10 things I love about IT

By Justin James February 12, 2008, 8:53 AM PST Takeaway: I y!u"re rea#in$ t%is, &%an&es are y!u"re 'retty in(!)(e# wit% t%e IT in#ustry* It"s s!metimes easy t! !r$et w%y we $!t int! t%is business !r w%y we stay in it, 'arti&u)ar)y w%en t%e s&!'e is &ree'in$, t%e &ust!mers are #eman#in$ &ust!mi+ati!n t! t%e 'r!#u&t, an# t%e b!ss" %air is '!inty* ,e)), time t! remin# -***. I y!u"re rea#in$ t%is, &%an&es are y!u"re 'retty in(!)(e# wit% t%e IT in#ustry* It"s s!metimes easy t! !r$et w%y we $!t int! t%is business !r w%y we stay in it, 'arti&u)ar)y w%en t%e s&!'e is &ree'in$, t%e &ust!mers are #eman#in$ &ust!mi+ati!n t! t%e 'r!#u&t, an# t%e b!ss" %air is '!inty* ,e)), time t! remin# !urse)(es w%y we kee' suitin$ u' an# s%!win$ u'* /ere"s my )ist ! 10 t%in$s I )!(e ab!ut IT* Note: This information is also available as a PDF download.

#1: The people

T%e 'e!')e in IT are an ama+in$ $r!u'* IT is a #i(erse in#ustry, an# t%e 'e!')e w%! w!rk in it ten# t! %a(e a %i$% )e(e) ! 'assi!n !r t%e 0!b* Sure, t%ere are a ew mer&enaries w%! are in it 0ust !r t%e m!ney, but t%ey are t%ank u))y re)ati(e)y rare* 1(era)), I &ann!t say en!u$% $!!# t%in$s ab!ut t%e 'e!')e in t%is in#ustry, an# I )!(e w!rkin$ wit%, ar!un#, an# !r t%em*

#2: The energy

T%e !n)y in#ustry wit% near)y as mu&% raw ener$y as IT is marketin$, an# I #!n"t in# bran#e# 'ens terrib)y interestin$* IT 'e!')e are e2&ite# ab!ut t%eir 0!bs an# e2&ite# ab!ut t%e w!rk t%ey are #!in$* IT as an in#ustry ! ers en!u$% (ariety an# &%!i&es ! em')!yers an# 'r!0e&ts s! t%at t%ere"s n! reas!n !r t%!se w%! )!(e IT t! be #!in$ w!rk t%ey %ate, !n&e t%ey $et 'ast entry )e(e) in t%eir &areer* An# it s%!ws in t%e 'assi!n t%at IT w!rkers brin$ t! t%e ! i&e* A&&!untants #!n"t ar$ue ab!ut 34BI5TA (s* 'r! !rma6 in 7uite t%e same way t%at 'r!$rammers $et w!rke# u' !(er 3Ja(a (s* 8B*94T*6

#3: The education requirement

A min!rity ! 'e!')e in IT %a(e #e$rees in an IT:re)ate# ma0!r ;&!m'uter s&ien&e, &!m'uter en$ineerin$, et&*<* In a&t, a si$ni i&ant '!rti!n ! 'e!')e in IT #! n!t %a(e #e$rees at a))* =ike t%e #ress &!#e, t%ere is an unwritten assum'ti!n t%r!u$%!ut mu&% ! IT: 42'erien&e &!unts !r an aw u) )!t* Sure, t%ere are a ew ni&%es in IT w%ere t%at s&ien&e an# mat% ba&k$r!un# is nee#e#* But !r a(era$e business:)e(e) usa$e, it is n!t ne&essary* A## in t%e a&t t%at t%e te&%n!)!$y be&!mes !bs!)ete s! 7ui&k)y an# t%e a&t t%at t%e in#ustry is !b(i!us)y w!rkin$ 0ust ine wit%!ut t%e re7uirement ! a #e$ree, an# y!u %a(e a ie)# t%at is (ery we)&!min$* I &%a))en$e y!u t! in# an!t%er 0!b w%ere 'e!')e wit% a %i$% s&%!!) #i')!ma, s!me se) :tau$%t kn!w)e#$e, an# a $!!# attitu#e %a(e su&% a $!!# &%an&e t! #! we)) !r t%emse)(es*

#4: The dress code

1ne ! t%e $reat t%in$s ab!ut IT is t%at it $rew u' in t%e &!r'!rate basement* ,ay ba&k w%en, t%e business !)ks )ike# t! )!&k us u' in t%e #un$e!n an# !&&asi!na))y t%r!w #!wn a b!w) ! $rue) !r

t%e ner#s* As a resu)t, t%ey #i#n"t &are i we %a# )!n$ %air !r bear#s !r 'i++a stains !n !ur ratty, %ar#ware:(en#!r T:s%irts* >rante#, t%is %as &%an$e# si$ni i&ant)y at m!st s%!'s* T%ere are n!w s!me #ress &!#e stan#ar#s !r IT w!rkers* But t%ey #!n"t seem t! be as stri&t)y en !r&e# as t%ey are !r t%e rest ! t%e &!m'any* T%ere is an un#er$r!un#, uns'!ken &!ns'ira&y am!n$ IT mana$ers t%at a )!!sene# #ress &!#e is 'ra&ti&a))y 'art ! t%e stan#ar# &!m'ensati!n* Sure, i 'r!$rammers !r system a#ministrat!rs rea))y want t! &!me in #resse# t! t%e nines, t%ey are we)&!me t!, an# n! !ne wi)) kn!&k t%em !r bein$ t!! GQ* But i y!ur i#ea ! sty)e is )ess re ine#, IT as an in#ustry #!esn"t min#*

#5: The environment

Mu&% )ike t%e #ress &!#e, t%e en(ir!nment in m!st IT s%!'s is air)y in !rma) &!m'are# t! t%e ty'i&a) ! i&e* P!sters !r anime i)ms, b!!ks a)) !(er t%e ')a&e, w%iteb!ar#s wit% $!! y &art!!n #rawin$s, 9er ba)) i$%ts? !n)y w%en y!u 'ut a #!+en ner#s t!$et%er in t%e same r!!m wit% a $eek b!ss ;!r a b!ss w%! 3$ets6 $eeks< &!u)# t%is be &a))e# a w!rk en(ir!nment* @et #es'ite a)) ! t%at, IT w!rkers ten# t! 'ut in 0ust as many %!urs, i n!t m!re, t%an m!st ! i&e em')!yees* ,e 0ust %a(e a )!t m!re un wit% it*

# : The adaptable learning curve

In t%e IT in#ustry, y!u &an #! t%e same tasks #ay a ter #ay i y!u want t!, !r y!u &an take a 0!b t%at is &!nstant)y e(!)(in$* It is rea))y u' t! y!uA S!me 'r!$rammers are sti)) usin$ B1B1= a ter 10 years, an# !t%ers %a(e use# 10 )an$ua$es in 10 years* Cn)ike m!st in#ustries, s!me areas ! IT m!(e s)!w)y en!u$% !r t%!se w%! are n!t &!m !rtab)e wit% re$u)ar u'%ea(a)s, w%i)e mu&% ! t%e in#ustry m!(es 7ui&k)y en!u$% !r t%!se w%! )ike a m!re ra'i# 'a&e* ,%en y!u are in IT, y!u &an in# a 0!b t%at its y!ur sty)e*

#!: "le#ible $or% conditions

IT is amenab)e t! 3 )e2time6 w!rkers an# te)e&!mmutin$* It"s a)s! re)a2e# ab!ut t%e w!rkin$ %!urs* IT 'r!s may w!rk a ew m!re %!urs t%an t%e a(era$e w!rker, but t%at e2tra time is tra#e# ! wit% s!me )e2ibi)ity in w%en t%ey 'ut in t%!se %!urs* In#ee#, mu&% ! IT w!rk !&&urs a ter business %!urs, an# t%ere is an unwritten ru)e in m!st s%!'s t%at t%e w!rkers w%! #! a )!t ! ni$%ttimeDweeken# w!rk $et s!me s)a&k !n &)!&k:in, &)!&k:!ut, an# )un&% times* M!st !t%er 'r! essi!ns seem t! be stu&k !n 8:00 t! 5:00, wit% a !ne:%!ur )un&%* I y!u )ike a )e2ib)e s&%e#u)e, !r 're er t! n!t be in t%e ! i&e !n a 'eri!#i& ;!r e(en a# %!&< basis, IT is a $reat in#ustry t! be in* In a&t, IT is s! )e2ib)e, it"s 7uite '!ssib)e t! run a business y!u"re y!ur %!me, #!rm r!!m, !r $ara$e* Just )!!k at A'')e an# 5e))A

#&: 'ariety in pacing

M!st IT w!rk 0!bs are &y&)i&a)* T%ey a)) %a(e a #i erent r%yt%m, but it is t%ere* T%ey $! r!m bein$ insane, E0:%!ur:a:week 0!bs !r tw! m!nt%s at t%e en# ! t%e 'r!0e&t t! 3in:t%e:! i&e (a&ati!ns6 at !t%er times in t%e 'r!0e&t &y&)e* S!me IT 'r!s $et t%e &!nstant rus% )ike in any !t%er 'r! essi!n, but m!st ! us $et a 'a&e t%at swin$s between insane)y busy an# sn!!+e est* T%is kee's t%e 0!b r!m $ettin$ b!rin$* T%e &a(eat %ere is t%at s!me em')!yees are stu&k in %i$% $ear wit% ew 'auses, w%i&% )ea#s t! burn!ut* But I w!u)# rat%er i$%t bein$ !(erw!rke# t%an stru$$)e wit% %a(in$ n!t%in$ t! #!*

#(: )eography
IT is n!t an in#ustry #!minate# by a 'arti&u)ar &ity, re$i!n, !r &!untry* T%e C*S* IT market %as a )!t ! w!rkers r!m !t%er &!untries* 1n t%e )i' si#e, i y!u want t! see t%e w!r)#, IT &an be y!ur ti&ket*

4(en i y!u are #!mesti&a))y min#e#, IT %as a str!n$ 'resen&e in many %i', &!!) t!wns )ike 9ew @!rk Bity, San Fran&is&!, Seatt)e, 5a))as, Austin, an# At)anta* I y!u"re )!!kin$ t! m!(e ! t%e arm an# int! t%e Bi$ Bity, IT &an #! t%at !r y!u* But t%e #eman# is wi#es'rea# en!u$% s! t%at i y!u want t! w!rk in a )ess urban area, t%ere is ')enty ! !''!rtunity t! #! s! as we))*

#10: *ay day

/ey, )et"s be rea)* 5es'ite t%e $rumb)in$, IT 'r!s are we)) &!m'ensate#, es'e&ia))y a ter takin$ int! a&&!unt t%e %i$% 'er&enta$e ! t%em wit%!ut &!))e$e #e$rees !r e(en &erti i&ati!ns* ,!u)# I w!rk in IT i it 'ai# )ike !t%er 'r! essi!nsF I sure w!u)#* 9e(ert%e)ess, it is awes!me t! be 'ai# 'retty we)) t! #! w!rk y!u )!(e surr!un#e# by $reat 'e!')e* ,%at #! y!u )!(e m!st ab!ut w!rkin$ in ITF Ban y!u a## any items t! t%is )istF >et IT Ti's, news, an# re(iews #e)i(ere# #ire&t)y t! y!ur inb!2 by subs&ribin$ t! Te&%Ge'ub)i&"s ree news)etters*