Tim Keefe ⋅ Arlington, VA Deloitte ⋅ 17 years experience

Your question is far too broad as IT is a mile wide and an inch deep sometimes.

I can, however, offer the following advice:

1 Start from where you are, if possible. That is, one of the best ways to make a career transition is to take the time and experience you have from your current job and use it as a pivot to the other field. Even better if you have one or two pivot points on which you can make this move: e.g., you've worked as a lawyer and have done some accounting on the side, so that you can then pivot gradually into doing tax law.

If you can't start from where you are -- and that is, you're making a direct break into another field -- the road will be much more difficult because you're starting with a blank canvas.

So, in your case, you were a wheeled mechanic while in the Army. Why did you go this route and why are you wanting to go into IT?

2. Connected with (1), realize that being in IT will require not only the smarts, but grit and, most importantly, enthusiasm. As IT is constantly changing, you'll have to keep up with it constantly -- constantly be learning. Fortunately, there are many resources out there where you can learn quickly and efficiently, if you know where to go and how to take advantage of them.

I'd start with Lynda.com courses, which you can get free with a one-year premium membership with LinkedIn.

Tim

Kelly McCormick ⋅ Falls Church, VA U.S. Air Force, Captain ⋅ 8 years served

I am making a similar transition to a career in cybersecurity. I decided on the information security sector of information technology because it drew on some of my military career experience where I was focused on security issues. Once I decided that this was something I was interested in, I started taking courses through the FedVTE course suite, which has been recommended elsewhere in the thread. I also started listening to podcasts (such as Risky Business and Security Now!) in order to remain abreast of current issues in the cybersecurity field. Once I got my feet under me, I enrolled as a student in the Information Security and Assurance program at Norwich University. It's going well so far, but I'm also taking courses online through a service called ITPro.TV. ITPro.TV is similar to FedVTE, except it is not free, but you get higher quality instruction and more up to date instruction on different IT concepts. Further, they have a huge library of courses that you can review on their website.

Just a few recommendations based on things that I have done. Good luck!

Windle L. Riles Jr. (CISM, PMP, ITILv3) ⋅ Oceanside, CA U.S. Marine Corps, Master Gunnery Sergeant ⋅ 26 years served

Bradley,

As Tim mentioned there are tons for free training resources available online (Cybary, LinkedIn Learning, FedVTE). IT is such and broad field. I recommend doing research to identify exactly what you want to do. If it's cyber security Fortinet's Veterans Program or Palo Alto's Veterans program may be a good starting point for you. Transitioning myself but here to help out in anyway possible.

Semper Fi!!

James Yaple ⋅ Austin, TX Department of Veterans Affairs ⋅ 25 years experience

The hottest IT certifications are in security these days. Here's a good list:

http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/information-security-certifications,2-205.html

Many of these have an experience requirement, that is someone or you needs to document your existing experience. If you have no experience, you may need to be creative or lower your sights a bit at the beginning.

The CISM is pretty much a crown jewel.

The SANS GIAC Security Essentials is more entry-level. http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/information-security-certifications,2-205-4.html

A key is how to get experience in the field. You can start as a contractor (non-USG employee) or work in pre-sales or tech support for a large company (like IBM or Intel).

Good luck

James

Bradley Benton ⋅ Elizabethtown, KY U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant ⋅ 16 years served

Tim, thank you for the response, I looking to move into the security field in IT. IT field has always interested me tried to change my job in the army to that but by the time I could, I had to many years in service.