What would you do?

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I need some advice.

I have a degree in computer science (pure programming) and i like programming. The plan was to graduate and get a job as a junior programmer somewhere.
But after i graduated, i found it hard to get into an IT job and had to take a job in a crappy call center.
While there i decided to get some professional qualifications so i signed up with computeach.

At the time of signing i didnt know which course plan to take so we decided that i would start with the A+ and then have a choice to doing either the MCSE or C#.NET.

Now, 2 years ago, while still studying for the A+ i managed to get a job as an IT technician in a smallish company. I am due to take my A+ exam next week and after i pass i need to decide whether to start the MCSE or .NET course.

Ideally i would like to do the .NET course because i want to get into programming, but even if i do complete it soon, i have no commercial experience so it would be hard for me to get a job.

If i go down the MCSE route, i already have a solid grounding in all the technologies from my job and have 2 years exp, so it would be easier for me to move into a better job.

Even thought i do enjoy the hardware side of things, i enjoy software more.


So what would you do in this situation? risk it and go for programming, or stick with what you are have a good foundation in and go down the hardware route?

 

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Go for what you want to do and what is going to make you happy. BTW unless you have experience in administering a mulituser/server environment you shouldn't be going for the MCSE anyway and it could make finding a job harder as it is supposed to be for people who have the experience professionally.

I'd go for the programming if I were you.

 

If you have a good computer science degree you should have no problem landing a junior programmers position. There is a reported shortage of Comp Sci graduates according to a BCS presentation I watched recently.

You may need to relocate around the country to find work, unfortunately IT is a niche profession in many areas of the country.

This is especially true for programming as relatively few companies require new systems to be created.

 

I think you should go for what you're most interested in and judging from you thread it seems you're more keen towards IT infrastructure.

If you can start of with the MCP and then the MCSA, then start applying for 1st/2nd line support role and work your way from there. Best wishes

 

The job i am in now is multiuser/server environment (150 users over 2 sites + home workers). and i support this alone! i would say that i have enough experience in this.

everything i do is MCSE related.

 

ok, but is studying for 7 exams for a career where you are not interested in worth the cost and effort?

Go for the programming if thats what you want.

 

I got a job as a junior programmer after uni, I still keep in contact with my old employer who is always on the look out. They normally go for Maths or Physics graduates but I still applied.

I left because it wasn't for me as a full-time job, although i still program its more of a hobby and the odd script. Although saying that i still do a lot around databases (SQL, PHP, VB, Crystal Reports, Mysql etc)

I personally prefer network administration, in fact a admin job for a small company would be my ideal job at the moment.

anyway, where are you located?

 

You actually have to make up your mind on which path to follow which is either programming or system administration. You sound to really have a thing for programming but there you are administering on systems. We excel very well when we do things that we have strong interest in because that is amotivation factor Since you are in an MCSE job related, if along the line you feel its what you really need to do, then you should start studying so as to get your certs since you are already having the commercial experience.. Good luck

 

Its an old post, but I thought I'd throw my hat in after reading another thread of yours. Dont be disheartened by the lack of progress into a Development job. At school you are sold a degree as a sure fire way to get into a good job. But its not always.

A colleague at work came more or less straight from his degree (via a callcentre) into a junior developer role here. I on the other hand, worked here in a different department and got to know the development team. I managed to get a chance to prove my worth to them, then left for another company as a full time developer (I used my time in the non-development job getting minor development tasks using vbscript mainly). After 9 months im back at the old company again, as a developer for the team that I developed a relationship with previously.

I have no qualifications, no relevant IT certifications (yet). Its all done on my ability and my relationship with the people. Start small if you must. Write a mini app in your spare moments to achieve something you need to do on a regular basis. Ask for advice from the developers in your company (if there are any).

More so however (and partly because you have a degree). Keep looking for the development roles. You will find one willing to take you on sooner or later. But dont stop looking for it.