Only one in ten people in the United Kingdom are enjoying job satisfaction. Naturally most won’t do a thing. The reality of your getting here at a minimum tells us that you’re considering or may be ready for a change.
On the subject of training, it’s vital to first define your requirements from the career you’re looking to get into. Be sure that the grass actually is greener before you spend time and effort altering your life’s plans. It’s good sense to regard the whole story first, to avoid disappointment:
* Would you like to work with others? If so, do you want a team or are you more comfortable dealing with strangers? Alternatively, do you like to deal with your responsibilities alone?
* The banks and building sector are none too stable right now, so it’s important to look very carefully at what sector would suit you best?
* Do you want this to be the only time re-training is necessary?
* Would you like the course you’re re-training in to be in a market sector where you’re comfortable you’ll have a job until your pension kicks in?
It’s important that you don’t overlook the IT industry – it’s well known that it’s developing all the time. It’s not all nerdy people looking at computer screens the whole time – we know those roles do exist, but the majority of roles are filled with ordinary men and women who get on very well.
Considering the amount of options that are available, it’s not really surprising that a large majority of newcomers to the industry have no idea which career they could be successful with.
How likely is it for us to understand the tasks faced daily in an IT career when we’ve never done it? We normally haven’t met someone who does that actual job anyway.
Consideration of the following areas is essential when you want to uncover the right solution that will work for you:
* What nature of person you think yourself to be – the tasks that you find interesting, and don’t forget – what don’t you like doing.
* What time-frame are you looking at for the retraining?
* What are your thoughts on salary vs job satisfaction?
* Understanding what the main Information technology areas and markets are – and what makes them different.
* You’ll also need to think hard about the amount of time and effort you’ll put into your education.
The best way to avoid all the jargon and confusion, and reveal the best route for you, have a good talk with an industry expert and advisor; a person who understands the commercial reality as well as each certification.
Of course: the training itself or a certification isn’t what this is about; a job that you want to end up in is. Far too many training organisations put too much weight in just the training course.
Don’t be one of the unfortunate masses who set off on a track which looks like it could be fun – and end up with a certification for something they’ll never enjoy.
You must also consider how you feel about career progression and earning potential, plus your level of ambition. It makes sense to understand what the role will demand of you, what exams will be required and how to develop your experience.
We’d recommend you take advice from an experienced industry advisor before you begin some particular study path, so you can be sure that the content of a learning package provides the skills necessary.
Always expect the latest Microsoft (or Cisco, CompTIA etc.) authorised exam preparation packages.
Students regularly can find themselves confused by practising exam questions that aren’t from authorised sources. Sometimes, the phraseology is startlingly different and you need to be ready for this.
Ensure that you analyse how much you know by doing tests and simulated exams prior to taking the real deal.
Be watchful that any accreditations you’re considering doing will be recognised by employers and are up-to-date. The ‘in-house’ certifications provided by many companies are not normally useful in gaining employment.
Unless your qualification is issued by a big-hitter like Microsoft, Adobe, CompTIA or Cisco, then you’ll probably find it will be commercially useless – as no-one will have heard of it.
(C) 2009 S. Edwards. Pop to MCSE Courses or www.AdultCareerTraining.co.uk/gact.html.
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