The IT Career Builder’s Toolkit

Chapter 11. Breaking into IT

The Entry-Level Dilemma

One of the most frustrating elements of breaking into a career in technology is that initial job. This chapter identifies the quandary facing the entry-level professional.

This chapter analyzes the “need experience to get experience” dilemma that those who are new to the field often encounter. More importantly, however, this chapter discusses methods you can use to break past this barrier.

For many technology graduates, the past few years have been frustrating ones, because they have tried desperately to enter a seemingly shrinking job market. They had bought into the “get a certification—get a job” promise fostered by the marketing of many training programs. These graduates had been excited that ...