Move away from I.T?

[Sp00n]

So i'm sat here wondering if i actually enjoy working with computers and each time i have so many arguments against it.

But the trouble is i have been so computer orientated for the last 10 years, i wouldn't even know where to start in terms of finding something else to do, i can't imagine there is any decent role out there which i can just jump in to without some sort of experience.

I think i'm just doing this because i'm in a role which i don't really enjoy and i know how hard it is to get a decent job in the I.T market.

I love photography and cars so i wouldn't mind doing something related to those but i dunno.

Has anyone else here moved away from I.T? What did you get in to?

 

[InsomniaCalls]

I'm in the same boat.
Just had two calls offering me interviews for other IT roles but turning them down because its out of the frying pan and into the fire.
IT roles, unless further up the food chain, suck.

 

[Scott Salisbury]

Oh stop it!! Everytime I come here there's always a thread on somebody regretting their career in computing. Stop scaring me

All I know is computers since the age of 9 (19 now) and I'm still persuing my career in some sort of computing, programming mainly (at uni).

Now, the good thing so far is I still enjoy using computers for business or pleasure, which is a good thing. I enjoy web dev a lot, and I also enjoy programming.

However, I have never had any experience in the professional world of programming. All I've heard is horrible things.

I may find myself in the same boat as you in the future, whereever that leads me.

I know you're just talking about IT but I rarely see threads with titles, "Oh my GOD!! I just came back from my first day in my new job as a programmer and it was AWESOME!!!"

 

[Sp00n]

The last role i was in, i absolutely loved, really great company but unfortunately i was made redundant for various stupid reasons and now i'm back out on the market.

I'm contracting for Kroll at the moment doing first line support which i've decided i don't like doing, first line stuff is poor but its all about getting the experience. Trouble is i look at other roles and it all seems WAY over my head so i'm scared to move forward.

However i don't know what i like anymore, i still enjoy computers a lot but i'm swaying more towards the personal side of things rather than doing it as a fulltime job.

 

[sniper007]

Hate to say this, but I think of this often as well. Im in IT and my dream of working my way up the chain seems all to distant tbh. Im prepared to put the effort in and work my way up, but it seems so often a really anal career in that its who likes who as to who gets promotions etc. There are elements of IT I am really interested in and enjoy, but then theres others that I dont. Im in a support role where we do miscellaneous things and a lot of little bits of different type of things. Were the complete IT Handyman kind of people.

What I hate most about my role is how much Im stereotyped by other people in IT and the company, not to mention just generally.

There are times when I get really hacked off with it. I want to work myway up but its difficult to get there. I can see mysefl higher up in years time, but I want that now and Im sure you feel the same. i.e. You only live once and should be happy where you work. Im in a difficult situation in that I dont want to drop pay either, but I also enjoy photography very much and cars/bikes. I think if I were to change, I would like to go into business myself if possible but dont think I could hack it really. I have engineering type interests and like fixing things/engines etc, but difficult to start from scratch at my age in mid 20s.

Have you tried changing to a completely different type of IT? I have thought of doing that but specialising in one particular area scares me in that I worry whether I will enjoy it and/or narrow my career path slightly compared to being in IT support.

 

[Sp00n]

I initially wanted to get in to web design/graphic design but then half way through my uni course i realised this really wasn't for me.

Now i'm in the more technical side but at the moment its mostly software, i need to find a job which is a good mix of software and hardware much like the role i had up until a week ago!

I wouldn't mind even getting in to the graphics side of things again but i don't know.

I'm so annoyed and so confused!

 

[nero120]

Well how else could I have a 10-4 work day, earn 30k a year, get 30 days holiday and get free health and dental care?

I love IT!

 

[asim]

A few interviews lined up in the IT field for some respectable paying linux administration jobs but I'm not even sure I'll take them. After spending my teenage years overclocking, playing games and then doing a degree in computer networks plus a ccna I'm burn out. I think its the idea of working an office job 9-5 that bores me. Thinking about going into business for myself. The hours maybe longer but I can be more flexible with my time and it will be completely my own choice as which direction to go in.

Dont want to be an office monkey. No offence to those who are.

 

[Sp00n]

Well how else could I have a 10-4 work day, earn 30k a year, get 30 days holiday and get free health and dental care?

I love IT!

Doing what?

 

[InsomniaCalls]

Doing what?

Yep - thats a far cry from 9 till 5 and 18k-20k with no real benefits.

 

[nero120]

Doing what?

Im an applications developer for a financial regulator working in canary wharf. At the moment Im building an app in ASP.NET. Im pretty much left alone to do the work, but obviously im required to hit my deadlines and go to project meetings. I wish I could tell you it gets stressfull, but it doesnt really. In fact there are extended periods where im quite bored with nothing to do, hence my post count <-. Cant complain though, I love it here. However, I couldnt really imagine finding another job in IT like this one, I think it's a one off.

Edit: by the way my working time is not really fixed. We are expected to come in for core hours (10 - 4) but to work an 8 hour day, however I rarely make it in before 10 and all the managers leave at about 4, so I trundle off home. Ive also not bothered coming in to work many times and no one notices. This has its downsides as well as its benefits, as I don't really work with anyone so no decent work relations or anything, but im not really looking for that anyway.

 

[Una]

I been working on and off in IT a few years (both freelance coding and employed) while doing my degree in CS. Programming boring business apps 9-5 every day is ok short term but I can't see my self spending my future doing it. I have been considering doing either a PhD/Msc in another country after I finish, after that who knows. Its repetition that is the main problem with IT in general, you get bored of doing the same thing day in day out. Working short term contracts and moving about is another possible option.

 

[Von Luck]

I've worked in IT since 1991 and since then have been:

1st line support (helpdesk)
2nd line support (callouts)
3rd line support (servers/storage/networking)
Infrastructure development/Project work
Project/resource management

....all for the same organisation

Anything that lets you play with lots of toys = good.

 

[Datamonkey]

fed up of IT aswell lol.

used to love my london based consultancy role, but now an IT team leader for a firm up at luton airport.

I live in maidenhead lol, so 100 mile comute every day. Gonna go looking in london soon as its an easier comute and more money to be made.

 

[Chaos]

So i'm sat here wondering if i actually enjoy working with computers and each time i have so many arguments against it.
Has anyone else here moved away from I.T? What did you get in to?

I asked the same question a while ago, I feel the same way you do, for all the effort and stuff you have to learn in IT the reward is very little.

I still havn't decided what I want to do, been into computers for years, 5+ years work experience and have a degree in computing and now im thinking of a complete carear change.

 

[johnson]

IT is just not exciting, I want more from life.

What did you do in your life, sat on my ass all day

 

[Jonny69]

Yeah I'm getting pretty bored of computers these days. It's not the money and I have plenty of free time, I just want to do something more interesting.

 

[Ian]

Ive had a few thoughts about this aswell, but with no real idea of what else i fancy.

Besides becoming a CSI

 

[afraser2k]

I think the problem here is working with IT support and dealing with users complaining every day, rather than being annoyed with IT in general. I'm in the same situation at the moment where I'd like to re-train into application development but it's not looking likely with the other skills work want me to learn.

Maybe IT support staff don't feel appreciated by the company/staff due to the nature of the job and having to put up with snide comments from colleagues?

We're the low-paid "monkeys" of the IT world.

 

[Psyk]

I'm very much into programming but I don't really want to end up in the IT industry. The games industry is more up my street. Possibly harder and more stressful than a "normal" programming job but I'd find it more satisfying intellectually and creatively and it's nice to know that you're working on something interesting that will be be enjoyed by people rather than just being a boring business app.