How did you get into IT for 20 years with no college? Self taught? Any tips for me? Why does it suck? I have been thinking about Networking for awhile now... and it seemed like a good career path.
Self study (A+ (got that CompTIA cert 1st), then Novell networking (got a cert) (This was in 1995).
Got a job in my company by getting into their Novell Admin console, changing the managers password before my interview.
When I told him to login and it was changed with a password I had set for him, he hired me.
1st project was to upgrade 500 PC's from WIN 3.11 to WIN 95. (That was fun, good early experience).
Then got into Exchange, did some upgrades for the company. Did that for them until year 2000.
Went to a startup as network admin / exchange admin. We were bought right away by Motorola. (Did my CCNA, and CCNP-Self study, got the certs).
Then Google bought MOTO a few years back, had to convert to all new global network, year long stress-ridden project. Right after that, Google sold us to Arris, another year long stress-ridden project.
Went and got CompTIA Security+ just to have). Oh ya, got my MCSE (NT 4.0 during that 1st job in 1996).
So teh certs and hands on were great for my career. However, I think its just burnout to this point. When kids are done with college, my goal is to either contract and get contracts as I please, or maybe go back to a less stressful thing like desktop support. (Not the same money, but everything will be paid off, house already is, and trying to do the college without loans.).
Its been very good financially, like any job, change is always good... Burnt out...
