A good way to get into IT now is to learn a skill that is difficult. Don’t even think you can get an MCSE and just walk into a six figure job. That only happens in microskills commercials.

One of the biggest problems for new people is getting that first job. In the late 90s and early 00’s, anybody could get a job. Now employers expect you to walk in and start producing. They want to see experience. One way around this is again to learn something that’s difficult that not everybody is willing to learn, and then putting in your time in the trenches.

I would put more into getting a certification and experience rather than getting a Computer Science degree. Whenever we interview for positions, the degree doesn’t matter much. What we look for is: Are they qualified, can they do the job, will they work well with us and with others.

Look in the classified ads this sunday and look at dice.com and see what people are looking for.