Get on my level
For starters, I’ll say that I’m a pretty tech savvy individual. Actually, I’m pretty high up there… but enough about me. This post is for those wishing to become “savvy” or better with computers or even land a good paying job with computers.
If you literally suck at computers, go to school. Your computer savvy friends likely don’t want to teach you. Really, they don’t… unless you bring the pocket book along with you. Seriously, think about it. Why would I spend hours of my time teaching you how to do my job? You are my job security. Computer classes are designed for you.
If you are okay with computers, go to school. I’m talking to those who can upload photos and use social networking sites. You know how web apps work but don’t know crap about how it’s done or why it even works. You aren’t the forward thinker quite yet. Get a couple classes under your belt.
If you are decent at computers and I don’t mean that you know how to facebook and know how to internet. I’m talking about the people who look things up on Google and research their stuff before they buy their own ram, maybe upgrade a hard drive or even build their own computer without bugging someone else. These are the people who don’t need schooling. These are the people who know how to find their answers on their own. They are better than they think. They are likely just not motivated to take it to the next level. Take a programming or networking class. Something to give you a foundation and then keep moving. Your next step is on the job training.
Those that want a decent paying gig need to listen carefully. You (hopefully) don’t become a network admin over night. You could have just finished your 4 year degree with your brand new (outdated) books. You could have been at the top of your class. You could be a genius for all I care. If you don’t have experience, you are useless. Life isn’t a Power Point. Nothing ever goes as planned. If you can’t roll with the punches, you’ll never make it. So yeah, if you plan on going to school for computers, get in the field IMMEDIATELY. I’m talking about working at the mom and pop stores, heck, even geek squad. You are going to need a good 5 years before you can even compete in the market. Of course, there are always exceptions.
How do you stand out if you didn’t go to school? Well, while they were paying to read their outdated books (seriously, if it’s in a book, it’s old) you should keep up with the tech. Read sites like engadget, tech crunch, bgr, hack a day, the verge, etc. Don’t waste your time playing games, you’ve got to compete. Build an epic resume that stands out. I made mine as a webpage back in the day. It really lets them know that you live and breathe this position. It’s fun to keep up with the tech anyway. Heck, you might even blog about your tech experiences. I’ve been offered jobs based on a few of my youtube videos, so it’s really a thing. Also, most companies really dig deep into future hire’s social life. So you might not want to post about how drunk, what club, or how much of an idiot you were the other night.
This truly was an unorganized mess but I felt it should be posted. I tend to do a lot of that these days.
