(edit- I think this is the hardest thing I've ever posted.  I feel like I'm hanging naked from a cracking tree limb, about 30 feet in the air....) 

Is it possible for a thirty..uhm...30-something year old English Lit chick to break into the IT world?

If she knows how to do the job, that is? 

Even if none of her work experience involves computers, except what she has done on her own and all knowledge is self-taught within the past year?

I started out thinking about a combination of business writing (print and web) combined with some Search Engine Optimization.  I realized I didn't like the latter and both are too subjective.  Then, I started playing around with databases (something that has always intrigued me) and liked it.  There is something very soothing about something that has a definite right way to do it and it has been easy to learn.

Since I have no formal computer training, would certifications help?  Even without work experience?  Given another couple of weeks, I think I could pass the tests.  If certifications do help, which is more valuable... the Microsoft or Oracle exams?  Also, what about the MySQL certifications?

I realize that I'd probably have to start at ground zero beginner level, but I learn very fast and I interview well. 

Essentially, I want a job that doesn't come home with me every night and isn't emotionally draining.  I want to go back to school (have been trying to make it happen for years), but I have to work while I do it and all of previous employment involved bringing projects home constantly and lots of decisions with no definite right answer, leaving me little time or mental energy for school. 

Thoughts?  Hysterical Laughter?  Pity?  Do tell...  :) 

All jokes aside, you should be able to find IT job. Content editing/support, IT management (someone has to manage nerds big time!), database related reporting and (of course!!!) technical writing (documentation, help etc). Lots of companies have a dozen of developers and tall vertical structure of all sorts of managers, AVP, VP, product line managers, marketing specialists, consultants and all kind of parasites that live on developer's ability to implement their brilliant ideas :)

---

Leah, 

I am you subject of inspiration. I've done almost exactly what you are trying to accomplish, at your age with not exactly perfect English. One day after I turned 30-something, I decided that my job as EE bores me to death and took Microsoft certification class, except I went for networking, not database administration. I didn't have prior IT work experience and I believe the certification helped me immensely. Actually, I know now, that after studying hard for the tests I was way ahead of a lot of guys in the field. Experience is a great thing, but an education makes you to get it at 10x speed.

Oracle certification is probably more valuable, but MS SQL is not far behind. Keep in mind though, that DBAs usually work long hours and are on call 24x7. Database maintenance usually happens when everybody else is sleeping.

 

 

_Sergey_:

IT management (someone has to manage nerds big time!), database related reporting and (of course!!!)

Wow, I've always liked nerds a lot... imagine having a whole harem of them....

Do they actually put "parasite" on their business cards?  That has an odd appeal.  ;)

 

Seriously, thank you, Sergey.  :)  You gave me some great areas to explore. 

Muidugi:

Leah, 

I am you subject of inspiration. I've done almost exactly what you are trying to accomplish, at your age with not exactly perfect English. One day after I turned 30-something, I decided that my job as EE bores me to death and took Microsoft certification class, except I went for networking, not database administration. I didn't have prior IT work experience and I believe the certification helped me immensely. Actually, I know now, that after studying hard for the tests I was way ahead of a lot of guys in the field. Experience is a great thing, but an education makes you to get it at 10x speed.

Oracle certification is probably more valuable, but MS SQL is not far behind. Keep in mind though, that DBAs usually work long hours and are on call 24x7. Database maintenance usually happens when everybody else is sleeping.

 

How did you deal with questions about why you were changing fields?  

I tried reading an EE texbook once because I knew the man who wrote it... thought it would give us something to talk about.  I think we ended up discussing Salvador Dali, if that tells you anything about my mastery of the subject matter.  :)

I've heard that about the DBA hours, but I assumed they wouldn't give the big job on my first time out of the gate.  Do those hours apply to the underlings as well?  If so, I guess that's ok.  I'm usually awake when everyone else is sleeping anyway.  :) 

Leah:

How did you deal with questions about why you were changing fields?  

I tried reading an EE texbook once because I knew the man who wrote it... thought it would give us something to talk about.  I think we ended up discussing Salvador Dali, if that tells you anything about my mastery of the subject matter.  :)

I've heard that about the DBA hours, but I assumed they wouldn't give the big job on my first time out of the gate.  Do those hours apply to the underlings as well?  If so, I guess that's ok.  I'm usually awake when everyone else is sleeping anyway.  :) 

I've heard about EE textbooks when I was in college, but never seen one.  

I always told the truth that I was tired of doing the same thing day in day out and wanted my job to be more fun and more challenging.

As far as hours go, it really depends on the company. At some companies DBA are working from home and nobody remembers how they look like and in some companies they live in the office. SQL databases usually are less critical and thus require less attention and time.

IT field is so broad you will most likely find something, even with no experience or proper education.

Certification definately helps, with Oracle, CISCO ,MySQL and any kind of UNIX leading the way - Microsoft certified people are dime a dozen and usualy not far ahead of total newbies, so I wouldn't waste your money on it. 

You wanna make big $$$ learn SAP Netweaver  - very rare and as a result very high salaried people..... 

 

---

- Независимость - это когда в 20-й раз наступаешь на одни и те же грабли, а русские уже ни при чем....

Muidugi:

I've heard about EE textbooks when I was in college, but never seen one.  

I always told the truth that I was tired of doing the same thing day in day out and wanted my job to be more fun and more challenging.

As far as hours go, it really depends on the company. At some companies DBA are working from home and nobody remembers how they look like and in some companies they live in the office. SQL databases usually are less critical and thus require less attention and time.

Did you hunt for the first job in new field on your own or use a recruiter/headhunter?

Working from home would make scheduling easier, especially for taking classes, but I don't think I'd want to work from home all the time.  I've done it before and I got lonely, isolated, and had no good excuse to buy shoes.  I think I need the stimulation of other humans.  :)

KGBMan:

IT field is so broad you will most likely find something, even with no experience or proper education.

Certification definately helps, with Oracle, CISCO ,MySQL and any kind of UNIX leading the way - Microsoft certified people are dime a dozen and usualy not far ahead of total newbies, so I wouldn't waste your money on it. 

You wanna make big $$$ learn SAP Netweaver  - very rare and as a result very high salaried people..... 

 

Between Oracle and MySQL, which is the better choice?  Or do I need both to start? 

it depends on the scale of the organization you work in. you can learn SQL Server and find the job with Oracle without any certification. degree helps, but connections are more important. duoway IT sucks, much better to go for something arty if you estimate your life)

---

music of meah

Leah, if you go DBA (Data Base Administration) path you can forget about your personal life. You'll be 365x24x7 on call. Network administration is a little better but your work will be closing tickets all day long. Very boring and tedious in my opinion.

I think reporting is more interesting since you need to know your data, work with people (well, that's a questionable advantage) and you get to know how business works. Also you do not have crazy hours, have weekends and holidays and at any time you can open a ticket for a network administrator and yell at DBA because database is slow

---

green_minstrey:

it depends on the scale of the organization you work in. you can learn SQL Server and find the job with Oracle without any certification. degree helps, but connections are more important. duoway IT sucks, much better to go for something arty if you estimate your life)

Arty is always good, but I won't mind if it is a little tedious, since I plan to go back to school at the same time to seek advanced degrees in something that will probably never result in a good salary.  ;) 

_Sergey_:

Leah, if you go DBA (Data Base Administration) path you can forget about your personal life. You'll be 365x24x7 on call. Network administration is a little better but your work will be closing tickets all day long. Very boring and tedious in my opinion.

I think reporting is more interesting since you need to know your data, work with people (well, that's a questionable advantage) and you get to know how business works. Also you do not have crazy hours, have weekends and holidays and at any time you can open a ticket for a network administrator and yell at DBA because database is slow

I'll investigate that.  I don't mind pitching in to get a job done during a crunch time, but I don't think I'd like to be on call during all of my nights and weekends.  Thanks.  :)

c'mon Leah, learn Spanish, read some books of Castaneda and let's go with me to Mexico ;)you don't need to return to starting point really, there's some more points)

---

music of meah

KGBMan:

IT field is so broad you will most likely find something, even with no experience or proper education.

Certification definately helps, with Oracle, CISCO ,MySQL and any kind of UNIX leading the way - Microsoft certified people are dime a dozen and usualy not far ahead of total newbies, so I wouldn't waste your money on it. 

You wanna make big $$$ learn SAP Netweaver  - very rare and as a result very high salaried people..... 

 

As a holder of M$, Cisco and Linux certifications I can say that it doesn't matter what certification you get. Preparing for the cerification tests helps in becoming an expert in the chosen field if you want to be one. Certification itself is nothing, just a piece of paper, but at the very least it does show that you are able to learn and intelligent enough to pass the test.