Are You Good At What You Do? (Poll added)

[DoFoT9]

Hey all!

I've really been thinking a lot lately about my career decisions and whether they will be rewarding enough for me both monetarily and to my personal "goals" that I want to achieve. I'm sure this topic comes up all the time but I thought I would ask others...

Are You Good At What You Do??

By good I guess I mean successful - "have you make a difference" styl" thing. I know it isn't the most important thing in life, but you know..

The reason I ask is because I am currently studying at University (here in Australia). I am doing a Bachelor of IT degree, majoring in Networking & Security. Up until now my subjects have been, well.. pathetic, to say the least. They are all "mandatory" ones that have no relation to my final career. Next semester is looking great though, but I still worry that when I get out that I won't be able to challenge myself or be up to the challenge (not sure which one I am yet ha).

When coming to uni I had the decision of doing a music career, or IT career. I play drums (as you can tell by my DP) I'm not that bad at all, and I LOOOVE it, music keeps me going all the time..but don't get me wrong I am totally devoted to IT, networking was purely made for me - I would love to do it on a big scale! I guess I'm just missing the whole music scene of things..

But anyway, enough about me. Did anyone have trouble with their career choice? Do you regret not changing your mind? Are you happy with where you are now? (The more mature are included in this topic, please give your opinion - it would be appreciated :))

Thanks, DoFoT9 (going to work so sorry if I don't reply for a while).

:)

[Leareth]

Are You Good At What You Do??
But anyway, enough about me. Did anyone have trouble with their career choice? Do you regret not changing your mind? Are you happy with where you are now? (The more mature are included in this topic, please give your opinion - it would be appreciated :))


Yes , I feel that I am good at what I do.
Yes , Had a lot of trouble with career choices , especially when had to adjust to dramatic lifestyle changes that rendered some choices null
Yes, I am pretty happy where I am, though it is not my final goal.
My work is recognized, and is considered original and more importantly, relevant. so yes I am content where I have ended up.
Just wish I made more $ to pay off the student loan debt :o

[Decrepit]

I got lucky. My hobby became a sought after industry.

I'm in IT, I'm a sysadmin for a bunch of small companies in the town where I'm currently living.

I started in the early 90's building PCs in a 3 person shop, moved on to a 10 person shop in another state, onto technical support at one of the top tape drive companies, onto desktop PC technical support for one of the biggest computer companies, on to training the support teams, etc.

Then the job was sent to India without me. Took my severance package and went back to finish my Bachelor's degree in another field.

Graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2008. With 15 years of experience and a full 4 year degree, it took 8 months to find a job.

Now I'm in a town that has 250,000 people in it but thinks it's still only got one stoplight. This place sucks, but it's great experience. Soon I'll head to another state and start up again.


Bottom line, if you don't enjoy what you do, it can really make living in the middle of nowhere really painful while you're waiting for the right opportunity to come along.

Make sure you stay current on the generic certifications, and keep a good focus on the stuff you end up better at than your peers.

In other words, in your track, get a Network+ first. It's useless, but without it you will never get a job since it's on every firm's search engine.

2nd go CCNA. Maybe CCNP if you've got the time and access to the resources.

Next, what part of networking do you specifically like? Do you want to focus on wireless, security, WANs, etc? A focus can help you work your way into some interesting places. Do you want a job with potential travel? a 24x7 pager stuck to your hip? These are all the kinds of things to keep in mind as you choose what's next.

Keep playing the drums though. Few ever make real money at it, but even if you don't, it's what makes you you.

I'm a hockey nut. If I can't play hockey (like now, in this godforsaken place), I'm miserable.

Good luck! And remember, there's no rush. You don't have to be a CCIE on Thursday. You've got time to wander, learn what you like, etc. Just make sure you're flexible. Get a passing knowledge of Windows administration, Linux as well. You don't have to be an ace, but when the downsizing hammer comes, you don't want to be the one-trick pony either.

[Rodimus Prime]

well I am going back to school to get something in IT industry. One advatage of IT is it is always advance at a very high right of speed so you have to keep learning.

Drum while chances are not support you for a living it is worth it to keep playing because it something you enjoy doing. It lets out your stresses and hell it is just fun. It gives you a hobby outside of work. That is important to stay happy.

[mscriv]

In my opinion there's two types of people in this world. Those that get to make a living doing what they love and those that work a job to pay the bills and do what they love in their free time. People will argue one side over the other, but in truth it's up to you. I am a therapist and love being able to help other people. It's a passion, but unless I write a book, get into media (TV/Radio), or become an entrepreneur in my area (open a large practice and make money off of the other counselors I bring in) then I will never make big bucks. I have several friends who work business or medical jobs that they are not passionate about, but boy do they make a lot of money. And making that money makes their family life and "free time" interests more available and enjoyable. The point is there is no one "right" answer to your question. This is especially true because over the course of your life interests and priorities will change. Make the best decision you can and know that you can always change your mind later as your circumstances change.

[Tomorrow]

Up until now my subjects have been, well.. pathetic, to say the least. They are all "mandatory" ones that have no relation to my final career.

Respectfully, if you're still in school you don't know for sure what your "final career" is going to be.

I began college as an engineering undecided major, switched to aerospace engineering, then finished in mechanical engineering - so I never actually left the aerospace & mechanical department of the engineering college. I thought I'd go into engine design and power generation. Instead, I've spent the last 15 years working in building engineering.

I don't regret it, I'm good at it, and I've built up a pretty decent reputation for doing it well. But I chose it not because I thought I would love it, but because I thought I would be good at it.

I don't hate it or even dislike it, but it's far from exciting. And it's absolutely not what I thought I would be doing when I was in college.

[DiamondMac]

I am the best

Period

Tax Law :cool:

[Heilage]

I'm one of those who's had loads of trouble deciding a career and education. First of all, I've just now (graduated a couple of days ago actually) been able to finish High School (or our equivalent of it) to be able to go to University. Two years overdue.

First of all, I'm problaby quite like you, with a passion for several things in life. I've been absolutely sure that the right thing has been acting, music, Law, design, anthropology, religion, lighting design, stage design... That's just the list of things I considered the past year.

Choosing a career has been (at last for me) about weighing my interests to the ability to make a career (and eventually loads of cash) out of it. The wish of being successful has led me away from studying subjects like Political Science, Anthropology, Religion and Sociology. I decided about a month back to first go into Applied Computer Technology, then do my masters degree in Human-Machine Interaction. Hopefully I can build a business and a reputation in both designing and building new types of computers systems and web systems.

The choice of what to do is very difficult, but is there a chance to go for something else if you find that what you chose in the first place isn't the right thing? It's pretty important that you're not doomed to do one thing after making a choice like this. :)

[DoFoT9]

Yes , I feel that I am good at what I do.
Yes , Had a lot of trouble with career choices , especially when had to adjust to dramatic lifestyle changes that rendered some choices null
Yes, I am pretty happy where I am, though it is not my final goal.
My work is recognized, and is considered original and more importantly, relevant. so yes I am content where I have ended up.
Just wish I made more $ to pay off the student loan debt :o

thats great to hear!! did you plan to be where you are or did it "just happen"?

I got lucky. My hobby became a sought after industry.

I'm in IT, I'm a sysadmin for a bunch of small companies in the town where I'm currently living.

I started in the early 90's building PCs in a 3 person shop, moved on to a 10 person shop in another state, onto technical support at one of the top tape drive companies, onto desktop PC technical support for one of the biggest computer companies, on to training the support teams, etc.

Then the job was sent to India without me. Took my severance package and went back to finish my Bachelor's degree in another field.

Graduated Magna Cum Laude in May 2008. With 15 years of experience and a full 4 year degree, it took 8 months to find a job.

Now I'm in a town that has 250,000 people in it but thinks it's still only got one stoplight. This place sucks, but it's great experience. Soon I'll head to another state and start up again.

thats quite a story, very intriguing and it reminds me that just because you have a degree it doesnt mean that you will definetely get a job once you finish uni. i think that is the main thing that i am scared and worried about.

Bottom line, if you don't enjoy what you do, it can really make living in the middle of nowhere really painful while you're waiting for the right opportunity to come along.

its the exact opposite here, i LOVE networking and learning all about how they work. i see networking, security & admin as basically the most important jobs on the planet - because without them the computers would crash and die. i love the idea of being the man that 'keeps everything running' sort of thing.

in saying that, being able to play infront of people in a band just excites me so much, i miss it. but i guess i have to ask myself what has the higher success rate, i think here in australia the stats are like 1/100,000 musicians actually become well known..

Make sure you stay current on the generic certifications, and keep a good focus on the stuff you end up better at than your peers.

In other words, in your track, get a Network+ first. It's useless, but without it you will never get a job since it's on every firm's search engine.

2nd go CCNA. Maybe CCNP if you've got the time and access to the resources.

i have never heard of those certifications etc, like i said im in australia - so its different. i do however have a world known Certificate II & III Microsoft thing in Networking. i guess that counts towards something? when i finish uni i plan on doing the local TAFE degree (a more practical kind of Uni) for computing, and i also plan on doing Cisco training (because they are known world wide for their professionalism) + some extra Microsoft degrees.

Next, what part of networking do you specifically like? Do you want to focus on wireless, security, WANs, etc? A focus can help you work your way into some interesting places.
i really enjoy configuring networks, setting them up (wired or wireless, i dont care). i enjoy using Microsoft Server (as bulky and dull as it may seen, its quite easy to use) to maintain DNS, domain naming, user accounts and the like. both wireless & wired protocols really entice me, i dont know the exact workings of them but i would love to learn, and security seems to come with them so id enjoy learning that part too.. anything networking really! not so much 'tech support', i have done that and wasnt that fond of it.

also, i am intrigued by how computers work.. how hard drives write their data (at the polarity level not just the binary level), how RAM works, how images are rendered on the GPU.. etcetc

Do you want a job with potential travel? a 24x7 pager stuck to your hip? These are all the kinds of things to keep in mind as you choose what's next.
im not that keen on travelling 24/7, being on the move isnt me really. a pager stuck to my hip wouldnt give me much time with my GF, she would hate it and so would i, but if the money was right ....:p


Keep playing the drums though. Few ever make real money at it, but even if you don't, it's what makes you you.

oh i definetely will keep playing drums! its my whole soul and it makes me feel happy, im not as accurate as i once was but i can still do what i do best :p

I'm a hockey nut. If I can't play hockey (like now, in this godforsaken place), I'm miserable.
hockey as in ice-hockey? we dont have that there (no ice) we just play field hockey, and im left handed (for two handed sports) so i never got into it.

Good luck! And remember, there's no rush. You don't have to be a CCIE on Thursday. You've got time to wander, learn what you like, etc. Just make sure you're flexible. Get a passing knowledge of Windows administration, Linux as well. You don't have to be an ace, but when the downsizing hammer comes, you don't want to be the one-trick pony either.

excellent advice!! being versatile is the key point and you have nailed it spot on! i am extremely confident using Macs, i have grown up using them. i started using M$ when i was about 13 and i know my way around it very nicely. i think i will have to install both OSX server and M$ server again to become more confident again.

well I am going back to school to get something in IT industry. One advatage of IT is it is always advance at a very high right of speed so you have to keep learning.

i dont see how this can be an advantage haha, is it because others have to keep learning too and if you keep on top of it all then you will be sweet?

Drum while chances are not support you for a living it is worth it to keep playing because it something you enjoy doing. It lets out your stresses and hell it is just fun. It gives you a hobby outside of work. That is important to stay happy.

thats so true, i wont be giving up drumming anytime soon!!

In my opinion there's two types of people in this world. Those that get to make a living doing what they love and those that work a job to pay the bills and do what they love in their free time. People will argue one side over the other, but in truth it's up to you. I am a therapist and love being able to help other people. It's a passion, but unless I write a book, get into media (TV/Radio), or become an entrepreneur in my area (open a large practice and make money off of the other counselors I bring in) then I will never make big bucks. I have several friends who work business or medical jobs that they are not passionate about, but boy do they make a lot of money. And making that money makes their family life and "free time" interests more available and enjoyable. The point is there is no one "right" answer to your question. This is especially true because over the course of your life interests and priorities will change. Make the best decision you can and know that you can always change your mind later as your circumstances change.

very sound advice, thankyou. you just made me realise that asking for advice on what to do isnt really the best thing to do for my own personal situation, because only i can make that decision. but everyones opinion has helped to broaden my view on the choices i have.

im glad to hear that you are enjoying you job, do you have any plans to expand your business??

Respectfully, if you're still in school you don't know for sure what your "final career" is going to be.

true, but im very close to finishing uni, only got another year then im all done and will be seaching for money. i want to know my options!

I began college as an engineering undecided major, switched to aerospace engineering, then finished in mechanical engineering - so I never actually left the aerospace & mechanical department of the engineering college. I thought I'd go into engine design and power generation. Instead, I've spent the last 15 years working in building engineering.

wow ok, you went in 'blind'!? do you enjoy it? the unknown kind of scares me i guess, i like to know my options and take the one thats right for me..

I don't regret it, I'm good at it, and I've built up a pretty decent reputation for doing it well. But I chose it not because I thought I would love it, but because I thought I would be good at it.

ahh you answered, ok lol. right so the fact that you were good at it and could make money/reputation etc out-weighed your interest in it? fair enough, good on you.

I don't hate it or even dislike it, but it's far from exciting. And it's absolutely not what I thought I would be doing when I was in college.

its a far cry different from what you were looking at haha! have you thought about other options/paths you could go down? or are you comfortable where you are now?

I am the best

Period

Tax Law :cool:

tax law?? seems intense!! i could never put myself through law...

thanks for the input everyone! :D

I'm one of those who's had loads of trouble deciding a career and education. First of all, I've just now (graduated a couple of days ago actually) been able to finish High School (or our equivalent of it) to be able to go to University. Two years overdue.

congratulations are in order!! well done!

First of all, I'm problaby quite like you, with a passion for several things in life. I've been absolutely sure that the right thing has been acting, music, Law, design, anthropology, religion, lighting design, stage design... That's just the list of things I considered the past year.

wow that is quite an intensive list!! very broad too.

Choosing a career has been (at last for me) about weighing my interests to the ability to make a career (and eventually loads of cash) out of it. The wish of being successful has led me away from studying subjects like Political Science, Anthropology, Religion and Sociology. I decided about a month back to first go into Applied Computer Technology, then do my masters degree in Human-Machine Interaction. Hopefully I can build a business and a reputation in both designing and building new types of computers systems and web systems.

right ok so your motivation seems to be somewhat like mine. i would really like to be successful (with a generous (not too much) amount of money to let my GF be happy and my kids) in the area that i choose, whether it be from starting a business of my own or whatever.. i havent really decided yet.

The choice of what to do is very difficult, but is there a chance to go for something else if you find that what you chose in the first place isn't the right thing? It's pretty important that you're not doomed to do one thing after making a choice like this. :)

good point! however i have always known that i will be doing IT. i have a video of me typing on the computer at age 2, i would have spent at least 10hrs per day on the computer for the last 10 years, doing all sorts of things such as learning, gaming, socialising and whatnot so i always knew deep down. my passion for it is burning. but then again so is music.

hmm.. maybe i can be a nerd by day and a drummer by night? it could work.

[dalvin200]

i'd like to think i am good at what i do in my day job and also my family job :)

afterall, if i thought i wasn't then i'd be looking for a change, and someone would have told me by now...

[Heilage]

good point! however i have always known that i will be doing IT. i have a video of me typing on the computer at age 2, i would have spent at least 10hrs per day on the computer for the last 10 years, doing all sorts of things such as learning, gaming, socialising and whatnot so i always knew deep down. my passion for it is burning. but then again so is music.

hmm.. maybe i can be a nerd by day and a drummer by night? it could work.

Wouldn't the perfect life be doing both your passions? Let's face it, the music industry will destroy most people, both those who make and those who don't. You seem to be an avid computer nerd (in my head, nerd is a good thing). I see no reason why you can't work with computers as a day job, and play the music you love at night. Life isn't entirely about work and career, sometimes you gotta give yourself the time to do some hobbies too. Whatever that might be. :)


EDIT: Oh, and yes. That list is very broad. I'm person who is very hungry for knowledge and information. I've always wanted to understand society and the people around me. Mostly because I don't fit in. :P

[Eraserhead]

Poll please.

[DoFoT9]

i'd like to think i am good at what i do in my day job and also my family job :)

afterall, if i thought i wasn't then i'd be looking for a change, and someone would have told me by now...

you just made me realise another thing, family! that would most certainly be the most important thing in my life.. i guess i would have to find a job that is flexible in regards to that..

Wouldn't the perfect life be doing both your passions? Let's face it, the music industry will destroy most people, both those who make and those who don't. You seem to be an avid computer nerd (in my head, nerd is a good thing). I see no reason why you can't work with computers as a day job, and play the music you love at night. Life isn't entirely about work and career, sometimes you gotta give yourself the time to do some hobbies too. Whatever that might be. :)

it would be a life dream...really.. it would be amazing!

i wouldnt want to mix computers + music though.. its not me (i do love video production though)


EDIT: Oh, and yes. That list is very broad. I'm person who is very hungry for knowledge and information. I've always wanted to understand society and the people around me. Mostly because I don't fit in. :P

HAHA nice call, at least your honest and truthful :p knowledge is power, power runs your fridge.

Poll please.

poll added for ya buddy, i would like to add another poll about how much you like your job but its not possible :(

[Eraserhead]

poll added for ya buddy, i would like to add another poll about how much you like your job but its not possible :(

Thanks :).

[DoFoT9]

Thanks :).

thats cool, i hope the choices are sufficient!

[Heilage]

You should add a "yet" to that "Good but not well known" option. ;)

[DoFoT9]

You should add a "yet" to that "Good but not well known" option. ;)

i would if i knew how to edit it! haha

[toolbox]

I would like to think i am good at what i do being i have been at the same place for 5 years. I am a sys admin 15 + companies around town, some span 3 locations and are connected via VPNS, have 2 + servers these are either Windows or Unix servers. These are mainly Small Business server 2003 / Windows Server 2003 as terminal services. The unix boxes are FreeBSD which do Web, Mail, DNS, Spam and virus filtering. I do planning for customers, network upgrades, server installs / upgrades I look after these clients at work and i do it sometimes at home when it's needed.

Have done A+, MCP, Cert3 and Cert4 in IT.

When i am not doing the above, i get fix Acer, toshiba, HP, compaq, Apple's under warranty. Spyware / virus removal. Windows / Mac reinstalls with data transfers

[DoFoT9]

I would like to think i am good at what i do being i have been at the same place for 5 years. I am a sys admin 15 + companies around town, some span 3 locations and are connected via VPNS, have 2 + servers these are either Windows or Unix servers. These are mainly Small Business server 2003 / Windows Server 2003 as terminal services. The unix boxes are FreeBSD which do Web, Mail, DNS, Spam and virus filtering. I do planning for customers, network upgrades, server installs / upgrades I look after these clients at work and i do it sometimes at home when it's needed.

Have done A+, MCP, Cert3 and Cert4 in IT.

When i am not doing the above, i get fix Acer, toshiba, HP, compaq, Apple's under warranty. Spyware / virus removal. Windows / Mac reinstalls with data transfers

thanks for the input! you have quite a nice thing going there! is running 15+ companies hard? do you consider that to be around the maximum you could manage? are you happy with the sort of thing you are doing??

i could see me doing something like that, but maybe for one large company..

i am def thinking about doing A+ and MCP and cert4, they look like great qualifications to have!

if i may ask, what sort of income do you have?

[Decrepit]

On certifications...

Not sure what a Cert 3 or Cert 4 are, in the USA we don't have those.

But I have the following...

A+, Server+, Linux+
MCP: Windows 95, 2000, XP, Vista
MCSA: Windows 2000
RHCT: Red Hat Certified Technician on 4.0. I missed getting the MCSE by a smidge. AT $750.00/test, I wasn't motivated to retake it.

I'm hoping to have an MCITP: Server Administrator for Windows Server 2008 by the end of July.

Used to be cert'd to repair HP desktops, notebooks, workstations, but it's lapsed.

I would like to do a Cisco cert but am not in a hurry because 6 of my co-workers have them. I'm the only Linux/Mac guy, so I might finally go get the Apple certs. But VMware is going to be a big part of my life, so I should probably kill that one off first.

If you don't know VMware, learn it. Soon. It is on almost every job listing that I look at since many organizations are interested, but don't have the internal experience with it yet, so they're hoping to hire it in.

[tjsdaname]

im 15, and I would say im pretty damn successful. So far
I own my own lawn care business im a nighttime janitor on the side I also do some video editing for people

[Doctor Q]

I'm good at each of my jobs: one paid (as a programmer) and three volunteer. I like to learn new skills but I don't like doing a job that I'm clearly not good at it, so that leaves things a little awkward when I start something new, while I get up to speed. I've gotten a few awards and professional designations, but nothing resulting great fame or fortune. I've never gotten a programming certification and never needed to.

[Tomorrow]

ahh you answered, ok lol. right so the fact that you were good at it and could make money/reputation etc out-weighed your interest in it? fair enough, good on you.

It fell into my lap, actually. In the months before graduation, I had submitted several resumes and gone on some interviews and gotten no offers. One of my interviews was with the physical plant at the university, they were looking for a designer for HVAC, piping, plumbing, and lighting. I didn't think too much about it because I didn't have any experience - actual or academic.

A week after graduation while I was moping about without a job, I got a phone call with the offer from the physical plant. I didn't stay there long, only a year, but I've been in that field pretty much ever since.

So I didn't choose the path so much as it chose me. :)

its a far cry different from what you were looking at haha! have you thought about other options/paths you could go down? or are you comfortable where you are now?

I've sometimes wondered what might have been if I had chosen a different field, or what it would be like if I were to switch. I remembered the reason I switched from aerospace to mechanical was because the aerospace industry is very up-and-down, hard to break into, and you can still excel in that field even with a mechanical degree.

And at this point, I've been doing it for 15 years, gotten an MBA and have worked my way up to project management and some construction management and commissioning. Now my role is as the person the client sees as a "problem solver," which is a good feeling. I can't really imagine changing at this point.

[tayshon]

I think I'm good at my job, I'm a buyer at a college bookstore. I make that judgement on , when I started you could walk around campus and not see one sweatshirt or tee. Now four years later I see some of my first designs still going strong. I went to school to learn one thing came out doing something else and I love it, that's all that matters at the end of the day for me.

[DiamondMac]

tax law?? seems intense!! i could never put myself through law...


It isn't a job that someone just falls into

You have to WANT to do it

[mscriv]

very sound advice, thankyou. you just made me realise that asking for advice on what to do isnt really the best thing to do for my own personal situation, because only i can make that decision. but everyones opinion has helped to broaden my view on the choices i have.

im glad to hear that you are enjoying you job, do you have any plans to expand your business??

You are exactly right about asking other for their experiences and learning from them what you can. A true wise man learns from others.

I don't have any plans for expansion right now, mainly because I work for a pretty large company. We manage the treatment of and provide oversight for all of foster care and the children in state custody. So, basically I get to support foster care children and make sure they have everything they need to be healthy. It provides a solid income for now and gives me free time for family which is very important to me.

[Melrose]

I'd say I'm good at what I do.

My boss goes weeks without telling me to tweak something about my delivery - which has been very rare w employees in my position in the past - and I keep my listeners engaged and active.

Most importantly, I have fun doing what I do. It's a cool job and I think my enjoyment comes across.

[DoFoT9]

On certifications...

Not sure what a Cert 3 or Cert 4 are, in the USA we don't have those.

But I have the following...

A+, Server+, Linux+
MCP: Windows 95, 2000, XP, Vista
MCSA: Windows 2000
RHCT: Red Hat Certified Technician on 4.0. I missed getting the MCSE by a smidge. AT $750.00/test, I wasn't motivated to retake it.

I'm hoping to have an MCITP: Server Administrator for Windows Server 2008 by the end of July.

Used to be cert'd to repair HP desktops, notebooks, workstations, but it's lapsed.

hmm i was under the impression that Cert3 & Cert4 were sorta world wide ones, obviously not. they are Tafe certifications i think, very closely linked to MCP (which i wish to take) & MCSA.

the problem with taking these tests is taht you need money to do them! so for that you need good saving habits, and a nice income. i dont have the latter currently being at uni.. so its a bummer.

I would like to do a Cisco cert but am not in a hurry because 6 of my co-workers have them. I'm the only Linux/Mac guy, so I might finally go get the Apple certs. But VMware is going to be a big part of my life, so I should probably kill that one off first.

so would I, Cisco tests look and seem very relevant, i will definitely be attempting to save up and get some!!

If you don't know VMware, learn it. Soon. It is on almost every job listing that I look at since many organizations are interested, but don't have the internal experience with it yet, so they're hoping to hire it in.

im more of a parallels guy, does that count? ;) umm but yes i can use VMware quite easily, all that Virtual computing makes sense to me.. i can understand it and whatnot - unless there is something im missing..

thankyou for your input, you seem quite educated at what you do :)

im 15, and I would say im pretty damn successful. So far
I own my own lawn care business im a nighttime janitor on the side I also do some video editing for people

that is pretty successful! when i was 15 i did nothing but sports haha, do you have any idea where you will go from here?

I'm good at each of my jobs: one paid (as a programmer) and three volunteer. I like to learn new skills but I don't like doing a job that I'm clearly not good at it, so that leaves things a little awkward when I start something new, while I get up to speed. I've gotten a few awards and professional designations, but nothing resulting great fame or fortune. I've never gotten a programming certification and never needed to.

congratulations! what area of programming are you into?? i must say that i definitely DO NOT have a programming mind. i have been learning C++ and the whole concept of it is ok, its just putting it into practice that boggles me (the fact that im not good at maths doesnt help either) so there goes that idea.

in saying that, i would say that im not great at anything, but good at a whole different spectrum of things.

It fell into my lap, actually. In the months before graduation, I had submitted several resumes and gone on some interviews and gotten no offers. One of my interviews was with the physical plant at the university, they were looking for a designer for HVAC, piping, plumbing, and lighting. I didn't think too much about it because I didn't have any experience - actual or academic.

A week after graduation while I was moping about without a job, I got a phone call with the offer from the physical plant. I didn't stay there long, only a year, but I've been in that field pretty much ever since.

So I didn't choose the path so much as it chose me. :)

thats quite incredible how it all seemed to work out for you!! i have to say if i were in that situation i would probably accept it too and put up with it, if the benefits were sufficient.

I've sometimes wondered what might have been if I had chosen a different field, or what it would be like if I were to switch. I remembered the reason I switched from aerospace to mechanical was because the aerospace industry is very up-and-down, hard to break into, and you can still excel in that field even with a mechanical degree.

its very hard to see into the unknown, and i guess you will never know where you would have gone.. it sounds as though you have made some very nice contributions to the industry though, i commend you on that.. changing to aerospace does sound quite hard and time consuming, would you be up for it after feeling so comfortable in your current job?

And at this point, I've been doing it for 15 years, gotten an MBA and have worked my way up to project management and some construction management and commissioning. Now my role is as the person the client sees as a "problem solver," which is a good feeling. I can't really imagine changing at this point.

it would be quite rewarding i would say, to solve problems and stuff.. nice job :)

I think I'm good at my job, I'm a buyer at a college bookstore. I make that judgement on , when I started you could walk around campus and not see one sweatshirt or tee. Now four years later I see some of my first designs still going strong. I went to school to learn one thing came out doing something else and I love it, that's all that matters at the end of the day for me.

thats darn awesome to hear, and very interesting! its great that you love it. im only hoping that my job will intrigue me and interest me as much as yours :\

It isn't a job that someone just falls into

You have to WANT to do it

haha any law you have to WANT to do.. my friend is studying law, and does it suck!! i could never put myself through it tbh

You are exactly right about asking other for their experiences and learning from them what you can. A true wise man learns from others.

thats my exact reason for posting the thread, to hope that myself and others could possibly see one more angle which could open so many more opportunities with our career paths.. you never know :p

I don't have any plans for expansion right now, mainly because I work for a pretty large company. We manage the treatment of and provide oversight for all of foster care and the children in state custody. So, basically I get to support foster care children and make sure they have everything they need to be healthy. It provides a solid income for now and gives me free time for family which is very important to me.

state wide?? wow.. that seems like a very important and intense job! knowing that the kiddies are safe and healthy must be pretty rewarding, im not much of a "caring" person but even this gives me a nice smile.

seems like you are pretty busy, expanding mightnt give you as much time with each kid/family etc..

I'd say I'm good at what I do.

My boss goes weeks without telling me to tweak something about my delivery - which has been very rare w employees in my position in the past - and I keep my listeners engaged and active.

Most importantly, I have fun doing what I do. It's a cool job and I think my enjoyment comes across.

hmmm im trying to guess what you are, my guess is radio talkback host thingo?? the fact that you love the job is great!! good on ya :)

thanks to all for their contributions

DoFoT9

[toolbox]

thanks for the input! you have quite a nice thing going there! is running 15+ companies hard? do you consider that to be around the maximum you could manage? are you happy with the sort of thing you are doing??

i could see me doing something like that, but maybe for one large company..

i am def thinking about doing A+ and MCP and cert4, they look like great qualifications to have!

if i may ask, what sort of income do you have?

Yeah sometimes it can get hard managing them. Especially if there big sites that have VPNS and currently i have 3 of them. Which went off line on saturday ( there goes my day off!) or i have 3 or 4 of them ring with problems. Then it's about prioritizing which is the most important and get it fixed.

I could manage a lot more. Most of the stuff i do is remotely from the office / home. If i need to go on site i just sent one of the other staff out to there workplace to fix what ever it is that i can't do remotely.

Yep i am happy with the work i am doing, you learn something new everyday which is good in my book. I hate doing the same stuff everyday. Spyware and virus removal that is boring. My income is well complete LoL. I am doing the work of someone that has 10 + years of experience, and not getting enough for it and i am 22, i have a house to pay off

[DoFoT9]

Yeah sometimes it can get hard managing them. Especially if there big sites that have VPNS and currently i have 3 of them. Which went off line on saturday ( there goes my day off!) or i have 3 or 4 of them ring with problems. Then it's about prioritizing which is the most important and get it fixed.

I could manage a lot more. Most of the stuff i do is remotely from the office / home. If i need to go on site i just sent one of the other staff out to there workplace to fix what ever it is that i can't do remotely.

Yep i am happy with the work i am doing, you learn something new everyday which is good in my book. I hate doing the same stuff everyday. Spyware and virus removal that is boring. My income is well complete LoL. I am doing the work of someone that has 10 + years of experience, and not getting enough for it and i am 22, i have a house to pay off

only 22 seesh!! sure all the stress isnt going to make ya keel over haha!??!

i would be quite happy doing that kind of thing, maintaining things for a whole bunch of people i could do, i think. i would say that im quite good with communication and prioritising when i have loads of work to complete in a short period of time - customers normally like that haha!

i bet you are SO happy that remote desktop etc has been invented!! imagine having to always go to the site, mygod that would suck.. i use logmein.com & TeamViewer to remote into friends computers and such when they have problems, works a treat!!

i turned 20 today, in 2 years if i were in your situation i would be mighty proud and i think id love it, so good on ya.

[Melrose]

hmmm im trying to guess what you are, my guess is radio talkback host thingo?? the fact that you love the job is great!! good on ya :)

Disc Jockey, with the Afternoon Drive, yup. It's a blast. Once you conquer your fear of 30,000 people listening to every mistake you just loosen up and enjoy it. :D It's pretty cool, really. :cool:

[DoFoT9]

Disc Jockey, with the Afternoon Drive, yup. It's a blast. Once you conquer your fear of 30,000 people listening to every mistake you just loosen up and enjoy it. :D It's pretty cool, really. :cool:

yikes! that would be frightening at first, im not THAT confident speaking infront of people.. but give me a drum kit and thats another story (no talking involved haha).

not familiar with your radio stations and such being on the other side of the world but nice work!! is there a website i can listen to you on?? :p

[wywern209]

Do you count student as a job? i get As most of the time.

[DoFoT9]

Do you count student as a job? i get As most of the time.

were talking more about actual jobs/careers but go for it if you want haha!

[toolbox]

only 22 seesh!! sure all the stress isnt going to make ya keel over haha!??!

i would be quite happy doing that kind of thing, maintaining things for a whole bunch of people i could do, i think. i would say that im quite good with communication and prioritising when i have loads of work to complete in a short period of time - customers normally like that haha!

i bet you are SO happy that remote desktop etc has been invented!! imagine having to always go to the site, mygod that would suck.. i use logmein.com & TeamViewer to remote into friends computers and such when they have problems, works a treat!!

i turned 20 today, in 2 years if i were in your situation i would be mighty proud and i think id love it, so good on ya.

Yep 22 i feel very privileged to have this kind of job in a small town. Yes it can be stress full i suffer from anxiety so it's not fun but i just deal with it. Oh man yes remote desktop / VNC. Back before my time it was pc anyware and you had to use dial up modems with that software.

I am on call also, i had a client who was a health and fitness centre they would ring me at like 5am because something wasn't working but i get compensated if the phone goes off.

[tjsdaname]

that is pretty successful! when i was 15 i did nothing but sports haha, do you have any idea where you will go from here?

DoFoT9

well, I plan on taking my racing career as far as I can. hopefully to the pro ranks
if that dont work out, ill fall back on what I know.

[Doctor Q]

congratulations! what area of programming are you into?? i must say that i definitely DO NOT have a programming mind. i have been learning C++ and the whole concept of it is ok, its just putting it into practice that boggles me (the fact that im not good at maths doesnt help either) so there goes that idea.
I do business programming in procedural languages. Which language it is changes over time (everything from assembly language to C to Java), based on the best tool for the job. I've written numeric programs, simulation programs, logic programs, string manipulation programs, AI programs, and other types, in many different programming languages, but many of them as hobby projects instead of as paid work.

One thing I've concluded is that the most important skill you learn in school (especially college) is the ability to learn new skills. Particularly in the computer science field, no specific skill with hardware, software, systems, networking, etc. is going to stay current. The field is fluid and your skill set must be as well.

[DoFoT9]

Yep 22 i feel very privileged to have this kind of job in a small town. Yes it can be stress full i suffer from anxiety so it's not fun but i just deal with it. Oh man yes remote desktop / VNC. Back before my time it was pc anyware and you had to use dial up modems with that software.

tough break man that sucks, sorry to hear that. im fine with one-on-one interaction, as long as i know what im talking about (if its about computers i generally do).

the stuff you would learn being directly in your area would be practical! id love it! it would get annoying though.. getting calls from people because their document wont print or something because of some silly reason would argh me.

I am on call also, i had a client who was a health and fitness centre they would ring me at like 5am because something wasn't working but i get compensated if the phone goes off.

well that would suck!! i think you need to loose ties with them gym people :p im a night crawler, but i can live off no sleep. 5hrs is enough for me :)

[Schtumple]

I guess that's the combo of video editing, music making and photography, all of which I'm very much average at. I wish I was much better, but it's just not happening

[DoFoT9]

its very hard to keep up with everyone sorry if i miss somebody!!

I do business programming in procedural languages. Which language it is changes over time (everything from assembly language to C to Java), based on the best tool for the job. I've written numeric programs, simulation programs, logic programs, string manipulation programs, AI programs, and other types, in many different programming languages, but many of them as hobby projects instead of as paid work.

wow, thats incredible!! i just cant fathom that people can actually learn more then the one language at a time.. i have done assembly, C++ and java at uni - i found assembly the most interesting (anything binary level/near binary level interests me, as bad as i may be at implementing it), high level languages were just boring and i suck at them.

One thing I've concluded is that the most important skill you learn in school (especially college) is the ability to learn new skills. Particularly in the computer science field, no specific skill with hardware, software, systems, networking, etc. is going to stay current. The field is fluid and your skill set must be as well.

thats very sound advice, with IT being so volatile its hard to stay current.. i dont know how i am going to conker that, especially if i want to be at the "top of the game". i guess in regards to networking the protocols havent really changes, just the hardware that utilises them.

well, I plan on taking my racing career as far as I can. hopefully to the pro ranks
if that dont work out, ill fall back on what I know.

wow racing!! nice area!! what form of racing is that?

I guess that's the combo of video editing, music making and photography, all of which I'm very much average at. I wish I was much better, but it's just not happening

nothing wrong with those areas, they normally all go hand in hand and are quite necessary to the music industry. i love video editing too :) just wish i had the proper tools for the job.

[tjsdaname]

wow racing!! nice area!! what form of racing is that?




I race quad motocross

[DoFoT9]

I race quad motocross

ahh excellent! was that you who posted in part 3 of the pictures thread?? should of put two and two together. you looked very professional! nice job

[tjsdaname]

ahh excellent! was that you who posted in part 3 of the pictures thread?? should of put two and two together. you looked very professional! nice job

yep, that's me!

and thanks!

[Decrepit]

hmm i was under the impression that Cert3 & Cert4 were sorta world wide ones, obviously not. they are Tafe certifications i think, very closely linked to MCP (which i wish to take) & MCSA.

the problem with taking these tests is taht you need money to do them! so for that you need good saving habits, and a nice income. i dont have the latter currently being at uni.. so its a bummer.

so would I, Cisco tests look and seem very relevant, i will definitely be attempting to save up and get some!!

im more of a parallels guy, does that count? ;) umm but yes i can use VMware quite easily, all that Virtual computing makes sense to me.. i can understand it and whatnot - unless there is something im missing..

thankyou for your input, you seem quite educated at what you do :)

DoFoT9

I wouldn't worry about certs until you graduate. But look at each one as an investment. For $125 USD, you are putting an acronym on your resume that a competitor in the job market might not have. And while they may become outdated, few firms stay on the bleeding edge. So even though Server 2008 is out, most companies are still running Server 2003. Etc.

When you find your first tech job, work with your manager to get them to reimburse you for every certification exam that you pass. You are proving yourself more competent by passing them and making yourself more valuable to the firm. While you might not get a raise out of it, the next place you jump to might listen when you ask for a better salary or signing bonus. And in the mean time, you're getting the certs paid for. Just make sure you pass them the first time. :p

Something to keep in mind. With few exceptions, no business will be loyal to you. You need to always look out for your best interests. Ethics are key. Don't take a job and leave it 30 days later. But don't stay in one for 5 years of hell just because you're afraid to look elsewhere. Never have an out of date resume. (says the guy who needs to update his again...)

[DoFoT9]

I wouldn't worry about certs until you graduate. But look at each one as an investment. For $125 USD, you are putting an acronym on your resume that a competitor in the job market might not have. And while they may become outdated, few firms stay on the bleeding edge. So even though Server 2008 is out, most companies are still running Server 2003. Etc.

right ok, so ill forget about the extra training for now and save that for later, excellent.

i understand that businesses keep their old technologies that still work.. it saves them money and ensures that everything runs nice and fast - especially when the latest upgrades dont really do much apart from eye candy (vista ha). im not particularly worried about 2008 server just yet, its still a long way away from being the popular version. my training has been with 2003, i feel that it would be the most mainstream currently.

When you find your first tech job, work with your manager to get them to reimburse you for every certification exam that you pass. You are proving yourself more competent by passing them and making yourself more valuable to the firm. While you might not get a raise out of it, the next place you jump to might listen when you ask for a better salary or signing bonus. And in the mean time, you're getting the certs paid for. Just make sure you pass them the first time. :p

good advice! get them to pay for it!! eheh. i should be right passing the exams, if it interests me i normally go beyond what is required to be learnt.. if it doesnt interest me well thats another story!

Something to keep in mind. With few exceptions, no business will be loyal to you. You need to always look out for your best interests. Ethics are key. Don't take a job and leave it 30 days later. But don't stay in one for 5 years of hell just because you're afraid to look elsewhere. Never have an out of date resume. (says the guy who needs to update his again...)

so basically, if im not happy - move on? make the business work for me, not work for the business type thing??

thanks for your advice, very informational.

oh: i also plan on getting some apple certificates/training, that will help me right? apple seems to becoming slightly more noticeable now, with very few people trained in using/managing them.

ohoh: i will probably have to move from where i currently live too, my town is about 4,000 people. 30min drive north is where the action is (the "Gold Coast"). anybody have some experience with moving away from home for a job? how did that work out?

[Decrepit]

right ok, so ill forget about the extra training for now and save that for later, excellent.

i understand that businesses keep their old technologies that still work.. it saves them money and ensures that everything runs nice and fast - especially when the latest upgrades dont really do much apart from eye candy (vista ha). im not particularly worried about 2008 server just yet, its still a long way away from being the popular version. my training has been with 2003, i feel that it would be the most mainstream currently.

good advice! get them to pay for it!! eheh. i should be right passing the exams, if it interests me i normally go beyond what is required to be learnt.. if it doesnt interest me well thats another story!

so basically, if im not happy - move on? make the business work for me, not work for the business type thing??

thanks for your advice, very informational.

oh: i also plan on getting some apple certificates/training, that will help me right? apple seems to becoming slightly more noticeable now, with very few people trained in using/managing them.

ohoh: i will probably have to move from where i currently live too, my town is about 4,000 people. 30min drive north is where the action is (the "Gold Coast"). anybody have some experience with moving away from home for a job? how did that work out?

I'm just saying that you don't need to slave away for a company that doesn't treat you well. Take the opportunities and be flexible no matter what the situation. I was the only single guy on my team and that got me paid trips to Seattle, San Francisco, Memphis (TN), Atlanta (GA), Grenoble France, and so on. If I acted like I hated my life at work, I wouldn't have gotten those travel opportunities.

On Apple certs, I'd hold way back unless you end up at a firm that repairs them. Otherwise, it won't help in most corporate environments. That might change some day, but I don't see it coming soon. If Apple were to drop the bottom out of the price of the Mini and a Macbook model, it would be another story. Nearly every company I work with has a few Macs in the marketing/art departments, but they are always a clique, and don't want grubby IT people touching their systems even if it is to give them access to network storage, etc.

And I've moved over 500 miles away from where I used to live for work a few times. I can be a loner, so leaving people isn't too hard on me. I grew up as an Air Force Brat, which means I've lived coast to coast and border to border in the USA. I've never had long term friendships, and don't think I've known anybody for more than 5 years ever. So that makes moving for work a lot easier for me.

[DoFoT9]

I'm just saying that you don't need to slave away for a company that doesn't treat you well. Take the opportunities and be flexible no matter what the situation. I was the only single guy on my team and that got me paid trips to Seattle, San Francisco, Memphis (TN), Atlanta (GA), Grenoble France, and so on. If I acted like I hated my life at work, I wouldn't have gotten those travel opportunities.

right ok i understand now. im sure that once i find the right job many opportunities will come up. if i dont enjoy it i can always move on.

On Apple certs, I'd hold way back unless you end up at a firm that repairs them. Otherwise, it won't help in most corporate environments. That might change some day, but I don't see it coming soon. If Apple were to drop the bottom out of the price of the Mini and a Macbook model, it would be another story. Nearly every company I work with has a few Macs in the marketing/art departments, but they are always a clique, and don't want grubby IT people touching their systems even if it is to give them access to network storage, etc.

you reckon?? i thought they would be a nice handy cert to have, just incase. the training would interest me, anything on a mac is easy. i guess growing up with their way of life helps me to understand it better and interact on a level that less knowledgeable people cant grasp. (at times anyway)

And I've moved over 500 miles away from where I used to live for work a few times. I can be a loner, so leaving people isn't too hard on me. I grew up as an Air Force Brat, which means I've lived coast to coast and border to border in the USA. I've never had long term friendships, and don't think I've known anybody for more than 5 years ever. So that makes moving for work a lot easier for me.

i used to be able to relate to you in regards to this, i could completely disregard all emotions that i felt. after having a solid GF for two years i have sort of changed.. its annoying but its very rewarding. if the company i worked for gave me the chance to travel for work then yea of course id say yes, but i would most certainly miss my girl. the reward monetary wise would make up for that in some respects i guess :):)

[Melrose]

not familiar with your radio stations and such being on the other side of the world but nice work!! is there a website i can listen to you on?? :p

We get asked that a lot, and while we do have a website we don't stream our broadcasts (as much as I'd like to have my friends in other parts of the US be able to listen) because the owner pays a license for broadcasting the music on both an FM and an AM channel - which they count as twice. He'd have to pay an additional license for the streaming, not to mention the bandwidth cost he'd have to pay to the hosting company. Being as it'd be a royal PIA to track/sell ads for each, it wouldn't really be cost-effective. So, at this point, we don't stream online.

Occasionally we do sportscasts, but that's not me it's our sports guy.

[DoFoT9]

We get asked that a lot, and while we do have a website we don't stream our broadcasts (as much as I'd like to have my friends in other parts of the US be able to listen) because the owner pays a license for broadcasting the music on both an FM and an AM channel - which they count as twice. He'd have to pay an additional license for the streaming, not to mention the bandwidth cost he'd have to pay to the hosting company. Being as it'd be a royal PIA to track/sell ads for each, it wouldn't really be cost-effective. So, at this point, we don't stream online.

Occasionally we do sportscasts, but that's not me it's our sports guy.

ahh ok well thats understandable. it wouldnt be cheap trying to broadcast on two different channels i bet! i didnt know that you had to pay for a license to stream.. seems wierd but anyway.

in regards to streaming, i was under the impression that you gave out one stream and each person just "attached" themselves to the stream if they wanted to watch, somewhat like satellite TV, they dont stream a few million copies of the same show at the same time, just the one copy..

good to hear you like your job but :)

[steve2112]

I wouldn't worry about certs until you graduate. But look at each one as an investment. For $125 USD, you are putting an acronym on your resume that a competitor in the job market might not have. And while they may become outdated, few firms stay on the bleeding edge. So even though Server 2008 is out, most companies are still running Server 2003. Etc.

When you find your first tech job, work with your manager to get them to reimburse you for every certification exam that you pass. You are proving yourself more competent by passing them and making yourself more valuable to the firm. While you might not get a raise out of it, the next place you jump to might listen when you ask for a better salary or signing bonus. And in the mean time, you're getting the certs paid for. Just make sure you pass them the first time. :p

Something to keep in mind. With few exceptions, no business will be loyal to you. You need to always look out for your best interests. Ethics are key. Don't take a job and leave it 30 days later. But don't stay in one for 5 years of hell just because you're afraid to look elsewhere. Never have an out of date resume. (says the guy who needs to update his again...)

This is so true. Many firms offer reimbursement for certs, and it is a great benefit. Yeah, it might not mean an immediate raise (though I have worked places that had designated raises for certain certs), it is always a good career booster. I even suffered through a few certs I didn't like (HP Printers, bleh) just so I could talk employers into paying for stuff I wanted. Just beware, though. Many places have clauses that make you agree to stay for a certain amount of time if they pay for a test. So, if you are planning on leaving soon, don't get them to pay for something.

Like Decrepit said, many places stick with what works. Sometimes this is good, and sometimes it's bad. My employer, for example, is just now switching to Vista. We haven't even switched to Exchange 2007 yet, and I read that Exchange 2010 is about to go to beta. When you have a huge network, it gets very expensive and time consuming to change anything. Oh yeah, Decrepit was right about a couple of other things: the CCNA is essential, and VMWare is cool and in huge demand. (Not VMWare Fusion, but VMWare ESX server). Their cert sucks, though, since you have to go to their class to get the cert. Oh yeah, Decrepit: Don't feel bad. I didn't pass the CCNA until the third attempt. I missed it by two points once.

Sorry to be so long winded here. Just one more thing: Don't stress out if you don't know which path to take. I got my degree in history, and I bounced around for a bit until I decided to turn my hobby into a career. So now, I'm a computer geek with lots of useless knowledge in several subjects. :)

[63dot]

childhood - better than average student, pretty good hobbyist model builder

teens - just average student, better than average guitar player and beginner songwriter

20s - poor college student, improved on guitar and songwriting and took up landscaping and was consistent but not natural green thumb at first

30s - strong college/grad school student, decent IT person, guitar playing went downhill from lack of practice

40s - guitar playing getting better, took up skateboarding and suck at it but enjoy it very much and it's the most challenging thing since I have no natural ability at it compared to younger set

Overall, I would say I am an average Joe since I never really took up my first love, music, to a professional level, nor did I study music in college. The rest of my activities have been jobs and school, with the goal of getting things done OK and on time without great need to procrastinate. What's been liberating is that I no longer think that I am something way out of the ordinary musically since I play and sing just OK, so now I can enjoy it and not feel like I have to compete.

From literally hundreds of local musicians I have met, worked with, and watched in my county of 300,000 people, I have only seen one reach any national attention and break the top 200 charts a few times. However, for such a large county geographically, but rather small population wise, it was a treat for musicians and fans to have two top 10 American Idol finalists join the same church in town and join the choir. Church went from 40 people to over 4,000 people and got national attention. Even non religious people, but rampant American Idol fans, drive from all over to see them sing. BTW, their names are Mandisa and George Huff, so that was surreal for two pretty big names to hang out in such a rural area. If somebody like Adam Lambert or Ruben Studdard, or a real established musical superstar, moved here and joined some choir or long term theater project, it would literally clog our small roadways. :)

We have had a famous writer John Steinbeck, filmmaker and screenwriter Luis Valdez, and a pretty famous PGA golfer in the 1980s, but otherwise, really good and nationally known people in their field do not usually come from here or get "discovered" here as we are just collections of sleepy hamlets between ambitious SF and LA.:rolleyes:

[DoFoT9]

hate to bring back an old thread......

... but im tired of working at a grocery store. im taking this up a notch, i reapplied at the new Apple store near us. and i am searching around for other jobs.

i would really love to look for some networking"ish" jobs to improve my knowledge, but where do i look :confused:

should i approach independent businesses?

:)