# Proposed career trajectory in InfoTech?



## roosterbooster2 (5 mo ago)

Hello fine folks -- I am considering a career in IT and am hoping for a career trajectory reality check to confirm I'm not totally off or diving into a pipedream. Without going too deep into my pity party, I am a 40 year old man and the breadwinner for my family. My decade-old business that I built, own, and run in an unrelated field died dramatically this year due to market conditions that I could not adjust around and I've lost all of my income. I do not wish to stay in that industry. I need a new industry with good prospects for the future and I'm leaning toward IT. I have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, but I do have some passion for technology and computers.
My research seems to imply that within a handful of months after getting the CompTIA A+ certification, with some earnest effort I can likely land a job as an entry-level IT professional around 45-60k (major east coast US city) and get hands on experience. From there I can work on my Network+ and Security+ and other certifications, teach myself some BASH and SQL, maybe Python down the line, AWS or Azure certs. Maybe 1-3 years in, be aiming for a more mid-level position that involves networks/databases or similar and maybe get up to the 70-85k range. Continue with relevant certifications and maybe 4-5 years from now be reasonably able to land a role in network building/management or cybersecurity and break back into the $100,000+ income I am accustomed to. My big ask: is this totally crazy or is that a reasonable framework of expectation?

I know it wont be easy. I expect to need to network with industry professionals, continually train to be competitive, build an attractive resume and submit them like crazy. What I do have going for me is a strong work ethic, and 7+ years of management experience in an insanely competitive, business networking-heavy industry and know I can present well so long as I truly learn the technical skills. My understanding from speaking with others is that IT and its related fields are very merit based, and large enough as an industry that even if some roles are saturated, you can probably advance reasonably so long as you actually put in the time to learn. I suppose my secondary ask would be confirmation with regards to the merit-based nature of the industry.
If any kind souls are willing to impart ideas of how one might, with some luck and a lot of effort, surpass the entry level roles and start more directly in networks/security/data, that would also be appreciated. Thank you all.


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

roosterbooster2 said:


> My big ask: is this totally crazy or is that a reasonable framework of expectation?


In the UK I regret to say it is very far removed from reality


roosterbooster2 said:


> My research seems to imply that within a handful of months after getting the CompTIA A+ certification, with some earnest effort I can likely land a job as an entry-level IT professional around 45-60k (major east coast US city) and get hands on experience


I cannot really comment on the US in respect of your aims and objectives but I have asked a colleague to take a look at your thread and offer his opinion


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

First off, what industry were you in before? This can be very relevant as to how you proceed in the IT side of things. If say you were in the automotive industry, focusing on artificial intelligence, software logistics, and configuration management.

The key thing with IT is that it's very broad. It's the same as saying I want to get into automobiles. What aspect of automobiles? Industrial engineering with respect to factory/assembly line? Thermodynamics/mechanical engineering with engine development? User Interface....designing Infotainment systems and layouts of car interiors? Etc, etc. You need to pick one area that interests you and run with it. If you want a suggestion if you're not sure....cloud. Everything about cloud is in high demand. More so if you work your way up to an architect level and especially around security. You can pretty much name your price and pick and choose where you want to work.

Others may feel differently, but any of the CompTIA certs to me are a total waste of time. If you decide to get into a specialty with cloud, you won't even touch any of the CompTIA stuff. To me CompTIA is strictly entry level. And you'll find yourself quickly looking for another way to get out of being entry level. I'm not sure how your home life is, but expect to be given the **** jobs which would mean tier 1 support or call center. These won't pay much and the hours tend to be just as bad. If you want to get into networking, skip the CompTIA altogether and start studying the material for the Cisco CCNA. Cisco Press puts out a ton of books that provide the material you will need to study for the certification exam. A CCNA will carry many times more clout than a Network+.

Another angle is to look into IT sales. If you have the gift of gab and have a solid understanding of a particular market/industry, you can work as an account executive. While the base pay isn't great, especially coming in as a junior account executive, you have the potential to make a ton more money than an entry level tier 1 employee. Where you'll make up the bulk of your income will be in commissions. Bust your hump more, make more money. There's typically no hard ceiling on how much you can make. As an AE, you don't have to have in depth knowledge of the IT products you sell, but it does help in have a basic knowledge...plus being beneficial. As an AE, you'll typically have a sales engineer assigned to you to field all the technical stuff.


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