“Is IT dead?” That’s the question I keep seeing pop up everywhere—from professional networking feeds to anonymous online forums. It’s not an unusual fear to have in this current climate, where massive layoffs from big tech giants have become the new normal.
There is a real, shared anxiety surrounding an IT career today: The job market is oversaturated, competition is fierce, entry-level pay is low, and hundreds of applicants are competing for every single help desk role. This combination has created an undeniably bleak outlook for anyone hoping to break into the industry.
But the more I read, the more obvious it became that the situation isn’t as simple as “IT is dead.” The truth is less dramatic yet more important: the easy path into IT is gone, but the career itself is far from over.
If you’re trying to decide whether IT is the right path for you—not the hype version, but the real version—you need clarity, not slogans!
Here’s a grounded framework to help you make an informed decision.
1. The Easy Days of IT Are Over—Here’s Why It Matters
There was a time when earning an A+ certification and showing up with a friendly attitude was enough to land a help desk job. That era has ended. Three major shifts have changed the IT job landscape:
Massive Candidate Overload
Bootcamps, YouTube gurus, and certification vendors have aggressively sold the dream of high-paying IT jobs. As a result, entry-level roles that once saw dozens of applicants now receive hundreds—or more.
Layoffs Have Flooded the Market
Tech layoffs pushed experienced workers back into competition for roles once intended for newcomers. Many are willing to accept lower pay just to stay employed, making the “entry-level” job market far less beginner-friendly.
The Cybersecurity Illusion
Many beginners chase cybersecurity roles immediately, not realizing these are mid- or senior-level jobs built on years of foundational knowledge. When they can’t find cyber work, they pour into help desk roles instead, increasing competition even further.
The takeaway is simple: IT is still a strong career choice, but not an easy shortcut.
If your goal is quick money, remote work from day one, or a guaranteed six-figure salary, you’re in for disappointment.
2. The Core Question: Are You Truly Curious About Technology?
The strongest message from the Reddit veterans wasn’t about layoffs or certifications—it was about temperament. The people who thrive in IT aren’t the ones chasing a paycheck. They’re the ones who are naturally curious.
IT is a career of constant learning. Just when you master one tool, another replaces it. You get paid to troubleshoot, investigate, and figure out what breaks and why. If you resent complexity, hate problem-solving, or don’t enjoy learning independently, the IT career path will feel like grinding gears.
But if you find yourself thinking, “How does this work?”—even when no one is paying you to figure it out—you’re probably cut out for this industry.
The Grit Test (Try Before You Commit)
Before you spend thousands on courses or certifications, give yourself a realistic trial run:
Build a homelab:
Download VirtualBox or VMware Player. Install Linux or Windows Server. Try setting up a small network, DNS server, or firewall. Break something on purpose, then fix it.
Take a free, challenging course:
CS50, free networking fundamentals videos, or hands-on Linux tutorials are great places to start.
If you enjoy the process—even the frustrating parts—you likely have what it takes to succeed in an IT career. If you’re ready to give up after ten minutes, that’s important data too.
3. The Modern Blueprint for Getting Into IT
If you passed the grit test and still want to pursue IT, here’s the new baseline for breaking into the industry—based on what actually works in today’s job market.
Start Anywhere, Not at the Top
Forget starting in Cybersecurity, Cloud Engineering, or DevOps. Those come later. Your first job might be PC deployment, desktop support, Level 1 help desk, or an internship. It may not be glamorous, but it gives you what matters most: real-world IT experience, the number-one filter employers look for.
Build the Trifecta: Education, Certifications, Experience
In 2025’s job market, one alone isn’t enough.
Education:
A degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field helps you pass resume filters and gives you structured fundamentals.
Certifications:
A+, Network+, Security+ (or equivalent vendor certs) signal that you speak the language of IT.
Experience:
This is your differentiator. Showcase personal projects, homelabs, GitHub repos, internships, or volunteer tech work. Employers want proof you can do the job—not just say you can.
Network Like It’s Part of the Job
Because it is. In a saturated market, referrals matter more than ever.
Join local meetups, IT Discord groups, college clubs, or online communities. Build genuine relationships on LinkedIn. Ask people how they got into their roles. Don’t ask for jobs—ask for advice. People help the ones who respect their time.
IT Isn’t Dead—But the Mindset Matters More Than Ever
Today’s IT career path is not the low-barrier, high-reward track it used to be. It’s more competitive, more crowded, and more demanding. But it’s also still one of the most intellectually rewarding fields you can enter, offering remote opportunities, strong long-term earnings, and work that ages far better than physically demanding jobs.
If you approach IT with grit, curiosity, and a willingness to start at the bottom, you can absolutely build a stable, fulfilling tech career—even in a tough market.
But if you’re only here because someone promised easy money, IT will feel like a dead end.
The field isn’t dead. The shortcuts are!
Further Reading: How to Start Learning Cloud Computing (The Beginner’s Guide)
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