# In search of a career.



## SnowBum (Jun 15, 2005)

Ok, I think I need to start college soon and get a career but I dont know whats out there. I want something computer related that makes good money.

I enjoy being on computers and working with them so I figure maybe something in this field, and I deffenantly wanna make good money. (Its not important to some people but man I just like nice stuff.) 


Any ideas/advice to give me and stuff to look into? I have no idea about what careers there is that are good in this field. 

Hopefully something that doesnt take over 4 years. 

So any info on careers would be great. Thanks in advance.


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## POADB (Jul 28, 2004)

SnowBum said:


> Ok, I think I need to start college soon and get a career but I dont know whats out there. I want something computer related that makes good money.
> 
> I enjoy being on computers and working with them so I figure maybe something in this field, and I deffenantly wanna make good money. (Its not important to some people but man I just like nice stuff.)
> 
> ...


IT Industry all depends on where you live. If you live in/near a city then contact existing companies and ask what they are looking for. Find IT jobs and see what qualifications and experience that want. Try and get an apprenticeship with a company, that way you get the expereince and training...

Just going to College to study IT isn't good enough - trust me.. I'm in that circle right now.

It's better to be specific. You need to know what you want to do. What interests you. Secondly - find the job you would want when you graduate.. and ask them if they'd be interested.. I wish I would have done this - instead - i just jumped in anywhere and expected to find work when I came out... 

If you live outside of the city, perhaps you can setup on your own, offering IT support and computer maintenance in your local town.. be sure to know your competition though. And make sure the town you live in actually have PC's..


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## Jason (Dec 30, 2001)

If I had to do it all over again, I would go into something such as security. The reason why is the chances of things like network security being outsourced is pretty slim. Right now a lot of programing and helpdesk jobs are outsourced to other countries (provided you live in the U.S.).


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

Get a degree!!!!

I know of a company that has 1623 current openings for IT folks, nearly all of which require some type degree. It doesn't have to be Computer Science; math, engineering, statistics, even poli sci are all needed. College adds tools to your tool box. It doesn't give you the answer - it teaches you how to figure out the answer. That's what employers want.

Even hardware jobs require some post HS schooling. 

The key difference is that with a degree your not limited to technician positions. 

My advice is: Change your thinking regarding wealth. It is a trueism that "money cannot buy happiness". Doing what you enjoy is much more satisfying than doing something you hate just to pay for "stuff".

Think about what you like in computers: messing with the bits and pieces or changing and writing programs. Then pursue that aspect. Repost here with some of your thoughts and I'll gladly give you some examples of the type of work that you might end up doing.


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## LoneWolf071 (Nov 10, 2004)

Yes... Security is a very fun job, it's like learning how to hack... and it's needed here in the states...


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## tgo (Jul 5, 2005)

yea im prob one of the youngest here but I hope to go into security after college


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## SnowBum (Jun 15, 2005)

Thanks guys.


> It's better to be specific. You need to know what you want to do. What interests you.


Well, everything about computers interest me . Im not sure about programing though cause I never learned it.


So if I'd go into security, what would I go to college for? What classes should I be searching for? What things can I start learning by myself right now? Sounds interesting and fun.


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## LoneWolf071 (Nov 10, 2004)

tgo, how old are you? LOL, I'm Only 17...


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## ricer333 (Sep 17, 2004)

*security... hacking... um... NO*

okay,
just wanted to throw my two cents in here. i'm a recent master's student graduate and i was in your position about 6 years ago. i wanted to make money, and this was before the economy went to, well crap! so i figured i would become a computer scientist, went to a small private college, and earned my BA. All was going well, except at that point the economy was worse. i had originally figured i would be starting at $50,00 - $60,000 with a BA, but of course that wasn't possible.

i went to grad school at FSU and started studying Security (NSA & DoD) give them a LOT of research money for that. It was by far one of the best decisions. however, security is not really about hacking. of course there is a small amount of that, 'to understand and build a good system you must know the attacker'. however, there is always going to be someway to break a system. security is more about, 'how can we build a system to be more secure from the ground up?' think of it as the opposite of what microsoft does :laugh: just a little joke.

so what does this mean to you? well, keep those goals of good money. if you ever settle, you'll never get there, you should always be striving for something and if money and being well off is it... go for it... that's what has driven my education. before college, i was not a 'computer' guy. i learned to love it, and now i do. get at a VERY MINIMUM, BA from some well known school. If you do not plan on going to grad school, then your Bachelors school should be just that more recognizable. if you DO plan on going to graduate school, then focus on your graduate school being more recognizable and reknown.

Also, think about where you want to start your careers. you can use Dice.com and other websites to get an idea of jobs and their starting incomes.

Well, again, just two cents from me. But know you're not alone.


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## SnowBum (Jun 15, 2005)

Thanks. 

My cousin thinks I should head into Computer Engineering, any info on that area?
I wanna have the the basses coverd before I make my choice


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## Gaurdian14 (Jul 14, 2004)

what would you recommend someone who likes putting computers together and more messing with hardware? right now im taking the basic computer class that is the prerequisite for most of the others, but i wasnt sure yet just what i wanted to do with computers, the community college around here has a lot of classes, and its known for being a great school, thanks for any info.


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