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I am currently in 12th grade and am curious about how to score working with a big company with a major like Web Administration or Information Technology. I have heard of getting an intershipwhile in college, but I don’t think it’s too promising for when you graduate colllege

#futurejobs What are some good companies to start with? #computer-science

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Edmond’s Answer

Looks like you already have decided on a direction for your career. Internships are a great way for anyone to get a better sense of what the real world is like - in any profession - and a big bonus on your resume when you start looking for work. My advice is simple - attend a Meetup about the same subject (or close to it). There should be plenty where you are (from the local meetup.com listing.) You'll find that people who are attending and are passionate about their profession would be an excellent source of information and advice.
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Logan’s Answer

Breaking into these fields early on has never been easier, as long as you have the drive to own your career. There's endless resources online, ways to learn and gain experience, but the two best things you can do are self study and planning a trajectory. IT is a very broad field and there are a lot of directions you can eventually go, but to start you need a good entry level position that exposes you to a lot of different technologies.


An IT help desk job is hands down the best entry level way to get your foot in the door, from there you just pick your direction. (Network, Security, Web, Software, Data Science, etc). Start basic and know that each job is a stepping stone to your ultimate ideal career. Here was my path as an example (also no degree): BestBuy Sales Associate > Call Center Technical Support > IT Help Desk for Large company > IT Associate > Sr. Analyst > Systems Manger > Technical Program Manager. Hope that helps :)

Logan recommends the following next steps:

Make a plan to get a good entry level position with a lot of exposure. Highlight your customer service skills on your resume through any customer facing jobs that you have had in high school or summer jobs. Then through self study obtain a few basic online certifications (A+, Network+, etc) to show your technical ability.
Pick a focus. it helps to know a little bit of each part of IT but eventually you'll have to specialize. Once you have chosen your path, find specific certifications and take on projects related to this in your entry level job.
Research posted jobs that you don't qualify for and figure out what they are looking for in regards to knowledge and skills (years of experience are irrelevant these days).
The real world experience will give you an edge over other college grads, with a degree+certifications+hands on entry level experience you will have no problem getting a great mid-senior level career once you graduate.
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Ken’s Answer

The first thing that you would help greatly is to determine which career area would be best suitable for you based on your personality traits as they relate to people who are successful in these areas. Then meeting and talking with people who are doing what you think that you might want to do would allow you to see what they do, how they got there, and what suggestions and advice that they have for you.


Getting to know yourself and how your personality traits relate to people involved in various career opportunities is very important in your decision making process. During my many years in Human Resources and College Recruiting, I ran across too many students who had skipped this very important step and ended up in a job situation which for which they were not well suited. Selecting a career area is like buying a pair of shoes. First you have to be properly fitted for the correct size, and then you need to try on and walk in the various shoe options to determine which is fits the best and is most comfortable for you to wear. Following are some important steps which I developed during my career which have been helpful to many .

Ken recommends the following next steps:

The first step is to take an interest and aptitude test and have it interpreted by your school counselor to see if you share the personality traits necessary to enter the field. You might want to do this again upon entry into college, as the interpretation might differ slightly due to the course offering of the school. However, do not wait until entering college, as the information from the test will help to determine the courses that you take in high school. Too many students, due to poor planning, end up paying for courses in college which they could have taken for free in high school.
Next, when you have the results of the testing, talk to the person at your high school and college who tracks and works with graduates to arrange to talk to, visit, and possibly shadow people doing what you think that you might want to do, so that you can get know what they are doing and how they got there. Here are some tips: ## http://www.wikihow.com/Network ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/nonawkward-ways-to-start-and-end-networking-conversations ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/4-questions-to-ask-your-network-besides-can-you-get-me-a-job?ref=carousel-slide-1 ##
Locate and attend meetings of professional associations to which people who are doing what you think that you want to do belong, so that you can get their advice. These associations may offer or know of intern, coop, shadowing, and scholarship opportunities. These associations are the means whereby the professionals keep abreast of their career area following college and advance in their career. You can locate them by asking your school academic advisor, favorite teachers, and the reference librarian at your local library. Here are some tips: ## https://www.careeronestop.org/BusinessCenter/Toolkit/find-professional-associations.aspx?&frd=true ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-tips-for-navigating-your-first-networking-event ##
• It is very important to express your appreciation to those who help you along the way to be able to continue to receive helpful information and to create important networking contacts along the way. Here are some good tips: ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-informational-interview-thank-you-note-smart-people-know-to-send?ref=recently-published-2 ## ## https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-tips-for-writing-a-thank-you-note-thatll-make-you-look-like-the-best-candidate-alive?bsft_eid=7e230cba-a92f-4ec7-8ca3-2f50c8fc9c3c&bsft_pid=d08b95c2-bc8f-4eae-8618-d0826841a284&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_20171020&utm_source=blueshift&utm_content=daily_20171020&bsft_clkid=edfe52ae-9e40-4d90-8e6a-e0bb76116570&bsft_uid=54658fa1-0090-41fd-b88c-20a86c513a6c&bsft_mid=214115cb-cca2-4aec-aa86-92a31d371185&bsft_pp=2 ##
Getting an internship is a great opportunity to develop relationships in your career areas and get inside experience. It is good to seek internships as early as possible, even during high school to give yourself a head start. Here is a story regarding internships, which you will find helpful. During my daughter's senior year in high school, the highlight of the year (and of the whole high school experience) was to be a several month long internship program. Everyone signed up and indicated the type of internship that they wanted - all except for one girl. This girl wanted to become a doctor and wanted her internship to be with the local EMS unit at the local fire station. So, she talked to the head of the EMS unit and got his approval and made arrangements with the school to create her own internship. Of all of the students about which I heard, she was the one who benefited the most by her internships. My daughter's was definitely not the highlight of her school career. Her first choice fell through and her final assignment was not really what she wanted and did not give her the type of exposure that she had hoped for. This shows that you can create your own internship! Locate a company that fits the parameters of the type of experience and exposure that you are seeking and work with them and the appropriate people in your school to put it in motion. After all, if there is an internship program existing today, anywhere, it had to be created by someone.
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