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I will be the first to admit that I don’t “know it all” (if it’s possible) when it comes to IT. You could say I am a beginner in IT. I am taking computer classes in college and should graduate with an Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems in May 2014. I have taken Programming I (C#), Network Fund., Computer Service Tech. I & II, etc. However, I don’t feel like I know enough to get a serious IT job. I want to learn but I am having trouble finding what beginner IT pros should know. I do plan on getting my Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Information Technology at a 4 year school. Any website suggestions for learning the “good IT stuff”? I appreciate your time and input.

13 Spice ups
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Set up a test environment, try technologies, get your feet wet, that’s where you begin.

4 Spice ups
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Take a chance at whatever IT job you can get. If you can afford to you could even volunteer at a non profit. Check to see, also, if your college has any IT work-study positions. The point being, experience matters far more than book learning. If you can communicate well, learn quickly, and act professionally, the specific technical skills can be learned as you go.

4 Spice ups
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Thanks Alex3031 and Sosipater! I have a test computer that I “play” (more like tinker) with and I am slowly learning. Thanks for the input you guys!

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Props to you for wanting to learn too!

School is great: get your fundamentals.

Real-world experience is the most valuable - “non-profits” (above), use your school to get your foot in the door - internships.

Virtualization - you can set up a VM environment at home too.
Find a used Managed switch and get your feet wet w/ networking.

Websites - you’re already on one of the best - and don’t forget RSS feeds too.

Good luck!

3 Spice ups
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install a VMware ESXi set up at home and learn virtualization, Networking, Windows Servers and Active Directory.

This should get your feet wet and from there I am sure you will find all sorts of interesting paths that may interest you.

Networking

The ubiquiti Edgemax Routers are a good low cost way to play around with networking. They support a full cli interface and GUI and start at $100

Virtualization

VMware ESXi has a free version. you have to register with VMware to get a key, but it has all of the main feature minus a few of the cool fancy items

Windows Server

You can download and install any Microsoft server product and run it free for 90 days typically.

If you can spend some money to get an MSDN subscription (starts at $700) you can get full version licensed copies of almost all Microsoft technologies.

These copies are only licensed for lab and development use, not production use

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Do you have a specific area in IT in which you plan to go? I’m asking since there is a lot of information out there and what you want is dependent upon where you think you might be going.

The advice everyone has given so far is SOLID.

Some basics that I feel help to make a ‘good’ all-around IT person: know some networking. You don’t need to be certified or anything but know at least that networking involves more than just a Cat5e cable and plug. Looks like you have that covered. Next, virtualization is key in this day and age. Like it has been suggested, create some virtual machines and tinker with them. Learn some Linux. Since you’ve learned some C#, I would use that information to learn a scripting language Powershell or bash. It could be helpful depending on which direction you wish to travel.

It never hurts to know as much as possible. \

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It didn’t take me long to realize after I got my first IT job that college didn’t teach me much of anything. I learned how to use Microsoft Word and Excel really well in college, that seems about it. I learned more over the first 3 months of actually working in IT than I did in college.

As someone who was recently in your shoes, I would highly suggest building a network environment that you can tinker with. Build it, break it, fix it. That’s the best way to learn. It can’t be learned from a book.

I would also be very upfront with potential employers. Tell them that you are going to college for IT, you haven’t had much workplace experience, but that you were willing and want to learn. That’s what I did with my employer and it helped because they didn’t put expectations on me that I could not meet. It’s best to ease into the role until you’re familiar with the network.

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Thanks sshultz, molan, and Bud G. I appreciate your input! I don’t know which direction I want to co with my career. I havn’t decided yet. I feel once I play around with some of these topics you folks have mentioned, it will help me decide which route to take. Again, thank you so much for your input!

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L.J. you seem like you know the exact situation. I know where you are coming from with the Microsoft Word and Excel. I feel I am very proficient in both programs but just those basics are not going to “bring home the bacon”! I certainly agree with the best way to learn is from hands-on experience. You can give me a book and say “here read this” and I will have no idea what to do. You let me tinker with physical materials and my retention level shoots through the roof! Its great to know what I am not the only one that feels so small in the huge, technological world! You folks are great!

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Narrow it down. I.T. is a huge field.

Few considerations: What interests you, what do you have an aptitude for, and what technology/process has a future.

Some interesting specialization is evolving now as we “speak”, such as storage engineering, virtualization specializations, UX, and mobile app development. Each of the “evolving specialties” do have core fundamentals they are building upon. Also, don’t know where in the country you are for more focused regional information. Can say, being willing & able to move on your own is a huge boon for career prospects.

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I second the VMware idea - get a hypervisor (vmware, kvm, hyper-v, it doesn’t matter what). Then just play. It’s so much easier to find information now…I used the now defunct Sun Big Admin boards when I was a sysadmin. Well, I browsed them - I was scared to death to comment because I felt like I didn’t know anything and those guys were scary (apologies to any of you who may be here).

So - use virtualization, use communities like this to find cookbooks and ideas to get you started just practicing. Use a virtual machine to test and break and play.

And remember you probably know way more already than you are giving yourself credit for. :slight_smile:

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On the subject of virtualization:

This is a “must know” for the modern system administrator. It’s not some new-fangled thing. Virtualization has been around for a very long time and is a proven technology with massive benefits. It doesn’t cost any more to virtualize; all the major hypervisor players are free; it’s the bells and whistles you tend to have to pay to get.

Keep in mind, too, that Server 2012 allows TWO virtual machines per server license - regardless of hypervisor.