Computer Science and Information Technology majors, what is one thing you wish you knew before you started in this career field?

Hello Kendra,

I have been in the field for close to 20 years. Of course there are a variety of roles available in this broad category (e.g. Operations, Development, Analytics). Here are a few thoughts:

1. 
   

   IT Ops can become a grind after a while. You get paid to perform tasks some of which can become repetitive ("That's why they call it work"). Internal politics and policies can narrow the company's technical strategy which can and does narrow your opportunities. There is a cool esprit de corps working within a technical team. I eventually went to work for a Vendor which gave me more variety and avoided the narrowing I mentioned above. However, I did cost me the esprit de corps I experienced inside an IT department.

   
   


2. 
   

   The field is changing very rapidly. When I started (90's) hands on Unix admin skills were in high demand but those skills are more of a commodity now. Therefore, selecting a technical career path which has some future proof dimension is important also. Data science and analytic skills including Hadoop administrative skills are in demand today and could have some sustainability.

   
   


3. 
   

   PhDs are the new MSs or even BSs today so if you have the resources and the patience, that would be a wise long term investment.

   
   


4. 
   

   It might sound odd, but Design Thinking is getting hot and, if it interests you, that extra dimension would give you more avenues to pursue within a company. IDEO offers some short courses for $400 in which I am currently enrolled. There may free courses on Coursera also.

   
   

Hope that helps,

Hagen

Knowing what path to focus on is the ONE thing I wished I knew back then. I got started "late" in this career. I was in my 30's before I landed my first tech job and that was in support. However, I never realized all my "playing" around on computers when I was in administration was really a prelude to what I loved. Following your interests be they in security (hacking for fun), coding (designing games) or just knowing how the circuits and electronics works can lead you in the right direction. I liked ALL of it so became a bit of a jack of all trades. If I had focused on one area (and they ALL change) I think I would have become one of those people who companies fight over. I could have Queen Coder or a security ninja :) I am really good at my job (which is in support and has a variety of paths that I explore each day) and I really enjoy it. Only sometimes I wonder what I could have achieved had I embraced one area.

Look at everything now while you are still deciding, find that one that you just can't stop thinking about. Dive in there and see where it takes you! Good luck!

It makes a big difference if you have a lot of projects that are publicly accessible. Internships and real-world experience will make you stand out more than just your degree. Start blogging your experience at an early stage in your career.

The importance of learning self-promotion.

Lol how to type faster