HACKER Q&A
📣 fauxbravo

I have 7 years in IT Support and am not sure what is next for my career


I have been working in IT for 7 years. Originally I wanted to be a web developer, but was told (and listened to) that it was not possible without a College Degree (by a senior Web Dev). I do not have an A+ certificate and recruiters have told me that I do not need it because my experience gets me in the door. I know that I am not currently fulfilled at my current role and I feel that if I don't move on, I won't be able to earn more and I will limit my growth. I also get told that 7 years is insane for someone to stay at in IT and that I've hampered my earnings severely.

Anyways, I am looking to see what other roles I can move to. Currently, it seems, that the demand is in Cyber Security. I am looking to take Coursera's Google Cyber Security program because I think I can knock that out by October and start looking for a job right after. I'm honestly looking for more remote roles (recruiters have told me that those are limited and rare, and hybrid is what I can hope for). Is this a good route?

I still like Web Dev (both front and end interest me and UI does to), and plan to pursuit it as a hobby down the line, but I need to, for my mental health (anxiety and depression) get out of my current role and possibly in a remote role so that I don't have to deal with office politics. For folks who are in Cyber Security (or anyone who wants to chime in) is this a good first step? I haven't really had a mentor in working in IT and would love some advice.


  👤 newprint Accepted Answer ✓
To be honest, I have been very proud my entire life that I'm software engineer and I can program. But now, I just turned 40 and there is ChatGPT(released just few months before I turned 40), I feel dumb as a rock. Your senior dev, who told you that you can't be developer didn't see what is coming for our asses.

UI front end development is relatively easy (see React and TypeScript), you can pick-it up relatively easy. Another thing you can easily pick-up is database design and database programming. Knowing TypeScript, you can get into AWS CloudFormation.


👤 NetworkPerson
For what it’s worth, I’ve been “in IT” 8 years now. Most of that spent as various types of helpdesk support. Now I’m one of the admins with a MSP and work the more complicated tickets. It’s great, I love my job, and salary is good enough my wife was able to become a stay at home mom. You don’t have to go a development route to make something out of IT. Find an area of it you like, and push for your own development there. It seems MSP’s are hiring quite competitively right now. Look around and see what roles interest you.

Also, I don’t have my A+ either :)