Reality check time

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Pity about the ending.

 

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Cockles maybe getting the A+ will help you in the future.

I am also in print production, I work in the computer to plate department monitoring pdf workflow, pairing pages and resizing images wether through remaking pdf or doing eps imaging etc. I bloody hate it thats why I want to get more into IT amd once my debts are done (4 more payments to go) then I am going to be looking a lot more.

 

I hope to. Another stumbling block I had was the timing, as when I started, it was a few months away from changing to the 2007 objectives. I tried to study intently to pass on the 2003 but at the same time I got my new job and that took most of my time. It certainly does seem to be a helpful thing to have

 

Cool hope it goes well for you, I hope to do my exams in March near to when my debts are finished then when I start sending out my CV I can have the A+ cert on it, I should also find out if I have the PDI+ which I took months ago.

 

I think there are a lot of us here in the same boat, trying to get a foot on the property ladder and earning a decent wage that pays for the cost of living! It's not ok just to say I am in it just for job satisfaction, because most of us would find it difficult if we earn a low wage or nothing at all. In the real world you need a decent wage to live

Cockles - good luck with your studies and getting a property

 

Thanks chap

It really is a shame that in quite a few cases, what you really want to do just doesn't bring home the bacon. My missus for example, she works in the auction world in contemporary art and musical instruments and loves it. Sounds lovely, but - as people keep pointing out to her - she can earn a lot more as someone's PA, but she just doesn't want to do that. The amount of people I know who are estate agents, recruitment consultants etc who earn a packet but literally dread every day is astounding. I just can't do that.

 

Maybe so mate, but what about doing a job you hate for huge pay packet - if it was only for a year. Then that way you could get onto the property ladder. My mate was in the same boat and he loved his job in IT but was offered a better paid job in Banking. He did it for 2 years and bought his first house after 6 months and saving up a stack of cash, quit his job and went back into his old job in IT.

I think you have to sit down and ask yourself what is important in life right now.

 

Thats a good point, my job at the moment pays a lot more probably than my first IT job will hopefully if I cant find a job around here the money I get paid will help me relocate. Although it wont get me a deposit for a house or on the property ladder but if I can save enough it'll help me with rent etc.

 

Hang on a minute, think you might have the wrong end of the stick here. The job I'm doing at the moment is adequate, and I like it. I won't be spilling out of Chinawhites with a WAG on my arm and straight into a DB9 being chauffeured by Alan Sugar at the moment, but it's enough to get by and enough for our goals at present. Like I mentioned, that was one thing that prevented me from making the comittment to try and find full-time employment in IT in that I would have most probably had to have made a pay cut that would mean myself and the other half won't be able to do what we wanted to do. Granted, could have done it, been patient, and maybe it would have paid off. I may still try, who knows, but it was a risk i couldn't take at the time.

 

Cockles - you crack me up with thoses expression (WAG on my Arm) classic!

My point i am trying to make is sometimes we have to make sacafices just to get somewhere/something in life. Fair play as you said you are in a position you like and pays well. But in a earlier post you mention some friends who were estate agents and earning buckets of spondoolies.

If your happy with what you've got then fair play to you mate,

 

Well said mate, your an inspiration to us all

 

Why thank you UCM, I do try.

That's true, and some do earn a lot, but they hate it, every day is a chore just to get through, and I personally just can't do that. I have done it before with previous jobs (worked at the D@ily MAil to get me through uni, and I absolutely hated it) and feel like I have done my 'time'.

 

Good for you! How's the band going? Do you still play the guitar

 

What is your motivation for doing so?

Job Satisfaction and job location

Have you been lured by a TP's promise of a guaranteed job with loads of £££s?

Yes more than once, luckly I saw the light at CF

Are you doing it because you love the technology that you are using and just want to learn more?

Ohh tricky, Hmm..not sure about that one, I just love what I am doing at the moment and when I start to hate it I know it will be time move on.

Or has your employer offered to pay for the courses so you can gain more experience?

No, My employer pays for the exam fees, but only if I pass, I have to pay for the books.

There is one TP who advertises on the TV at the moment that I would love to go to their offices and throttle the marketing guy for feeding the masses with such BS

Does the TP have the initials CT? Because if it does you have to get into the que mate and it's a long one! .

 

It's like most things on TV, it starts off good, they make too many and run out of ideas

I wonder if they will do a remake of the prisoner? Does any one know?

 

I did hear of some rumours about an updated series and/or a film but it looks like its not going to happen. Half the charm of the program is the gigantic punch-in computers, grainy footage and silly blazers. I'm not too sure if a remake would do it justice, the money would probably come from a large American film company and number 6 would probably be played Vin bloody Diesel or some twerp like that


You can read more about this at the unbelievably geeky website six-of-one HERE

EDIT: apparently ITV now reported to be making a new Prisoner six-parter........hmmm

 

Agreed.. also the charm of the excellent music and without the brilliant Patrick McGoohan, i doubt it would be as good.

 

Well, if certs without any professional experience drives people crazy, then hop into the Fortch Bus.

I attained all of my certs by building my lab (without VMs!) and self-studying, often using a thick book (Minasi!) for main content, and an EC2 for refresher before testing. All without a real IT job. That's right....A+ and Network+ before I even had an IT job, then landed a NOC Tech job for 6 months with a webhost going out of business. After getting another job, outside of IT, for a year, I passed the MCSA and MCSE -- all the while putting the time in for several hours after my full time job.

Why? I had little choice. If I wanted to make a career change, I had to find a way of putting in the time. Of course, I knew that just passing exams wasn't gonna cut it, since I'd worked with, hired, and fired supposedly 'qualified' technicians for years. Now, I was walking into a new career blind -- but I was gonna learn as much as possible in the meantime. To be honest, I did kinda have a PC Tech side business for years, but I never made much money on it, mostly because I just loved doing it. Strange, huh?

So now, I'm hearing a lot of talk about certs w/o experience, and while I know I'm a bit of an exception, I still get a little defensive (perhaps unwarranted). I guess I'll have to accept that I'm probably the best paper-MCSE in the business (I don't work with AD even now, unfortunately). Sadly, that only puts me above the level of braindumper in some people's eyes. Hmm..oh well, I've always taken the wrong road to get places, so why change now?

 

No way fortch. I challenge you.. I am probably a better paper MCSE than you

 

Oh great, thanks Bluerinse -- I can't even be the best pMCSE. I guess I can settle for second best... especially since I'm younger than you