| Many newcomers to Information Technology get an | | | | to talk to each other it also refers to people talking |
| overly-optimistic picture of the field from tech school | | | | to each other. In your case, you've got to get out |
| ads that continually make note that "an average | | | | and meet people. Check the business section of your |
| MCSE salary is $80.000 a year!". | | | | local newspaper. There will be dozens of networking |
| And if someone's thinking of getting into IT and goes | | | | meetings listed in there. It doesn't matter that you |
| on the internet to do some research, they're met | | | | aren't in the field yet go to these meetings and meet |
| with the opposite end of the spectrum - complaint | | | | people. Initiative is never a bad thing. |
| after complaint about how much IT is a terrible field, | | | | And once you get that first job, make it count. Show |
| you can't break in, there's no room for newcomers, | | | | up on time and do what you say you'll do. If you |
| etc. | | | | don't know something, dig into Google and find the |
| As usual, the truth lies in the middle. As much as I | | | | answer or ask a more knowledgeable colleague. (Just |
| love the IT field, I'll be the first to say that it's often | | | | doing these few basic things will put you way ahead |
| hard to get that first job. Many tech schools have a | | | | of the pack.) |
| job placement department, and that can be one big | | | | Getting started in IT is as tough as breaking into any |
| plus in their favor. | | | | other field. Having worked in a few different jobs in |
| What if you don't have that resource working for | | | | my life, though, I can tell you this: No other field in |
| you? When you're breaking into any field, IT or not, | | | | the world rewards individual drive, initiative, and |
| you must not make the classic mistake of sending a | | | | achievement like Information Technology. The fact |
| ton of resumes and waiting for the phone to ring. | | | | that you have to work so hard to get in will make |
| The odds are that it won't. | | | | your eventual and unstoppable success just that |
| You must get out and talk to people. The term | | | | much sweeter. |
| "networking" doesn't just refer to allowing computers | | | | |