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Many newcomers to Information Technology get an overly-optimistic picture of the field from tech school ads that continually make note that “an average MCSE salary is 80.000 a year!”.

And if someone’s thinking of getting into IT and goes on the internet to do some research, they’re met with the opposite end of the spectrum – complaint after complaint about how much IT is a terrible field, you can’t break in, there’s no room for newcomers, etc.

As usual, the truth lies in the middle. As much as I love the IT field, I’ll be the first to say that it’s often hard to get that first job. Many tech schools have a job placement department, and that can be one big plus in their favor.

What if you don’t have that resource working for you? When you’re breaking into any field, IT or not, you must not make the classic mistake of sending a ton of resumes and waiting for the phone to ring. The odds are that it won’t.

You must get out and talk to people. The term “networking” doesn’t just refer to allowing computers to talk to each other; it also refers to people talking to each other. In your case, you’ve got to get out and meet people. Check the business section of your local newspaper. There will be dozens of networking meetings listed in there. It doesn’t matter that you aren’t in the field yet; go to these meetings and meet people. Initiative is never a bad thing.

And once you get that first job, make it count. Show up on time and do what you say you’ll do. If you don’t know something, dig into Google and find the answer or ask a more knowledgeable colleague. (Just doing these few basic things will put you way ahead of the pack.)

Getting started in IT is as tough as breaking into any other field. Having worked in a few different jobs in my life, though, I can tell you this: No other field in the world rewards individual drive, initiative, and achievement like Information Technology. The fact that you have to work so hard to get in will make your eventual and unstoppable success just that much sweeter.

What do you do when you have that gut feeling of impending doom about your job? Is the writing on the wall? Are you about to be laid off or fired? Is the company going under? Or is it going to come out of the blue that you no longer have a job. If you have these feeling then now is the time to take action in order to soften the blow. You need to start today to get your affairs in order. If the ax falls you will be in a much better position than your coworkers. If you follow these steps and nothing happens you will still be much better off than you are now.

First off, is your resume up to date? If you have not updated it in a few years, now is the time. You may want to consider hiring a professional to do it for you. You need to put your best foot forward. You want to be able to start sending it out before or right after you become unemployed. Searching for a new job can be a full time job by itself. Do you job skills need updating? While you are still working may be a good time to take a few classes and update your skills or start training for a new career. You may want to sign up with a temp agency now so they can place you later. Advantages of temp agencies are they pay well, they find a job for you, you wont be competing for a position with dozens of others and you can usually start immediately.

Start networking. Ask everyone you know if they know of any job openings. If you have not lost your job yet, explain to them you may be laid off and will be looking for a new job. Maybe they can give you a contact name within their company. Someone to send your resume to letting them know if they have any openings in the future you would like to be considered. Start the process now. It is not what you know, it is who you know.

Get your financial house in order. This is always easier said than done. If you are like most people you may already be living paycheck to paycheck and there is nothing extra. If you become unemployed you need as much cash as possible to carry you through. Most experts recommend 3-6 months cash to meet your living needs. What if you cant find a job for 8 months or a year? Gather all your cash reserve or sources for cash. Stash as much as possible to meet you needs.

If you are laid off, the next day you should start filling out any paperwork for unemployment benefits you may qualify for.

You will get through this, it will just take time. Start taking these important steps today and you will be far better prepared for tomorrow.