General Labour

[Strider]

I personally would not recommend being a forklift operator, it has a very high turnover rate and requires complete attention almost the entire shift. I worked with my friend at a warehouse over the summer with 50+ forklift's going at any given time, and let me tell you, it's a nightmare. Over the course of the spring/summer that I worked, me and my friend became veterans just because of how fast people got fired. It's also pretty dangerous, I had some guy puncture some acid that I was carrying that ended up chewing through an inch of concrete or so. My friend also had his leg completely powdered when some dude knocked over a 600 lb steel sign onto his leg the year before I started to work there. It's a lot of fun, don't get me wrong, I just think there are better jobs out there for the same requirements. Go for it if you think you'll enjoy it, at least give it a whirl.

[Natalya]

Oh man I forgot how fucking awesome that video is

how could you do a thing like that?!?

My thoughts exactly, that video is awesome.

[Natalya]

I'd recommend trying to get some IT credentials. Some of them are just a test you take, so you don't necessarily need a degree.

Any recommendations?

[Nitewatchman]

I'd recommend trying to get some IT credentials. Some of them are just a test you take, so you don't necessarily need a degree.

Any recommendations?

There's like an A+ cert or something like that that is pretty respectable, I believe.

[Tzan]

I think the A+ cert requires classes and money.

Seriously, call some tech based temp companies and ask them what they can place you in if you got a little extra training.
Phone calls are cheap.

[Nitewatchman]

I think the A+ cert requires classes and money.

Seriously, call some tech based temp companies and ask them what they can place you in if you got a little extra training.
Phone calls are cheap.

I don't think it requires classes, just money for the test. I have some books for it lying around somewhere.

[Tzan]

Some general info

http://certification.about.com/cs/areso ... sguide.htm

Yeah books or classes, some people learn easier one way.

[Keldoclock]

I'd recommend trying to get some IT credentials. Some of them are just a test you take, so you don't necessarily need a degree.

Any recommendations?

There's like an A+ cert or something like that that is pretty respectable, I believe.

I have a Java cert from Oracle, it costs $300 to take the test but as long as you have enough understanding of the language to use it you should have no problems passing the test.

If anyone would like advice when it come to cooking many tasty things on a budget, I have a lot of experience doing that - I am cooking up 2 loaves of zuchinni bread and 3 foil baked porgies for about two bucks as I type this, while in my fridge sits an eggplant aubergine stew, an enormous stack of crepes, and a loaf of bread I baked yesterday.

[Tzan]

I got the Java cert back in 2000 from Sun.
Didn't do me any good.

[morganm]

I've worked my way up the IT ladder starting as a lowly web designer, then website administrator, desktop support (helpdesk) level 2, then level 3, up to server admin, and now storage analyst making enough money to support a middle-class family of 5.

Only have like 2 official certifications and nobody gives a shit about them. All I've seen people care about is experience. Where did you work, how long, and what do you know? I have a 2 year degree from an art school; again nobody gives a damn... all you have to do is check that box so your application doesn't get automatically filtered out. Nobody cares where you went, what your stupid degree is in, or what your GPA was.... can you show up on time and do the damn job well? If so then you're good to go! If not then no amount of certs or degrees are going to help you.

What I'm getting at is don't sell yourself short because you don't have some fancy titles or certs... the real IT people don't care and frankly laugh at the douches with 40 stupid titles at the end of their emails.

Before IT I did some labor jobs. Actually was a fork lift operator at a big lumberyard. It's not a bad job as the machine does most of the hard work. Doesn't pay shit though. Neither did any of my other labor jobs. Dead ends and bad pay. If you can get paid under the table it's not quite as bad because The Man doesn't get his cut. I'd say it's a stop-gap to pay the bills till you get a real job. By real job I mean one with a career path and pays you what you are worth.

[Keldoclock]

All I've seen people care about is experience.

As a sixteen year old, that's been a big problem for me- my cert was enough to show my employer that I was serious, and actually able to do the work.

[Tzan]

As a sixteen year old nobody expects you to know anything.
So if you had a cert in hand they figured you were a genius that they wouldn't mind training.

[Natalya]

As a sixteen year old nobody expects you to know anything.
So if you had a cert in hand they figured you were a genius that they wouldn't mind training.

Going to second this.

[morganm]

I was 19 when I started my career. I didn't have any certs. I did have a 2 year degree which I completed in 18 months. I also had experience working some labor jobs. Yes I put them on my resume for an IT job! Why? To prove I can hold a job and I'm not a bum. If you really think you need some piece of paper to prove something I'd suggest getting an Associates degree and completing it as fast as possible. Don't be like your lazy friends and take 6 years because you are partying in the dorm too much to get some stupid 4 year degree that nobody gives a damn about.

Nobody cares what the degree is for or what your GPA was. All you're doing is checking that box so you pass through when they filter all the applications. Again it just proves you aren't a bum; you said you were going to complete something and you did it which resulted in a degree. THATS what they care about.

Quit thinking you aren't worth anything. Plenty of other people will tell you that already; you don't need to tell yourself that. Go apply for some jobs and let THEM say you aren't qualified. Don't just assume you aren't qualified and be like "oh I shouldn't even bother applying for this job cuz I don't have any certs."

You don't need a degree to start at level 1 desktop support. You just have to prove you aren't a bum and have enough knowledge to take a phone call, follow standard procedures, and escalate a ticket to level 2.

Once you get an entry level job make the employer pay for your training, certs, and degrees! Most companies have budgets for these things because they want to retain a qualified workforce. I've seen several people at my current employer move up from shit jobs. One lady was swapping backup tapes out of tape libraries. While she was doing that she studied how the whole backup system works here. Now she's a Data Protection Admin and on her way to being a DP Engineer. Another guy was in the mail room and he learned about the physical data center infrastructure. Now he's on the Data Center Facilities team.

It's a big risk to take on a new employee... what you have to prove to them is that you are worth that risk. Get your foot in the door with an entry level job or even a contract. A lot of times companies use contract employees as a trial run. MUCH easier to fire a contractor than a full time employee. You prove to them during the duration of the contract you are a valuable asset and BAH-BAM they offer you a full time position after the contract is up. Seen that happen many times in a few different places I worked.



(ps. Some are prolly thinking... wait... you were 19 but had a 2 year degree? Yes, I went to college right out of high school. Took out a stupid amount of money in loans. Graduated high school in June and was enrolled in college for August. Completed the courses and got a degree in 18 months because I didn't "take summers off" nor did I fail anything and have to retake classes. I packed in as many credits as possible. Then while my friends took 4 to 6 years getting their degrees I was already working my way up an IT career path.)

[Keldoclock]

A lot of times companies use contract employees as a trial run. MUCH easier to fire a contractor than a full time employee. You prove to them during the duration of the contract you are a valuable asset and BAH-BAM they offer you a full time position after the contract is up.

An aside for video game testers- this is what the company will tell you. What they will instead do, however, is make you work 20 hour shifts and then fire you the day before the day the game launches. You will see it coming- they will buy all of you donuts, and invite you to celebrate the launch. Then they fire all of you right then and there.