IT Folks....if you were going to advise a career switch

[QuettaKid]

into an IT field...which direction would be best?

[cdsilv]

1. Information Security...n/t

[seemunkee]

5. Agree

Look at the CISSP cert.

[Orion The Hunter]

7. Info security is where its at - eom

[nickinSTL]

2. not programming

I'd think, db administration, network admin, hardware support, something that any company with IT is going to need.

Programmers get less work in a slow economy, as fewer companies are producing their own software...but they still need to maintain their databases, networks and hardware.

(I'm not really an IT pro, so you might want some more input...just on the fringes of IT myself...and my fiancee is an unemployed programmer)

and as another reply says, information security...good growth area, I think

[RethugAssKicker]

3. Direction ?... Head East - straight for India...

'cause there ain't shit here anymore!

[stevietheman]

4. As a programmer, I say stay away, for your own good.

There's very little work in IT any longer, unless you're willing to move to the DC area, where I hear it's thriving on federal government largesse.

[Debau2005]

6. Right now...

There is little out there, unless you are moving to another country! However, security or recovery might not be too bad. I understand recovery folks are in hot demand right now. If you can get data off of a hard drive that has been through a hurricane, you are hired! These people have been doing amazing stuff with servers that are toast!

I am an email administrator, stay away from programming or administration. It is going overseas, or positions are going unfilled.

[lectrobyte]

8. I'd recommend something in the medical field, or skilled trades, such as a

plumber. Too many IT jobs, even admin and security type stuff, are outsourced, or are outsource-able.

[ArkDem]

9. North northwest

[OC_Lars]

10. Some jobs still available

I was out of the IT industry for 2 years and actively trying to get back into it... I know that it is tough out there right now but a lot of the small to medium sized companies still need people on-site to perform their daily helpdesk operations and troubleshooting. Just my opinion but I would suggest buying an A+ certification book and getting some basic knowledge under your belt. Maybe go for the Microsoft Desktop Support Technician certification... basically anything you can do to get your foot in the door.

As others have said, getting into security provides you with a very good income and job security. However, it is easier to get knowledge in this field through hands on experience which is why a I suggest starting with something.

Just my opinion, some may disagree :-)

[sproutster]

11. Not to go into IT

A *very* large portion is being off-shored. I still have my job... for now. Another department is about to lose 50% this week.

An anecdote:
One department was about to have a whole project off-shored, which if successful, would kibosh the rest of their projects... So anyhoo the devices that were set up to be sent, umm... "lost" a very important functional piece before shipment. They still have that project. :)

If you *really* *really* want IT, I say database administration. Very, very valuable, and fits in everywhere, regardless of OS's.

[Misunderestimator]

15. Database administration is also being offshored...

as much as programming. Unfortunately.

[htuttle]

12. Move to Bangalore

...India, not Maine.

[mcscajun]

13. Anything involves hardware, telcom. Hands-ON stuff.

'most everything else can be offshored.

Network engineers, LAN Support, that kind of thing, can't easily be moved. :)

Bottom line, though, I'd advise against IT altogether. Find something hands-on that can't go anywhere. Plumbing, electrician, medical technician.

[Seabiscuit]

14. Medicine or medical technology

[lastknowngood]

16. Most of it being outsourced to India so either go govie or find

some local hands on operation. The IT field is loosing jobs every month.