Sir Kenyth |
04-02-2002 03:34 PM |
IT seemed such a lucrative field when I first entered it. Everyone wanted and needed computer savvy people. Even relatively inexperienced ones like me at that point. Now, years later, when I'm competetive, I'm still at the same basic level. The job market is saturated and employers are jaded because of all the money they spent on Y2K preparation. I didn't realize how many businesses were disgusted by computer systems and the maintenance cost. They are also disgusted by "Boot-Camp" trained and certified IT employees who hardly knew how to load software.
There's something that ticks me off! The people who made my certifications and training somewhat meaningless! The schools and students dedicated to circumventing the test process and sending untrained candidates into the job market. Here's what they do. First they send people to take the tests and fail. Their job is to remember as many of the questions as they can. They write down the questions as soon as they get out of the test. The school uses these as a guideline for a curriculum based on memorizing answers without comprehending them. Then enroll a bunch of people who have never touched a computer outside the mouse and keyboard memorize the answers and immediately take the test. Some pass by chance, others fail. Now start the whole process over again. How would you feel as an employer if you just hired a guy who had the certification blessings of the industry standard, and then he stands there playing with the computer like a chimp! Completely clueless as to what to do. No wonder they don't trust certified techs anymore! Let's face it. Most HR people don't know the details of the jobs they are hiring for. They trust diplomas and certifications to guide them in assessing your skill. If they're burned by a certain credential once, they wont trust it again.
It seems everywhere I look around here, all I see is underemployed or unemployed IT people! Many businesses don't even keep an on-site technician anymore! Even the local ISP only hires one fully trained network technician. All the other employees are $9 an hour and 16 hour class trained phone answerers! The only thing saving me is I have a couple unique tertiary skills and I got my name around in the right circles. I'm still not working at the level I should be at and it doesn't look like I'll have the chance soon. I'm certainly disillusioned about this "lucrative" field now! All I can do is keep spending money on education, fight for as much experience as I can get in the job place and contemplate moving to a metropolitan area like Chicago.
Wow! What a rant huh? Hopefully things look up soon.
[ 04-02-2002, 03:48 PM: Message edited by: Sir Kenyth ]
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