- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Winter Olympics
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Career change to IT
Posted on 2/4/26 at 1:22 pm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 1:22 pm
I'm currently 33 and a financial advisor. Not enjoying the sales pressure from current firm and could be looking for a new job in the next 6 months. Im thinking about switching over to IT as a systems analyst of some sort around that same 6 month mark. I'm fairly computer savvy and I've researched some online courses for comptia network plus. Just wondering if anyone has made a switch like this and if so what advice do you have? One reason I want to go into IT is so that I can start my own advisory firm on the side to handle money of friends and family while growing organically. The full time job would provide benefits I need for my growing family.
TIA!
TIA!
8
Posted on 2/4/26 at 2:36 pm to Tig3rman
quote:
comptia network plus
Waste of money and resources. Good for entry level help desk gigs to work your way up to sys admin roles, but that cert isn't going to help your resume jump directly into a sys admin role
Posted on 2/4/26 at 2:58 pm to bluebarracuda
Good to know. So I likely need to start with a help desk gig regardless?
Posted on 2/4/26 at 4:09 pm to Tig3rman
Yea. You have to start at help desk. That is where you learn and cut your teeth. Each problem you problem you solve is a tool that goes into your belt for next time.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 4:34 pm to Tig3rman
You have a growing family. Look at Site Reliability Engineers, and run the opposite direction (on call hours, etc.)
Networking and IT are two totally different paths. You're either going to go for a CCIE (networking) or the systems admin side. They are complimentary bodies of knowledge, but if you're going to go network, you go full network. And don't forget AWS/Azure. I think AWS still has a free base certification which you should be able to pass quite easily.
You may struggle on help desks because you're "mature," and I don't think you have any idea how poorly you may get treated by users. When I worked large corporate account support for a major manufacturer was mostly fine. But, when I worked help desk at a chemical plant in Baton Rouge, it got to the point I drove to the other plant to give a friendly reminder that I was an athletic, confident dude who you should probably be a little bit nicer to.
There is another option, for local SMB support working for places like Verma:
There are multiple advantages. There is usually a "bench guy" that replaces motherboards, etc., at the shop, and there are field techs. You get your assignments a day in advance, or the morning of, which gives you the opportunity to ask the other field techs, "Hey, I think it's probably going to be fixed with XYZ. If that isn't it, what do you think the next most likely problem is?"
Networking and IT are two totally different paths. You're either going to go for a CCIE (networking) or the systems admin side. They are complimentary bodies of knowledge, but if you're going to go network, you go full network. And don't forget AWS/Azure. I think AWS still has a free base certification which you should be able to pass quite easily.
You may struggle on help desks because you're "mature," and I don't think you have any idea how poorly you may get treated by users. When I worked large corporate account support for a major manufacturer was mostly fine. But, when I worked help desk at a chemical plant in Baton Rouge, it got to the point I drove to the other plant to give a friendly reminder that I was an athletic, confident dude who you should probably be a little bit nicer to.
There is another option, for local SMB support working for places like Verma:
quote:
For over 31 years, Verma Systems has been a leading and trusted IT and consulting partner for businesses in Baton Rouge and across Louisiana. They provide personalized solutions to their clients allowing them to leverage IT and technology to enhance business efficiency
There are multiple advantages. There is usually a "bench guy" that replaces motherboards, etc., at the shop, and there are field techs. You get your assignments a day in advance, or the morning of, which gives you the opportunity to ask the other field techs, "Hey, I think it's probably going to be fixed with XYZ. If that isn't it, what do you think the next most likely problem is?"
Posted on 2/4/26 at 5:10 pm to Tig3rman
Why not start your on financial advising firm and be your own boss?
Posted on 2/4/26 at 7:18 pm to Tig3rman
AI has eliminated those jobs. Probably the worst job market in the USA.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 7:47 pm to Tig3rman
quote:Curious as to what sales pressure you are getting? What products?
Not enjoying the sales pressure from current firm
Posted on 2/4/26 at 8:17 pm to j1897
quote:
AI has eliminated those jobs.
Oh, AI is swapping power supplies now? Figuring out why a Domain Controller isn't replicating to the other DCs? Why one user in an office at the corner of the building constantly loses connectivity to the printer?
Stop with the "AI is doom" bullshite. It has made getting through Applicant Tracking Systems a real pain in the arse, but the kind of work he's asking about is the equivalent to the skilled trades (plumber, electrician, etc.) You want to assign blame anywhere, blame H1Bs. But even that won't impact his early career, it'll be mid career where he feels the sting.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 8:27 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
Figuring out why a Domain Controller isn't replicating to the other DCs?
Yes actually.
This isn't doom bullshite, we just had a large layoff and i'm friends with a ton of people looking for jobs. Companies are strongly prioritizing higher Sr. and Expert roles, entry level they are doing their best to replace with AI.
Sorry you don't like it, but if you are working on AD DC's i can see why your perspective of the industry is radically different.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 8:35 pm to j1897
quote:
e working on AD DC's
That was 20 years ago, although I work with client staff that deal with this stuff all day. *Certain* entry level roles are victim, because we all can see Taco Bell's AI ordering system does so well. But, for context, you don't work with 20+ clients a year, all of whom have hands on helpdesk people, outsourced or not. My last client brought in close to 400 people to replace a local support staff of about 20 between offices; (almost all overseas,) but they re-badged the local helpdesk staff in each office for the kind of support he's talking about. PE demanded it.
Layoffs are more driven by being able to bring in Cognizant, TCS, or one of the H1B mills to replace $100k US Citizens with H1Bs that will earn under 70k.
Posted on 2/4/26 at 9:03 pm to Roy Curado
quote:
Why not start your on financial advising firm and be your own boss?
He'd probably need to buy a book of business from someone that is retiring. There are SBA loans for that (which seems shockingly easy to get.)
Posted on 2/5/26 at 8:54 am to Tig3rman
Systems analysts typically have a skill set applied to a larger system. For example, many analysts have database admin and SQL skills. Those are used to manage the system and support reporting, etc.
You need to decide what area of IT you want to pursue and build appropriate foundational skills. IF you try to go into IT because "you like to build computers", you'll end up on the Tier 1 help desk as a best case scenario.
I'd suggest using your financial background to go into a technical role in that department. Every accountant I've ever worked with was amazing at Excel, but couldn't use a database for anything. There are plenty of opportunities to combine financial and technical skills.
If you really want to stand out, learn how to implement AI and produce something productive. Every executive in America wants to tell their board they are using AI, but so far, it's almost all a pipe dream. There's serious money to be made by those who figure it out.
You need to decide what area of IT you want to pursue and build appropriate foundational skills. IF you try to go into IT because "you like to build computers", you'll end up on the Tier 1 help desk as a best case scenario.
I'd suggest using your financial background to go into a technical role in that department. Every accountant I've ever worked with was amazing at Excel, but couldn't use a database for anything. There are plenty of opportunities to combine financial and technical skills.
If you really want to stand out, learn how to implement AI and produce something productive. Every executive in America wants to tell their board they are using AI, but so far, it's almost all a pipe dream. There's serious money to be made by those who figure it out.
Posted on 2/5/26 at 9:25 am to LemmyLives
quote:
Networking and IT are two totally different paths. You're either going to go for a CCIE (networking) or the systems admin side.
As someone who holds a CCNA, this is stupidly false.
Posted on 2/5/26 at 11:57 am to bluebarracuda
I meant that's where he'd end up eventually. Or, he could end up just like you, performing basic rule updates and interface configs for the next 20 years. I worked with guy that sounds like you, he was almost 50 and was still doing work that a 22 year old CCNA could do.
Posted on 2/5/26 at 11:58 am to RoyalWe
Not necessarily product specific just high numbers/quotas for 1st time advisor. The guys who have made it through said program abandoned the fiduciary mindset and acted selfishly
Posted on 2/5/26 at 12:10 pm to Roy Curado
Well thats the plan but an IT job (no conflict of interest with and advisory firm) would provide benefits and a base salary while I get the firm up and running. I could look at buying a book from a retiree and I'm pretty confident about keeping it together. Still will need to feed and keep healthy a family of 4 while I get that up and running.
Posted on 2/5/26 at 2:16 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
I meant that's where he'd end up eventually. Or, he could end up just like you, performing basic rule updates and interface configs for the next 20 years. I worked with guy that sounds like you, he was almost 50 and was still doing work that a 22 year old CCNA could do.
Posted on 2/5/26 at 2:26 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
Or, he could end up just like you, performing basic rule updates and interface configs for the next 20 years
I can shut no shut with the best of them
Posted on 2/5/26 at 3:35 pm to Tig3rman
Just a note. Entry level IT positions do not offer a lot of time flexibility. You will be the new guy on the team so you get worse times off.
The job change will make it fun enough for a year or two. My 2c, shite will get irritating real quick, answering the same dumb arse questions over and over. The general user of a computer is barely competent.
If you want to accelerate your path, go work for an MSP. Its a bootcamp but will give you a better idea of the challenges small biz's face, but you are going to figure out one way or the other quick.
Also I did not switch mid career. So this is just longevity advice and observational from a decent sampling size.
The job change will make it fun enough for a year or two. My 2c, shite will get irritating real quick, answering the same dumb arse questions over and over. The general user of a computer is barely competent.
If you want to accelerate your path, go work for an MSP. Its a bootcamp but will give you a better idea of the challenges small biz's face, but you are going to figure out one way or the other quick.
Also I did not switch mid career. So this is just longevity advice and observational from a decent sampling size.
Page 1 of 2
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News