As I started to write this, the quote from Taken popped into my head: I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don’t have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career.
While we have many IT professionals in our community that actively pursued a degree and career in Information Technology, we also know many of our members stumbled into it. It was often simply because they were the most computer literate in their organization (and knew to reboot three times, always three times!).
When we asked this question years ago, a little over 40% of our members knew they wanted to be in IT. In contrast, the other 60% were almost split down the middle between accidentally coming into the profession or knowing they wanted to be in tech but unsure what their career would ultimately be.
Vote in the poll below so we can see if that has changed. It is also your chance to share your story about how you ended up in IT, so post that below.
Did you intentionally pursue a career in IT?
- Yes, I specifically studied for and pursued a career in IT
- No, I stumbled into IT by accident
- Sort of as I knew I would end up working in tech but nothing specific
107 Spice ups
I was a sound engineer for more than a decade before moving to IT.
Got sick of the sound engineer lifestyle, drugs and parties and all that stuff did not fit with my new role as a family head. So I swapped up.
15 years later I’m still pushing these buttons. Seriously considering swapping up again and maybe doing something else like environmental science.
16 Spice ups
I also came into the industry through Sound Engineering. Worked on the first automated systems & first Digital Audio (capable of 8 channels mono for 32 seconds or 4 channels stereo for 16 seconds, priced at 100k). That developed into Pulse code modulation for D/A, A/D audio with time code automation & live sound forces you to gain skills as an emergency technician. This was good training to help me start a role running a deposit slip reading & sorting machine. Consumer level digital audio started me building custom audio PC’s & investigating PCB communication. It was late when I started in IT & luckily have drifted into an area where good, hands-on technicians are scarce & greatly appreciated.
13 Spice ups
I worked weekends at a hire centre, maintaining small engines (lawnmowers, line trimmers, chainsaws and the like). Started helping service all the way up to their excavator (which seemed massive to teenage me, but a 5.5 tonne excavator is just a baby really), when their party hire gear started to need some more maintenance. I was maybe 14, 15 at the time. I fixed up the jukebox, then repaired and serviced their vinyl cutter as well and found I kind of enjoyed it.
Following that I shifted my study focus to tech, since I’d been thinking about joining the RNZAF for a few years at the time, and started getting everything lined up to sign up as an avionics technician. I continued to do the part-time work, studying when and what I could, and was about 6 months off being able to sign up when the jukebox died completely. I started putting together the parts I needed to rebuild it, went to a local PC repair shop, and asked for some specific parts.
5 minutes after asking for pricing I was getting questions thrown at me in an impromptu ersatz interview by the managing director, ending with a job offer on the spot (aged 17). I did a few days trial with the service team, and finished the school semester out. 11 years on from there, I’ve had two apprentice technicians who remain with the company, and I’m now the service manager of a team of 5 techs, covering around four thousand home and business customers in the region.
All because I wanted a stick of RAM with a specific FSB (800), and a few other specific parts for a build.
19 Spice ups
Was the family ‘tech support’ for years growing up, built my first PC at 10. Ended up going to university for Theatre tech. By the end of the 3 years, I hated everything about Theatre (the hours, rubbish pay, inconsistent work etc) and decided to pursue IT for a year or two while I considered my longer-term plan. 7 years later, I’m still here and probably will stay. Slowly have brought the theatre works back in here and there (volunteering at a local theatre), but my passion isn’t what it used to be.
14 Spice ups
Kenny8416
(Kenny8416)
7
Got in to basic programming on the Commodore 64 my dad bought when I was in primary school (he had been sent out for a spectrum 48k but thought the C64 had a better keyboard)
Kind of got hooked on computers from there. Studied computing at college. Decision as to whether to go in to programming or “IT” was more down to what job offers I got coming out of college. Thankfully was more down the IT side - looking back I don’t think I’d have enjoyed being a developer as much.
13 Spice ups
iShango
(iShango)
8
Got made redundant at 48 and completed two years study to change from Fraud investigations to IT. We had PC’s being introduced at work and a group of us were keen on utilising the new tech as much as we could, without getting into trouble so when the review and redundancy came through I knew what I wanted. Got my first job working at a special needs school, all the kids were at the least blind, and dealing with specialist hardware. Slowly got deeper and deeper into the quagmire of IT and twenty years later I am still like a pig in mud.
14 Spice ups
chivo243
(chivo243)
9
I worked with computerized systems in a previous career. When I moved countries, the previous career wasn’t for me, and IT presented an option, and I figured (in 1998) lots of things have computers, why not try it out…
10 Spice ups
DailyLlama
(DailyLlama)
10
I started off in office admin, writing reports for the lab I worked in. I just happened to not be afraid of computers in the way that some of the other people were, and I wasn’t afraid to crack the cases open and reseat memory, or install new hard drives etc, so when the company was bought by a bigger one I asked to go into the IT Department, and it’s all been fun and games since then…
12 Spice ups
I also came in through sound engineeri- just kidding.
I used to work in Facilities but I worked closely with their 3rd party IT and learned a heck of a lot off them.
Moved to IT Admin role after some studying later down the line and it’s great.
8 Spice ups
i studied to be in IT and it turned out i wasn’t allowed to do IT so i do other things even though i know loads about IT. GRR!
12 Spice ups
I was a field tech for office equipment for 20 years. After being severely injured in an automobile collision I was given my first helpdesk position. I took another helpdesk position at a hospital and have been here for three years. After many years of therapy I can walk and do most stuff (just not for extended periods) so I’m very lucky there.
7 Spice ups
Ecrawf099
(Ecrawf099)
15
I initially kind of stumbled into it. It appeared as though I had somewhat of a knack for it, and decided to pursue it… but with no real direction. I didn’t choose the IT life… the IT life chose me.
6 Spice ups
I chose the third option. But it’s still not accurate. I have worked with computers (as a hobby) since age 15. My first computer was a 4K TRS-80 Model I. I studied physics. Unfortunately I couldn’t afford getting a graduate degree and needed to work. So I started working in IT as a salesman at a computer shop. I should have stuck to physics.
4 Spice ups
NetworKing
(NetworKing)
17
I got into the subject at least in high school, was more just because needed to take something I always liked electronic things. I was growing up though I always thought more about construction or electrician. Did a job shadow through some school program and decided could be something i didn’t really have any other interest. Electrician is hard sort of dangerous and lots of math the latter ones pretty much ruled that out. Though growing security things, abuse of tech I sometimes dislike it.
5 Spice ups
I started off in broadcasting working various roles before realizing I wanted and needed something else to help support myself and eventually a family. The way I saw it I might as well pursue something that I was doing for fun anyway and get paid to do it rather than anything else. So, I went back to school and obtained an associate’s degree as well as my CompTIA A+ certification.
5 Spice ups
NULL
(NULL)
19
I trained in early childhood education and was working in education/social services when I saw a scavenger hunt contest with a C64 as the main prize in Games Magazine (I think it was). They said they could practically guarantee that no one could find everything on the list. Challenge accepted! I did complete the scavenger hunt and submitted my entry, but so did about a hundred other people. As a result, the winner was chosen by draw. Guess who didn’t win squat.
By then I had my heart set on a computer, so I went out looking for a C64 but was talked into one of the early PC compatibles by the sales guy at the local store because of its better BASIC language and other business uses. Programming became my foot in the door (or camel’s nose under the tent, depending on one’s perspective) to a long career in IT.
7 Spice ups
My degree is in the physical sciences, but I did dabble with computers and took some computer courses in college. Basically I knew a lot about computers even though I started in the lab. Over time, my professional life led me more and more into computers. Eventually I knew more about computers and IT than I could remember of my science background, and was given an opportunity to focus on the IT side of things. Never looked back.
EDIT: BTW, this part of my professional experience shift always became part of the interviewing process. After a while I was easily able to answer the question “How does someone with your background end up in IT?”.
5 Spice ups
