IT, information interview.

[Soleth]

Hello, I recently signed up here on the forums and have a desire to get into the IT field. I am trying to get funding through the No Worker Left Behind program offered by the State of Michigan to go to school for IT. I have been told that I must do an informational interview of the profession I am interested in to see If I am willing to go full ahead with it.

I would like to have some from web designers, A+ or Programmers side of IT.

If you're uncomfortable with answering these questions on a forum, you can send it to my e-mail pira_dein(@)hotmail(DOT)com.

Name:
Official Title:
Employer:
Date Interviewed.

1.) What do you do in your job? What is a typical day like?


2.) How long have you been doing this type of work?


3.) What do you like best about the work you do? Why?


4.) What do you like least about the work you do? Why?


5.) How did you get into this type of work?


6.) What skills are needed for this work? Education? Training? Certification?


7.) Do you expect this feild of work to grow or change in the future?


8.) Would you change anything about your job if you could?


9.) Do you work alone? How much influence do you have over decisions that affect you?


Thank you for your time.

[Keyboard Cowboy]

1.) IT Consultant and Computer Shop Store Manager


2.)10 years now (too long)


3.) Helping out other people and playing around with the lastest IT products.


4.) The tighter and tighter margins that I work with. Plus considering that you can purchase a computer rather cheaply these days, there is only so much you can charge on service. Many years back you could get away with charging $500 for a repair, and people will not blink. Now days, $500 can buy you a new computer.

5.) Newspaper. Employment Agencies can help, but you are better off looking for the job yourself.


6.) I did 2 years of collage to get my basic training. But the skills there are nothing to compaired to the skills I have actually learnt in the field.


7.) It's constantly. in the last 7 years, I might of not of changed my place of employment, but i have changed by skill set at least 3 times. I need to move my skills to where the money is.


8.) yes.


9.) No. I do have a boss. However my boss treats me more like a co-worker and he does listen to what I have to say and my opinions.

[MrWynd]

Name: Michael S.
Official Title: Tier 2 PC Technician
Employer: Lockheed Martin
Date Interviewed.

1.) What do you do in your job? What is a typical day like?

I work a ticket queue where our phone tech side place tickets when they are unable to resolve a user's issue. This involves anything to do with the laptop itself and any local software. If the issue is server based in any way, I pass it to another group.

So I fix things like: the user's sound wont work, a certain piece of software wont install, they need to obtain a certain piece of software and dont know where to get it (this typically involves other groups, especially the people that watch over software licenses), their home network wont connect to their laptop (lots of telecommuters), user can't print or incorrect printing, etc, etc

I do not deal with things like, NT account issues, permissions on servers, etc

I am also responsible for switching users into new computers. People are systematically upgraded to new laptops after a certain time, etc. I handle software installations and making sure all their data is on the new machine.


2.) How long have you been doing this type of work?

Corporate IT almost 1 year. Home PC market off and on for 7 years

3.) What do you like best about the work you do? Why?

I can fix people's problems without taking their money (like the home PC market) so they're really happy. I interact with lots of interesting people that work on all kinds of awesome projects. I am known well and people come to rely on my knowledge and (for the most part) listen to my input. I don't have a manager or boss within 50 miles, he knows I'll do the job and is available through phone/e-mail to support me with whatever I need, he's not a "slave driver", he's an "enabler".

4.) What do you like least about the work you do? Why?

Since it's such a large company there are times where things take a long time to happen. Also anything involving the government that I work with takes REALLY LONG!

5.) How did you get into this type of work?

I worked in entry level repair places like Geek Squad. I then started putting out fliers and fixing computers for people in the neighborhood, etc, drove to their house, etc. I practiced and got pretty good at creating a resume and giving good interviews.
I failed to get a position at any larger company which is what I was looking for, corporate IT experience. I then went to a temp agency (Volt.com) and submitted my resume. One day I got a phone call from Volt about a 6 week position. I went to the interview and got the 6 week contract job. I worked really hard, was noticed by many for my dedication and technical knowledge and turned that into a career with the company.

6.) What skills are needed for this work? Education? Training? Certification?

They only put A+ certification preferred on the position but I was asked a few questions in the interview and on the phone before the interview that weren't on any A+ test. They want someone who can identify and fix problems in the real world, not someone who can give a string of answers

I am A+ certified and MCDST certified. Experience in fixing computers is what got me a real career and not just an entry job. Had nothing to do with certifications or education.

7.) Do you expect this field of work to grow or change in the future?

I definitely see the need for more computers to continue for at least my lifetime. The complexity will only grow and the need for more specialization will continue.

8.) Would you change anything about your job if you could?

I'd get paid more.

9.) Do you work alone? How much influence do you have over decisions that affect you?

I work with lots of people, 3 in my direct team of IT support, and more than a thousand that I support. I probably talk to about 35 different people a day on average.

I don't have much influence, but what I do doesn't have an exact process, I dictate my own path.

[SapperX]

1.) Web design and development


2.) Five+ years.


3.) Allows me to be creative, flexible hours, paid well, plus I'm a nerd at heart that just loves computers.


4.) Gets repetitive sometimes just like anything.


5.) Lots of different classes, finally figured out I didn't like business and went instead with my hobby in web design.


6.) 4 years of higher education, lots of experience with .NET and other languages.


7.) It is constantly changing and becoming easier. Eventually normal people will probably be able to implement their own unique web sites fairly easily. However, I feel the field will turn more towards back-end focusing and therefore will still thrive.


8.) Paid more I suppose?


9.) No, a team of individuals that work together on projects. You almost never work alone in professional IT.

[Soleth]

I would just like to say thanks to everyone who is posting a Interview, it is a huge help and eye-opener into the world of IT.

Soleth