If you're good at math, have a hard time finding a date and clip your pens in a pocket protecter, wear granny glasses and part your hair in the middle, you should pursue a degree in computers or info tech. Seriously, if your high school math grades are good and you believe you want and will enjoy that kind of a career, by all means, check out college or tech schools for degree courses you are sure you can handle.

If you're now a high school junior or a soon-to-graduate senior, you should already be working with your parents, guidance counselors and favorite math and science teachers. If there's a secret about eventually qualifying for a professional-level job after your college years are over ... two in junior college or four in a college or university ... it is simply: get some real-life experience.

Check into high school opportunities that offer apprentice jobs in the computer industry. Instead of flipping fast-food fries, try every way possible to spend your weekends and summers in the information industry. It could be sweeping floors or feeding copy machines, but it will get your foot in the door of where you hope to be when you've earned that degree.

If you're already in college and pursuing a liberal arts degree, and you've been considering an info tech career, think about a change to a new major. Of, if you can handle it intellectually and schedule-wise, add computers as your second major or as a minor.

Nothing in today's job market is guaranteed, especially in the volatile computer and info systems industries. However, if can keep thinking ahead two or four years from now, you can arm yourself for any contingency. If you seriously prepare for a high-tech career and can add some real-life experience along the way, your future can be as bright as that classroom computer screen you're working on right now.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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