to stay in work, it's truly dire out there. As bad as last year, if not even worse in my business.

**wellred** · 24 July 2010, 19:03

Originally posted by Fred Bloggs View Post

I agree, if the OP takes off his/her rose tinted glasses and takes a serious look at what is on offer on the jobs boards, the rates that are on offer and the skills required if he/she has any sense they'll quietly move on. I have over 30 years in my business behind me and if I wasn't in my current role, I reckon I could quite easily be out of work. Either that or slashnig my current rate by about 75 to 80% to stay in work, it's truly dire out there. As bad as last year, if not even worse in my business.

I wear glasses however they are bot rosetinted. I was simply asking for advice so you can drop the attitude.

@Clippy

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely check out some evening Cisco courses. Are there any others I should be looking to as well such as Mcse or A+?

If it's a better option to learn on via evening courses separately rather than some over priced rubbish if happily take that option. I guess the lure of 'work' experience and a guaranteed job led me to believe that this was te best option.

**NorthWestPerm2Contr** · 24 July 2010, 19:09

The O/P must be in dreamland. The market is dead and needs some serious resuscitation.

I am currently in a contract role at a very low rate and have been applying for roles everywhere to see if I can move. Companies are still asking for ridiculous requirements such as several years experience in many technologies. It is proving near impossible to find a role paying well at the moment.

Your only hope is a junior perm role. You need to get 2-3 years experience before even thinking about contracting (depending upon the market condition).

It has now hit me that things are really really bad out there and set to get a lot worse with the tory (God Damn them) cuts its going to get unbelievable. I honestly think that we will look back at 2008 and 2009 as times when things were not too bad.

**SueEllen** · 24 July 2010, 20:45

Originally posted by wellred View Post

The nature of my job now is part editorial but mostly operational so there is a lot of tackling issues on an ad hoc basis. I have always had an interest in IT so it's basically revisiting something i've wanted to get into for a while.

As mentioned the course includes some work experience (4 - 6 weeks) which they say usually results in the company offering the person a job. But they also guarantee a job after finishing a course too.

I don't have any problem trying to go straight into a job where I can learn but the problem is will it not make it harder for me to get that first job in IT if

1) I have no formal qualifications and
2) I have no commercial experience

The course is expensive I know but it will give me both so that's why I was asking.

I've heard of these places before and everyone I heard of apart from one person was ripped off. The reason why he wasn't ripped off was because he was already qualified, had some experience and was just updating his skills in IT.

If you are desperate to work in IT then there are other places already suggested that offer IT qualifications. You need to remember that most IT professionals have to update their skills in their own time and at their own expense regardless of whether they are permanent or not.

In addition if you are smart you can avoid using agencies for your first permanent job. However it's up to you to find, talk to and write to companies offering your services. Also don't expect a good wage, and be prepared to do some awkward travelling or relocate to get your foot in the door.

**wellred** · 24 July 2010, 20:58

Thanks for the tip. I guess I just need to get a list together of subjects/courses to start learning on. I would probably b studying in my spare time outside work anyway.

I have heard a few mention Cisco networking courses but is the A+ an MSCE useful too? Those 3 together are quite expensive anyway and combined are around £3000 or more so if I'm going to do the courses separately is there really any difference in doing it via these people?

I realise I'll be starting at entry level but that's fine with me.

Confused and need advice. Looking to get into I.T