I have been using Linux in various capacities since the mid-1990s. I didn’t learn it all at once.
That being said, my knowledge jumped way up when I started spending time helping others on Linux forums. Researching lots of different problems and finding solutions for those problems got me exposure to many more things than I would have come across in my own use.
Thank you for your contribution. I’m new to IT (just turned 40). What kind of entry-level job should I look for since I love Linux and networking?
That is a hard question to answer because it depends on your background and where you are in the world. The job market is very different in various countries.
I am in the US. In this part of the world breaking into IT without education, training, skills or experience usually means taking an entry level job, typically in support. The big problem for someone career switching is that those jobs tend to be low paying.
It also depends on what your prior experience is. For example, if you had some experience that would let you move to IT in a business analyst or project management capacity.
Really, I would recommend discussing it with someone in your part of the world who is in IT already that you could share your experience with.
As someone who has switched careers into IT relatively late in life, I can tell you that the most important thing is networking. And by networking, I don’t mean connecting computers together, but knowing the right people who can help you out.
Ideally, you should know at least a few people in the field, preferably in the company in which you seek employment. If you have friends already there, who can give you good advice, your life will be a million times easier. You’ll know what is expected of you before you even start, what skills you need and how to acquire them efficiently, and you’ll have inside people put in a good word for you when you finally apply for the job. Of course, you have to earn that, not even a friend is going to destroy his reputation by lying to make you look better.
In think this is true for any field. It is certainly true for IT. Employers and HR managers are usually not very enthusiastic to hire an older worker with no experience in the field, when they can hire either experienced workers or kids straight out of college… Even if you are very smart and skilled, and would make a valuable employee, it’s difficult to demonstrate that convincingly when you are career switching. Good networking is the easiest way around that.
Thank you for your advice. Very true!
This topic was automatically closed 2 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.