How A College Drop-Out IT Rookie Went From Earning $22,000 To $164,356 Per Year

There's more to being in-demand than money.

As an in-demand IT pro, your work is more satisfying. You get more trust, training, praise, and opportunities. Your pay just happens to be most measurable.

The fact is thousands of IT opportunities pay over $100,000 a year – and not all are CIO, VP or any sort of management. If you’re in-demand, it’s easy to double your income and make a six figure income.

So what sets a person who makes six figures apart from the masses in low paying and unsatisfying work?

That was the question a particular IT pro asked when he started out. He also had other questions like which technologies should he learn, how does he get paid more, and how will he get the experience for a position he didn’t have yet?

Back then, he didn’t have anyone with proven experience to turn to for advice. He just heard the rumours about the need for IT pros, and that some made lots of money.

At a social gathering, a father of a close friend confided with the IT pro about the problem of keeping technical staff. The friend’s father needed ways to pay more to his techs, or risk losing them.

That was 16 years ago when the friend’s father owned an integration company specializing in Novell Netware deployments. He didn’t know exactly how much the friend’s father was paying, but he figured it was quite a lot judging by the new Porsches and high-end cars in the staff parking lot.

Meanwhile, the IT pro was learning programming at a training center when an instructor mentioned there were less than a hundred MCSEs in the country, compared to certified Novell experts.

The instructor then caught his attention by saying some of the MCSEs were already making over $150,000 a year. But, the instructor didn’t tell him any more than that.

Even though it looked like there were IT opportunities paying six figures a year, the tough part was finding and landing those opportunities... not to even mention keep having them.

Worse, he was making $22,000 a year at the time. Even $50,000 a year was such a big bump that he couldn’t see how he’d earn that much.

What did he do? He learned the hard way -- on his own – with his past experiences and knowledge, and with assumptions and experimentation. He went through tough times and made expensive mistakes but...

Despite his mistakes, he made enough right moves, and eventually got to the $100,000 a year mark.

He doubled his income from $22K to $44K – and then $52K to over $100K -- in less than three years each time.

He kept moving up above $100K for the past 7 years. And his highest income in a single year was $164,356.

He made it with no related experience to start, without a degree, nor having finished college. He wasn’t a gifted prodigy recruited out of school, he didn’t have a dot com idea, and he was never offered a job with rising stock options.

He just got a regular salary job like most IT pros.

Good vs. Crappy IT Advice

Over the years, he uncovered a lot of useless advice from people who’ve never done it. They gave out theory or info they got elsewhere, not knowing if it’s false true.

How can a $40K a year junior magazine writer give out useful advice on getting higher paying IT jobs, if he’s never worked in IT for instance?

They make it sound simple, when the truth is it’s not – if you don’t have the right practical knowledge.

The IT Minefield

Rude users, infantile co-workers, management and marketing lies, crappy code, unreliable loose cannons, unreal expectations, and conflicting agendas are just a few gotchas.

Working in IT can be like walking through a mine field -- blindfolded. There’ve been days when that IT pro didn’t want to get out of bed, because he couldn’t stand going back to work with his incompetent boss. The workplace was toxic. The business users treated the IT folks like enemy losers. And the folks in the IT department fought amongst themselves.

Early on, there were times when the IT pro felt underappreciated, underpaid, and trapped. Sometimes he didn’t get the job or raise he felt he deserved.

Having experiences like these, he takes different steps knowing what he does today.

So why am I telling you this?

There’s a reason but first, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Henry Tom, and the IT pro I just told you about was me in IT for the past 14 years.

Specializing in encryption and identity, I work as a consultant architect on a government IT security project today. I also own a security VAR business, and have four ecommerce web sites that pay me outside IT. I’ve interviewed, hired, and even paid for staff with my own money. I’ve also mentored other IT pros to six figure income. Before IT, I spent 7 years in commission working sales face-to-face with customers.

All the knowledge I gained in those different areas provides an edge over the average tech in IT.

And this is just some of what I can share with you.

Your Inside Knowledge

The answers to some of the problem aren’t common sense. They’re actually counter-intuitive... like the best designed technology isn’t always the best for you to learn from an income and career standpoint.

You’ll run into obstacles in IT too. But having the right knowledge means you can avoid common mistakes, get past roadblocks faster, and handle unexpected conflicts better.

IT problems aside, the fact is you could make twice as much as you do today, and get the recognition you deserve.

I know the opportunities exist because I’ve been there.

There are secrets that come through years of being in the right places in IT. This knowledge isn’t widely known or practiced however. It’s buried beneath the IT noise. And IT pros insecure about their position in the rapid changing environment keep it to themselves.

Personally, I’m not concerned about others having my knowledge. I don’t plan to stay in the same place forever. And I know my strengths, which are unique to me. One of these strengths is my instinct to relentlessly and persistently dig out answers. This then ties in with my natural tendency to teach what I know.

And this is why I’m sharing my knowledge.

Not Always What They Appear To Be

Things aren’t what they appear to be in the IT workplace. Especially in larger organizations, you can’t know everything that’s going on.

The picture while working in the trenches is different than the view you have from the watch tower.

This is important to know because it affects the things you must do to be in-demand. Being able to see from different perspectives is vital to taking the right steps.

You need to know the things that are going on, size them up, and make the right decisions to get the results you want.

But there’s a catch...

Being In-Demand Isn’t About Technology

Although you must pick and align with the right technologies, people decide whether or not they want you.

They decide whether or not they hire you, or give you a raise. They decide how much you’re worth. They decide if you “fit” in. The reality is your technical knowledge is only one of several factors behind the decisions.

You could be the best person for a job and still not get hired.

Technical knowledge and IQ could be the least valuable assets. Different organizations place unique value on the same technical knowledge. On one of my past government projects, I worked with two IT pros with PhDs that got paid less than $100,000 a year for instance. In other cases, I worked in banking IT with computer science undergraduates and years of experience, and less than $40K pay.

If I can say it another way, it’s this... having the right technical knowledge can help get the job done, but that alone isn’t what helps you move up the pay ladder.

With that, the system gives you knowledge that’s more valuable than technical know-how. This includes:

• The first step you must take to create your unbeatable advantage over other IT pros competing for the same opportunities
• Why you must hold the top position in the minds of those who matter, and how you must do this.
• The formula to working less and getting more done to make you valuable.
• The mistake many IT pros make that makes them worth less and unwanted.
• The requirements you must address during all four stages to landing higher paying opportunities -- particularly in the two crucial stages with your resume and interview.
• What every IT pro needs to know to survive and win over the next 5 years, and not get shelved with dead-end technologies or roles.
• The one key idea that sends IT pros on a trajectory beyond $100K a year.

And there’s more, but keep the following in mind too.

Changing Demand For IT Pros

To keep yourself in-demand, you must make the right moves ahead of time.

The demand for IT pro changes all the time. A recession can cut the need and pay for many IT pros for example. The U.S. sub-prime housing and credit market crisis today even poses a high risk of cutbacks to IT worldwide.

But that’s only a small change compared to what else is ahead. Whether right or wrong, outsource is a reality that’s casting a wider net over IT. Then there’s the economic impact of retiring baby boomers in the coming years.

These changes will shift the way IT runs as well as the need for IT pros in different parts of the world. IT workers will be out of work worse than ever.

Faced with such changes, you must focus on specific skills besides technology just to stay in, and also be in-demand five years from now.

Only The Strong Survive

You can’t help people who don’t want to be helped… who aren’t serious.

Mindset also plays a major role in whether you’re in-demand or not, and I talk more about this in the Insiders Club. And that’s why this advice will come with a price tag. You value the best advice when you want to succeed.

That said, how much is advice that can help double your income worth? Mathematically, it’s worth whatever you’re making today. But it’s worth more because the knowledge can be applied over and over for greater results than 2x.

Always Better To Be Paid More

You’re taken more serious when you’re in a higher paying position too.

You’re more likely to get the promotion when you’re the highest paid for instance. That’s because you boss, and boss’s boss say in effect they made bad decisions if they promote a lower paid person. Promoting the highest paid person also justifies higher pay for the bosses too.

You also get bigger dollar raises when you’re in higher pay brackets. A 2% raise at $30K only translates to $600, compared to getting $3,000 a year more at $150K.

Momentum To Getting Paid More

When you're in-demand, you get into what I call the “Jet stream.” It’s the momentum that moves you faster towards higher pay.

Signs that you’re in the jet stream include:

• Others offering you attractive opportunities
• Good treatment and perks like flexible hours
• Open appreciation for your work
• Getting interesting work which builds up your experience and value
• Getting the training you want
• Opportunities to get positive attention from important people
• And most important, you keep getting paid more than others who work with you.

Having been in this jet stream, I can show you how to get there easily.

The System

IT pros that are wanted and highly paid have common qualities. I didn’t invent these. I only invented the system to help you discover and master those qualities. And this takes us to the In-Demand IT Pro e-learning system.

Through a 5 part online e-learning course, you get the steps to becoming in-demand. The system also shows you how to gain an unbeatable edge over your competition... how to play by your rules and follow the path to higher pay.

Since the course is online, you can learn the system from the comfort of your own home, or anywhere you choose to connect, anytime you please.

The five areas covered in the e-learning course include:

1. Why you must focus on your strengths and how to pick the right technologies to put yourself into a winning position
2. Your game plan that sets you apart from over 96% of the other IT pros that don’t have clear direction
3. How you must present yourself as the number 1 choice to those who count
4. How to deal with difficult people and situations for taking the right actions
5. The results you must deliver with real life practical considerations, to build your strong reputation and draw positive attention.

Now those are just a few topics covered the e-learning course. The system package also includes three bonuses.

FREE BONUS #1: Cracking The Certification Code E-Learning Course ($97 Value)

The two sides of IT certification argument are: it’s worthless or it’s the ticket to success.

Having earned certifications including the CISSP, CIPP/C, TICSA, CPC, ECRA, CCSA, MCSE, and CCNA, I’ll give you a balanced view of the pros and cons. Those who don’t have certification can’t give you the whole story.

In this e-course, you see through the certification game and find out what it’s really about. This includes the pitfalls and how to choose the right certifications to use to your advantage.

FREE BONUS #2: Ride The Waves Of The Next 3 Major IT Trends E-Learning Course ($97 Value)

One of the fastest ways to IT success is to ride the trends that have momentum, and getting in and out at the right time.

I did this with the Internet, Microsoft invasion of the server market, and computer security. Specifically, my track record has been the following:

• created my first corporate web site in 1994, and became the webmaster for ADCOM Inc. in September 1995 – before the Internet gained mainstream acceptance.
• got out the webmaster role before it started losing value.
• started training on NT 3.5 for the MCSE
• eventually received the MCSE in 1998 – just as many LAN’s started switching over to NT 4.0 from Novell.
• removed the MCSE from my resume by 2001 as the market started to get saturated.
• started taking computer security serious in 1997.
• accepted an offer to work full-time in IT security with the government in May 2000.
• received my CISSP on November 12, 2000 before the certification became popular.

I didn't make these right moves with guess work. I looked for specific signs which you can learn too.

That said, you can also see how the next three trends will emerge within the coming five years. Discover them now and how you can get in at the right time to ride their momentum.

FREE BONUS #3: How To Make More And Do Less By Leveraging The Global IT Marketplace E-Learning Course ($97 Value)

Technology has lowered the geographic borders within the IT markets. The offshore outsourcing trend we've seen in the last half decade is just the tip of what’s on its way.

Failing to see this shift could leave you behind lower paid competition. Now is the time to start positioning yourself for market change ahead to stay in demand.

In this e-course, find out how globalization is affecting IT today, the present barriers, and how IT will completely change when the barriers fall in the future.

And then you get a step-by-step sample plan of how to cut programming work over 50% and make twice as much with current global IT resources and tools.

FREE BONUS #4: Instant Access To The In-Demand IT Pro Insiders Club ($49 Value)

Being in-demand is a continuous process, which is why you’ll get 30 days free access to the password protected members-only Insiders Club. Inside, you’ll regularly discover new ideas, secrets and techniques with like-minded InDemandITPro.com members.

Here are just some of the benefits that you’ll receive:

• The In-Demand IT Pro Insiders Report. You can download a new issue of this newsletter report each month. In each issue, you get new concepts, ideas, or inside secrets dealing with work in IT. Plus you get a broader view of the IT world from within through to the outside with the business standpoint. This is one of the few IT newsletters you’ll look forward to reading when it arrives because it’s packed with real actionable information.
• Unlimited access to members-only content to continue improving your performance for your edge over the competition.
• A limited time “Ask The Experts” feature access to get answers to your pressing IT questions and challenges. This alone is worth more than the monthly value because you get to tap into experts already worth over $100 an hour in IT.
• Resource, tools and other sources you should know and use to become an in-demand IT pro.

Best of all, you get access to the member’s area IMMEDIATELY following your order.

So what does all this cost?

Much less than how much you’d make from doubling your income as an in-demand IT pro...

But the entire system e-learning course and the bonus package don’t cost thousands.

It’ll sell for $695. But during the site launch, you get all the benefits of the whole package for the one-time price of $195.

This introductory price is due to the fact I’m still updating the content. I’m also still adding new member benefits to the Insiders Club. It’s my show of appreciation for your patience.

And you’ll have access to the updates and new benefits for as long as you remain an Insiders Club member.

The only other thing I ask in return is that you fully check out the In-Demand IT Pro Insiders Club during the free no-risk trial membership.

You get to test drive the In-Demand IT Pro Insiders Club™ members-only site for 30 days.

(NOTE: If you decide after 30 days you’d like to continue receiving the monthly reports and staying connected with like-minded in-demand IT pros, as an Insiders Club member you can continue your subscription for the discounted rate of $19 a month).

But don’t delay. The price reduction will only last during the launch.

If $195 isn’t worth gaining recognition and increasing your income up to twice what you’re making today, then I don't know how else I can help.

No Risk Guarantee

If you are ready to move forward with this however, I'll go one step further.

I'll also cut your risk: at any time within 89 days if you don't think the tools and advice included in this package will pay for themselves up to doubling your income, I want to know.

I'll do a 30-minute quick consultation to see what I can do to change that to help you increase your income. If that doesn't work, or you'd rather not bother, I'll promptly refund your full purchase price.

Remember: Your only risk is that you'll learn a system that reliably increases IT incomes, year after year.

The decision is yours. The knowledge is yours to grow in-demand, double your income, and forever change the way other see you in IT. And because I`m guaranteeing your purchase and taking all the risk, you have nothing to lose.

I look forward to seeing you in the In-Demand IT Pro Insiders Club™.

Sincerely,

Henry Tom
InDemandITPros.com