korky122
Dec 6 2005, 01:30 PM
i just wanted to know how successful you were finding a job. i plan on getting my a+ when i finish this course in july. i live in the philadelphia area. how is the pay.
thanks
Lazarus Long
Dec 7 2005, 12:06 AM
Having been in tech since '92, I can tell you that the industry is vicious. The A+ is just the start.
If you are looking for a stable well-paying career, then you should go into the public sector. Things were great for a few years before the Millennium, but after 7 layoffs ( I hope the guys in Mexico, Indonesia and India are enjoying my former positions) in 14 months...I'm just now getting back on my feet and I have a family to support. Lost everything but my marriage.
On the plus side, the technology is an ever-evolving thing with the potential for massive growth with the right market (and, conversely, the old products that gave you that good job are gone...), and the knowledge that is available to you is overwhelming.
If it isn't, you're not digging deep enough.
On the last, NO ONE knows the HW or SW like the techs that have to support it. Engineers make a ton, but the products they make are designed and assembled by committee; not one of them knows the product like the tech that has to support it...
There is a big difference between knowledge and understanding.
I would suggest to help yourself getting the A+, build more than one computer, and install the last few Microsoft OS's (from 9x to XP including NT 4.0) to really understand all of the intricacies involved.
Last, NEVER stop learning. This site is a good place to start, but don't stop here...
-Lazarus Long
Don't know how the market is in Philly but I can tell
you that here in Dallas most tech jobs start around $10 per hour.
I do repair work and charge ~$35 hr and when I do contract
work for system audits and penetration testing it's ~$55-$75 hr.
The only certification I hold is Unix System Administration.
Not to say A+ is bad, but most employers want A+, Network+ and MCSE.
I've also seen support positions requiring a bachelors degree.
And like Lazarus said "never stop learning", try to be as diverse as you can,
this makes you more valuable to an employer.