Career switch - how realistic to move into IT in 6 months?

[Anonymous]

I’m losing my job in 6-9 months. I’m thinking about doing a career switch as I see jobs in my industry dry up. I’ve done some personal work and taken some classes on CSS, HTML, XML, Javascript, MySQL and am an advanced user of Photoshop. What should I be doing now to make a switch? I’ve been thinking along the lines of taking classes to get a web programmer certificate. But how realistic is it to think that I could switch to something IT related when my work experience is in something else?

[Anonymous]

Personally, I'd think the easiest way to do that would be to get someone in your current company to give you a chance in the IT department and then switch companies once you'd gotten some experience. A company that knows you is more likely to give you the benefit of the doubt rather than a company you don't know.

Or you could train on your own and offer freelance services at a low rate on the side (maybe for small businesses?) until you build up a portfolio of work and references.

[Anonymous]

You will need to take a very basic job, such as helpdesk (if they even do that in this country any longer!). Problem with IT, is that everyting is outsourced to India now. You need to try to get a very basic job at a datacenter, such as pulling cable.

Not expect to start out making more than 45K.

Lots of money in IT, but not easy for people to make those big bucks who have not grown with the industry over then last 12 years.