Calling all Specialists

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Hi Gents (and ladies)

I'm just wanting, for my own benefit and that of others if some of the specialists here (the really experienced ones that have gone from doing IT Support to a single specialism such as SAP, SAGE Consulting or BCP Consultancy etc, you get the idea) could share how their journey went.

Bri has already shared with me how he ended up as a Project Manager in Belgium, but I would like to hear everyone elses tales because I am struggling to see exactly how I could end up specialised, I want to possibly do something with disaster recovery or IT Strategy (not sure how viable that is).

What are the most common specialisms? the most sought after now (virtualisation no doubt)? the most rare (IE the ones that there are hardly any of, but they command a fortune)?

Just evaluating my long term goals is all guys any shared would be really appreciated.

 

A specialization is something I am considering as well actually... but of course I have to gain more experience. At the end of the day I figure everyone gets there with different paths. I wouldn't say there is one specific way of doing this, but more of taking chances here and there.

 

LOL - I've 'specialised' in three different areas, but I couldn't tell you how I made the 'journey' into any of them

I started out in databases - although I was 'officially' a systems admin I was a junior, then 'real' DBA for two years, working exclusively on SQL Server 7 & 2000. I drifted into that after I had a complete career change (I worked in a research library then became a Trade Union official!). Up until I moved into IT (over ten years ago) I'd never considered it as a career.

I got bored with it and did a few systems engineer (server & network admin mainly) roles, but also project managed a chip & pin rollout for a major UK supermarket (engineering eam leader, promoted to project manager because I knew all the stunts the lazy bas***ds would pull out in the field). Eventually decided I wanted to do security, so was a security engineer for a police force - again, just decided I wanted to do it and the role fell into my lap about a week after I started looking.

Got bored with that as well after a couple of years, and decided I wanted to work in virtualisation. Guess what? First role I looked at was the job I'm currently in - been here three nearly years and not bored yet (maybe I've found my specialisation this time round!)

I think the best advice is just to find something that interests you and soak yourself in it. I read everything I could enterprise virtualisation after being blown away completely by a joint HP\VMWare presentation. Trust me, when something grabs you like it did me, you'll know it!

If you;re interested in DR, then get yourself on some BCP workshops, attend some seminars and start looking at the DR/BCP infrastructure where you work. Be warned though - BCP was part of my remit at the old bill and I steered clear of it as much as possible - yawnsome amounts of paperwork!