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Moving Away From the IT Field?

irving47 writes 'With the economy the way it is, it's a little iffy to even think about switching careers completely, but lately, I've gotten more and more fed up with trying to keep up with the technical demands of companies and customers that are financially and even verbally unappreciative. While I might be good at it, and the money is adequate, I'm curious to hear from Slashdotters who have gone cold-turkey from their IT/Networking careers to something once foreign to them. How did you deal with the income difference, if any? Do you find yourself dealing with people more, and if so, how did that work out?'

12 of 783 comments (clear)

  1. Forget software engineering. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually man, I make more money selling magazine subscriptions, than I ever did at Intertrode!

    Only bad thing is I have to pretend I'm a recovering crackhead.

    -Steve

  2. Re:switched. by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny

    i became an atorney (sic)

    Spelling and morals are both still optional?

  3. Re:Bean Sprout Farming by tomhudson · · Score: 5, Funny

    While you're at it, why not sell raman noodle trees? With the economy the way it is there's bound to be people who would fall for that sort of scam on craigslist or feebay.

    Or you can sell them baggies full of cheerios - just tell them they're donut seeds.

  4. Oi by Turbo_Button · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll take your job!

  5. How'd I handle the income change after leaving IT? by hyades1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I just started lighting Altadis Behike cigars with $1,000 bills. As long as I smoked at least a couple a week, my income stayed about the same.

    --
    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  6. Re:Look before you leap by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know several IT companies that will only hire Gitmo alumni as managers. Or at least that's the best explanation I can think of.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  7. Re:Why not Farming itself? by Stupid+Crunt · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's hard work. I spent two weeks working on a sheep farm. 12 hour days, very physical work. Not to mention living in a state of constant sexual exhaustion.

  8. Re:Look before you leap by DoofusOfDeath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Off Topic but... "I'm an ex-Navy guy. My military career field was journalism and public affairs. When I got out of the service I went directly into IT."
    This is also me - 9.5 years Navy Journalist (NMC and AFRTS - Diego Garcia, Adak,AK, Naval Base Seattle Public Affairs, Gitmo) and now 10 years network engineer.... Small world isn't it. :)

    Maybe you're the same guy! Have you checked?

  9. Re:A Change is as Good as a Rest by swb311 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Halliburton

  10. Re:Why not Farming itself? by intheshelter · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sexual exhaustion? . . . . Were you pitching or catching?

  11. Re:half the jobs in IT are cleaning up by bigman2003 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not quite the same, but...

    I work for part of a University that has a name that sounds like a telemarketing firm.

    Frequently, one of my high level clients will call me in a panic and leave a message. I call back, but 50% of the time I get screened by a receptionist who just assumes I am trying to sell something.

    If the client is a jerk, I don't even bother to explain. I'll wait until they call back and then tell them I got screened.

    This happened to one client 5 or 6 times. Finally I explained to the secretary who I was, so the call would go through. The secretary said, "Oh, I know who you are...but she gave me a list of words to use to screen calls with. And your unit has two of those words in the name. Besides, it's fun to watch her get mad when she doesn't get the call."

    I don't blame the secretary at all. But then again, you could only get away with that in the public sector.

    --
    No reason to lie.
  12. Re:Look before you leap by painandgreed · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe you're the same guy! Have you checked?

    Doubtful. Journalists stopped most of their fact checking decades ago.