InformationWeek

August 18, 1998

I'm a 35-year-old project manager for a financial services company, making $47,000. Although I have only one year of experience in my present position, I have 15+ years on Wall Street with an MBA in MIS. I like what I do now, but I also love understanding PCs and networks. Can I make more money as a project manager or as a network administrator? And based on my background, which should I pursue?

You have quite a bit vested in the last 15 years, and at $47,000, you're not priced out of the marketplace. You can still pursue other interests without taking a big hit financially. I don't see how you lose either way. If you go the route of network administrator, you will have a strong project management foundation to bring with it. If you continue to project manage, I would strongly recommend that the technologies you're managing be in step with those driving the market today.

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