Information Technology (IT)

[757bred]

Living in MD is a bit cheaper and riding the Metro isn't too bad. I bought a 2 br/1 ba condo in a pretty good area and pay right around $1000 a month between the mortgage and HOA fees. Those DC and NOVA prices though :x

 

[capital sb]

DMV commutes are INSANE!!!... HOV (now HOT lanes).. and its a million cars on the road from the hours of 6-9am and 4-8pm..N to the O can do.

You don't live here but you are an expert on how our traffic works. It all depends on location the DMV area is big. I already know you must live in a place that isn't in demand, so you wouldn't understand.

@ CS degrees don't hold weight unless you have certs or know someone. It's working just fine for me and my friends

757bred yeah MD living isnt bad. What city do you live in? Wish i could ride the metro to my current job, because they give us $130/month for metro transportation.

@skills Start applying man you never know what opportunities will open up.

 

[4318michaeljohnson4318]

On Job markets...DC and Cali are big time hirers for obvious reasons (government projects in DC and Cali is well tech capital of the US for now). In florida entry level position at a fortune 500 company is around 50k-55k after relocation and before bonus. I had a job offer from a top 200 company for 65k after signing bonus in North Carolina.

 

[Mark Antony]

You can live just fine by yourself in the dmv area with 60k, everybody young just wants to live in the "poppin" areas.

 

[757bred]

You don't live here but you are an expert on how our traffic works. It all depends on location the DMV area is big. I already know you must live in a place that isn't in demand, so you wouldn't understand.

@ CS degrees don't hold weight unless you have certs or know someone. It's working just fine for me and my friends

757bred yeah MD living isnt bad. What city do you live in? Wish i could ride the metro to my current job, because they give us $130/month for metro transportation.

@skills Start applying man you never know what opportunities will open up.

I'm in Largo. I love it, close to the Metro, FedEx, tons of shopping and right off of 95.

 

[gamerg]

 
I am on the outskirts of "NoVA " and I commute in to Quantico. My wife rides the commuter van and works in Tyson's Corner. Straight out of college, if you and some friends or GF/Fiance/etc aren't splitting a place, then if you are trying to live in the city, your only other real option is to live at home if they are in the area.

Ain't no kid 21/22 making 50-65k living up there on their own. I graduated from GMU and had plenty of friends there with roommates or still at home due to this. It was like a 1BR apartment in Fairfax, near the metro stations would be like $1400-$2000 depending on location and newness

Hell there is a girl at my job now who pays $1400 a month for a 1BR in Stafford now, so who knows what the NoVA prices are now.

It is all your preference and what you are willing to accept to me at the end of the day.

You want to live closer (in the city) and either have a roommate or be more strapped for cash, or.....

You want to live further from the city and commute/drive in to go to work or to hang out with friends and stuff.

I am a country boy by nature, so I choose to live further away with lower costs and drive to work. I am older now and my wife has gotten a better job, so we have thought about moving a little closer just to save on the commute some, but we still not moving all way into the city.

 

[gamerg]

You don't live here but you are an expert on how our traffic works. It all depends on location the DMV area is big. I already know you must live in a place that isn't in demand, so you wouldn't understand.

@ CS degrees don't hold weight unless you have certs or know someone. It's working just fine for me and my friends

@757bred yeah MD living isnt bad. What city do you live in? Wish i could ride the metro to my current job, because they give us $130/month for metro transportation.

@skills Start applying man you never know what opportunities will open up.

specifically i95 for me.. if i ever go that way.. i have to go in the afternoon before the highway freeze of infinite cars or at night.. if its a bad time like peak hours.. ill take 301 or US1 if i have to go through or in or past the DMV...

 

[larryeastwood]

I live in Columbia, Maryland and the rent is dumb high. Currently exploring my options in other cities since I can telecommute for my position.

 

[osek206]

You can live just fine by yourself in the dmv area with 60k, everybody young just wants to live in the "poppin" areas.

nah man, I take into consideration safety at the highest level. 60k will make it if you have zero to no bills.
A great safe area is going to cost 1400-1500 with access to the metro area. I make 67k and have school loans/phone bill/rent/
groceries/ going out expenses/CC bills. Do not sell these people some BS reality. Anything below in the 1000-1200 will be
giving up some aspect of your safety/commute/lack of metro to freeway connection. Rent in the DMV (D.C) area is OD, based on
tons of people moving in making money willing to pay whatever for SAFETY, and location to work.

 

[gamerg]

nah man, I take into consideration safety at the highest level. 60k will make it if you have zero to no bills.
A great safe area is going to cost 1400-1500 with access to the metro area. I make 67k and have school loans/phone bill/rent/
groceries/ going out expenses/CC bills. Do not sell these people some BS reality. Anything below in the 1000-1200 will be
giving up some aspect of your safety/commute/lack of metro to freeway connection. Rent in the DMV (D.C) area is OD, based on
tons of people moving in making money willing to pay whatever for SAFETY, and location to work.

and lets not forget gentrification..

 

[Top Boy]

Came back to read up on the thread and it's actually been moving

A lot of good advice.

 

[capital sb]

nah man, I take into consideration safety at the highest level. 60k will make it if you have zero to no bills.
A great safe area is going to cost 1400-1500 with access to the metro area. I make 67k and have school loans/phone bill/rent/
groceries/ going out expenses/CC bills. Do not sell these people some BS reality. Anything below in the 1000-1200 will be
giving up some aspect of your safety/commute/lack of metro to freeway connection. Rent in the DMV (D.C) area is OD, based on
tons of people moving in making money willing to pay whatever for SAFETY, and location to work.

I was saying 60K is fine for recent grads, people that don't have many bills and are fine with living with parents or roommates to get on their feet. Somehow it has turned into the livable wage for people 25+ that don't want to have roommates and obviously don't want to live with parents. Thats not what I was getting at. It is not a bs reality if you are starting out and willing to live within your means you will do just fine.

I'm assuming you are considering PG unsafe and probably a lot of other MD areas unsafe , so that will limit your options. 

Personally I would never pay $1500+ for rent, couple hundred more you could be paying a mortgage on a nice house in a good area.

Where I'm living most people wouldn't but I'm okay with that , because I am doing it to save up to buy a house by 24.

Also if 60K isn't enough for recent grads then what is? 80K? Not many will get that and there aren't many degrees with starting salaries that high.

 

[iDon’tRead]

O

Same here, got nobody to blame but me. I'm determined to make it work though, I'm just gonna have to play my cards better than others

any luck on finding internships? Anyone else able to get some with 2.5-2.99 gpa?

 

[gamerg]

O
any luck on finding internships? Anyone else able to get some with 2.5-2.99 gpa?

i did in college.. first one i had a 3.0.. boy that was hard..

2nd one i was 2.8

and 3rd one i graduated with a 2.9...

 

[Top Boy]

O

Same here, got nobody to blame but me. I'm determined to make it work though, I'm just gonna have to play my cards better than others

any luck on finding internships? Anyone else able to get some with 2.5-2.99 gpa?

Yep. First time I can be useful in this thread lol.

Had the off decision one day to go to a 'tech cooler' in my city I heard about on a humbug..

Went there and it was recruiters galore, I thought it was just a get together of programmers but I guess it was just a super super lowkey job faire.

Obviously I didn't qualify for 80% of them at the time, but I ran into an AP at the local CC who I networked with and he's pretty much putting me on with info and actively scouting out opportunities for me.

If you can find a psuedo-mentor I guarantee you'd probably have the same luck. Network!!

 

[Mark Antony]

You can live just fine by yourself in the dmv area with 60k, everybody young just wants to live in the "poppin" areas.

nah man, I take into consideration safety at the highest level. 60k will make it if you have zero to no bills.
A great safe area is going to cost 1400-1500 with access to the metro area. I make 67k and have school loans/phone bill/rent/
groceries/ going out expenses/CC bills. Do not sell these people some BS reality. Anything below in the 1000-1200 will be
giving up some aspect of your safety/commute/lack of metro to freeway connection. Rent in the DMV (D.C) area is OD, based on
tons of people moving in making money willing to pay whatever for SAFETY, and location to work.

Your reality isn't everyone's. Not everyone has the excess bills. No doubt it's OD, but at the same time don't think you're gonna be ducking bullets and scraping by with ramen noodles if you live smart.

 

[verbal kint]

Is anyone aware of an easy to use collaboration tool my team can use when we have a tech out of the office on a call?

IE: Tech A, needs to step out to address such and such in another building. 

- I would like to implement a theoretical easy to use tool, so that Tech A can input his status to the rest of the team, "out on a call, bldg A, 7:30 am"

We already use Lync, but that isnt the most convenient because it broadcasts to everyone unnecessarily, and it will be cumbersome to keep changing those status messages

I'm leaning towards using Hangouts on our work phones, but want something thats more convenient and seamless for our techs.

Any ideas?

 

[verbal kint]

nah man, I take into consideration safety at the highest level. 60k will make it if you have zero to no bills.
A great safe area is going to cost 1400-1500 with access to the metro area. I make 67k and have school loans/phone bill/rent/
groceries/ going out expenses/CC bills. Do not sell these people some BS reality. Anything below in the 1000-1200 will be
giving up some aspect of your safety/commute/lack of metro to freeway connection. Rent in the DMV (D.C) area is OD, based on
tons of people moving in making money willing to pay whatever for SAFETY, and location to work.

Quote:

Your reality isn't everyone's. Not everyone has the excess bills. No doubt it's OD, but at the same time don't think you're gonna be ducking bullets and scraping by with ramen noodles if you live smart.

I used to make 60-70k. Had a 1500$ rent in DC, 300$ car payment, 60$ cell bill, 100ish electric, 100$ insurance. and was  still able to travel, eat good, party, buy clothes, etc.

I obviously donot have school loans, but this area isnt THAT thin on that amount of money. Youll have 30k ish free to budget with after taxes.

 

[capital sb]

Anybody in this thread pursue a Cyber Security degree?

I have a BS in Comp Sci and I am not interest in obtaining a Maters in Comp Sci. Looking for alternatives that my company will pay for and I am leaning towards Cyber Sec. 

 

[Stormblessed]

Anybody in this thread pursue a Cyber Security degree?

I have a BS in Comp Sci and I am not interest in obtaining a Maters in Comp Sci. Looking for alternatives that my company will pay for and I am leaning towards Cyber Sec. 

Yup just got my bachelor's in cyber security in May.

 

[yeah]

Is anyone aware of an easy to use collaboration tool my team can use when we have a tech out of the office on a call?

IE: Tech A, needs to step out to address such and such in another building. 
- I would like to implement a theoretical easy to use tool, so that Tech A can input his status to the rest of the team, "out on a call, bldg A, 7:30 am"

We already use Lync, but that isnt the most convenient because it broadcasts to everyone unnecessarily, and it will be cumbersome to keep changing those status messages

I'm leaning towards using Hangouts on our work phones, but want something thats more convenient and seamless for our techs.

Any ideas?

People seem to love Slack. I could never implement it where I work (three in my immediate area alone are retiring ) but its been growing like crazy.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/31/7135639/slack-is-now-the-fastest-growing-workplace-software-ever

Yup just got my bachelor's in cyber security in May.

Congrats playa. @ the screenname.

 

[tomdiginson]

Is anyone aware of an easy to use collaboration tool my team can use when we have a tech out of the office on a call?

IE: Tech A, needs to step out to address such and such in another building. 
- I would like to implement a theoretical easy to use tool, so that Tech A can input his status to the rest of the team, "out on a call, bldg A, 7:30 am"

We already use Lync, but that isnt the most convenient because it broadcasts to everyone unnecessarily, and it will be cumbersome to keep changing those status messages

I'm leaning towards using Hangouts on our work phones, but want something thats more convenient and seamless for our techs.

Any ideas?

The only thing that comes to mind is shoretel with the different code indicators

 

[verbal kint]

People seem to love Slack. I could never implement it where I work (govt agency, three people in my immediate area alone are retiring

) but its been growing like crazy.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/31/7135639/slack-is-now-the-fastest-growing-workplace-software-ever
Congrats playa.

@ the screenname.

Slack is PERFECT! Thanks. We're gov't too, which means this ticket will likely undergo 6-9 months of review before even being considered for mass implementation. We can sandbox it on our team though, which hopefully will workout. And I cant believe this 1997 piece of kit is worth a billion dollars collectively. Unbelievable.

 

[jking40]

Whats the best cities for the IT market tho? I gotta get out of Florida even tho I love it but career wise it might not be the move. I know Texas is big especially in Austin or Dallas with Cloud, WestCoast is huge on Developer. I just left the Air Force here in Tampa and its been 3 months and I'm still unemployed. All the System Admin Roles it seem like are Senior Level positions and I'm a Midlevel SA. Only got basic networking knowledge so I can't do the high level Cisco jobs nor do I want too. And even if I did I don't got the experience. Joints be asking for a WAN Engineer. Florida job market is just terrible. Big for Developers though. What's your guys take?

 

[yeah]

Slack is PERFECT! Thanks. We're gov't too, which means this ticket will likely undergo 6-9 months of review before even being considered for mass implementation. We can sandbox it on our team though, which hopefully will workout. And I cant believe this 1997 piece of kit is worth a billion dollars collectively. Unbelievable.

I want to use it in my environment too, but we're currently in consolidation. NOTHING is moving. Not even IT due to the retirements.

Whats the best cities for the IT market tho? I gotta get out of Florida even tho I love it but career wise it might not be the move. I know Texas is big especially in Austin or Dallas with Cloud, WestCoast is huge on Developer. I just left the Air Force here in Tampa and its been 3 months and I'm still unemployed. All the System Admin Roles it seem like are Senior Level positions and I'm a Midlevel SA. Only got basic networking knowledge so I can't do the high level Cisco jobs nor do I want too. And even if I did I don't got the experience. Joints be asking for a WAN Engineer. Florida job market is just terrible. Big for Developers though. What's your guys take?

Texas - Dallas, Austin, and Houston

Cali - Silicon Valley

Washington - Seattle

DMV - D.C. and Virginia (especially with certs and/or security clearance)

Other honorable mentions: Chicago (IL,) Provo (UT,) Detroit (MI)