Career question...

A

Apd904

New Member
Hey i was just wondering if i wanted to have a career in computers, should i go with programming or actually building computers. I know this a very stupid question, but i figured this is the best place to ask :P im not too cmputer oriented, just as much as any teenager would be. But i'm willing to learn, i just don't know what i want to learn.
 
What you ever built any computers? upgraded a system?

Have you done any computer programming? or web programming?

Do you have access to a computer that you don't care much about to be able to mess around with it?

Best Regards,
Francisco
 
I've installed RAM before but that's just about it =/

I've fiddled around with HTML oncebefore too, but nothing major.

And i've got a POS Dell that i wouldn't mind taking apart.
 
Well you can't ask US to see what field you want to go in. YOU have to answer that question. We can help you decide and see which one might be best for you but we can't directly just tell you which one you should do.
 
Me personally, I looked into a job in the computer field, but I found out that it would be wiser for me to just keep my love for computers and everything technology as a hobby. But like Calibretto said, YOU have to decide for yourself what YOU want :D. However, maybe taking a class in programming or something might be in order, if you can.
 
if your still in high school and live in america, then i think you should consider taking a college class for computer electronics. your local college should be free, so no paying thousands of dollars.
 
Where do u live

well i dont think it will be free, I pay about $7000 each year just for a state college, and community college it cheaper but its not free. IMO
just take classes and read books , such as programming, sql i know because I was a computer science major and hated it, so i changed my major, I really like computers but i guess just as a hobby,
 
I'm personally going to go into Computer Science/Information Technology as my majors in college.
 
Programming is more money, but is lots of math and coding all day, all you do is code code code code code code, and then code some more, maybe eat a sandwich in between coding.

IT - as in repair and support typically has some lower pay scales compared to software development, but it has its perks. Best thing to do is get some experience in anywhere you can. Go grab a few basic certifications, get an entry level job working a help desk or what not and then work your way up while going to school. That way when you graduate you have experience + education.

I hate working with some college grads because they think they are the big fish because they have a technology degree. I went to art school and never finished and worked IT instead. They think they don't need to do entry level work because they have a degree or they think they can run the show. College doesn't teach you a fraction of what experience does.

Either way you will get into a field where you never stop learning. I still learn all the time.
 
Sorry to steal topic. I have often wondered the same thing but never asked. I am in secondary school (high school) and there are no courses available for my age.

I have built my computer, upgraded friends and family computers and have looked up info on parts and stuff ( i find this interesting), thats about the hardware side of my knowledge.

I also have an interest in software side, I have learned Python (undecided on where to go next). I have recently learned HTML and CSS on w3schools and am learning JavaScript, I have promised to make sites for my summer job.

I wondered what would be fun but well-paying.
Does anyone have an opinion on what i should do?
 
I'm going to go into the main IT area or maybe start a business and build computers for people.... and do computer repairs.

quagmondo23 said:
I have a summer of learning (and making sites) and want to know what to learn.
Click to expand...

That is what school holidays is for :P:D
 
tlarkin said:
IT - as in repair and support typically has some lower pay scales compared to software development, but it has its perks. Best thing to do is get some experience in anywhere you can. Go grab a few basic certifications, get an entry level job working a help desk or what not and then work your way up while going to school. That way when you graduate you have experience + education.
Click to expand...

Hopefully, I'll get up to chief IT of a department. They can make some major money. (Almost $225,000 a year)
 
Calibretto said:
Well you can't ask US to see what field you want to go in. YOU have to answer that question. We can help you decide and see which one might be best for you but we can't directly just tell you which one you should do.
Click to expand...

That's what i'm aiming for haha. See I don't really have any skills and i figured since i like computers a could try something with them.
 
quagmondo23 said:
Sorry to steal topic. I have often wondered the same thing but never asked. I am in secondary school (high school) and there are no courses available for my age.

I have built my computer, upgraded friends and family computers and have looked up info on parts and stuff ( i find this interesting), thats about the hardware side of my knowledge.

I also have an interest in software side, I have learned Python (undecided on where to go next). I have recently learned HTML and CSS on w3schools and am learning JavaScript, I have promised to make sites for my summer job.

I wondered what would be fun but well-paying.
Does anyone have an opinion on what i should do?
Click to expand...

Python is awesome for scripting, keep learning it!

If you want to get into software development learn a C language for starters. Almost all OSes have a C compiler, and run C written apps. Then branch off from there.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
Hopefully, I'll get up to chief IT of a department. They can make some major money. (Almost $225,000 a year)
Click to expand...

Yeah but developers can make over 150k/year right out of college if they are good at it. Your average network administrator can't make that out of college or land that kind of job really with out the needed experience.

I have been in IT for 10 years and have yet to hold management position. They are hard to get because no one wants to give up a sweet job like that.
 
tlarkin said:
Yeah but developers can make over 150k/year right out of college if they are good at it. Your average network administrator can't make that out of college or land that kind of job really with out the needed experience.

I have been in IT for 10 years and have yet to hold management position. They are hard to get because no one wants to give up a sweet job like that.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind my asking, how much are you making right now? (I'm just curious)
 
voyagerfan99 said:
If you don't mind my asking, how much are you making right now? (I'm just curious)
Click to expand...

Depends because i get over time....

50k/year plus over time. I do like to work over time sometimes as well to make extra money. I get a raise every July (our fiscal year) so I will be making more soon.

The thing is though, where I live I pay next to nothing for rent. My 650 sq ft 1 bedroom apartment is only $375/month.

If I had my same job in California, like the bay area, I'd be making at or over 100k/year but cost of living is so freaking expensive, it wouldn't hardly make up the difference in pay. I guarantee my apartment in the bay area (size + location compared) would be around $1500 give or take per a month. Gas is way more expensive, along with everything else. So I would make more money but I wouldn't necessarily be more rich living on the coast.

I started off at a warranty repair center, worked there for 6 years made lead tech got a bunch of certs, then moved to a school district as a network tech, worked there for a few years and now I moved across town to a different school district administering their Macs. I currently admin about 6,000 Macs with 5500 of them being Mac books, 20 Xserves, and some computer labs made of desktops.

Here goes what my office looks like right now, since i just collected 1100 macbooks to start our summer projects.







 
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