# starting a career in IT



## zombiesocrates (Feb 13, 2012)

Hey all. I'm looking for some advice regarding how to break into the IT industry. I suppose I should start with the relevant background information to my situation. I'm in my 5th and final year of a PhD program in social psychology. I've decided, however, that the life of the academic is not for me. I've always loved messing with/fixing computers, so I think I might enjoy a job in IT.

I've been studying for the A+ exam and I hope to have that cert under my belt soon, but I'm not sure where to go from there. Would it be worth my time to go back to school for an associates or bachelors degree in a computer related field (all my eduction is psychology related up to this point, which I suspect will be precious little help in finding an IT job), or am I better off stocking up on certs and begging employers to let me in at the ground floor so I can get some experience? 

I'm 27 years old, so while I've got plenty of time on my hands I'd rather get started on a career sooner than later (student loans to pay off on that PhD I won't be using). That said, if I would benefit greatly from spending a few years picking up another degree I'd be willing to make the investment. 

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

You don't need to go back to school for IT. For what it's worth, my degree is in Chemistry.

Stocking up on certs is a good move - to a point. By that, I mean you should stock up on entry-level certifications, such as the A+, Network+, and Windows client certifications (MCP on XP, MCTS on Vista, and/or MCTS on Win7). However, hold off on certifying on anything beyond these certifications. Higher-level certifications are designed for people who are already working in the IT field and have a bit of real-world experience.

Keep in mind that your PhD might scare away some entry-level employers. After all, they don't need a PhD to do simple, entry-level tech work. So if you list your degree on your resume, employers might perceive you as being overqualified, too expensive, or a flight risk (meaning you'll leave as soon as something better comes along, leaving the employer to find, hire, and train someone all over again). I'm not saying that you MUST leave your degree off your resume... but you might consider it, particularly if you cast your resume out and get very few nibbles.

If you can manage to get an employer interested enough to give you an interview, your social psychology background may very well come in handy when responding to questions.

Hope this helps!


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I saw this before BosonMichael posted. I got to agree with him the PhD may hurt you, I was thinking the same thing.

Sure hope to stay on to finish the PhD.

BG


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## zombiesocrates (Feb 13, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. I hadn't thought of leaving the degree off, but now that you say it that makes sense. Regarding my initial job search, I'm in a somewhat particular situation. My wife is also finishing her PhD but intends to stay in academia. As such, we'll be moving about a year after I finish my degree, so I've only got about a year of work time before I have to uproot myself. 

I was thinking of rounding out the Comptia stable (A+, Net +, Security +) during that time, but ideally I'd like to start getting experience as well. I'm guessing that I'd have a better chance of getting hired at a large chain like Best Buy's Geek Squad or Staples for a one year stint. Do employers tend to view that as "experience" as it applies to the two year minimum that most jobs require, or would I be wasting my time? There are also several small computer repair shops in town that I could try to get on board with, though I'm not sure how regularly they tend to hire.

Thanks again for the advice.


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

Yep, Best Buy Geek Squad and Staples are fine places to start. Most good techs tend to leave there after about a year anyway, so your resume will look fine. Working at a computer repair shop is good as well. You could also look for a desktop support position at just about any company; if you can help out with light server administration while you're there, that's a huge (experience) bonus.

There's not really a "two-year minimum", though it may seem as if all IT jobs require that much experience. Certainly the amount of time you spend in a job is important, because over time, you will be exposed to many varied situations. However, I would argue that the kind of experience you get is even more important than the duration of time you spend in a job.


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