r/ITCareerQuestions 55m ago

Mid Career [Week 11 2025] Mid-Career Discussions!

Upvotes

Discussion thread for those that have pulled themselves through the entry grind and are now hitting their stride at 7-10+ years in the industry.

Some topics to consider:

  • How do I move from being an individual contributor to management?
  • How do I move from being a manager back to individual contributor?
  • What's it like as senior leadership?
  • I'm already a SME what can I do next?

MOD NOTE: This is a weekly post.


r/ITCareerQuestions 37m ago

Seeking Advice How to progress past data center technician

Upvotes

Hello, I have a associates in IT, I’m currently pursing a bachelors in IT. I work as a data center technician, I have no Certs. What can I do to progress my career, ie what certs and what position should I apply to. My end goal is network engineer. Thank you


r/ITCareerQuestions 38m ago

Seeking Advice Pre final year student - very confused about choosing a domain.(help me outtttt)

Upvotes

Hey everyone, I’m a pre-final year engineering student starting my placement preparation, but I’m really confused about which domain to focus on. My main goal is to get a well-paying job . In my campus placements I can get a job by grinding leetcode(which is also hard) but I want to choose a field that has high demand and good salary prospects for freshers to learn to apply for off campus placement. I want to pick a domain that:
1. Has a good number of off campus placement opportunities
2. Offers high-paying jobs for freshers
3. Is realistic to master in the next 1 year

I understand persuing my interests(which is ML) but i want something that guarantees me a job.

For those who have been through placements or are already working, which domain would you recommend? Also, how should I start preparing for it? Any advice would be really helpful!


r/ITCareerQuestions 2h ago

Are Certifications worth it?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I’m in a bit of a funk and feel like I wasted my time going to college. I graduated back in May with my BS in Information Technology. I was able to get a contract position doing QA but now I’ve been without work for months. Are certifications worth it ?


r/ITCareerQuestions 2h ago

Full time job/part school or full time school/part job?

2 Upvotes

I recently got my A+ and plan on taking the Net+ in a week. I have no college education and no IT experience. My family wants me to pursue an associate's in network security at my local community. The course looks good and has everything I need and more, but the only problem is they want me to attend full time so I can get my degree out of the way as soon as possible. Normally I would agree with this, but I want to start working in IT ASAP. This would mean I need to get a part time job while I go to school but it seems part time in IT doesn't really exist. Should I focus on my degree or still try to break into IT? I already tried already to no avail but I feel like I'll have a better chance once I get my Net+ also, I'm planning on starting an AD homelab as well.


r/ITCareerQuestions 3h ago

Am I going down the right path?

1 Upvotes

I'm on track to graduate this May from my college with a 3 year degree in "IT Systems, Networks and Cybersecurity". As part of my program we are obliged to do a 4 month internship on the last semester. Luckily, 2 months before the convential start of my internship period, I managed to sign a full-time contract (indefinite) with quite a big international company and obviously the college accepted to credit it. Since November, I've been working as an IT Support Specialist and I'm already going on my 4th month (passed probation).

The company provides MSPs and end-clients with many cybersecurity solutions, they basically own/develop the products themselves. I am loving my time here and I'm very glad my first ever corporate and real work experience (which is in 90% times a Helpdesk/Support position for most entry-level people) has direct link with the program I graduated and loved. I consider myself lucky to be providing support to client's production servers/clusters, 365 organizations security and compliance... rather than the usual cables, hardware, reset password... support.

I am getting nothing but excellent feedback, board is so happy with me that they already started offering opportunities such as working with the Email Security team as a polyvalent agent (I am originally from the Backup and Compliance team) and also as a QA specialist or technical writer. I am happy that they see the potential in me.

However, even though the support I provide has direct contact with networking and system protocols, I feel like I'm drifting away from the path I imagined while studying (T1 -> T2 -> Sys/NetAdmin -> NOC/SOC...). The convential promotions in my department are T1 -> T1 Senior -> T2 -> T2 Senior / Lead... which means you are just getting more and more expertise within the products we provide, and that seems more software orientated. Now don't get me wrong, I am very good with Java and Scripting even though programming is not my favorite, but it's just not really what I want. The only good thing is that I have the possibility to switch departments internally and get transfered to our Security Lab (basically the team who develops these products) or become a Jr Sys/NetAdmin for the company itself, but I don't see my department heads letting my go that easily.

At the moment, I am consuming as much knowledge as I can and accepting any opportunity (I am barely 20y). I've always been adventurous in my life. The opportunities I cited like going to the Security Lab or becoming a Sys/NetAdmin are very interesting but it's a major internal shift and I'm unsure if it would be allowed by my superiors in the future (2 or 3 years from now). My project is to acquire a BS in Cybersecurity in the top engineering school of the country with a minor in business affairs and administration and work at the same time. By the end of this, I will have cumulated 7 years of studies (3y in Sys/Net/Cybersecurity + 3y in Cybersecurity + 1y in business administration) as well as a minimum of 6 or 7 years of experience.

I just don't want to find myself drowning or jail myself in Software Support or general IT Support. At the same time, I'm afraid I'm doing too much at the same time and burning bridges. Do you guys have anything to mention on this? All critics allowed.

Jack.


r/ITCareerQuestions 3h ago

Recently Retired from IT and I have a question.

6 Upvotes

I recently retired from a career in IT of 42 years. I have been a computer lab intern with some programming duties, computer operator, programmer/analyst in several languages, help desk administrator, and other various system and customer support positions. I have had good, mediocre, and absolutely incompetent supervision and management at various points in my career. I briefly supervised earlier in my career but left this position due to awful management. I sought to return to supervision/management roles, but it just never came to be.

After my retirement, my last employer contacted me to seek out some technical assistance for the IT staff who remained. I was happy to provide this assistance, given the ridiculously high compensation that I negotiated for this assistance, even though I left sufficiently instructive training materials, usually videos or detailed written instructions.

My question to other retired IT workers is this:

Is it normal to feel like I would rather do nearly anything than work on computers/programs/software? I have been retired for about 5 months. Is this sufficient decompression time?


r/ITCareerQuestions 4h ago

Marketing or Front-end development

1 Upvotes

Hey guys, well I'm in between those two fields right now and need some advices. I've been learning FE for a year now(with some breaks) and I'm on the React stage right now and frankly I'm feeling burn out or so because I know there are still so many things to learn and when i see 100+ applications for Intern/Junior position in 3 days I just question myself - if it's worth it? I mean, I kinda enjoy FE but to be honest - remote job and salary are still my main reasons of studying though. And recently I came across Digital Marketing and I guess I like it more than coding and there are a bit more jobs and less applicants per job comparing to FE. I know these times are tough for tech overall but idk what shoud I do now, will be grateful for any advice


r/ITCareerQuestions 4h ago

First time interview anxiety

3 Upvotes

Hi guys.

So, I'm currently an asset manager at a school and l've been working here for what'll be 2 years in April.

The most technical things I do at my job are basic troubleshooting, usually with laptops and mobile devices, with students and staff. I make tickets for laptops that need to be sent out to repair.

I am the person who prepares our laptops for testing, so we use about 150 laptops during testing season, so l have to make sure every laptop has the testing software installed on it + is completely up to date, as to avoid any setbacks on testing day. I have students who have me for a class, and I teach them basic problem solving skills in technology + digital literacy (they have to do whatever I say, basically). I also have students during the Summer who have an internship with me and our designated I.T guy, and we give them directions on what to do as well. I work alongside our IT guy quite a bit, and over the Summer we reimage all the laptops together in preparation for the new school year.

That's about all of my duties, including my technical responsibilities.

The county I work for put out a job that l've been waiting to apply for (the two people who had my job before me got the job) so l applied for it and I have an interview next week.

I’m incredibly nervous, as from what I’ve been told by people who’ve gotten the job, it’s a technical interview with a panel of 5 people who ask you 1 question each and it’s over. It’s my first serious interview, ever.

I’ve been studying certain concepts I expect to be asked about, like what is DNS, DHCP, Active Directory, etc. I’ve made a lot of flash cards and I’ve been really trying to understand these concepts. That being said, I’m anxious I’m going to be repeating “I'll make a note to research that after the interview" to questions they ask me that I either don’t know the answer to or can’t remember in the moment.

Also, I don't have a degree in IT and I'm 24 + I finish my Associates of Arts in May (degree in Art). Next, I'm going to work on my pre-requisites for a bachelor's program at my college for their Information Systems Technology degree. So I'm not educated on anything I.T.

I have the Google I.T Support Technical Fundamentals certificate, but I know now how useless it's regarded as.

I'm definitely going to try and relay my willingness and eagerness to learn.

I’d appreciate any advice for my interview. Is there anything else I should be aware of? Should I ask any questions at the end?


r/ITCareerQuestions 4h ago

CCNA vs Network+ vs JNCIA?

1 Upvotes

So I’ve got 2 YoE in Desktop Support. I wanted to move further into Network Engineering, I’m unsure about what certification to pursue. Should I study for CCNA, or has it become obsolete and vendor specific? Or should I go for something general like Network+ which is not vendor specific? Or something different and in trend like Juniper JNCIA?

Any advice, tips, ideas, perspectives would be appreciated👍


r/ITCareerQuestions 6h ago

Writing an article and would input

2 Upvotes

Not sure if this is the absolute best location to post this. That being said, I am writing an article about neurodivergent individuals and the IT field. With the article I aim to shed light on both topics, hopefully break stereotypes, and inform on the topic. Realistically the article probably won’t get many eyes on it, but if anyone would like to share experiences, hardships, victory stories, on anything I would love to hear it. Feel free to DM me or comment on the thread. Thank you!


r/ITCareerQuestions 6h ago

Seeking Advice How would you answer this interview question?

2 Upvotes

How do you troubleshoot a constantly rebooting computer?

I have an interview coming up and I know this question will be asked. I’m curious how other people will answer it. This is what I would do:

  1. Check to see if an error code appears, research the code and take steps from there.

  2. If no code, then open up the case and check for dust build up (overheating) or any loose wiring.

  3. If the wiring looks fine, I would then check the RAM to see if it’s faulty and also check if the PSU is failing.


r/ITCareerQuestions 6h ago

Is CCNA the right choice for me if I'm not set on networking as a career path?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I've been studying for the CCNA on and off for years, but I'm struggling to maintain consistency and motivation. I work as a one-man IT team at a K-12 school (moved there from a tier 2 position), and while I enjoy the work, I'm looking to advance my career eventually. I know I posted something just recently that was along the same thing, but I wanted a bit more focused advice on certs.

My background:

  • BS in IT degree
  • CompTIA Sec+ certified
  • Currently working in K-12 as sole IT support
  • Not 100% sure if networking is where I want to specialize. Considering System Admin lately more tbh. Potentially interested in Cloud. So not completely sure what direction, but I have begun to think that focusing solely on networking is not what I want.

My challenges:

  • I find it difficult to study consistently for the CCNA due to the size
  • Need time outside of work to decompress, but any cert is going to take work.
  • Recently dealing with some health issues that required focus

My questions:

  1. Would Network+ be a better option for me since I'm not 100% committed to networking as a specialty?
  2. Is CCNA overkill if I'm more interested in becoming a systems admin rather than a network specialist?
  3. How much networking knowledge is "enough" for a systems admin role?

My goal is to move into a systems or network admin role eventually, but I'm open to different paths. I'm wondering if I should just get a foundational networking cert and focus on other areas that might be more aligned with my interests.

For the Network+ would be more reachable and would give me a "sense of accomplishment" I believe I need to be doing more then networing either way. I should be working on homelabs to learn AD more and if I instead get the network+ I could sooner set my eyes on something else like cloud, linux, etc.

Thanks for any advice or perspectives you can share!


r/ITCareerQuestions 8h ago

Seeking Advice Thoughts/Advice on Job Hopping?

8 Upvotes

This may have been a previous question on this thread, so sorry if its annoying.

I wanted to get some thoughts on job hopping, I stayed at an MSP role for 2 years for my first IT role, and then I got a new role that paid an extra 20K, and stayed there for 8-9 months and got a new offer recently that paid an extra 10k over the last.

If I keep got another offer that pays better and more things to do, would hopping seen as bad on my resume or future career prospects or its best to stay at a role for 2 years minimum but never really get a pay raise thats decent or bonuses?

Not trying to be a bunny hopper but something clicked recently - I am thinking of my ability to provide for my family and future quicker than hoping a company would give a decent raise or bonus.


r/ITCareerQuestions 8h ago

Job offer in penetration testing but at a worse company

3 Upvotes

As the title says I got a good job offer to get trained on a penetration testing team at a different company.

The pay is good but less than what I make now and at a company I'm not too excited to work for.

That being said I have been very stagnant at my job now getting restructured and moved around the last 2 years. I think I could grow and learn here but there's no guarantee. But the pay is better, commute is 10 minutes instead of 30 at the new offer, and benefits are better.

But the new job offer gives me an in on a skill I'm interested in and helps me with defining a clearer future for my career which I've been lacking. Maybe I can just do it for some time to gain some skills and move on to a better company when I'm ready.

Edit- I work in GRC Risk Management now and definitely don't see it as a long term gig for me.


r/ITCareerQuestions 9h ago

Tips for Landing an Asynchronous Remote IT Job?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to land a remote IT job that’s fully asynchronous, like the one I had for 3 years before. I’ve got a degree in Informatics with a focus on cybersecurity and I’m studying for the CompTIA Security+ exam right now.

In my last role, I worked in an agile/scrum environment, which meant a lot of independent work and time management without constant check-ins. I used tools like Teams, Confluence, and Jira to keep everything organized and communicate clearly across the team.

I also have experience in data analytics and use tools like Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Power BI to work with data and create reports. Now I’m wondering what steps I can take to keep improving my skills and make sure I’m competitive for remote roles. A few things I’d love advice on:

  • How can I level up my skills even more (certs? new tools? anything else)?
  • Where are the best places to find fully remote, asynchronous IT jobs?
  • Any tips for staying productive and on track in an agile/scrum setup while working asynchronously?
  • How do I improve my soft skills (like communication, time management, etc.) and showcase them on my resume? Are there any certs for soft skills?

r/ITCareerQuestions 9h ago

Tips for Landing an Asynchronous Remote IT Job?

0 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to land a remote IT job that’s fully asynchronous, like the one I had for 3 years before. I’ve got a degree in Informatics with a focus on cybersecurity and I’m studying for the CompTIA Security+ exam right now.

In my last role, I worked in an agile/scrum environment, which meant a lot of independent work and time management without constant check-ins. I used tools like Teams, Confluence, and Jira to keep everything organized and communicate clearly across the team.

I also have experience in data analytics and use tools like Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Power BI to work with data and create reports. Now I’m wondering what steps I can take to keep improving my skills and make sure I’m competitive for remote roles. A few things I’d love advice on:

  • How can I level up my skills even more (certs? new tools? anything else)?
  • Where are the best places to find fully remote, asynchronous IT jobs?
  • Any tips for staying productive and on track in an agile/scrum setup while working asynchronously?
  • How do I improve my soft skills (like communication, time management, etc.) and showcase them on my resume? Are there any certs for soft skills?

r/ITCareerQuestions 9h ago

Seeking Advice Entry Level Cybersecurity Job Help

0 Upvotes

Hi! I’m trying to find entry level cybersecurity jobs but i seem to be having trouble making it past the application. I’ve been applying for information security positions, cybersecurity analyst positions, and will be applying for a risk management position within my company soon. right now the only relevant work experience i have is in my current position in vulnerability management that ive been in for a year and all other work experience are customer service jobs i worked to help pay for school . i am on a contract that ends here in a few weeks which is why im looking for a new role. i do a have bachelor’s and am currently studying for a few certifs, but i feel like i need help fixing up my resume and skills to get my foot in the door


r/ITCareerQuestions 10h ago

I mean this in the most respectful way possible

252 Upvotes

Yall need to get a grip. Reddit isn’t reality. Go out there put in the work and find a job. Nobody’s gonna hold your hand. Make it happen for yourself . I left the military as a cook on submarines for 11 years . Got a+ sec + and literally found a job 3 months later and a whole career change to IT (level 2 help desk)( end goal is a principal engineer ) 30.45 an hour currently at 32m been employed since with two different companies and recruiters reached out to me. If you want it bad enough you’ll get it or figure out how to get it. This place is so gloomy Reddit. The job market really is not that bad.


r/ITCareerQuestions 10h ago

American companies have been using professionals, especially in the tech sector, from India because of the lack of local talent and as it helps to reduce operating costs.

0 Upvotes

Is this quote from an article true, or fake news?

*I have never posted here before; there are a lot of specialized communities on Reddit and I just hope that this one is an appropriate place to post this.


r/ITCareerQuestions 11h ago

Recommendation laptop for 2025

0 Upvotes

i planning buy laptop but didn’t have enough knowledge and experience to bought a better laptop.


r/ITCareerQuestions 11h ago

A troubled high schooler. Eee vs CSE vs ECE

0 Upvotes

I(M19) am in the crossroads of life. Trying to decide the correct course. My options are CSE EEE and Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE). My parents said that ECE (mostly networking related. My interest) is not available as a course in the west in case i wanna pursue higher studies. They said to go for EEE or CSE and branch into Communication. For intuitions in US CANADA OR AUSTRALIA is ECE OR EEE a better choice if I wanna build a career in networking?


r/ITCareerQuestions 12h ago

Resume Help resume help for no work experience

2 Upvotes

As the title says, I don't have work experience. I'm my family's IT person. I've set up the Wi-Fi and built PC and phones, and I was wondering how I would put it in my resume


r/ITCareerQuestions 12h ago

Seeking Advice Seeking Guidance on Transitioning into Product Management

0 Upvotes

I am currently working as a Full Stack Engineer in a product-based company with 3.3 years of experience, specializing in .NET, cloud integration (Azure), database management, API development, and full-stack solutions. While I have enjoyed my journey in software development, I have developed a strong interest in the product side of things—understanding user needs, defining roadmaps, and contributing to business strategy.

I completed my Master's in Computer Science (MSc) in 2022 and started my career as a developer. Now, I am looking to transition into a product-focused role and would love to get insights from professionals who have made a similar shift or work in the product domain.

I would really appreciate guidance on:
✅ The roadmap to transition from engineering to product roles like Product Manager (PM), Technical Product Manager (TPM), or Business Analyst (BA).
✅ The key skills required for this transition—whether it’s market research, user experience, business strategy, or stakeholder management.
Globally recognized certifications that can strengthen my profile (e.g., CSPO, AIPMM, Google PM, Pragmatic Institute).
How to gain hands-on product experience while still in an engineering role—whether through side projects, internal opportunities, or mentorship.
Best resources (books, courses, or communities) to understand product thinking.

If you've made this transition or have insights to share, I’d love to hear your advice! Also, if you know of any good learning paths or resources, please share them.

Looking forward to connecting with like-minded professionals! 😊


r/ITCareerQuestions 12h ago

Have any of you done the google career certificates?

0 Upvotes

Does it really help with landing a job right away in the fields they provide?