Soldato
0gami said:
Not sure, he's only just reappeared - last time I saw him we were 11 years old.
Some people are meant to work outdoors, others in an office, you need to find what type you are
How many people have left IT jobs for alternatives?
- Thread starter asim
- Start date
Not sure, he's only just reappeared - last time I saw him we were 11 years old.
Some people are meant to work outdoors, others in an office, you need to find what type you are
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Aug 2003
- Posts
- 3,001
A chap at my work left IT to follow a career in carpet cleaning.
Never heard from him since though!
Never heard from him since though!
Soldato
I've been into computing since I was about 8. I programmed my way through school. I went to uni and did Software Engineering. During my placement year I was so looking forward to finishing my degree and doing web design. My placement year was just before the .com crash. When I returned back to uni and finished my degree there were hardly any jobs. So I spent a while trying to find a job, trying to do freelance and eventually got some little jobs here and there. After a few years of trying to get places I eventually got a job 15 minutes away with great pay. Thing is, after a few months I hated it. I was doing web design for clients which meant I had to throw out everything I believed in just to satisfy the angry voice on the phone. It really made me hate my job. Eventually I was laid off due to a lack of work. Since then I've been making an effort to become a professional photographer. I've made enough to fund a holiday in Toronto and I know if I keep at it I'll be successful. Its just going to take time.
Permabanned
Seriously I started my job full into IT, interested in various areas and different areas. Now I just decided I want to know what I need to know for my job and its killed all the fun I had of IT out of work. I am currently learning packages while I got a spare moment to further other avenues of interest.
IT is fairly easy but extremely time consuming and unrewarding I find.
Will be here 10 years this September.
Looking to get out but I lack direction.
IT is fairly easy but extremely time consuming and unrewarding I find.
Will be here 10 years this September.
Looking to get out but I lack direction.
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Man of Honour
asim said:
I work in IT right now but I also do photography and like yoruself was pressured by the folks to get into IT because "it's where the money is at"
Well anyway, I got a job with a company that is pretty good and my roll is in support so I intend to do this between 1 and 3 years during which I can focus on my photography and travel around the world by taking my free weekends on cheap flights to different places and coming back with +more eperience and + a wider portfolio which I can use to aid in. I also have some plans of starting a business but that's ongoing and hopefully best for the future.
IT really is boring, you don't get any rewards for helping people out or solving complicated problems and the pay is rubbish - you also don't feel as good as you could when you complete a large task, it's just another job done with the same thing to do next week. With somethig you enjoy doing you can have 100% satisfaction in what you do and when a job is done good like in photography you do feel really good that a good job is done and your work is appreciated.
Ukadder said:
Personally, I got a degree (from an average uni), stuck my CV on Monster, and got contacted by the company in question- so I was very very lucky in that I didn't have to go to multiple assesment days/ interviews/ jump through hoops for the company to get the job etc. Unfortunatley though, the above is required in most cases (especially if you go for one of the big players like Accenture etc).
Experience may be another way in...I think the main thing you need to show is that you are able to produce work of a high standard (going above and beyond the requirements at times), have excellent communication skills, and be able to work successfully in differing environments/ teams.
If you want to ask any more questions, etc, msn me [email protected]- I'm off to South Africa on Monday though (with work
) so make sure its before then 
As far as the qualifications/ change of job etc go, I would advise anyone who wants to get that job or qualification to just go for it and not listen to what anyone else says (including careers advisors etc as they know sod all TBH)- All through my university career, all the 'careers advisors' told me not to expect to get a great placement or a job paying more than 20K at the end, and to expect the 'more able' students to snap up all the best opportunities. Had I listened to them, I probably would not have trounced several of these 'more able' students to land myself a placement at one of the world's most recognised companies, or end up with the highest marks in my year on some modules, or a job that pays substantially more than I was advised I would get.
Associate
Wow. I hope IT isn't that bad, I've just quit my job to look after my children and have decided to study whilst they're at school.
Guess what I'm studying, CCNA! Fancy a new career as a network engineer.
All this PC lark is fairly new to me, so I still find it interesting. Five years down the line, who knows.
For the OP follow your heart, not the cash!
Guess what I'm studying, CCNA! Fancy a new career as a network engineer.
All this PC lark is fairly new to me, so I still find it interesting. Five years down the line, who knows.
For the OP follow your heart, not the cash!
IT is like any job. Its the people that you deal with that make the job enjoyable or a nightmare. In the wrong company its hell. In a good enviroment its fine. I like tinkering with computers and software. Always have done. That said I've always had roles that were a mix of a couple of things. If I was doing one thing solely for years I'm sure I'd have got bored with it. But I've changed between graphics/software development/support/analyst work. I considered giving it up in the past because I got bored with it and didn't like where I worked. But then managed to find job in a better company and enviroment, and started liking it again.
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Soldato
I left school wanting a career in IT, went to college for 2 years and passed various IT related courses.
I went straight from college into a IT Support role. Working at a place called PC Service Call (telephone support). Worked there for 15 months and hated every minute of it
i had enough and left. Only stuck it for that long because i wanted to get the experience for my next step up the IT ladder.
Tried to get another job in IT Support (just not in a call centre ) , applied for over 45 jobs and dint get any ! got close on a few interviews but always been beaten at the last step
I had to make my mind up, keep applying for jobs or change career. I think there are just to many people in the IT field now.
I changed career and never been happier !
I changed to the building trade ! been working with a builder for over a year now and love it !
I go to college 1 day a week for bricklaying.
So gald i mande the change, its great out side every day. Different job/place every month or so.
Money at the moment is alittle low, but when i get trained up it will be better £100 to £200 a day
To sum up, very happy i changed !
I went straight from college into a IT Support role. Working at a place called PC Service Call (telephone support). Worked there for 15 months and hated every minute of it
i had enough and left. Only stuck it for that long because i wanted to get the experience for my next step up the IT ladder.Tried to get another job in IT Support (just not in a call centre
) , applied for over 45 jobs and dint get any ! got close on a few interviews but always been beaten at the last step I had to make my mind up, keep applying for jobs or change career. I think there are just to many people in the IT field now.
I changed career and never been happier !
I changed to the building trade ! been working with a builder for over a year now and love it !
I go to college 1 day a week for bricklaying.
So gald i mande the change, its great out side every day. Different job/place every month or so.
Money at the moment is alittle low, but when i get trained up it will be better £100 to £200 a day
To sum up, very happy i changed !
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Jez said:I am in this situation, i am in a job where i often have to work long hours, for a completely avarage pay cheque, doing jobs which dont interest me in the slightest.
I have no idea what i could possibly move to though
I'm pretty much in the same boat. I did really enjoy work up until about 6 months ago when I just re-evaluated what I was doing and decided I was working to hard and not enjoying life.
Fortunately I'm going back to uni in sept to finish my final year after two years in work, (one was a placement year). I've then got to decide on what I'd like to do. I do like cars but mechanics don't really get paid that well, I do like the out doors so maybe some kind of landscape gardening work. I may just go travelling with the Mrs for a year and see what comes out of that.
God today has been hectic. Just had my graduation ceremony , those gowns really make you sweat. I left half way through my 4th year for honours but still decided to go to the ceremony for my 3 yr degree.
I've known for a very long time that IT may not be my calling. A person can be good at anything they do but that doesnt mean they enjoy it. I've done a few odd IT jobs, some contract work as I have a couple contacts in the industry that stick my name out there for some work. Just didnt appeal to me. Even though I was moving around the office or travelling to cities there was nothing there. No joy in active directory, citrix mainframes and the rest of that stuff. So being 21, hardly having spent time in IT work I already know its not for me and I'd rather get out before I lay my feet in the cement and get stuck. Plus that parental pressure to be in IT put me off soo much. I dreamed big things, and I know some dreams can be a bit unrealistic but others can be worthwhile pursuing.
A degree and professional certifications gives employers the opportunity to know that I've atleast applied myself and gotten something out of my life even if its not in the related field of whatever I go for.
Its just a case of finding out what I want to do and what paths are available for me to get in there. But going unemployed for that space of time feels a bit wrong.
Glad there have been soo many replies, if people have got more advice or thoughts on this that would be fantastic.
, those gowns really make you sweat. I left half way through my 4th year for honours but still decided to go to the ceremony for my 3 yr degree. I've known for a very long time that IT may not be my calling. A person can be good at anything they do but that doesnt mean they enjoy it. I've done a few odd IT jobs, some contract work as I have a couple contacts in the industry that stick my name out there for some work. Just didnt appeal to me. Even though I was moving around the office or travelling to cities there was nothing there. No joy in active directory, citrix mainframes and the rest of that stuff. So being 21, hardly having spent time in IT work I already know its not for me and I'd rather get out before I lay my feet in the cement and get stuck. Plus that parental pressure to be in IT put me off soo much. I dreamed big things, and I know some dreams can be a bit unrealistic but others can be worthwhile pursuing.
A degree and professional certifications gives employers the opportunity to know that I've atleast applied myself and gotten something out of my life even if its not in the related field of whatever I go for.
Its just a case of finding out what I want to do and what paths are available for me to get in there. But going unemployed for that space of time feels a bit wrong.
Glad there have been soo many replies, if people have got more advice or thoughts on this that would be fantastic.
after spending most of my life as a research chemist, with 4yrs international postdoc experience and more ... I've hit the IT bandwagon. Mainly, because there are no jobs in science (I spent 6months looking for a job in this country, and did not get one interview).
Anyway I can see how people get "zombified" by IT. All that time in front of a screen makes my eyes ache after a while.and it can be boring.The company where I work now (doing the IT) serves people looking for a career change, and they do training courses in stuff like tiling, and plumbing. Courses can last up to 20days (very intense). Sometimes I ask them people why? and they say ... "just hated sitting down and doing boring, repetitive jobs on-screen" and want to do something practical and with people. Most go alone after, doing there own business.
I like the IT, except I keep a lot away that I don't want to learn ... hate coding and databases. and don't want to get into that side of things
Anyway I can see how people get "zombified" by IT. All that time in front of a screen makes my eyes ache after a while.and it can be boring.The company where I work now (doing the IT) serves people looking for a career change, and they do training courses in stuff like tiling, and plumbing. Courses can last up to 20days (very intense). Sometimes I ask them people why? and they say ... "just hated sitting down and doing boring, repetitive jobs on-screen" and want to do something practical and with people. Most go alone after, doing there own business.
I like the IT, except I keep a lot away that I don't want to learn ... hate coding and databases. and don't want to get into that side of things
Associate
Sparky191 said:
i agree, i think a lot of it is down to the company you work for and the people you work with. Personally im aiming for a 2nd/3rd line support role for when i finish my degree so that im not neccessarily stuck behind a computer all the time.
Ive been doing some work experience for college down the road for almost a year now doing 1st/2nd line support and although it is just a couple of days a week, i really enjoy it simply because of the people i work for and the college itself. Id be very happy if i was offered a job there after i finish (as long as the pay is good enough
).Hopefully if i stick to my photography i may have the oppertunity to switch to that somewhere down the line. My advise would be to always have a back up plan for the future when you fancy a change.
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Jesus some of you dont like IT at all. I work for local government here on good pay and i love it. Its 4 miles from home and the office is out in the country and has its own park, massive grounds etc. Its a really nice place to work the people are friendly. Mind you sometimes it can be stressful as we look after 6 major buildings and 4-5 smaller ones. But at least that gets you out of the office. Also all the training i want is free. I love it
Like some of you said, its down to the place you work in. If its a crap whole it will take your soul. But if its nice you will love going in everyday
Like some of you said, its down to the place you work in. If its a crap whole it will take your soul. But if its nice you will love going in everyday
My old IT manager (when I did my Uni summer job) left to retrain to become a doctor.
I nearly left last year to retrain as a radiographer, but a house purchase and new baby has put that on hold. I like my support role though and am waiting for the time when the County Council get out of the outsource contract so I can TUPE back to working for local government.
I nearly left last year to retrain as a radiographer, but a house purchase and new baby has put that on hold. I like my support role though and am waiting for the time when the County Council get out of the outsource contract so I can TUPE back to working for local government.
teaboy5 said:Jesus some of you dont like IT at all. I work for local government here on good pay and i love it. Its 4 miles from home and the office is out in the country and has its own park, massive grounds etc. Its a really nice place to work the people are friendly. Mind you sometimes it can be stressful as we look after 6 major buildings and 4-5 smaller ones. But at least that gets you out of the office. Also all the training i want is free. I love it
Like some of you said, its down to the place you work in. If its a crap whole it will take your soul. But if its nice you will love going in everyday
Actually I said that about its the place you work in . I wonder is is coincidence that I also work for a Govt Agency, though as a programmer analyst. I've 10yrs in IT, part of that as a contractor. However for me its always been the hobby thats turned into a job, as I've never done any 3rd level courses to do with IT. My degree is an unrelated field. I don't mind IT, but if something more lucrative and enjoyable came along I'd do it. I spent a while trying to make a go of a design career (Product Design) and that was going nowhere.
brocksta said:
That can be worse. I'm a network engineer and move around which means long hours, early starts, late nights and general hassle during the day in a place you've never been before.
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but it does get boring being out of the office a fair bit.
Associate
Sorry to did up this thread but i found it interesting and thought i'd add my experience:
I currently work for a blue-chip company in their IT dept. and have done for 5 years, IT started off as a hobby for me and now I work in IT i actually hate it, im fed up of fixing peoples computers, im fed up with my Server projects and I just have no interest or drive now. Sure, I still enjoy doin IT stuff on the side but not as my main profession.
Im now find that IT brings in the money but money doesnt = happy and my true passion is cars! I'd love to be a touring car driver, ultimate profession for me! but i dont know how to get into it!
NS
I currently work for a blue-chip company in their IT dept. and have done for 5 years, IT started off as a hobby for me and now I work in IT i actually hate it, im fed up of fixing peoples computers, im fed up with my Server projects and I just have no interest or drive now. Sure, I still enjoy doin IT stuff on the side but not as my main profession.
Im now find that IT brings in the money but money doesnt = happy and my true passion is cars! I'd love to be a touring car driver, ultimate profession for me! but i dont know how to get into it!
NS
Caporegime
i find that its not about your job, but who you work for and with.
doing the same role in telecoms and finance, i notice a lot of differences, both jobs are the same, but very different if you know what i mean
doing the same role in telecoms and finance, i notice a lot of differences, both jobs are the same, but very different if you know what i mean