I decided to make a blog. Why? Well....I don't REALLY know, but I think I MIGHT know. I admit, it was created on a whim. I am not a master of the English language. In fact when I think of writing, I think of a quote from Bruce Willis "I speak English and Bad English". So, writing in of itself isn't particular interesting to me. It just may be the ramblings of a 20-something but that is just fine for the purposes. I decided to sit down and put some thoughts on paper, tapping the imaginary pencil to my chin, I thought of what to call it. In all honestly, I think I spent 10 minutes deciding what I wanted the title to be. I wanted it to be dramatic! Energizing! Poignant! But...no. In the end (or beginning as it may), I focused simply on the very reasons I created this space. While I imagine most of the visitors will be friends, family, and acquaintances from long ago, take this page for what it is worth. A couple of thrown together thoughts, happenings, and the occasional funny anecdote. However, even that isn't the purpose. Before I flesh out the meaning of creation for this blog, first....a little story....
A few years ago, I moved away from my hometown of Corpus Christi to College Station. The idea at the time was to enroll in Blinn Community College with the eventual transfer in A&M proper. I ended up finding a job at HEB. The grocery business, not just HEB in general, is definitely interesting. You have the chance to literally meet hundreds of people a day, some good some not so good. But generally, the interaction with such a large amount of people can be a little frightening. I spent the next few years at HEB at different capacities. From maintenance, to CSA, to Checker, to the eventual personal road block which is Lead, or ASM here in Houston. I say road block because at that point, you have to decide if this is the path I want to take with my career or not? I wanted to excel, but I just couldn't pull the trigger. Postings for SORM came and passed, and each time I told myself, if I do not find anything, next time I'll apply for SORM. This went on for quite awhile. I got to a point where I felt defeated. I disliked the job I was in, the job search slowed to a crawl. I loved the people I worked with, but the job just was not for me. I clocked in with a smile, but always...always knew what time it was and how many hours/minutes till clock out. That simple habit made me realize I needed to do something else...
My boss at HEB would always say to others, "If you don't like your job, find another one". It was a very direct statement, but I believe people can change themselves and their situation if they try. It might not be easy, or quick, but it will happen. A couple of weeks ago, I was mulling this statement over in my head when I was hanging out with a friend of mine on a Thursday afternoon. He is well established in the IT field, doing consulting work with a firm here in Houston and we were talking about his work. I mentioned that when I was in high school, I studied for my CCNA (Cisco Certified Networking Associate) and loved it. Couple that with my current job plight, stress over finding a job with my BA, and general attitude towards the job market and he said very simply "Why not get into IT?" I thought about it and at first I was all about the negative, having to pay for more schooling, time, studying etc. But the more I thought about it, the more it felt...right. I eventually committed myself into the field of IT. I started looking online for resources about the first step which led me to my current goal, a certification ( CompTia Network+) for the entry level.
The story doesn't end there, dear readers. I found myself researching Network+ on the net, forums etc, absorbing anything I could. I found a posting on an Internet forum for a job, an overnight NOC Technician. (NOC stands for Network Operation Center). Only a few days since I started this journey and I found this position. Surely I wouldn't be qualified, I've only been a student for a week! But, I applied anyway. I scheduled an interview and ended up with a new job, all within the week! I now have a clear direction and job that helps me gain experience. The two pieces which any new employee desperately needs.
So, here I am. Extremely lucky but the point is, none of this would have been possible unless I committed myself to the change in direction. At the most fundamental level, everything starts with that. So, the purpose of this blog? I want to chronicle the career change and my studies in the IT field. I will be posting my thoughts and troubles, accomplishments and failures (more former than latter!) and everything in between for the hope it brings a little more understanding and accountability for myself. Maybe, just maybe for those readers who are interested or even considering a career change like I did, it may help to see it first hand.
The grocery list is one of the most important items someone takes with them to the store. In that since, I'm taking a "grocery list" into this career of things I want to do in the next few years but since this is a much longer post, the grocery list will have to wait. Till next time, readers!
Way to go James! Good luck and all that!
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