IT Career Dilemma: IT Admin or Software Developer? Discover Your Perfect Fit!

You know you want to enter the IT world, but you’re not sure what path to take. Sound familiar? Here’s our guide to whether you should become an IT admin or a Software Developer. Because you really can’t be both.

There’s no right answer to which of these two crucial jobs you should ultimately choose, as both have vital roles within an MSP. The amount you get paid and the hours that you work will depend on the company you work for rather than which job title you end up with. That means it’s all about which role you are best suited to. First, let’s look at what each one of these positions entails on a day-to-day basis.

Software Developer: What Will I Do?

A software developer or programmer will spend most of their time building and managing software as part of a team. If you love the idea of being in charge of the back-end, creating websites, or writing code, this could be the right job for you. It will help if you already have competencies in programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C#, PHP, SQL, .NET, and Python.

Benefits: One of the biggest benefits of being a software developer is the ability to work on creative and innovative projects. Developers often find satisfaction in seeing their ideas come to life through code, with the potential to impact many users. Additionally, software development offers a more predictable work schedule, as developers typically work on planned projects with clear deadlines.

Challenges: While the creative aspect of software development is a significant draw, the role can also come with its challenges. Developers often face tight deadlines and the pressure to continuously innovate and stay up-to-date with the latest technologies. The job may also require long hours of focused work on the same project, which can be isolating and repetitive at times.

IT Administrator: What Will I Do?

An IT Admin or sysadmin can often work as a bit of a lone wolf, supporting customers or the rest of the team with their machines and devices, building computers, setting up networks, and troubleshooting from the front-end. You’ll need to understand how the back-end works, but it’s unlikely you’ll need to have in-depth knowledge of programming languages or excessive coding skills. Instead, it could be beneficial to know about security technologies such as VLANs and firewalls, as well as cloud software and various IT and MSP software. Also, remote monitoring and management (RMM) software and Patch Management streamline IT administration and software development by automating updates, monitoring system health, and ensuring security, allowing administrators and developers to focus on optimizing performance and innovation without worrying about vulnerabilities and manual maintenance.

Benefits: As an IT administrator, you’ll benefit from a diverse range of tasks that keep your workday varied and engaging. You’ll be the go-to person for resolving issues and ensuring smooth operations, which can be highly rewarding. The role also allows you to work across different teams and departments, providing opportunities to collaborate and learn from various professionals.

Challenges: The IT admin role, on the other hand, can be challenging due to its reactive nature. You’re often the first point of contact when something goes wrong, which can be stressful, especially when dealing with critical issues. The job might also require being on call outside of regular work hours, as problems can arise at any time. Additionally, maintaining a balance between routine tasks and unexpected emergencies can be demanding.

How Do I Know Which Role Suits My Personality?

Here’s where you need to dig deep. This anonymous quote might be able to help you, well known in the IT industry:

“A programmer gets famous when he does something good and an administrator if he does something bad.”

Administrator roles are, by nature, more stable and reliable. They are all about keeping things running smoothly. If you’re great at your job, no one will ever hear from you. You’ll be ahead of the game, acting proactively to make sure that disruption or delay never reaches the end-users. You also get the benefit of working across multiple teams, dealing with lots of different kinds of professionals, and having a lot of variation in your daily work. However, if and when something goes wrong, the blame could fall directly at your feet, and you may need to be on call to fight fires at any time of day or night.

Developer roles are more chaotic by design. They are all about innovation and creativity, and you might find that you need to keep proving yourself with the next great idea or quick win. You’re likely to be focused on the same task for weeks or months at a time without a lot of variation. On the other hand, your hours as a programmer are often more predictable, and you escape a lot of the more staid or repetitive work of fixing, backing-up, updating, and patching.

What Will Make You Happy?

Many people enter the world of IT and really have no idea which path they want to take, or what their destination ultimately should be. This can lead to confusion and delay, plus unnecessary costs as those who are best suited for IT admin take software development degrees, or programmers collect certifications and course diplomas that they simply will never need.

Instead, separate the roles in your head, and think about which one makes sense. If creativity, sharp deadlines, and design speak to you – start down the road towards programming and development. If collaboration, fire-fighting, and more diverse work tasks suit your personality more – it’s likely that administration is a better fit.

Once you’ve launched the right career path and are making a success of it, that’s the right time to look at where you want your role to take you and augment those existing skills with new competencies. If you are a sysadmin, and you see DevOps or Automation opportunities in your future, then this is the right point to think about learning coding or scripting. If you’re a developer who wants to be able to broaden your skillset, perhaps look to gain a Network+ certification, for example.

Ultimately, the right job will be the one that keeps you excited; that gets you jumping out of bed in the morning, ready for a new day.