The field of information technology involves the application of devices to help people manage information. It includes many jobs, each with different skills. To be successful in the IT field you need to decide on a direction to proceed. This can have a major impact on your career, your happiness at work, and your ability to earn a living. Two main areas of IT are networking and software development. There is little overlap between these two areas and each requires a great deal of knowledge. So which area will you be in, networking or software development? A computer network is a group of computers and other devices connected by cables or radio signals. A network allows these devices to exchange information. The information handling capabilities of a computer network far exceed those that can be provided by a single device. A significant amount of work is required to create and maintain these networks. The network must be carefully planned and someone must lay the cables and connect the devices together. These are the duties of a network administrator (Institute for Career Research, 2009). While some of a network administrator's job is done at a desk or in meetings, much of it involves going to where the computers are located. It also includes cables that run, often into ceilings or walls. Troubleshooting a malfunctioning network involves checking every device and every line to find the fault. Computers are just machines and won't do anything without instructions. The area of ​​software development focuses on writing these instructions. There are numerous ways in which instructions can be written and they resemble a language in structure. There are many languages, each with different syntax and vocabulary. Like a human language, ... means of paper ... it takes years to cultivate and considerable effort to keep up to date. While it is possible to be a jack of all trades, it will be harder to excel if you don't choose one area to put your efforts into. Neither area is better or worse than the other, but your happiness in your work will be greater if you choose wisely. Works Cited Careers in Computer Network Administration. (2009). [Chicago, Illinois]: Institute for Career Research.Farr, J. (2007). The 100 Best Technical and Computer Careers: Your comprehensive guide to the top jobs in many fields and at all levels of education. Indianapolis, IN: JIST Works.Gladwell, S. (2012). Software Engineers and Computer Programmers, Job Search: A Practical Handbook for Job Seekers and Career Changers. Dayboro [Australia]: Emereo Publishing.United, S. (2013). Handbook on employment prospects 2013-2014. St. Paul, MN: Jist works.