What does this mean for the certification industry? Ultimately, it means
the folks that issue certifications and the training programs that go
along with them are going to make a lot of money. For you, it means
specialized training and certifications are becoming even more necessary
as a "foot in the door". But even more, it means that, as the market
declines, the pool of job candidates grows larger, employers can pick
from the top, and pay less money.
The trick here is to get to the top of that ever-growing pile. What it
means is that you must have (1) a general technical education, (2) a
specific technical education, (3) a college degree, (4) one or more
specialized certifications, and (5) experience. If your brother-in-law
were the CEO of the company you want to work for, that wouldn't hurt,
either.
The experience factor is especially troublesome to a lot of people, and
I've received many e-mails from my readers complaining about just that.
The most common problem people tell me about is having the education and
the certifications, but not getting the job offers because of a lack of
experience. It would seem to be a vicious circle. "How can I get
experience if nobody will give me a job in the first place," is an
all-too-common cry in IT circles.
And it is a problem, especially as employers continue to raise the bar
for even entry-level positions. The solution comes in recognizing the
experience you do have, but wouldn't normally think of including on your
resume. The fact is, the "experience" section of your resume need not be
limited to traditional employment. Any time you've sat in front of a
computer and solved a problem that counts as experience. Some various
types of experience you can include are:
1. Classroom experience. Sure, it's only the classroom, but if your
class has a lab, chances are you've actually had an opportunity to do
some live work. Including this will show that your academic background
went beyond mere theory.
2. Volunteer work. If you've talked to any career counselors,
they've probably already advised you to go down this path. Volunteer
your time to a worthwhile organization. Chances are, they need IT help
of some sort, but can't afford to pay for it. One caveat here-be careful
of the politics involved in your volunteer work. If your target employer
is Exxon, don't volunteer to run Greenpeace's computers (or if you do,
don't tell them about it). Schools and churches are probably safe bets.
Stay away from groups that have politically controversial agendas.
3. Temporary work. Temp agencies do a lot more than send out typists
and file clerks; agencies like Manpower have technical divisions that
send out IT specialists. Sign up with one or more of these groups, and
land a few short-term tech assignments. Document the work you did, and
ask for a brief letter of recommendation from each place you were sent
to. This may even lead to a permanent situation.
4. Your current employer. Suppose, for example, that you are a
"power user", but not directly involved with the IT department. Get to
know the people there, let them know what you can do, and volunteer
(with the approval of your boss, of course) to help out in IT in your
spare time. It's entirely likely that at some point, there will be an
extra project they need help with, or there will be a temporary staffing
shortage and you may be called upon to fill in. When that happens,
scrupulously document the work you did, and reflect that on your resume
when you go looking for a higher-level IT job.
To expand on point #4 a little, it's very common for an office to have a
"power user" who is not part of IT, but nonetheless, becomes the
"unofficial" troubleshooter for everyone in the office. Why? Because
everybody knows that you know what you're doing, and IT is too busy to
help. This invariably rubs the IT people the wrong way, but things get
done. Is this you? Do people come to you and ask, "How can I get my
computer to do this?" or "Why can't I get my document to print?" It's
not your job, but because you've been asked and it's a break from your
routine, you go and help out. Word gets around the office, and before
you know it, you're the unofficial computer wizard. If this happens to
be your situation, take advantage of it, and document everything you do
outside of your normal duties.
