If you could go back in time would you still choose IT? [closed]

I am a new grad and am looking for work in IT likely as a Unix admin.

What I would like to ask all of you, is if you could go back in time would you still choose a career in IT? or was it the biggest mistake of your life?

Oh wow...I don't think I would have taken the path I have. While I have benefits in my current position, the pay is sub-par to what others in my field get with my experience. Also I do a lot of "general" work, meaning help desk along with figuring out what is wrong with a server along with installing and replacing hardware along with....etc.

This question entirely depends on what you enjoy doing. I often feel disillusioned and jaded from experiences. I.e., I used to think that users wanted to be independent and learn from me how to work on their systems more efficiently and not have to call on us for support as much since they also constantly complain they're not "computer people" and the truth is that they don't care to learn how to use their system or why it's failing. We're like the technology equivalent of Jiffy Lube. People come to us just because they don't want to deal with it, even if the fix is as simple as actually reading the question the computer is presenting them. I get repeat calls for the same issue from the same people over and over.

There's a lot of stress, and if you're not working in a field that focuses on what you do (i.e., you're in a business that has a focus on a non-technology field and you're working in a department for supporting the other employees) then there's a good chance you'll have a lack of respect. I went to school for a degree in computer science, four year degree, have several years experience with Linux and Windows in various issues and configurations, and still there's a feeling that we're on the bottom of the respect ladder, probably because the entity I work for isn't a technology-focused business.

When the systems work, you're regarded as a technology ninja. Silent and hiding in a hole somewhere. When things aren't working, suddenly you're important in the respect that it's your fault or you're expected to get it working NOW. Then expected to go back into your hole and "do whatever it is you do". :-)

There's several subfields in IT that may or may not hold a niche for someone, too. If I were able to work on more projects where I could build and monitor and baby servers, I'd probably be happier than having to spend a lot of time cloning drives and reminding users again that the home directory is for saving things they need, not the desktop. But that's also the nature of my Asperger's. As it stands working in IT could leave you running cables through conduits and crawling under desks and getting mouse crap and scary animal byproducts on you from old ceiling tiles or it could leave you at a desk most of the day poring over log files and monitoring backups or a mix of both. Different people prefer different things and can have special skillsets to accompany them.

Also keep in mind that different businesses have different cultures. You can have the same job title with similar job responsibilities and in one place be miserable and in another really thrive, so what one person says here may not apply to everyone else.

One thing I have learned, though, is that working in the field has diminished my love of technology at home. I used to enjoy dabbling in working on servers and configuring Linux systems and trying things like DRDB just to see how it worked. Nowadays I work to keep the job at the job and home in the home, and part of it is just not feeling like doing those things anymore in my "off time" (since off time is often a joke when you could be called for working after hours anyway, and depending on your job you may not get compensated for it). You're expected to be reachable all the time and you end up feeling like you are obligated to check email while on vacation or out sick. Because technology is an enabler for remote work and remote tethering to the workplace, the line blurs between personal and work life. Soon you forget that you had any hobbies that didn't involve a keyboard. Then your relatives begin taking advantage of that as well, and you become the technology guy with the technology job that, hey, while you're coming for thanksgiving dinner, could you look at this problem we have with email? Hey! Good to see you! It's been awhile! While you're here, we're thinking of getting one of those laptop thingys, which one do you think we should get?...etc.

And of course its gratis. Because you do that sort of thing, computers.

And it doesn't matter if you're a DBA or system admin or network tech, everyone thinks you work in "computers" and somehow can do what the movies show computers doing. Tap a few keys, voila', it's working. How hard is that? Why are you crying just because I asked you to fix this weird thing my computer is beeping over? Geez.

If I had my life to do over again, it would be as a lotto winner.

Honestly I can't see myself doing anything else. I've often wondered what I would do if i suddenly was so-rich-i-didn't-have-to-work ... and I still would find a job in the IT field working. You find what you love, if you're lucky you are able to have a career in that field. I guess i've been luck :)

"Chose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life."

(Ok, that's horse crap considering what we've been going through this week in my dept..... but still)

What do you love? :)

I love computers. So much better than the medical field, where if you power something down you get sued.