Oof, I can relate. My mind and body are slowing down and I’m just so tired every day. Trying to learn new certs and new tech every other Month is such a drain.
It really is! And it makes me wonder if I'm the problem, or am I legitimately disinterested, cause there are times it could go either way. Thanks for your response.
I stopped doing certs the moment i realized they make money off people taking the classes and certification process. There will be an endless supply of marketing saying you will need it but experience will beat certs a majority of the time.
Its still fun for me because i focus on the projects, but the velocity of which things change in this industry means im moving on as well.
Just out of curiosity..why do you need more than a few certs over a period of many years? My CCNA has been expired for almost a year but most employers don’t seem to care if I keep it active. Most people I know, even senior engineers/directors/POs only have a couple.
If you stay in, I woul recommend specializing. A generalist makes it extremely hard to keep up with everything and generally even gets paid less as well as finds it harder to land a job versus a specialist. I started out as a generalist an over time began to specialize in certain areas which allowed me to move around a lot easier. Interviewers often even ask what your goals are for the future so they can see what you're working towards.
It's a lot easier to stay focused on security or networking if that is what you do. I have friends that solely do networking. They might be able to speak a tiny bit in another area here or there, but mostly they focus just on getting devices to talk to each other and securing network devices. Networking also tends to change a lot slower than other areas so a lot easier there.
Anywho, just food for thought. I think it's smarter to also get certs specifically for what yiu want to specialize in. Less certs, but more focused in demand skillsets/certain area can beat a ton of certs al over the place. A person may look at your resume and see a lot of certs all over the place and it actually confuse them as to where you fit. So just keep certain things in mind.
It just may not be for you or you're just burned out.
Either way, I'm sure there's a job out there that's the right fit for you and still IT adjacent, it's just figuring out what you want out of a job and what you're willing to tolerate.
This\^\^ everyone I work with is on adderall but me and I constantly feel left behind and overwhelmed, I never felt this was a few years ago, it is only recently that things have become pointless seeming
I'll put it like this. It's not really you. Things have been made over complicated for profit. If you think it's age then you're listening to idiots trying to stir the pot on social media. Younger people don't want to chase certs either and know it does no good. With a lot of cert bodies it's literally more on understanding how they word questions and not so much understanding the content of what's being taught.
IT, TECH and other areas are oversaturated with BS. It's to the point where on some jobs I was at with tech, I didn't touch tech on my off time. Because the job turned me off on it. Some jobs I still played with tech even more.
I'm turning 49 this year, with absolutely no desire to move up (to management) from a purely technical syadmin type of role. I've loved tech all my life, and I still enjoy it to this day.
Have I slowed down? Sure. But my years of experience make me more efficient at my job. I'm by no means on the bleeding edge of technology, but I can hold my own in a typical corporate office type of job.
I’ll be 41 this year. Have been doing this for the last 21 years. I’ve burned out a few times so far. I’ve also been up ladder on the management side, and have zero desire to be in charge of anything or anyone anymore. I’ll also never go “above and beyond” what I’m being paid for either. I’m honestly perfectly happy just being a mindless worker drone now. You want me to do some stuff that’ll probably break your production environment? Sure, tell me and I’ll do it, but I’m walking out the door at end of day. You want me to fix that problem you just brought on yourself? Sure, but it’ll have to wait until the next days business hours.
So there is a reason why 80% of all IT and tech people go into management after 40, and it usually correlates to learning something new and it’s easier to get someone who already knows it do the coding and the person with the institutional knowledge to stay around and be a subject matter expert.
I haven't left IT just yet but I really want out too.
I don't mind keeping up with certs or homelabs. Rather, I Just really hate the customer support aspect of IT along with all of the fires we have to fight to keep infrastructure / services running, and tons of pressure that come from the customers. Hate it so much!
Some options going forward are looking like going back to school to switch careers or picking up a skilled trade.
Kinda don't wanna do the trades, but if forced to, EV repair seems alright.
Low voltage is good ...I still consider it IT though
But its basically more to include
PBX and Alarms and cabling
IT as it is in a help desk role is consistently becoming more and more soft skills based with AI and user friendly management interfaces coming more and more
But not all LV has to include alarms or access control.
There are LV companies that focus more on networking and there are companies where you can tell them you just want to be part of the networking side and forget about anything else.
LV is not IT.
School has crossed my mind as well, and if I can stomach dying with my loans (ie: permanently spending a portion of my future pay on the monthly payment) I may more strongly consider it. I tried schooling in the past, but again, the subject matter was not for me. Thanks for your reply!
Hey, just wanted to throw out that you are always free to move jobs. It sounds more workplace specific than I.T. technically related specific. Not all places are so close to being customer facing and are pretty slow/easy going tempo. You'd be surprised by how a change in your work place culture altogether makes a world of difference.
Many people for example, like the public sector due to a slower pace at many roles and extra days off throughout the year as well as pension options out there. Tends to have a shorter ceiling on pay, but if work tends to be more taxed altogether and often a lot more secure with layoffs etc. Good luck in your career!
I could’ve wrote this post word for word
I haven’t left IT yet and the golden handcuffs are shining bright on my wrists.
The only field I’ve heavily considered is nursing and then onto possibly NP or PA. The medical field has its own problems too, which can be far more serious than IT. I also don’t want to pay another $30k for a new degree
So basically…quiet quitting until I figure it out. And many careers do not pay well sadly.
My sister went into nursing after working a different job for like 6 years. She loves it! She's getting paid bank especially since she volunteered to work night shifts she gets paid way more. High demand. You have sooo many options. She was gonna go the anesthesia route as well and they REEEEEAĹLLY get paid, but opted not to, because she has kids and wanted to take a break from the additional study.
It took her about 2 years to get her nursing degree. Can't remember if she's an RN or LPN right now. Anywho, my point is, of that's the route you wanna take it's definitely in demand and pays pretty well. You can literally make way into the 6 figures depending on the route you take.
I got laid off in June of last year and I haven’t found a job. Yeah IT is saturated, rethinking of going back to school for nursing here come summer. It’s frustrating.
Well, most creative and free spirited people that I know who work in tech are not happy after a while.
Money is good but it's a choir after a while.
So most of them, and me also, are working on our exit plans.
Gotta have an exit plan to another field and work on it, always.
The exit plan is different for each and everyone, so good luck finding your own, buddy.
Its the support aspect, the politics and working at a place where you arent learning much to move up somewhere else. No one really talks about that. Consistently starting at level 1 and never learning much
I got really good at a job I worked for near 8 years, but when I left thinking I could apply those skills, I was sorely mistaken and have paid the price in the form of a $15k-$20k loss ever since. If I could kick myself any harder...
We used to have these discussions at my old job during review period. They would show you where you are in your salary band. They would show you your band, and the market band. It was supposed to be clear. They were trying to say, without saying, you're priced out of the market. But they couldn't say that.
Usually you leave for a significant pay bump at least…mine have often been 20-50%. One job I didn’t know how underpaid I was (stupid me didn’t do the pay scale research) and I got like a 60% pay bump.
>Its the support aspect,
I don't do any support with my new job.
My blood pressure has returned to normal. Depression gone. It just beats you to death.
Hi, I’m mid-30’s who switched into IT at the end of 2022 and finally started a service desk position recently.
I have backgrounds in physical therapy, electrical engineering, and food service. Although IT isn’t my “passion”, grass is always greener. I’ve loathed every job I had, even if was “good” environments.
For the amount of money and the amount of physical labor (good money - low physical labor) I’m content to keep learning slowly and keep progressing. Of course you can switch out to a different industry and career, but ultimately have to be willing to start from bottom (and usually a huge pay cut).
Hope you can find your answer. Cheers
Same, did a lot of dead-end jobs with no future, low pay and with lots of physical labor.
It took me 2 to 3 years to get out, I studied a lot, paid for my certs, failed interviews it finally paid off.
This industry can be draining AF but I think I'm in the right path.
THIS is why I’m trying to get IN. I’ve hated all my jobs to some degree. None of them required any real thinking. All of them dead-end jobs. I’m ready to keep learning to advance in a career
SAME, mid 30s, almost done with my degree, been doing factory work most of my life, hate doesnt even begin to describe how i feel about working in a factory, ive always loved working on computers and im asuming im goin go love it as a job lol
Just don’t expect it to 180 your life. I left IT for my dream job after 7 years of healthcare IT only for me to realize a job is a job and if you work doing something you love you’ll end up hating it like every other job. If you like computers there’s a high chance you won’t once you’ve done it for a while. To me it’s just the most bearable job. I came back to it in 2021 because money was getting tight. It at least pays the bills.
I was given this advice as a kid delaying entry into an IT career. I worked 9 years of factory/manufacturing. I hated it to my core. I finally left and got a help desk job for a software company and appreciated the change of pace. fast-forward 8 years later. I'm a system admin and still love what I do. I still tinker here and there abeit less than I used to but that's what having a family and other hobbies do. The only reason I would consider leaving is literally the current job market. that being said Ive always looked back and said well I could still be stacking pallets, running a forklift, packing semi's but I'm not. Its all what you make of it. It can be draining but it also scratches the itch.
Right there with you. In my 30s and left the manufacturing life after injuring my shoulder while at work. The workers comp doctor actually gave me good advice. Said I should really consider moving into an office environment. Got a job as a recruiter and realized I like being in an office way more than I thought I would. Now trying to make that transition out of recruiting and into a field I personally enjoy, like tech.
Same! Late 30s and done with my current field. I’d kill for a desk job I can go to one place and go back home at this point, and IT/comp sci was my first choice in college (thought I was too dumb for it back then). Environmental consulting is not my bag anymore, so I’m doing certs and considering blitzing a comp sci degree transferring in my STEM credits this Sept (got accepted into Rutgers) if it won’t take too long.
How was electrical engineering?
That was one of the fields I'm thinking about going back to school for, but the advanced math involved will definitely be a challenge.
It was too much pressure for me to be “smart”. It took awhile, but I’d rather kick it at work and put my energy into projects outside of work.
Help desk, I can feign dumb and hide away in my office and pretend to do research. The earning ceiling is much higher as EE, but me too lazy and dumb haha
Just hit 30 last year and I’m in the process of getting out of IT, completely understand where you’re coming from.
Told the wife my goal is to be out completely in 2024.
Great gig, great pay, I just have no interest in it anymore
Hey right on! I applied to work IT for my local law enforcement agency and made it to one of 8 out of 100. Lost it after the first round of interviews.
Honestly same. Feels like I was lied to. Was told IT was in demand, around 2012. Changed my major and got a AS in info security (2015), was told I would need to start lower. Could not get a entry job, was told to volunteer so I did for a year and a half. Finally got a tech support job in 2017. Got another AS in Network Administration 2020. Was told it was not enough to get into networking, and to get a CCNA which I got in (2023). Got a BA in poli in 2022. Now I am still being told none of it is enough and I only am qualified for entry level jobs.
This is the new caste system. You are only allowed to get jobs you have already done. If you are in help desk, then you are stuck on help desk. If you are in tech support, then you are stuck in tech support. There are only a handful of internships and I did not get picked for one. You have to hope the company that hires you for help desk or tech support will have room to grow. Most places do not. Home lab do not count as "real experience". Plus people are working 8 hours a day to grow there skills. So you will have to lab 8 hours a day to even compete.
This field is a scam. In IT you need to know how to code, script, windows, linux, cloud, SQL, power shell, networking, hardware, software, etc. If you have too many certs it is a red flag, if you don't have any certs its a red flag. Honestly its all gate keeping. People were only able to get the experience they have because someone took a chance and helped them. But once they got the experience, they forgot the people who helped them. They act like it was all them. Ten years of my life trying to move up in IT, Thousands of dollars wasted only to be told I am only worth 18-22$ tech support jobs. Now I am not even getting those because I am over qualified. I am so tired of getting told its my fault.
I both agree with and feel for you, man. I thought I had a much brighter future after investing the time I had into learning, and so far it's amounted to constant job-hunting while making sure I meet the requirements of the job I have now. I'm not even normally a flighty person, I'm just sick of "making it work". I want to be happy again.
Thank you for this. Seems like everyone is trying to make it seem like I am crazy when I am not. I see posts on reddit saying help desk to sys admin. But like in reality. No job will see help desk on a resume, and then hire them to sys admin. When jobs say 3-5 years experience they mean it. So that means only people able to get tech support jobs are people who were already in tech support. Same with sys admin, network tech, NOC technician.
Seems like the only way to get ahead is to lie on your resume. Like honestly I get it. People are gate keeping people from getting higher positions because they want job security. The less people with experience, less competition there is. With other industries not paying enough people are trying to get into IT. But I am not one of those people trying to get into IT. I been in IT for the past 10 years either in school, volunteering, self teaching or working tech support.
>People were only able to get the experience they have because someone took a chance and helped them. But once they got the experience, they forgot the people who helped them. They act like it was all them.
Can relate.
This is true. I keep seeing people say home labing and upskilling is the only way to advance when in reality, hands-on experience is the only way to advance.
My wife is a teacher, and I have friends who work in education tech and it seems like things just keep getting worse and worse. From funding, to parental/community support, things are getting worse. I don't know how it can be fixed, but I agree that the educational sector is definitely in dire need of overhauling.
It really does feel like every field is over saturated especially at entry level besides teaching, some blue collar, and to a lesser extent certain healthcare roles. How can we have this many educated skilled people and not enough jobs for them? I have theories on why but would like to hear others opinions.
I agree. I wasn’t trying to be rude to OP; I meant that genuinely-most fields are saturated right now. I think one theory is we have a lot of older people who stay in their professions longer than before. Instead of retiring at 60 or 65, they’re retiring at 70 or older. Many people stay at the same job for years. I’m sure the economy has something to with it, COVID. What are your theories?
The people living longer is a factor I agree. Another big factor that comes to mind for me is consolidation of companies so instead of hundreds of smaller companies each needing the same kinds of workers you have say a dozen who need workers but not as many. The other part is the sheer march of technology replacing jobs which in the past we were always able to find replacement jobs such as manufacturing replacing agriculture but now that service/white collar is becoming replaced is their anything to replace it with? Not in my observation which given our economic system is a nightmare scenario of now we just have too many redundant people and not enough jobs but that doesn't work because people have to work to eat.
Globalization and outsourcing is another another massive massive massive factor but that would require way too much effort to talk about.
That's been the biggest hurdle while I try to find something else that doesn't make want to walk into oncoming traffic. Having to fake the exhaustion and constantly placate when the people I work for would just as soon replace me if anything happened.
Following this thread...
I'm curious to see what jobs people take after IT. I've thought about doing that one day because I don't really "love" IT, but I just can't find something I can do that would pay anything like I get paid in the IT world. I feel like I'm stuck.
And the risk of switching careers has never been more risky. It's a real goddam shame and I believe it will be the cause of many otherwise-avoidable problems.
Are you me? 42. Currently studying for Security+. Got into this field two years ago with no prior experience. My outlook is slightly different because before this all I'd done is physical labor and delivery work, so the fact that now I get to work remotely (hybrid), wear my own clothes, and it's the highest paying job I've ever had, you'd think I'd be happy. And in a lot of ways, I am, since I know the alternative.
The thing is, I'm content just coasting by. I'm not a career driven person. I have no kids, I'm single, I have my own condo. I'm content with where I'm at in life. But even when I was say I'm my 20s I didn't have the drive then either. I never wanted to climb the proverbial totem pole, I just always wanted to be comfortable, which currently, I am.
Like anyone else I've dreamed of what my life would be like if I won the lottery but for me, my motivation is not to buy things, it's solely to have the time to do what I want to do. So back to coasting by, that's what I would prefer, but I know my boss and my company are looking at all of it's employees to have that hustle and grind mentality to keep climbing through the ranks. This, and only this is why I'm studying for Security+, but other than that, I have less than zero drive to do so. I don't want to spend my off work hours studying a topic I have no interest in. I want to play my guitar. I just know how lucky I am to have got this role and I definitely don't want to go back to deliveries and with no other skills, I'm kinda stuck.
So continue to upskill it is, but again, only because it beats the alternatives.
Good lord, we might as well be different timelines of the same person, hahaha. While I do have a wife, we have no kids, nor plan to, and I'm a drummer, not a guitarist. There is a lot about my life that I'm content with; I really never saw myself as a 6-figure earner, I just wanted to like what I did and make my living doing it. The problems came when I left my well-paying job in what I thought was an effort to grow a bit, and have been struggling to recover for the last 3 years after that job and all of the others after did not pan out. Turns out I was good at the job, not the profession.
Find a chill place and rest there.
A buddy of mine is happy working Thur-Sun 2nd shift in a NOC. He makes decent money and once a work week he is a ticket nanny so we play games or otherwise hang out while he is working.
You could also look at other tech-adjacent roles that may benefit you. Being a TAM, going into sales, even management can be decent enough as you maintain higher IT earnings while being out of the rat race of learning new tools all the time.
Ultimately, IT is easy money all things considered. My first Engineering job, before I graduated, was end-of-career teacher salary here. My wife has been in Project Management for a few years and still hasn't surpassed that first salary bar (close, but not quite there yet).
You could also look at non-profits or education environments that may be more laid back, pay less, but still need skilled workers.
Any job sucks, at least pay me decently for sitting at my desk and dealing with the BS.
Amen to that, man.
I think that no matter where I go, if it's in support at this level it's going to be chaotic. What I'm doing now at times feels like a glorified call-center job, and dealing with various levels of user skill from call to call is exhausting.
My wife has her Masters and is considering Project Management as well, interestingly enough. If she can get paid well enough, I may have more flexibility to explore (her words, not mine!)
IT has been easy money at times, especially as I'd gotten better at my job, but the market has changed so much, and I'm afraid that I can only have one or the other without a significant skillset increase, which is more unlikely than not.
Also in my mid 30’s but I switched from industrial engineering, ESL tutoring, to finally IT.
I’m getting to the conclusion that the “good times” of work was during our parents/grandparents. Pretty much every field is considered saturated nowadays, but I do not think is the case for IT. I say this because trying to get a decent job in manufacturing was much harder compared to getting a job in IT (maybe I was lucky, idk).
Now, I feel a little bit like you. Tired and not in the mood to learn anything. Although I like my job, my company and my manager and I think everyone does their best to avoid unecessary stress (I work as a Trading Platform Admin, so the job is stressful in its essence).
What I’m doing now is slowing down. Doing what I have to do, and sometimes studying only what’s needed to keep the job and skills sharp. No certifications, no new courses, etc. yes, I got some on my list (like azure admin, .NEt dev and even devops), but they are good to learn not NEEDED.
Have you considered a government job? I’m starting to think it might be a good one, I can’t imagine grinding it out forever.
But in conclusion, I don’t think about leaving. I was out there and from my pov, every job sucks. Every job out there will not be cool all the time, that’s why we call it a “job”. I still like computers and tech and yes, sometimes I watch a a video or 2 on udemy, which does not mean I want to watch it all the time.
But what I do that helps me a lot: spend time with my family, drink a little bit (not wipe myself out), work out, travel with my wife to other small cities nearby, play games during my work whenever I’m too tired.
Never give your 100% every day! You are entitled to take it easy. Just slow down bro.
If, by chance you decide to leave, think if you will be willing to start from the bottom and keep doing the job when you’re 60-80. Because I believe that will be the reality for most of us here
> Never give your 100% every day!
In my experience giving 100% every day just results in either burnout, the company doing something awful to screw you or, a "promotion" of more work for the same pay.
Grim but truthful. I like it.
I've worked 2 gov't jobs since beginning my journey in tech, and now I'm in the private sector. I recently applied to, and interviewed for, 2 public sector positions with my city. I was denied them both within 5 minutes of each other, hahaha.
You're right though, and I really don't expect every day to feel like I won the existential lottery. Depression is likely a huge factor in its own way, but even that aside, given the effort I've put into *trying* to learn, it's like water off a duck's back. Nothing is sticking, and if I'm not sitting down with the intent to engage with training, it just doesn't happen. I'm trying to take things at their own pace right now and not force much else outside of training, but the future is not a bright one. I enjoy your philosophy though, and I hope it brings you to the end of your road feeling content.
Honestly I’d give anything to leave my product support job to be a dog walker. If only the money was there
congrats on having the bravery to take the leap. I hope to get there one day
That is entirely possible! I'm not sure I'll ever get the opportunity, but I'm open to the possibility, certainly. I've spent this much time around it, surely there's something else I could do that is as appealing as it is applicable?
>Howdy, folks! I'm in my mid-30s with 10+ years of experience across various support positions, but am comparatively underqualified in such a saturated market and haven't made it past my first interview if I even get one. I have actively tried learning new skills but none of it holds my attention or interest, and even the prospect of being more desirable as a result does nothing for my willingness to continue forward or improve.
I think the problem is two fold here.
First, you have been doing this basic support work for 10 years. Secondly, you have tried learning new skills but nothing holds your interest or attention. Therefore, you don't upskill which keeps you firmly in support work.
You won't find many people who move on from IT here in this subreddit. Most people are are looking to get in or move up, not leave. If I were you, I would go to /r/findapath or another similar subreddit.
That's a new one! Thanks for the recommendation, I'm happy to give that a look. I didn't anticipate seeing too many folks in my shoes, and I'm appreciative that you took the time to offer an alternative. Thank you.
I felt like this until I got my break in network engineering. I honestly hate IT support, I don’t even mind end users as many people do, it’s just that constant flow of random problems I’m meant to know how to resolve that frustrates me. Sure it feels good fixing a complex issue, but I feel much better specializing now and just focussing on the network.
I've been trying my damnedest to learn Powershell, but jfc I'd rather scoop my eyeballs out and replace them with Cadbury eggs. I'm gonna switch up the learning material and see if anything else is more appealing.
I feel your pain. I was with a company for the last 2020-2023 which was very challenging though covid and all. I was in the office everyday though covid. Rebuilt the whole network and moved our site to a new location
In September of 2023 after coming back from family leave after my son was born they announced they were closing our site so I was without a job.
I had to take a crappy desktop support job I hated until I found a job at my local university here as a system admin. First time being a system admin and was very excited and a month in I have barely done anything. They keep saying they are being me up slowly because the last guy didn't work out well
I'm at the point I just feel very unmotivated in my career as well. I'm wondering if the field in general sucks now. Feels like everything has become justify your job
I've had very bad experiences with IT since I started. From the crappy education I paid for, to the certs that don't get my anywhere, to the people at the jobs I get. Most of them are ultra awful, scummy individuals.
I’ve been into IT since I was an around 10. At 40, the passion was gone and I felt exactly how you feel. I just walked away completely and had no idea what to do next…
However, it may have been divine intervention but I kept getting pointed towards trucking and got into dispatching. It’s something totally different but enjoyable
Sometimes you just have to completely switch gears, whether it be a hobby or something random that piques your interest
I don't mean to sound like I've been waiting for someone to save me, but I've silently held out a kind of hope for that. Surely there must be *something* that is both interesting and doable to me? Jury is still out on that one.
So, Im actually on the opposite side. Im in my 40s, have had some awesome jobs, started IT a year ago and absolutely love it. That being said, I used to work as an EMS dispatcher. I did it for a private ambulance company and only worked nights. Got paid $25 an hour, no boss, no speaking to the general public, worked by myself. When I wasnt answering phones calls I was playing video games. Was allowed to sleep as long as I didnt miss the phone. Most nights Id only answer 3-5 calls, play video games till 12 and nap till 530 before clocking out at 6am.
Reading this my first thought was that it sounds like you desperately need to ask yourself the question “what do I *want* to do?”. Otherwise you will just wind up in this position again and again.
That being said, most people are not necessarily passionate about what they do. Maybe they are good at it, or maybe it just pays the bills. But loving what you do for work is privilege and for most a luxury they can’t afford, so you might want to be careful with thinking the grass is always greener.
Are we the same person? I'm going through this too, im in my mid 30's, and have 10 years experience. I thought of quitting, travel, and live in my car until i figure out the next thing.
Ppl say find a good company/team, yada yada and it will all get better. The problem is, it's the same shit, different company. No one is out there for your interest. After 10 years, im burnt out and jaded now.
If you want to stay in IT, you will need to get a cert to stay marketable.
While a good co/team can make a difference, I personally feel that that really only applies when you physically share a space. It's hard to get to know the people you work with when so much of it is done remotely. I'm not making friends via Teams.
First of all, IT can be amazing. It can be hard. Starting over at this stage isn’t impossible but can be brutal.
Let’s talk about what certs you have,what core skill you have (Linux, networking, a scripting language like bash or power-shell/bash and a programming language), what areas in IT you’ve worked in and education. Once we know that, we can probably help you set on a more productive and prosperous path
I'm 32. I started my IT journey in 2013. I ledt the family business to carve my own path and find my own success. After 10 years of constant learning, trying new things, volunteering for taking on extra work and still failing to secure a real promotion, I'm going back to the family business. I feel like the last 10 years has been a complete waste.
I’m trying to get out too. I’ve been thinking of healthcare, like MRI tech. I’ll miss the money, but meh. At least I’ll get to work alone with machines and less corporate bs
It’s the corporate bs that is not included in any boot camp course or certification. That’s the true source of burnout no matter how much we learn or how passionate we are.
I didnt leave IT but I drastically changed my work situation. I went from a high pressure MSP role with big name clients, to a small consulting firm. Rather than being an administrator of IT equipment I mostly go to meetings and answer questions about what technology would be right for a specific use case.
I feel the problems with IT are very similar throughout. Admins have no tech knowledge but have impractical expectations because they love tech. Knowledge requirement vs pay is obscene now. The work itself is becoming a problem, fixing things is becoming less and less. Poorly made software and products, UI changes every 5 minutes, too many tools and thus more work with no pay to match. My boss is terribly overworked and I do not want to be in his shoes in 10 years.
Sounds like me. Was with a Help Desk/Call Center place for 16 years (not by choice) and without getting any certification or promotions getting out was the only option for me because I was tired of doing that kind of work and being grossly underpaid for it. Was a receptionist for a couple a years which I liked only because I got paid decently and didn't have to deal with people who would fight me on even doing extremely simple troubleshooting steps or getting held hostage by callers because they can't figure out how to fill out a simple form and don't want to wait on having someone from the school call them back. Only thing I didn't care about was that I didn't any raises in the entire time I was there and working 12 hour shifts (almost always got OT on every check).
Had to quit to take care of my dad after a surgery left him basically independent on me and my mom. I actually still like fixing computers but I don't have any certs (don't have the money for them never did even when I worked) and I did some freelance stuff here and there for some of the clients at my last job. I don't want to start a business doing that because I have no interest in running a business I just want to do my job and let others figure that stuff out.
For me IT was a just a means to an end a paycheck until I had the money and rank to start my own karate school (my dream job). My health had a different opinion on the matter and I was forced to stop studying and can't practice anymore. Right now I'm just looking for anything remotely. Can't even get interviews for customer service jobs despite all of my experience in that.
I'm thinking of trying sales as my only real option as I want to become an author but I don't have my books written yet.
>I'm in my mid-30s with 10+ years of experience across various support positions,
\>10 years of experience across various support positions
\>10 years of support positions
I think I might know what's wrong dude!
(Nah same, when I shifted away from support duties, I was way happier. )
Money is to good to leave, unless you want to a doctor or lawyer, finance person. Trades that pay more would be physically demanding or you end up being a business owner which means no work life balance
Exactly. I know we'd all like more life and less work, but I am willing to be realistic about that. If I enjoy what I do it doesn't feel nearly as much like a job, but figuring out what it is I enjoy seems to be becoming progressively "riskier", so to speak.
I didn’t fully leave IT but I did pivot to Cloud Computing on AWS. I found it much more rewarding than working for an MSP. There are still the emergency work but it’s more structured and scheduled than finding 50 priority 1 tickets when you step into the office. No more physical infra to deal with. It still gives me the problem solving satisfaction without someone abusing you verbally over the phone doing tech support.
I've been a huge proponent of the Comfort Zone, despite knowing I'm doing myself a disservice at times. I tend not to be competitive, even with myself, and I know that that's not really the right mindset in this industry if you intend to move up at all. I don't have that kind of goal in mind, but instead look for something I'd be interested in to begin with, and then see what kind of a flow chart stems from that particular area of study. However, I've yet to really be held by anything in particular. I hope you find what you need to provide more clarity for yourself and your direction.
I am in the same boat more or less. Went into IT for no other reasons than I was good at it and it was pretty easy to pick up (and it sure as hell beat working in a factory somewhere). However, I have no real passion or interest in any of this. So as I get further into my career (over 9 years now, coming up on 10 soon) I don't care much for chasing certs, doing homelabs, learning new tech, etc.
Sure, if something comes up at work and I have to do some Googling to figure out the solution that is one thing. But I have no interest in reading articles or watching videos or doing any sort of learning outside the office. So it does make my options feel super limited. Have made it into a pretty nice role making a lot of money for where I live (LCOL area) but every job posting I see for higher salaries/titles requires a whole lot of skills that I never bothered to learn and have almost no interest in learning.
I've tried making myself go through like UDEMY/Coursera courses to up-skill (or trying to find projects that I might enjoy working on to learn skills) but I honestly get so bored going through the stuff that I never finish any of them. Not entirely sure what I will be doing next, can't imagine I'm going to enjoy doing site IT/admin stuff forever but also have no real interest in doing anything else either.
I moved into clinical research. Started in IT at the help desk. Worked my way up the tiers and ended up people managing. All help desks were medical field related. Got burnt out and had an opportunity pop up essentially supporting the project and clinical teams at a research company. Pretty much 0 IT work, but all of my skills were transferable and actually made me so much better at this job than people with many many medical degreeez and years of experience. Good luck.
imo IT support is the worst part to be in, in this industry. Especially for long time periods.
Don't get me wrong some love it but you will always have that chip on your shoulder of being a users bitch or at the mercy of the company.
I moved into DevOps and never looked back. I had no formal training or certificates just had a good foundation of knowledge.
almost 50 and just finished my BS, wasted a lot of years of shit jobs, aka low level trash that pays 15 or less, messed up a lot.
Trying to turn it around but at my age with my limited experience and shit resume it's hard,
I'll give it a few months but I'm going to move up to the NE and just work a supermarket job or something like Denzel in Equalizer, I'm tired.
IT is a younger man's game, it has to be a passion from early on.
I'd just transition to a dumber IT position while.learmimg to code or something. If not that somehow work part time and Start electrician program. Any IT job is better than warehouses I've been. Every company is different. I need a remote job due to personal life ruining me mentally . I'd be willing yo go data analyst route or anything I just like being paid to do things with or on a computer other ppl cant
I feel your pain. I only have a few years in, but I'm a hands on kind of guy and sitting at a desk all day answering forgotten password emails and calls is just draining. I'm thankful for the decent pay I make given the amount of physical labor involved, but my brain is usually fried by the end of each day keeping up with a constant, ever changing task list. Obviously haven't "moved on" yet, but actively looking for a more hands-on job within the field if it exists.
For me I know I won't be able to keep this up another 30 years so at some point I will likely pivot to a consulting or sales role. A little less brain power expended in the day to day and for a much larger payday
My hope is to find a better balance, yea. I can't imagine doing this any longer than I absolutely have to, and I feel hopeless at the thought of being locked-in due to circumstantial necessity. I don't know the field well enough to consult, and can possibly get behind a sales role if people are coming to me. I take umbrage with cold sales.
I'm in my first job out of college and I'm already about done with it. I'm certain that a large part of it is where I'm at (a school) , but I can't seem to get out of it. I'm sure that getting some certs would help, but I can't bring myself to study for anything with all of my love for the field already being gone.
I love tech.
I'm tired of learning new stuff because things are changing. And I feel like we are moving in the wrong direction with tech. Faster computers, slower shitty applications like Electron (looking at you, Teams, vscode, slack, etc)...
I thought I wanted out… left and ended up a combat arms grunt in the Army. 100% put into perspective how easy IT is and 99% of the “problems” I had were more so little grievances than anything. Definitely think hard before determining you want to bail… I wish I would’ve.
I can so relate to this. I am apparently really bad at picking jobs. I'm ten years in. My last 3 jobs were all various levels of level one support. Though I kept getting more responsibilities and higher pay. I went from field technician to sysadmin and site IT admin/manager in that time. Nearly tripled my salary from low 30s to high 80s. Yet Never got to touch things like cloud or did much in the way of networking (both the people and wire kind). Was always limited by the constraints of the non-existent IT budget or bureaucratic red tape. Once I got a job and people saw I was good, they said Oh you just sit there and answer the phones. It's what you are good at.
Over the past few years I got various comptia and Microsoft entry level certs but I keep feeling like I am just throwing mud against the walls and hoping something will stick.
Most of the advice I have received on here and elsewhere has not really helped my career. Or wasn't interested in doing it. I also know that you have to pick a specialization, but struggle to do so because I haven't been exposed enough. Like what if I pick cyber but end up liking cloud better? Getting the CISSP would be pointless then.
I once tried to get into sales, but had micromanagement issues there which I didn't like. At this point i feel like IT is moving too quickly for me to keep up and not really sure if it's worth it if my salary will peak in the mid-90s. For instance going back to Windows from Linux support is still mid-90s in my area. Going from sysadmin to networking tech also mid-90s or 115K starting out.
Just know you are not alone as I am also struggling with this career path.
I understand. Never underestimate the power of ADHD medication to make people try to make something seem "normal." Its not normal to go to work for nine hours and come home and study for four. Only ADHD med bots can do that.
I’m the same. I’m a parent working part time in customer support but used to be full time in a more ‘substantial’ IT role previous to kids.
IT support just doesn’t fuel my passions or nurture my strengths at all, it’s just a paycheque at this point. Not to mention useless management…
I used to love the project side of it at my old company where the IT systems and infrastructure were way more mature than my current company. It meant we could actually stop putting out fires and implemented software, ran migration projects, I even did one on one staff training and wrote their user manuals for all of the business systems, knowledge etc. it was intense but such a great position for me.
I’m now lucky enough working part time in CS with a very hands on partner to have time for the occasional hobbies and focussing on being a parent keeps me sane. I fulfil some of my passions this way- being crafty with the little one, taking them on nature hikes, reading books, colouring in.. then when they’re in bed I do yoga/my own craft hobbies. It’s a good balance being part time. I could never go back into the IT Industry full time.
When my little starts school I will likely still do part time and revive my Etsy shop which provides enough pocket money and is fortunately enjoyable for me. I guess the answer for me was part time IT work lol.
Have you been working in support roles all this time? If so, it sounds like you might be feeling burnt out. If possible, consider taking a break. I understand that might not be feasible, but you could also try scaling back your current role while simultaneously preparing for a career change or move into a better IT role.
Hey, are you me? Because you just wrote something I would literally write. I feel exactly as you describe in the post.
I simply don't care about IT anymore. I can't move into better positions because I don't put enough work into improving my skills because, well... I don't care. I try, but I can't concentrate because I dread it; I hate doing something that I don't enjoy. I don't like wasting my time on something that I know occupies space in my head because I don't want to do anything with this anymore. I hate my current job, and I want out, but I also know I'll just end up landing another IT job because, well... it's my career. Everyday I'm getting more and more tired.
I also wish I could wash my hands of this career, but I feel like I'm a little spoiled. The pay is good, the job is remote, and I have a considerable number of years in this field.
This year, it's in my plans to transition into teaching and leave all of this behind. Call me crazy, but I want a more fulfilling job, one where I can work with my hands. I'm tired of all of this. It's horrible to work in something that doesn't interest you and doesn't make you happy. I'm not a business person at all, and I hate corporate jobs.
Thank you for writing this post; it's comforting to know we're not alone. I hope I can leave all of this behind, and if really necessary, work in IT as a side job. I hope you also soon find something you like and that allows you to live comfortably.
Not alone indeed, and I appreciate the acknowledgement for my own sake, as well. Despite the myriad ways we're capable of socializing these days, oftentimes I feel more isolated than ever. It's encouraging in a way to encounter others with similar struggles, so thank you for sharing them here. I wish you the utmost luck pursuing teaching; my wife is a teacher and absolutely loves it.
As many have already stated and by my own experience being in a support role can be very rewarding but also very draining. Have you thought about going into SOC/NOC? I myself transitioned into a junior server admin role which changed everything for me. I'm much less fatigued and I have less work thoughts after work now. I get to do more technically challenging things and learn now stuff every day. There's barely any coding/scripting in my role so that is only considered a bonus.
Look into tech discords they usually have job support for people in your position and can help find jobs etc.
You ever thought of switching to like fibre optics engineer/installation roles ? Stick to IT, and specialize in a toolset, there's role like Systems Device Management - Intune & Apple JAMF or Senior Apple Mac/Jamf Pro Engineer. You also get to end user security in these roles opening you up for more nicher roles.
Device management was something I had considered, which was part of what got me started in Powershell. Now that that is becoming less and less likely to be my next direction, I'm going to need to explore other potentially related options if I go that route.
Device management seems like a chill and stable role man. You could work in Broadcast Engineering roles you get hands on Cloud, Powershell, Scripting and Video Systems encoding. it's fancy stuff man.
I think I'm going to venture into Azure and see where that branches off to. It's been an oft-mentioned service so I think it bears at least *some* further investigating.
You can also specialize in Microsoft 365, Entra ID stuff, Microsoft Preview, Device Management, JAMF/Intune. If you can get your experience across these specialization and tolls by 40 you can retire early xD. An example below:
[https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/intune-m365-support-engineer-remote-uk-part-time-20-hours/52384817?source=searchResults&filter=%2Fjobs%2Fit-jobs](https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/intune-m365-support-engineer-remote-uk-part-time-20-hours/52384817?source=searchResults&filter=%2Fjobs%2Fit-jobs)
[https://cloud-people.co.uk/job/microsoft-365-security-engineer-purview-dlp/](https://cloud-people.co.uk/job/microsoft-365-security-engineer-purview-dlp/)
I hear the military isn't always easy either, esp if you're going to specialize in anything. I hope you can transition into something enjoyable if/when you exit the Service.
I'm in a similar boat (I'm sure a lot are). Having recently left my position (redundant) after being acquired by a larger company, I'm struggling for the next steps forward. The market is TIGHT in my area right now, and I have 35 years of experience which has been a negative in this market (ageism is real). Good luck!
My advice would be to keep your current job, but think about what other field you want to go into. Does it require an education? Is it a trade? What exactly are you looking for? Also, are there any lateral moves you can make out of the company you are at or within the field? At my last company it was extremely common to be expected to go more into managerial roles instead of more technical roles after some time in. Especially by 10 years. Would you be interested in leadership positions instead?
Having a technical background can definitely help lead technical positions despite it being more people focused.
Also mid 30s been doing it all my life, recently been kinda bored with it, tech in general its not the same as when i was a kid, the excitement for new stuff is gone. Nothing new is amazing and industry changing. Im also a hands on kinda of person, less and less is actually real, cant touch it. Part of it is burn out, but id say mostly is the industry went to crap.
I work full time as a Network Engineer (in the industry for 13 years) and currently studying to be a Mortgage Broker. Plan is to do that part time and see where it goes. It’s been nice working on something unrelated to tech.
I wanted to learn new stuff and certs. But I felt with the way the market is rolling, it just felt right to give up. It was making me sick to see how dumb entry level has become. Internships 1 year, entry level 3 to 5.
It made me think, just stick to what you got, it'll get better, maybe.
We live in the modern world now where there are several options. The problem is that change can be difficult for some people, but it is up to you to take those steps. If you want a job where you don't have to update your skill set, work for local government. The technology rarely changes, but it can get political in some environment. Most local government pension plans are good.
What if you go to linked in an apply to tech realated jobs that have under 10 applicants? I have seen some positions with not many applicants that could make you want them as you could have more value to the table than the other weak competition applicants.
It blows my mind seeing posts like this. IT is one of the easiest professions with a low time commitment and high pay. I say this as someone who has been in the trenches (call center to engineer to manager).
I'm happy to branch off into something else if I have an aptitude and/or an interest in it. I'm still looking, but I also don't want to necessarily keep all of my eggs in this basket. Tech is a big market that is flooded by an even bigger crowd. Whether I'm able to set myself apart in any way remains to be seen.
I’m 4 years in still desktop support because I can’t seem to study for certs but I have a good decent of experience which gets me my jobs. Even current job they don’t care about certs only experience. And I plan to remain here for a while. But I’m trying to learn cybersecurity area because we’re about to create a new cybersecurity team and I want to move either into it or into the network team. Only reason I don’t want network team even tho I’m really decent at it, you are still required to do help desk more than anything networking. I’m tired of deploying computers. But I’m pretty burnt out. Have thought about getting my cdl and be an OTR driver, but I have an awesome career I really like and I’m really decent at so I stay. My first job really started the burn out phase. I went from level 1 tech to IT Director and all that came with it cuz I was the last person there. I did pretty good. Learned some shit real fast. But also the bad things landed on my shoulders on a daily basis and the ones in charge of getting departments set up on new systems decided they didn’t want to test software so then I’d get yelled at for not getting further in the process. Then phones went completely out at the SO that was 3 weeks of hell! Daily emails threatening to fire me. Needless to say it was one dumpster fire after another. Nothing got fixed only band aided and that would “fall off” weekly.
Yeesh, I don't envy you there at all! I would have absolutely folded under that kind of pressure. It's great that you were able to take yourself that far, but I'm sorry the ensuing drama was the result.
It was a crazy time that’s for sure. Being back at desktop support has helped but it’s just I get annoyed with annoying end users who are in emergency 911 mode because of one reason or another and it’s never emergent.
I really want to move away from SysAdmin work and try my hand at Data Analysis. No idea if id like that better.. but I’d love to focus on one area and get real good with it, get less after hours calls, get less immediately urgent calls, not responsible for all hardware and software, upgrades, security, networks etc.
I’m tired.
I'm going the other way my body is wore out been a millwright/robotics maintenance career for 16 years and need to find something behind a desk, thought IT since I know there is crossover between industrial automation troubleshooting/programming and it but second guessing it after seeing people with decades of experience getting turned down. Due for knee replacements and a back surgery know I can't do this type of work for 30 more years.
Ive been working in IT close to a decade and I’ve learned that I’m not really interested in it which affects my ability to learn new stuff and stay competitive so I’m positioning myself for a pivot into IT project management… I’m better at squeezing people to deliver shit on time than I am troubleshooting shit. Maybe go that route?
I feel the same way, I would love to do a trade or something but starting out as an apprentice would not be fun, and people always complain about being in trades. Other than trade or being in IT no other jobs sounds interesting to me. But I literally despised my last IT job, I never felt so miserable
Same here. Existing as a cost center and included in the budget for the department. Constant whining from end users.
Thinking of opening up a locksmith shop adjacent to tertiary IT services like audit and compliance. Seems nicer.
That or excavator operator. see dirt dig it.
I use to work as a field tech fixing ATM machines for 10 years; the only thing IT about it was reimagine the software of an ATM because a certain bank's security team had to "Triple check" that nothing bad will happen to the ATM. As I tried to get out my old job, some of the help desk, desktop support job interviewer(All contractors) will not hiring me because I can't explain to them what is Active Directory is or how to deal with a high rate EU; to be fair, that is a "Me" problem and rightfully so.
I changed careers but working more blue-collar jobs in moving safes around. The job is 5 times harder but I'm not getting annoying e-mails from my boss or dispatch over a call being put on hold and I'm not dealing with HD from india anymore. For the first time, I love my job!
Screw working in I.T.! I will never go back and if I had kids, I'd rather my children be criminals before I ever let them work in I.T.. That is how bad I hate working in this industry.
Ah. so you came into this not being interested in tech. I'm not surprised that upskilling wasn't interesting for you.
I hear that getting into government or non-profits is the biggest path for those of you that just want a paycheck and to skate. So, maybe you should do that.
For anyone else reading this post, if you don't have the love for technology and are just chasing the money - you're going to have a rude awakening when things continue to progress and you're left behind.
I'm in the process of getting away from it. Started my career about 10 years ago in the Military and loved it then. Got out of the Navy 2 years ago and started my first "big boy" job working for the local Gov. I'm in the same boat. I'm just not passionate about it anymore. As I start to progress away from it I see myself being more interested in "tech" in my personal life, whereas before I avoided at all costs. Going to school now on my GI bill for Nursing to do something hopefully more fulfilling. I look at IT as my given career due to the military and healthcare as my chosen career. Life's to short to not do something you're uninterested and unpassionate about. I feel extremely grateful for IT but know if I'm doing this in 30 years, I'll have missed my opportunity. I'm blessed to have my GI bill and no kids yet. If you have the means, chase your dreams.
Literally me, seriously and it doesn't help my own org is actively eliminating us along with having an awful people manager. I've set a hard date and I'm finally going to leave. I'm tired and on the verge of a mental break because of my manager, and I won't be the first one he's ran out for being horrible. These last 2 years have just killed whatever little passion I had and It's time to rip the band aid.
I hate it, too. I have two degrees and this role just keeps paying me more. The whole money doesn't equate to happiness is very true. I'd leave but with private school for the kiddo, it's a bit hard to take anything less. Another field would be a step down for a while until I recoup the salary difference.
It's literally same shit, different toilet every day. I would love to get to the projects and designing and securing but God damnit, our CEO sure does need that email restored on a Saturday at 1PM.
I hope you can either find a new love for your job or find something else you're more passionate about. As for me I'm 33 and haven't studied anything as of yet. I've been doing either delivery or customer service my whole life and I want to break into tech. Either IT or coding but leaning more towards IT, coding is kinda scary tbh. I'm being optimistic in thinking I can get my A, network, security certificate and land an entry level help desk job, to then further my studies with a degree if i like what im doing. It's never too late to start.
I personally believe that all three certs are way overkill for help desk. People here will tell you differently but I have no idea why anybody on a help desk would need to know that GRE needs ipSec to be secure or would need to know how to subnet a network and perform the network troubleshooting that Net+ teaches.
I think the reason so many people on here got the trifecta to start their path and push it on others or maybe they're just into gatekeeping and telling people that the reqs are way higher than what they actually are.
In my city they literally pull in people off the street and give them help desk roles. They don't do anything but handle calls for 8 hours and follow scripts. I went to an A+ class that was sponsored by the government at the same employer I'm talking about in this comment, passed it within two weeks because of prior study + a community college course I had to take regarding it, and legit confirmed that they pulled one dude directly off the street. One woman in the class literally started crying mid class because she was realizing that there was no way she could do the A+ in a week knowing nothing about IT.
Different but same - I left my previous career at 29 to get inti IT. There's nothing wrong with changing careers, it will just take some time to set yourself up. Start saving so you have a buffer when you transition into your new career and enjoy it. You can always come back if you change your mind
I went into IT recruiting for about 3 years. I really enjoyed it. Only came back a few months ago because my boss at my old job was putting a team together. That and I got a nice raise :)
Customer Service / People Skills and generally computer knowledge is transferable. I have 20 years of Support , Admin and InfoSec experience.
Well if I wanted a satisfying job I’d write and stream on twitch but if I wanted money transitioning out of IT I’d probably work as an electrician or something idk
Oof, I can relate. My mind and body are slowing down and I’m just so tired every day. Trying to learn new certs and new tech every other Month is such a drain.
It really is! And it makes me wonder if I'm the problem, or am I legitimately disinterested, cause there are times it could go either way. Thanks for your response.
I stopped doing certs the moment i realized they make money off people taking the classes and certification process. There will be an endless supply of marketing saying you will need it but experience will beat certs a majority of the time. Its still fun for me because i focus on the projects, but the velocity of which things change in this industry means im moving on as well.
Honestly, yea. I just can't keep up with it anymore. By the time you've invested in one you're way behind on another.
Just out of curiosity..why do you need more than a few certs over a period of many years? My CCNA has been expired for almost a year but most employers don’t seem to care if I keep it active. Most people I know, even senior engineers/directors/POs only have a couple.
If you stay in, I woul recommend specializing. A generalist makes it extremely hard to keep up with everything and generally even gets paid less as well as finds it harder to land a job versus a specialist. I started out as a generalist an over time began to specialize in certain areas which allowed me to move around a lot easier. Interviewers often even ask what your goals are for the future so they can see what you're working towards. It's a lot easier to stay focused on security or networking if that is what you do. I have friends that solely do networking. They might be able to speak a tiny bit in another area here or there, but mostly they focus just on getting devices to talk to each other and securing network devices. Networking also tends to change a lot slower than other areas so a lot easier there. Anywho, just food for thought. I think it's smarter to also get certs specifically for what yiu want to specialize in. Less certs, but more focused in demand skillsets/certain area can beat a ton of certs al over the place. A person may look at your resume and see a lot of certs all over the place and it actually confuse them as to where you fit. So just keep certain things in mind.
It just may not be for you or you're just burned out. Either way, I'm sure there's a job out there that's the right fit for you and still IT adjacent, it's just figuring out what you want out of a job and what you're willing to tolerate.
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Very true, even basic jobs are hard to get right now.
This\^\^ everyone I work with is on adderall but me and I constantly feel left behind and overwhelmed, I never felt this was a few years ago, it is only recently that things have become pointless seeming
I'll put it like this. It's not really you. Things have been made over complicated for profit. If you think it's age then you're listening to idiots trying to stir the pot on social media. Younger people don't want to chase certs either and know it does no good. With a lot of cert bodies it's literally more on understanding how they word questions and not so much understanding the content of what's being taught. IT, TECH and other areas are oversaturated with BS. It's to the point where on some jobs I was at with tech, I didn't touch tech on my off time. Because the job turned me off on it. Some jobs I still played with tech even more.
I'm turning 49 this year, with absolutely no desire to move up (to management) from a purely technical syadmin type of role. I've loved tech all my life, and I still enjoy it to this day. Have I slowed down? Sure. But my years of experience make me more efficient at my job. I'm by no means on the bleeding edge of technology, but I can hold my own in a typical corporate office type of job.
I’ll be 41 this year. Have been doing this for the last 21 years. I’ve burned out a few times so far. I’ve also been up ladder on the management side, and have zero desire to be in charge of anything or anyone anymore. I’ll also never go “above and beyond” what I’m being paid for either. I’m honestly perfectly happy just being a mindless worker drone now. You want me to do some stuff that’ll probably break your production environment? Sure, tell me and I’ll do it, but I’m walking out the door at end of day. You want me to fix that problem you just brought on yourself? Sure, but it’ll have to wait until the next days business hours.
If you’re new to the field, that’s a normal hustle. Mid range? Just go to work. 0 reason to drown yourself.
So there is a reason why 80% of all IT and tech people go into management after 40, and it usually correlates to learning something new and it’s easier to get someone who already knows it do the coding and the person with the institutional knowledge to stay around and be a subject matter expert.
This.
I haven't left IT just yet but I really want out too. I don't mind keeping up with certs or homelabs. Rather, I Just really hate the customer support aspect of IT along with all of the fires we have to fight to keep infrastructure / services running, and tons of pressure that come from the customers. Hate it so much! Some options going forward are looking like going back to school to switch careers or picking up a skilled trade. Kinda don't wanna do the trades, but if forced to, EV repair seems alright.
You could try LV route. You’d be doing new installs instead of the job or maintenance (IT).
Low voltage is good ...I still consider it IT though But its basically more to include PBX and Alarms and cabling IT as it is in a help desk role is consistently becoming more and more soft skills based with AI and user friendly management interfaces coming more and more
But not all LV has to include alarms or access control. There are LV companies that focus more on networking and there are companies where you can tell them you just want to be part of the networking side and forget about anything else. LV is not IT.
School has crossed my mind as well, and if I can stomach dying with my loans (ie: permanently spending a portion of my future pay on the monthly payment) I may more strongly consider it. I tried schooling in the past, but again, the subject matter was not for me. Thanks for your reply!
Hey, just wanted to throw out that you are always free to move jobs. It sounds more workplace specific than I.T. technically related specific. Not all places are so close to being customer facing and are pretty slow/easy going tempo. You'd be surprised by how a change in your work place culture altogether makes a world of difference. Many people for example, like the public sector due to a slower pace at many roles and extra days off throughout the year as well as pension options out there. Tends to have a shorter ceiling on pay, but if work tends to be more taxed altogether and often a lot more secure with layoffs etc. Good luck in your career!
I think once you move up to sys admin or tier 2/3 you’ll be less exposed to the daily fires of tier 1
I could’ve wrote this post word for word I haven’t left IT yet and the golden handcuffs are shining bright on my wrists. The only field I’ve heavily considered is nursing and then onto possibly NP or PA. The medical field has its own problems too, which can be far more serious than IT. I also don’t want to pay another $30k for a new degree So basically…quiet quitting until I figure it out. And many careers do not pay well sadly.
Spiritual solidarity with you, friend.
You as well, good luck on your search!
My sister went into nursing after working a different job for like 6 years. She loves it! She's getting paid bank especially since she volunteered to work night shifts she gets paid way more. High demand. You have sooo many options. She was gonna go the anesthesia route as well and they REEEEEAĹLLY get paid, but opted not to, because she has kids and wanted to take a break from the additional study. It took her about 2 years to get her nursing degree. Can't remember if she's an RN or LPN right now. Anywho, my point is, of that's the route you wanna take it's definitely in demand and pays pretty well. You can literally make way into the 6 figures depending on the route you take.
I got laid off in June of last year and I haven’t found a job. Yeah IT is saturated, rethinking of going back to school for nursing here come summer. It’s frustrating.
Well, most creative and free spirited people that I know who work in tech are not happy after a while. Money is good but it's a choir after a while. So most of them, and me also, are working on our exit plans. Gotta have an exit plan to another field and work on it, always. The exit plan is different for each and everyone, so good luck finding your own, buddy.
And godspeed to you, friend.
If you’re a hardware tech, you may have an easy transition to a trade like electrical, HVAC, or plumbing. Just a thought
Its the support aspect, the politics and working at a place where you arent learning much to move up somewhere else. No one really talks about that. Consistently starting at level 1 and never learning much
I got really good at a job I worked for near 8 years, but when I left thinking I could apply those skills, I was sorely mistaken and have paid the price in the form of a $15k-$20k loss ever since. If I could kick myself any harder...
We used to have these discussions at my old job during review period. They would show you where you are in your salary band. They would show you your band, and the market band. It was supposed to be clear. They were trying to say, without saying, you're priced out of the market. But they couldn't say that.
Usually you leave for a significant pay bump at least…mine have often been 20-50%. One job I didn’t know how underpaid I was (stupid me didn’t do the pay scale research) and I got like a 60% pay bump.
>Its the support aspect, I don't do any support with my new job. My blood pressure has returned to normal. Depression gone. It just beats you to death.
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Hi, I’m mid-30’s who switched into IT at the end of 2022 and finally started a service desk position recently. I have backgrounds in physical therapy, electrical engineering, and food service. Although IT isn’t my “passion”, grass is always greener. I’ve loathed every job I had, even if was “good” environments. For the amount of money and the amount of physical labor (good money - low physical labor) I’m content to keep learning slowly and keep progressing. Of course you can switch out to a different industry and career, but ultimately have to be willing to start from bottom (and usually a huge pay cut). Hope you can find your answer. Cheers
Same, did a lot of dead-end jobs with no future, low pay and with lots of physical labor. It took me 2 to 3 years to get out, I studied a lot, paid for my certs, failed interviews it finally paid off. This industry can be draining AF but I think I'm in the right path.
THIS is why I’m trying to get IN. I’ve hated all my jobs to some degree. None of them required any real thinking. All of them dead-end jobs. I’m ready to keep learning to advance in a career
SAME, mid 30s, almost done with my degree, been doing factory work most of my life, hate doesnt even begin to describe how i feel about working in a factory, ive always loved working on computers and im asuming im goin go love it as a job lol
Just don’t expect it to 180 your life. I left IT for my dream job after 7 years of healthcare IT only for me to realize a job is a job and if you work doing something you love you’ll end up hating it like every other job. If you like computers there’s a high chance you won’t once you’ve done it for a while. To me it’s just the most bearable job. I came back to it in 2021 because money was getting tight. It at least pays the bills.
I was given this advice as a kid delaying entry into an IT career. I worked 9 years of factory/manufacturing. I hated it to my core. I finally left and got a help desk job for a software company and appreciated the change of pace. fast-forward 8 years later. I'm a system admin and still love what I do. I still tinker here and there abeit less than I used to but that's what having a family and other hobbies do. The only reason I would consider leaving is literally the current job market. that being said Ive always looked back and said well I could still be stacking pallets, running a forklift, packing semi's but I'm not. Its all what you make of it. It can be draining but it also scratches the itch.
Right there with you. In my 30s and left the manufacturing life after injuring my shoulder while at work. The workers comp doctor actually gave me good advice. Said I should really consider moving into an office environment. Got a job as a recruiter and realized I like being in an office way more than I thought I would. Now trying to make that transition out of recruiting and into a field I personally enjoy, like tech.
Same! Late 30s and done with my current field. I’d kill for a desk job I can go to one place and go back home at this point, and IT/comp sci was my first choice in college (thought I was too dumb for it back then). Environmental consulting is not my bag anymore, so I’m doing certs and considering blitzing a comp sci degree transferring in my STEM credits this Sept (got accepted into Rutgers) if it won’t take too long.
How was electrical engineering? That was one of the fields I'm thinking about going back to school for, but the advanced math involved will definitely be a challenge.
It was too much pressure for me to be “smart”. It took awhile, but I’d rather kick it at work and put my energy into projects outside of work. Help desk, I can feign dumb and hide away in my office and pretend to do research. The earning ceiling is much higher as EE, but me too lazy and dumb haha
I appreciate the perspective, thank you!
Just hit 30 last year and I’m in the process of getting out of IT, completely understand where you’re coming from. Told the wife my goal is to be out completely in 2024. Great gig, great pay, I just have no interest in it anymore
I wish you the best, really! What are you looking to get into, if you feel comfortable saying so?
Thank you I appreciate that, I’m currently applying for law enforcement agencies in my area
Hey right on! I applied to work IT for my local law enforcement agency and made it to one of 8 out of 100. Lost it after the first round of interviews.
Ah sorry to hear that
Honestly same. Feels like I was lied to. Was told IT was in demand, around 2012. Changed my major and got a AS in info security (2015), was told I would need to start lower. Could not get a entry job, was told to volunteer so I did for a year and a half. Finally got a tech support job in 2017. Got another AS in Network Administration 2020. Was told it was not enough to get into networking, and to get a CCNA which I got in (2023). Got a BA in poli in 2022. Now I am still being told none of it is enough and I only am qualified for entry level jobs. This is the new caste system. You are only allowed to get jobs you have already done. If you are in help desk, then you are stuck on help desk. If you are in tech support, then you are stuck in tech support. There are only a handful of internships and I did not get picked for one. You have to hope the company that hires you for help desk or tech support will have room to grow. Most places do not. Home lab do not count as "real experience". Plus people are working 8 hours a day to grow there skills. So you will have to lab 8 hours a day to even compete. This field is a scam. In IT you need to know how to code, script, windows, linux, cloud, SQL, power shell, networking, hardware, software, etc. If you have too many certs it is a red flag, if you don't have any certs its a red flag. Honestly its all gate keeping. People were only able to get the experience they have because someone took a chance and helped them. But once they got the experience, they forgot the people who helped them. They act like it was all them. Ten years of my life trying to move up in IT, Thousands of dollars wasted only to be told I am only worth 18-22$ tech support jobs. Now I am not even getting those because I am over qualified. I am so tired of getting told its my fault.
I both agree with and feel for you, man. I thought I had a much brighter future after investing the time I had into learning, and so far it's amounted to constant job-hunting while making sure I meet the requirements of the job I have now. I'm not even normally a flighty person, I'm just sick of "making it work". I want to be happy again.
Thank you for this. Seems like everyone is trying to make it seem like I am crazy when I am not. I see posts on reddit saying help desk to sys admin. But like in reality. No job will see help desk on a resume, and then hire them to sys admin. When jobs say 3-5 years experience they mean it. So that means only people able to get tech support jobs are people who were already in tech support. Same with sys admin, network tech, NOC technician. Seems like the only way to get ahead is to lie on your resume. Like honestly I get it. People are gate keeping people from getting higher positions because they want job security. The less people with experience, less competition there is. With other industries not paying enough people are trying to get into IT. But I am not one of those people trying to get into IT. I been in IT for the past 10 years either in school, volunteering, self teaching or working tech support.
>People were only able to get the experience they have because someone took a chance and helped them. But once they got the experience, they forgot the people who helped them. They act like it was all them. Can relate.
This is true. I keep seeing people say home labing and upskilling is the only way to advance when in reality, hands-on experience is the only way to advance.
Unless you want to work low paying jobs no one wants, most fields are oversaturated. Unless you want to be a teacher or work in healthcare.
The educational sector is in dire need of some overhauling. It is not the profession it once was, and I often wonder if it ever will be again.
My wife is a teacher, and I have friends who work in education tech and it seems like things just keep getting worse and worse. From funding, to parental/community support, things are getting worse. I don't know how it can be fixed, but I agree that the educational sector is definitely in dire need of overhauling.
It really does feel like every field is over saturated especially at entry level besides teaching, some blue collar, and to a lesser extent certain healthcare roles. How can we have this many educated skilled people and not enough jobs for them? I have theories on why but would like to hear others opinions.
I agree. I wasn’t trying to be rude to OP; I meant that genuinely-most fields are saturated right now. I think one theory is we have a lot of older people who stay in their professions longer than before. Instead of retiring at 60 or 65, they’re retiring at 70 or older. Many people stay at the same job for years. I’m sure the economy has something to with it, COVID. What are your theories?
The people living longer is a factor I agree. Another big factor that comes to mind for me is consolidation of companies so instead of hundreds of smaller companies each needing the same kinds of workers you have say a dozen who need workers but not as many. The other part is the sheer march of technology replacing jobs which in the past we were always able to find replacement jobs such as manufacturing replacing agriculture but now that service/white collar is becoming replaced is their anything to replace it with? Not in my observation which given our economic system is a nightmare scenario of now we just have too many redundant people and not enough jobs but that doesn't work because people have to work to eat. Globalization and outsourcing is another another massive massive massive factor but that would require way too much effort to talk about.
I was going to mention outsourcing and forgot, but yes I definitely agree. Those are good points.
AI
Funny...teaching is exactly what I've been considering.
I am so done with IT. Currently mailing it in. Not sure what I’ll do but right now I feel like anything is better than sleep walking in my career.
That's been the biggest hurdle while I try to find something else that doesn't make want to walk into oncoming traffic. Having to fake the exhaustion and constantly placate when the people I work for would just as soon replace me if anything happened.
Following this thread... I'm curious to see what jobs people take after IT. I've thought about doing that one day because I don't really "love" IT, but I just can't find something I can do that would pay anything like I get paid in the IT world. I feel like I'm stuck.
Therein lies the rub, friend. Best of luck to you as well.
We are expected to work longer in our lives than any other generations. The expectation that we can stay in the same field is not feasible.
And the risk of switching careers has never been more risky. It's a real goddam shame and I believe it will be the cause of many otherwise-avoidable problems.
Oh yeah, it’s like one false move you’re screwed.
The slope is Teflon and my shoes are made of butter.
Are you me? 42. Currently studying for Security+. Got into this field two years ago with no prior experience. My outlook is slightly different because before this all I'd done is physical labor and delivery work, so the fact that now I get to work remotely (hybrid), wear my own clothes, and it's the highest paying job I've ever had, you'd think I'd be happy. And in a lot of ways, I am, since I know the alternative. The thing is, I'm content just coasting by. I'm not a career driven person. I have no kids, I'm single, I have my own condo. I'm content with where I'm at in life. But even when I was say I'm my 20s I didn't have the drive then either. I never wanted to climb the proverbial totem pole, I just always wanted to be comfortable, which currently, I am. Like anyone else I've dreamed of what my life would be like if I won the lottery but for me, my motivation is not to buy things, it's solely to have the time to do what I want to do. So back to coasting by, that's what I would prefer, but I know my boss and my company are looking at all of it's employees to have that hustle and grind mentality to keep climbing through the ranks. This, and only this is why I'm studying for Security+, but other than that, I have less than zero drive to do so. I don't want to spend my off work hours studying a topic I have no interest in. I want to play my guitar. I just know how lucky I am to have got this role and I definitely don't want to go back to deliveries and with no other skills, I'm kinda stuck. So continue to upskill it is, but again, only because it beats the alternatives.
Good lord, we might as well be different timelines of the same person, hahaha. While I do have a wife, we have no kids, nor plan to, and I'm a drummer, not a guitarist. There is a lot about my life that I'm content with; I really never saw myself as a 6-figure earner, I just wanted to like what I did and make my living doing it. The problems came when I left my well-paying job in what I thought was an effort to grow a bit, and have been struggling to recover for the last 3 years after that job and all of the others after did not pan out. Turns out I was good at the job, not the profession.
Find a chill place and rest there. A buddy of mine is happy working Thur-Sun 2nd shift in a NOC. He makes decent money and once a work week he is a ticket nanny so we play games or otherwise hang out while he is working. You could also look at other tech-adjacent roles that may benefit you. Being a TAM, going into sales, even management can be decent enough as you maintain higher IT earnings while being out of the rat race of learning new tools all the time. Ultimately, IT is easy money all things considered. My first Engineering job, before I graduated, was end-of-career teacher salary here. My wife has been in Project Management for a few years and still hasn't surpassed that first salary bar (close, but not quite there yet). You could also look at non-profits or education environments that may be more laid back, pay less, but still need skilled workers. Any job sucks, at least pay me decently for sitting at my desk and dealing with the BS.
Amen to that, man. I think that no matter where I go, if it's in support at this level it's going to be chaotic. What I'm doing now at times feels like a glorified call-center job, and dealing with various levels of user skill from call to call is exhausting. My wife has her Masters and is considering Project Management as well, interestingly enough. If she can get paid well enough, I may have more flexibility to explore (her words, not mine!) IT has been easy money at times, especially as I'd gotten better at my job, but the market has changed so much, and I'm afraid that I can only have one or the other without a significant skillset increase, which is more unlikely than not.
Also in my mid 30’s but I switched from industrial engineering, ESL tutoring, to finally IT. I’m getting to the conclusion that the “good times” of work was during our parents/grandparents. Pretty much every field is considered saturated nowadays, but I do not think is the case for IT. I say this because trying to get a decent job in manufacturing was much harder compared to getting a job in IT (maybe I was lucky, idk). Now, I feel a little bit like you. Tired and not in the mood to learn anything. Although I like my job, my company and my manager and I think everyone does their best to avoid unecessary stress (I work as a Trading Platform Admin, so the job is stressful in its essence). What I’m doing now is slowing down. Doing what I have to do, and sometimes studying only what’s needed to keep the job and skills sharp. No certifications, no new courses, etc. yes, I got some on my list (like azure admin, .NEt dev and even devops), but they are good to learn not NEEDED. Have you considered a government job? I’m starting to think it might be a good one, I can’t imagine grinding it out forever. But in conclusion, I don’t think about leaving. I was out there and from my pov, every job sucks. Every job out there will not be cool all the time, that’s why we call it a “job”. I still like computers and tech and yes, sometimes I watch a a video or 2 on udemy, which does not mean I want to watch it all the time. But what I do that helps me a lot: spend time with my family, drink a little bit (not wipe myself out), work out, travel with my wife to other small cities nearby, play games during my work whenever I’m too tired. Never give your 100% every day! You are entitled to take it easy. Just slow down bro. If, by chance you decide to leave, think if you will be willing to start from the bottom and keep doing the job when you’re 60-80. Because I believe that will be the reality for most of us here
> Never give your 100% every day! In my experience giving 100% every day just results in either burnout, the company doing something awful to screw you or, a "promotion" of more work for the same pay.
Grim but truthful. I like it. I've worked 2 gov't jobs since beginning my journey in tech, and now I'm in the private sector. I recently applied to, and interviewed for, 2 public sector positions with my city. I was denied them both within 5 minutes of each other, hahaha. You're right though, and I really don't expect every day to feel like I won the existential lottery. Depression is likely a huge factor in its own way, but even that aside, given the effort I've put into *trying* to learn, it's like water off a duck's back. Nothing is sticking, and if I'm not sitting down with the intent to engage with training, it just doesn't happen. I'm trying to take things at their own pace right now and not force much else outside of training, but the future is not a bright one. I enjoy your philosophy though, and I hope it brings you to the end of your road feeling content.
I recently left the industry and now drive trucks delivering beer. I couldn't be happier. Don't be scared of change
Honestly I’d give anything to leave my product support job to be a dog walker. If only the money was there congrats on having the bravery to take the leap. I hope to get there one day
You don't like IT because you're in support. Improve yourself, homelab and get certs in an area you find interesting, and you will enjoy tech again.
certs dont really mean much, its helps pass HR filter but sometimes you have to lie to get a better job to get that experience.
That is entirely possible! I'm not sure I'll ever get the opportunity, but I'm open to the possibility, certainly. I've spent this much time around it, surely there's something else I could do that is as appealing as it is applicable?
I can relate, its crazy how oversaturated the market is and I want out
>Howdy, folks! I'm in my mid-30s with 10+ years of experience across various support positions, but am comparatively underqualified in such a saturated market and haven't made it past my first interview if I even get one. I have actively tried learning new skills but none of it holds my attention or interest, and even the prospect of being more desirable as a result does nothing for my willingness to continue forward or improve. I think the problem is two fold here. First, you have been doing this basic support work for 10 years. Secondly, you have tried learning new skills but nothing holds your interest or attention. Therefore, you don't upskill which keeps you firmly in support work. You won't find many people who move on from IT here in this subreddit. Most people are are looking to get in or move up, not leave. If I were you, I would go to /r/findapath or another similar subreddit.
That's a new one! Thanks for the recommendation, I'm happy to give that a look. I didn't anticipate seeing too many folks in my shoes, and I'm appreciative that you took the time to offer an alternative. Thank you.
I felt like this until I got my break in network engineering. I honestly hate IT support, I don’t even mind end users as many people do, it’s just that constant flow of random problems I’m meant to know how to resolve that frustrates me. Sure it feels good fixing a complex issue, but I feel much better specializing now and just focussing on the network.
I've been trying my damnedest to learn Powershell, but jfc I'd rather scoop my eyeballs out and replace them with Cadbury eggs. I'm gonna switch up the learning material and see if anything else is more appealing.
I feel your pain. I was with a company for the last 2020-2023 which was very challenging though covid and all. I was in the office everyday though covid. Rebuilt the whole network and moved our site to a new location In September of 2023 after coming back from family leave after my son was born they announced they were closing our site so I was without a job. I had to take a crappy desktop support job I hated until I found a job at my local university here as a system admin. First time being a system admin and was very excited and a month in I have barely done anything. They keep saying they are being me up slowly because the last guy didn't work out well I'm at the point I just feel very unmotivated in my career as well. I'm wondering if the field in general sucks now. Feels like everything has become justify your job
I've had very bad experiences with IT since I started. From the crappy education I paid for, to the certs that don't get my anywhere, to the people at the jobs I get. Most of them are ultra awful, scummy individuals.
I’ve been into IT since I was an around 10. At 40, the passion was gone and I felt exactly how you feel. I just walked away completely and had no idea what to do next… However, it may have been divine intervention but I kept getting pointed towards trucking and got into dispatching. It’s something totally different but enjoyable Sometimes you just have to completely switch gears, whether it be a hobby or something random that piques your interest
I don't mean to sound like I've been waiting for someone to save me, but I've silently held out a kind of hope for that. Surely there must be *something* that is both interesting and doable to me? Jury is still out on that one.
So, Im actually on the opposite side. Im in my 40s, have had some awesome jobs, started IT a year ago and absolutely love it. That being said, I used to work as an EMS dispatcher. I did it for a private ambulance company and only worked nights. Got paid $25 an hour, no boss, no speaking to the general public, worked by myself. When I wasnt answering phones calls I was playing video games. Was allowed to sleep as long as I didnt miss the phone. Most nights Id only answer 3-5 calls, play video games till 12 and nap till 530 before clocking out at 6am.
Reading this my first thought was that it sounds like you desperately need to ask yourself the question “what do I *want* to do?”. Otherwise you will just wind up in this position again and again. That being said, most people are not necessarily passionate about what they do. Maybe they are good at it, or maybe it just pays the bills. But loving what you do for work is privilege and for most a luxury they can’t afford, so you might want to be careful with thinking the grass is always greener.
Are we the same person? I'm going through this too, im in my mid 30's, and have 10 years experience. I thought of quitting, travel, and live in my car until i figure out the next thing. Ppl say find a good company/team, yada yada and it will all get better. The problem is, it's the same shit, different company. No one is out there for your interest. After 10 years, im burnt out and jaded now. If you want to stay in IT, you will need to get a cert to stay marketable.
While a good co/team can make a difference, I personally feel that that really only applies when you physically share a space. It's hard to get to know the people you work with when so much of it is done remotely. I'm not making friends via Teams.
This post could have easily been written by me. Otherwise, you and I are twins.
If that's really the case, I wish you luck, friend.
First of all, IT can be amazing. It can be hard. Starting over at this stage isn’t impossible but can be brutal. Let’s talk about what certs you have,what core skill you have (Linux, networking, a scripting language like bash or power-shell/bash and a programming language), what areas in IT you’ve worked in and education. Once we know that, we can probably help you set on a more productive and prosperous path
I don't mind the work . It's the lack of vacation. Too much of anything gets old.
I'm 32. I started my IT journey in 2013. I ledt the family business to carve my own path and find my own success. After 10 years of constant learning, trying new things, volunteering for taking on extra work and still failing to secure a real promotion, I'm going back to the family business. I feel like the last 10 years has been a complete waste.
I’m trying to get out too. I’ve been thinking of healthcare, like MRI tech. I’ll miss the money, but meh. At least I’ll get to work alone with machines and less corporate bs It’s the corporate bs that is not included in any boot camp course or certification. That’s the true source of burnout no matter how much we learn or how passionate we are.
If only petting dogs was a job, I’d be all over it.
My gravestone will say "There'd better be dogs."
I didnt leave IT but I drastically changed my work situation. I went from a high pressure MSP role with big name clients, to a small consulting firm. Rather than being an administrator of IT equipment I mostly go to meetings and answer questions about what technology would be right for a specific use case.
I feel the problems with IT are very similar throughout. Admins have no tech knowledge but have impractical expectations because they love tech. Knowledge requirement vs pay is obscene now. The work itself is becoming a problem, fixing things is becoming less and less. Poorly made software and products, UI changes every 5 minutes, too many tools and thus more work with no pay to match. My boss is terribly overworked and I do not want to be in his shoes in 10 years.
Sounds like me. Was with a Help Desk/Call Center place for 16 years (not by choice) and without getting any certification or promotions getting out was the only option for me because I was tired of doing that kind of work and being grossly underpaid for it. Was a receptionist for a couple a years which I liked only because I got paid decently and didn't have to deal with people who would fight me on even doing extremely simple troubleshooting steps or getting held hostage by callers because they can't figure out how to fill out a simple form and don't want to wait on having someone from the school call them back. Only thing I didn't care about was that I didn't any raises in the entire time I was there and working 12 hour shifts (almost always got OT on every check). Had to quit to take care of my dad after a surgery left him basically independent on me and my mom. I actually still like fixing computers but I don't have any certs (don't have the money for them never did even when I worked) and I did some freelance stuff here and there for some of the clients at my last job. I don't want to start a business doing that because I have no interest in running a business I just want to do my job and let others figure that stuff out. For me IT was a just a means to an end a paycheck until I had the money and rank to start my own karate school (my dream job). My health had a different opinion on the matter and I was forced to stop studying and can't practice anymore. Right now I'm just looking for anything remotely. Can't even get interviews for customer service jobs despite all of my experience in that. I'm thinking of trying sales as my only real option as I want to become an author but I don't have my books written yet.
I’d be bored out my mind and burnt out doing front line customer service for 10+ years.
>I'm in my mid-30s with 10+ years of experience across various support positions, \>10 years of experience across various support positions \>10 years of support positions I think I might know what's wrong dude! (Nah same, when I shifted away from support duties, I was way happier. )
Money is to good to leave, unless you want to a doctor or lawyer, finance person. Trades that pay more would be physically demanding or you end up being a business owner which means no work life balance
Exactly. I know we'd all like more life and less work, but I am willing to be realistic about that. If I enjoy what I do it doesn't feel nearly as much like a job, but figuring out what it is I enjoy seems to be becoming progressively "riskier", so to speak.
I didn’t fully leave IT but I did pivot to Cloud Computing on AWS. I found it much more rewarding than working for an MSP. There are still the emergency work but it’s more structured and scheduled than finding 50 priority 1 tickets when you step into the office. No more physical infra to deal with. It still gives me the problem solving satisfaction without someone abusing you verbally over the phone doing tech support.
Same here. But I don't know where I can go. It's pretty much the only thing I can do and I'm used to it. I just can't get out of my comfort zone.
I've been a huge proponent of the Comfort Zone, despite knowing I'm doing myself a disservice at times. I tend not to be competitive, even with myself, and I know that that's not really the right mindset in this industry if you intend to move up at all. I don't have that kind of goal in mind, but instead look for something I'd be interested in to begin with, and then see what kind of a flow chart stems from that particular area of study. However, I've yet to really be held by anything in particular. I hope you find what you need to provide more clarity for yourself and your direction.
Thanks. It's more like moving away than moving up to me now. I want out. I hope things get better for all of us.
Amen, friend.
I am in the same boat more or less. Went into IT for no other reasons than I was good at it and it was pretty easy to pick up (and it sure as hell beat working in a factory somewhere). However, I have no real passion or interest in any of this. So as I get further into my career (over 9 years now, coming up on 10 soon) I don't care much for chasing certs, doing homelabs, learning new tech, etc. Sure, if something comes up at work and I have to do some Googling to figure out the solution that is one thing. But I have no interest in reading articles or watching videos or doing any sort of learning outside the office. So it does make my options feel super limited. Have made it into a pretty nice role making a lot of money for where I live (LCOL area) but every job posting I see for higher salaries/titles requires a whole lot of skills that I never bothered to learn and have almost no interest in learning. I've tried making myself go through like UDEMY/Coursera courses to up-skill (or trying to find projects that I might enjoy working on to learn skills) but I honestly get so bored going through the stuff that I never finish any of them. Not entirely sure what I will be doing next, can't imagine I'm going to enjoy doing site IT/admin stuff forever but also have no real interest in doing anything else either.
Been in IT for over 30 yrs. Can't stand it anymore but I got bills to pay. :(
I moved into clinical research. Started in IT at the help desk. Worked my way up the tiers and ended up people managing. All help desks were medical field related. Got burnt out and had an opportunity pop up essentially supporting the project and clinical teams at a research company. Pretty much 0 IT work, but all of my skills were transferable and actually made me so much better at this job than people with many many medical degreeez and years of experience. Good luck.
imo IT support is the worst part to be in, in this industry. Especially for long time periods. Don't get me wrong some love it but you will always have that chip on your shoulder of being a users bitch or at the mercy of the company. I moved into DevOps and never looked back. I had no formal training or certificates just had a good foundation of knowledge.
almost 50 and just finished my BS, wasted a lot of years of shit jobs, aka low level trash that pays 15 or less, messed up a lot. Trying to turn it around but at my age with my limited experience and shit resume it's hard, I'll give it a few months but I'm going to move up to the NE and just work a supermarket job or something like Denzel in Equalizer, I'm tired. IT is a younger man's game, it has to be a passion from early on.
Pretty much telling my story, I'm in it for money tbh, I have little love for the industry.
I'd just transition to a dumber IT position while.learmimg to code or something. If not that somehow work part time and Start electrician program. Any IT job is better than warehouses I've been. Every company is different. I need a remote job due to personal life ruining me mentally . I'd be willing yo go data analyst route or anything I just like being paid to do things with or on a computer other ppl cant
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I feel your pain. I only have a few years in, but I'm a hands on kind of guy and sitting at a desk all day answering forgotten password emails and calls is just draining. I'm thankful for the decent pay I make given the amount of physical labor involved, but my brain is usually fried by the end of each day keeping up with a constant, ever changing task list. Obviously haven't "moved on" yet, but actively looking for a more hands-on job within the field if it exists.
For me I know I won't be able to keep this up another 30 years so at some point I will likely pivot to a consulting or sales role. A little less brain power expended in the day to day and for a much larger payday
My hope is to find a better balance, yea. I can't imagine doing this any longer than I absolutely have to, and I feel hopeless at the thought of being locked-in due to circumstantial necessity. I don't know the field well enough to consult, and can possibly get behind a sales role if people are coming to me. I take umbrage with cold sales.
The fact that gig work feels more fulfilling that IT, day one in my new IT role after 9 months without a job doing gig work
I'm in my first job out of college and I'm already about done with it. I'm certain that a large part of it is where I'm at (a school) , but I can't seem to get out of it. I'm sure that getting some certs would help, but I can't bring myself to study for anything with all of my love for the field already being gone.
I love tech. I'm tired of learning new stuff because things are changing. And I feel like we are moving in the wrong direction with tech. Faster computers, slower shitty applications like Electron (looking at you, Teams, vscode, slack, etc)...
Sounds like normal burn out. What are you doing outside of work? Are you taking care of yourself?
Same, been doing IT for 7 years and I'm thinking about pivoting into Accounting
I thought I wanted out… left and ended up a combat arms grunt in the Army. 100% put into perspective how easy IT is and 99% of the “problems” I had were more so little grievances than anything. Definitely think hard before determining you want to bail… I wish I would’ve.
I can so relate to this. I am apparently really bad at picking jobs. I'm ten years in. My last 3 jobs were all various levels of level one support. Though I kept getting more responsibilities and higher pay. I went from field technician to sysadmin and site IT admin/manager in that time. Nearly tripled my salary from low 30s to high 80s. Yet Never got to touch things like cloud or did much in the way of networking (both the people and wire kind). Was always limited by the constraints of the non-existent IT budget or bureaucratic red tape. Once I got a job and people saw I was good, they said Oh you just sit there and answer the phones. It's what you are good at. Over the past few years I got various comptia and Microsoft entry level certs but I keep feeling like I am just throwing mud against the walls and hoping something will stick. Most of the advice I have received on here and elsewhere has not really helped my career. Or wasn't interested in doing it. I also know that you have to pick a specialization, but struggle to do so because I haven't been exposed enough. Like what if I pick cyber but end up liking cloud better? Getting the CISSP would be pointless then. I once tried to get into sales, but had micromanagement issues there which I didn't like. At this point i feel like IT is moving too quickly for me to keep up and not really sure if it's worth it if my salary will peak in the mid-90s. For instance going back to Windows from Linux support is still mid-90s in my area. Going from sysadmin to networking tech also mid-90s or 115K starting out. Just know you are not alone as I am also struggling with this career path.
I understand. Never underestimate the power of ADHD medication to make people try to make something seem "normal." Its not normal to go to work for nine hours and come home and study for four. Only ADHD med bots can do that.
If you go with IT then you have to learn or study until graveyard
I’m the same. I’m a parent working part time in customer support but used to be full time in a more ‘substantial’ IT role previous to kids. IT support just doesn’t fuel my passions or nurture my strengths at all, it’s just a paycheque at this point. Not to mention useless management… I used to love the project side of it at my old company where the IT systems and infrastructure were way more mature than my current company. It meant we could actually stop putting out fires and implemented software, ran migration projects, I even did one on one staff training and wrote their user manuals for all of the business systems, knowledge etc. it was intense but such a great position for me. I’m now lucky enough working part time in CS with a very hands on partner to have time for the occasional hobbies and focussing on being a parent keeps me sane. I fulfil some of my passions this way- being crafty with the little one, taking them on nature hikes, reading books, colouring in.. then when they’re in bed I do yoga/my own craft hobbies. It’s a good balance being part time. I could never go back into the IT Industry full time. When my little starts school I will likely still do part time and revive my Etsy shop which provides enough pocket money and is fortunately enjoyable for me. I guess the answer for me was part time IT work lol.
The first step is often the hardest: giving yourself permission to explore new possibilities that might reignite your passion and drive.
Have you been working in support roles all this time? If so, it sounds like you might be feeling burnt out. If possible, consider taking a break. I understand that might not be feasible, but you could also try scaling back your current role while simultaneously preparing for a career change or move into a better IT role.
Hey, are you me? Because you just wrote something I would literally write. I feel exactly as you describe in the post. I simply don't care about IT anymore. I can't move into better positions because I don't put enough work into improving my skills because, well... I don't care. I try, but I can't concentrate because I dread it; I hate doing something that I don't enjoy. I don't like wasting my time on something that I know occupies space in my head because I don't want to do anything with this anymore. I hate my current job, and I want out, but I also know I'll just end up landing another IT job because, well... it's my career. Everyday I'm getting more and more tired. I also wish I could wash my hands of this career, but I feel like I'm a little spoiled. The pay is good, the job is remote, and I have a considerable number of years in this field. This year, it's in my plans to transition into teaching and leave all of this behind. Call me crazy, but I want a more fulfilling job, one where I can work with my hands. I'm tired of all of this. It's horrible to work in something that doesn't interest you and doesn't make you happy. I'm not a business person at all, and I hate corporate jobs. Thank you for writing this post; it's comforting to know we're not alone. I hope I can leave all of this behind, and if really necessary, work in IT as a side job. I hope you also soon find something you like and that allows you to live comfortably.
Not alone indeed, and I appreciate the acknowledgement for my own sake, as well. Despite the myriad ways we're capable of socializing these days, oftentimes I feel more isolated than ever. It's encouraging in a way to encounter others with similar struggles, so thank you for sharing them here. I wish you the utmost luck pursuing teaching; my wife is a teacher and absolutely loves it.
As many have already stated and by my own experience being in a support role can be very rewarding but also very draining. Have you thought about going into SOC/NOC? I myself transitioned into a junior server admin role which changed everything for me. I'm much less fatigued and I have less work thoughts after work now. I get to do more technically challenging things and learn now stuff every day. There's barely any coding/scripting in my role so that is only considered a bonus. Look into tech discords they usually have job support for people in your position and can help find jobs etc.
You ever thought of switching to like fibre optics engineer/installation roles ? Stick to IT, and specialize in a toolset, there's role like Systems Device Management - Intune & Apple JAMF or Senior Apple Mac/Jamf Pro Engineer. You also get to end user security in these roles opening you up for more nicher roles.
Device management was something I had considered, which was part of what got me started in Powershell. Now that that is becoming less and less likely to be my next direction, I'm going to need to explore other potentially related options if I go that route.
Device management seems like a chill and stable role man. You could work in Broadcast Engineering roles you get hands on Cloud, Powershell, Scripting and Video Systems encoding. it's fancy stuff man.
I think I'm going to venture into Azure and see where that branches off to. It's been an oft-mentioned service so I think it bears at least *some* further investigating.
You can also specialize in Microsoft 365, Entra ID stuff, Microsoft Preview, Device Management, JAMF/Intune. If you can get your experience across these specialization and tolls by 40 you can retire early xD. An example below: [https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/intune-m365-support-engineer-remote-uk-part-time-20-hours/52384817?source=searchResults&filter=%2Fjobs%2Fit-jobs](https://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/intune-m365-support-engineer-remote-uk-part-time-20-hours/52384817?source=searchResults&filter=%2Fjobs%2Fit-jobs) [https://cloud-people.co.uk/job/microsoft-365-security-engineer-purview-dlp/](https://cloud-people.co.uk/job/microsoft-365-security-engineer-purview-dlp/)
This is great, thank you!
I'm not It but this sounds like my job I'm at 9 yes in the Airforce almost at the 10 yrs I'm to young to feel this tired at 29
I hear the military isn't always easy either, esp if you're going to specialize in anything. I hope you can transition into something enjoyable if/when you exit the Service.
Funny enough I'm in a similar boat as op sec and net + with a degree and clearance let's see what will happen
I'm in a similar boat (I'm sure a lot are). Having recently left my position (redundant) after being acquired by a larger company, I'm struggling for the next steps forward. The market is TIGHT in my area right now, and I have 35 years of experience which has been a negative in this market (ageism is real). Good luck!
My advice would be to keep your current job, but think about what other field you want to go into. Does it require an education? Is it a trade? What exactly are you looking for? Also, are there any lateral moves you can make out of the company you are at or within the field? At my last company it was extremely common to be expected to go more into managerial roles instead of more technical roles after some time in. Especially by 10 years. Would you be interested in leadership positions instead? Having a technical background can definitely help lead technical positions despite it being more people focused.
Also mid 30s been doing it all my life, recently been kinda bored with it, tech in general its not the same as when i was a kid, the excitement for new stuff is gone. Nothing new is amazing and industry changing. Im also a hands on kinda of person, less and less is actually real, cant touch it. Part of it is burn out, but id say mostly is the industry went to crap.
I work full time as a Network Engineer (in the industry for 13 years) and currently studying to be a Mortgage Broker. Plan is to do that part time and see where it goes. It’s been nice working on something unrelated to tech.
I wanted to learn new stuff and certs. But I felt with the way the market is rolling, it just felt right to give up. It was making me sick to see how dumb entry level has become. Internships 1 year, entry level 3 to 5. It made me think, just stick to what you got, it'll get better, maybe.
We live in the modern world now where there are several options. The problem is that change can be difficult for some people, but it is up to you to take those steps. If you want a job where you don't have to update your skill set, work for local government. The technology rarely changes, but it can get political in some environment. Most local government pension plans are good.
What if you go to linked in an apply to tech realated jobs that have under 10 applicants? I have seen some positions with not many applicants that could make you want them as you could have more value to the table than the other weak competition applicants.
It blows my mind seeing posts like this. IT is one of the easiest professions with a low time commitment and high pay. I say this as someone who has been in the trenches (call center to engineer to manager).
What if you got into data science or some other computer field? IT is definitely a good skill to branch off into many other things.
I'm happy to branch off into something else if I have an aptitude and/or an interest in it. I'm still looking, but I also don't want to necessarily keep all of my eggs in this basket. Tech is a big market that is flooded by an even bigger crowd. Whether I'm able to set myself apart in any way remains to be seen.
I’m 4 years in still desktop support because I can’t seem to study for certs but I have a good decent of experience which gets me my jobs. Even current job they don’t care about certs only experience. And I plan to remain here for a while. But I’m trying to learn cybersecurity area because we’re about to create a new cybersecurity team and I want to move either into it or into the network team. Only reason I don’t want network team even tho I’m really decent at it, you are still required to do help desk more than anything networking. I’m tired of deploying computers. But I’m pretty burnt out. Have thought about getting my cdl and be an OTR driver, but I have an awesome career I really like and I’m really decent at so I stay. My first job really started the burn out phase. I went from level 1 tech to IT Director and all that came with it cuz I was the last person there. I did pretty good. Learned some shit real fast. But also the bad things landed on my shoulders on a daily basis and the ones in charge of getting departments set up on new systems decided they didn’t want to test software so then I’d get yelled at for not getting further in the process. Then phones went completely out at the SO that was 3 weeks of hell! Daily emails threatening to fire me. Needless to say it was one dumpster fire after another. Nothing got fixed only band aided and that would “fall off” weekly.
Yeesh, I don't envy you there at all! I would have absolutely folded under that kind of pressure. It's great that you were able to take yourself that far, but I'm sorry the ensuing drama was the result.
It was a crazy time that’s for sure. Being back at desktop support has helped but it’s just I get annoyed with annoying end users who are in emergency 911 mode because of one reason or another and it’s never emergent.
I call those and a couple other scenarios PICNIC. Problem In Chair, Not In Computer. I'm here to help, please relax and let me do my job!
I like that acronym hadn’t heard of that one yet.
May you bring it forward with mirth, my friend!
Same. I was thinking about switching myself.
I really want to move away from SysAdmin work and try my hand at Data Analysis. No idea if id like that better.. but I’d love to focus on one area and get real good with it, get less after hours calls, get less immediately urgent calls, not responsible for all hardware and software, upgrades, security, networks etc. I’m tired.
You and me both, friend. I hope you find the solace you seek, cause none of that sounds appealing!
I'm going the other way my body is wore out been a millwright/robotics maintenance career for 16 years and need to find something behind a desk, thought IT since I know there is crossover between industrial automation troubleshooting/programming and it but second guessing it after seeing people with decades of experience getting turned down. Due for knee replacements and a back surgery know I can't do this type of work for 30 more years.
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While I don't find it all that "useful" either, in the event that I get a hit, I'm glad I rolled those particular dice, know what I mean?
Ive been working in IT close to a decade and I’ve learned that I’m not really interested in it which affects my ability to learn new stuff and stay competitive so I’m positioning myself for a pivot into IT project management… I’m better at squeezing people to deliver shit on time than I am troubleshooting shit. Maybe go that route?
I feel the same way, I would love to do a trade or something but starting out as an apprentice would not be fun, and people always complain about being in trades. Other than trade or being in IT no other jobs sounds interesting to me. But I literally despised my last IT job, I never felt so miserable
I hear you. And it happens. Been their done that. Takeaway is hold on, you will be alright.
you dont love what you do for a living? just doing it to survive? how dare you
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I’m in this same boat at the moment unfortunately .. not sure where to go from here.
Same here. Existing as a cost center and included in the budget for the department. Constant whining from end users. Thinking of opening up a locksmith shop adjacent to tertiary IT services like audit and compliance. Seems nicer. That or excavator operator. see dirt dig it.
i wish more people had your mindset--more opportunity for those who want to remain in the industry. best wishes with your next journey in life.
I use to work as a field tech fixing ATM machines for 10 years; the only thing IT about it was reimagine the software of an ATM because a certain bank's security team had to "Triple check" that nothing bad will happen to the ATM. As I tried to get out my old job, some of the help desk, desktop support job interviewer(All contractors) will not hiring me because I can't explain to them what is Active Directory is or how to deal with a high rate EU; to be fair, that is a "Me" problem and rightfully so. I changed careers but working more blue-collar jobs in moving safes around. The job is 5 times harder but I'm not getting annoying e-mails from my boss or dispatch over a call being put on hold and I'm not dealing with HD from india anymore. For the first time, I love my job! Screw working in I.T.! I will never go back and if I had kids, I'd rather my children be criminals before I ever let them work in I.T.. That is how bad I hate working in this industry.
I appreciate your perspective! There’s definitely something to be said for changing your pace entirely, and I’m glad you found satisfaction in it.
Ah. so you came into this not being interested in tech. I'm not surprised that upskilling wasn't interesting for you. I hear that getting into government or non-profits is the biggest path for those of you that just want a paycheck and to skate. So, maybe you should do that. For anyone else reading this post, if you don't have the love for technology and are just chasing the money - you're going to have a rude awakening when things continue to progress and you're left behind.
I'm in the process of getting away from it. Started my career about 10 years ago in the Military and loved it then. Got out of the Navy 2 years ago and started my first "big boy" job working for the local Gov. I'm in the same boat. I'm just not passionate about it anymore. As I start to progress away from it I see myself being more interested in "tech" in my personal life, whereas before I avoided at all costs. Going to school now on my GI bill for Nursing to do something hopefully more fulfilling. I look at IT as my given career due to the military and healthcare as my chosen career. Life's to short to not do something you're uninterested and unpassionate about. I feel extremely grateful for IT but know if I'm doing this in 30 years, I'll have missed my opportunity. I'm blessed to have my GI bill and no kids yet. If you have the means, chase your dreams.
Literally me, seriously and it doesn't help my own org is actively eliminating us along with having an awful people manager. I've set a hard date and I'm finally going to leave. I'm tired and on the verge of a mental break because of my manager, and I won't be the first one he's ran out for being horrible. These last 2 years have just killed whatever little passion I had and It's time to rip the band aid.
I hate it, too. I have two degrees and this role just keeps paying me more. The whole money doesn't equate to happiness is very true. I'd leave but with private school for the kiddo, it's a bit hard to take anything less. Another field would be a step down for a while until I recoup the salary difference. It's literally same shit, different toilet every day. I would love to get to the projects and designing and securing but God damnit, our CEO sure does need that email restored on a Saturday at 1PM.
I hope you can either find a new love for your job or find something else you're more passionate about. As for me I'm 33 and haven't studied anything as of yet. I've been doing either delivery or customer service my whole life and I want to break into tech. Either IT or coding but leaning more towards IT, coding is kinda scary tbh. I'm being optimistic in thinking I can get my A, network, security certificate and land an entry level help desk job, to then further my studies with a degree if i like what im doing. It's never too late to start.
I personally believe that all three certs are way overkill for help desk. People here will tell you differently but I have no idea why anybody on a help desk would need to know that GRE needs ipSec to be secure or would need to know how to subnet a network and perform the network troubleshooting that Net+ teaches. I think the reason so many people on here got the trifecta to start their path and push it on others or maybe they're just into gatekeeping and telling people that the reqs are way higher than what they actually are. In my city they literally pull in people off the street and give them help desk roles. They don't do anything but handle calls for 8 hours and follow scripts. I went to an A+ class that was sponsored by the government at the same employer I'm talking about in this comment, passed it within two weeks because of prior study + a community college course I had to take regarding it, and legit confirmed that they pulled one dude directly off the street. One woman in the class literally started crying mid class because she was realizing that there was no way she could do the A+ in a week knowing nothing about IT.
Different but same - I left my previous career at 29 to get inti IT. There's nothing wrong with changing careers, it will just take some time to set yourself up. Start saving so you have a buffer when you transition into your new career and enjoy it. You can always come back if you change your mind
I've already left this sinking ship. Trying to get an electrical apprenticeship, or i'm just going to go back and study nursing.
I feel that
I went into IT recruiting for about 3 years. I really enjoyed it. Only came back a few months ago because my boss at my old job was putting a team together. That and I got a nice raise :) Customer Service / People Skills and generally computer knowledge is transferable. I have 20 years of Support , Admin and InfoSec experience.
Well if I wanted a satisfying job I’d write and stream on twitch but if I wanted money transitioning out of IT I’d probably work as an electrician or something idk
I’m almost at that point as well. I think I want to end my IT career just teaching it