Topic: Any IT guys on here?

[Burnboy]

What up everyone? I am about to start back up in college and want to pursue an associates in computer science. I am hard pressed between going the database administrator route or the network administrator route.
     My reasoning is that the networking field seems more competitive and pays less starting off, around here at least, but has more jobs. The database side seems to pay more, has fewer jobs, but will be harder to get into with an associates.
What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Really?]

There are many IT people out there, prolly too many in my opinion.  It would be like starting a band and play more than in a bar or the garage.  In other words, it is a tough field to get into.

Two fields you may look into is SAP and Forensics.  I do not know what a computer science degree is worth really. 

When I have interviewed people, it is surprising how many can't answer the questions asked. 

Phone support is prolly perty easy to get into as long as you have a clue.  The guys upstairs from where I sit prolly make a decent wage but they support Enterprise level products too.

You asked for thoughts, those are mine.

[Dawdlin Dog]

I've just read your post to my wife who is in IT and her immediate response was "go with the one that interests you".
If you have a genuine enthusiasm for something it will come through in any job interview.

[Really?]

I've just read your post to my wife who is in IT and her immediate response was "go with the one that interests you".
If you have a genuine enthusiasm for something it will come through in any job interview.

This is true.

[Glenn Stauffer]

What clicks with you?  They are different disciplines.  I have a background in DB admin, though I now manage sys admins, db admins, app admins, and security analysts.  Certified Cisco network techs make lots of money.  Oracle DBAs can make lots of money - especially those who are skilled in performance tuning.  I like database admin work; I wouldn't be all that thrilled to be a network guy.  If I had it to do fresh, in today's climate, I'd lean towards computer security work.  There is pretty good demand for those skills and it is really interesting work.  Then I'd go for DB work - Oracle (forget SQL Server or MySQL).

No matter where you decide to end up, having good programming skills is a plus - and programming skills are very different from being skilled in writing java, etc. code.  Everyone I hire has to have the interest in making computers solve problems and that requires a programmer's mind.  Personally, I care little about certifications or degrees - I want people who can solve problems.  My best employees are engineers and mathematicians who came into the computer field - I actually think that none of them have a CS degree.

[Burnboy]

Giga: I believe youre right, too many of them out there.  What kind of positions do you interview for? What do you look for besides the norm?

Thats the problem both of them really interest me. I love tinkering with network stuff, hardware, Im very hands on. Database Im not too familiar with but I would love to learn the programming side of things as well.

[sangyo soichiro]

Do a double major.

[Really?]

I have not intereviewed in a year now.  I used to interview for a global helpdesk supporting internal users.  Then I moved up to another tier and lost that power.  Kinda went up and down at the same time, lol.

Glenn says it right.  

Personally, I care little about certifications or degrees - I want people who can solve problems.

If the interviewee appears to have a clue for what I needed, I could get that person where I needed them to be.  If I asked what a PST in Outlook was and the answer was am I talking to loud, then there is no clue, lol.

I interviewed one guy that would have fit the job just right but was cocky.  Didn't care for it.

[kpier883]

I think either option has a lot of potential.  In the late 80's COBOL was the thing that would get you a job.  I learned JCL, COBOL and Easytrieve and worked as a programmer for a large bank.  By the early 90's I had moved from programming to doing Operating System and network stuff.  At that time network stuff consisted of things like VTAM and NCP for front end mainframe processors.  Soon, TCP/IP came along and it was time to learn something new.  Eventually I started fooling with Sun Unix and EMC storage and Sybase databases.  By early 2000 time frame it was on to Windows Servers and Microsoft SQL server.  I added Hitachi storage and Brocade switches to our systems and learned to do basic Storage Network administration.  Eventually I became the go-to guy for the storage side of the operation.

The IT business changes all the time.  Look in the paper in your area or search dice.com and monster.  See what jobs are out there that interest you.  Get some basic skills and take opportunities to do work on the side.  I have learned VB programming doing side jobs.  It helps me all the time at work.  Get your foot in the door somewhere in I/T then do your best to expand your knowledge... you never know where it will take you, but if you work hard, are honest, fair, friendly, trustworthy and energetic, you could go far.

I agree that Oracle database administrators are paid well, I disagree with the statement about ignoring SQL Server.  There are lots more SQL server jobs where I live than there are Oracle.  An experienced SQL server admin/programmer can make a very good living.

I also agree that some programming skill is a must to be successful.  If you go the database route, learn to write good sql.  Find some guy that used to do Assembler and see how he writes SQL.  You can learn a lot when you work with old farts, and the old fart may learn a lot from you.

Good luck!