Debt Free In IT w/ Mike

Michael Bowden
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

“This Podcast is for anyone looking to get in the IT industry, whether it’s a career change or your just interested. You come to the right place”

  1. 5d ago

    Help Desk vs Call Center: What's the Difference?

    Send us Fan Mail Everyone says a call center job is how you break into IT. I spent a couple of months in one and I still don't count it as my first IT job here's why, plus how to tell whether a "help desk" posting is really a help desk or a call center wearing a badge. Help desk vs call center is one of the most confusing comparisons for anyone trying to break into IT, because sometimes they're the same job and sometimes they're nowhere close. Same headset, same queue, sometimes the same building. The difference isn't the title it's whether there's a technical rung above you that you can actually move up to. In this episode I walk through what a day actually looks like in each seat, where the real differences are (admin access, ticket ownership, and who you escalate to), the gray area where ISP and MSP call centers can be a legitimate way in, and how to read a job posting and tell which one you're walking into before you apply. If you're sitting in a call center right now wondering if it counts, this one's for you. You're not behind. Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This video is not sponsored. 🎯 1-ON-1 COACHING — ONLY 10 AT THIS RATE 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. If you're stuck in a call center trying to get into IT, this is the conversation. → https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 📱 STUDYING FOR A CERT RIGHT NOW? Stop waiting till you get home. Pocket Prep is practice questions on your phone A+, Network+, Security+, CCNA, and more. Ten questions on your break beats the hour you keep telling yourself you'll find tonight. 👉 https://pocketprep.sjv.io/3kaEbK 📬 THE LOG FILES NEWSLETTER Weekly, practical advice for starting your IT career. → https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Website: https://www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌐 CONNECT IG: @debtfreeinit | TikTok: @debtfreeinit | Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT LinkedIn: Michael Bowden Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com Questions or topic suggestions? Comment below or email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com 💵 SUPPORT THE CHANNEL cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT 🛒 My full Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 🌏 NordVPN (3 months extra, 30-day money-back): https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 🎵 Music from Epidemic Sound (free trial): https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl 📌 If this helped, drop a comment and share it with someone trying to break into tech 💻 #helpdesk #callcenter #ITcareer #breakintotech #ITsupport #careerchange #CompTIA #ITjobs #debtfreeinit ⸻ Support the show

    Help Desk vs Call Center: What's the Difference?

  2. Sep 4

    If You Haven't Started in IT Yet, You Believe at Least One of These

    Send us Fan Mail Before I got into IT, I worked in a call center doing tech support. Every call was timed. The time between calls was timed. Bathroom breaks were timed. That was my only reference point for what a job looked like so that's what I assumed IT would be. I was wrong. About that, and about three other things. In this episode I go through four beliefs I carried into this industry and where each one broke: what I thought a manager would do, how much I thought I needed to know before taking a role, what I thought would get me promoted, and what I thought the next raise would fix. If you're trying to break into IT right now, you're probably holding at least one of these. I held all four. ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    If You Haven't Started in IT Yet, You Believe at Least One of These

  3. Aug 28

    Is Networking Still Worth Learning in 2026?

    Send us Fan Mail Is networking still worth learning in 2026?  Short answer: yes  but it's not the same job it was five years ago. AI isn't replacing network engineers. What it did was split the career into two paths:  traditional shops where you're on the CLI every day, and modern shops where automation and AI handle a big chunk of the work.  Most of the country is still traditional.  Both paths need the same thing from you first. In this episode I break down what AI actually took off our plates, what it didn't, why the fundamentals matter more now than they did before, and how to reverse engineer your own path by reading job descriptions instead of guessing. ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    Is Networking Still Worth Learning in 2026?

  4. Aug 21

    Passed Your IT Certification But Can't Get Hired? 4 Reasons Why

    Send us Fan Mail You passed the certification. So why isn't anybody calling you back? If you've got the cert, updated the resume, and you've been applying for weeks with nothing but silence — you're not doing anything wrong as a person. But something in your process is probably broken. A certification was never a guarantee. But it should be getting you interviews. In this episode I break down 4 reasons people pass their cert and still can't get hired in IT — and what to change about each one. ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    Passed Your IT Certification But Can't Get Hired? 4 Reasons Why

  5. Aug 14

    Where Should You Start Your IT Career? Small, Midsize, or Enterprise

    Send us Fan Mail Same title. Totally different job. A network tech at a 50-person company and a network tech at a Fortune 500 can do completely different work for completely different money. The variable most people ignore: company size. Why it matters: Where you start shapes how fast you learn, what you get exposed to, and how high your ceiling goes. Pick wrong for your stage and you either stall out or get thrown in over your head. In this episode: 🔹 Small — You touch everything: networking, servers, printers, phones, someone's Outlook. You learn fast and broad. But there's no one senior to correct you, no escalation path, and bad habits go unchecked for years. You learn how to make things work, not how things are supposed to be built. 🔹 Midsize — Real teams, real structure, a real ladder. Someone above you who's already done what you're trying to do. The trade: on-call rotations that come back around fast, and duties that keep piling on as the company grows. 🔹 Large — The biggest pay jump you'll see. Stock, bonuses, cert budgets, six-figure conversations. Also: layoffs, silos, and a pace that doesn't let up. This is the jump from college to the NBA — everybody in the building is good. My take: Midsize is the sweet spot. Enough structure and pay without the silos and the grind. 👇 Which one do you work for — or which would you prefer to work for? Drop it in the comments. ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    Where Should You Start Your IT Career? Small, Midsize, or Enterprise

  6. Aug 7

    Is the CompTIA A+ Still Worth It in 2026?

    Send us Fan Mail The CompTIA A+ has been the default first certification in IT for decades. But in 2026 it'll run you over $600 to get certified and I've got some thoughts on whether that still makes sense. In this episode I break down what the A+ actually is, who it's built for, what the exams really cost, and what else that same money could buy you. Then I give you my honest recommendation. ✅ What the A+ is and the jobs it can get you ✅ Who this certification is really built for ✅ The true cost — two exams, not one ✅ What that same money could buy you instead ✅ Whether I'd recommend it in 2026 ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    Is the CompTIA A+ Still Worth It in 2026?

  7. Jul 31

    Just Apply: You're More Qualified Than You Think

    Send us Fan Mail You said you'd start applying once you finished the class. Then it was the cert. Then the second cert. That list never gets shorter  and somebody with less on paper than you is getting hired right now. I got my first IT job by applying to anything with the word "computer" in the title. I didn't know what a computer operations role even was. That job started my whole career. In this one: Why waiting for everything to line up means you never start How to read a job description and why companies post higher than they'll settle for Why a cert gets you the interview, not the job The experience you already have and aren't counting Why applying costs you nothing worst case is silence ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com 🌏 Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! Get an exclusive NordVPN deal + 3 months extra here ➼.  NordVPN: https://go.nordvpn.net/aff_c?offer_id=612&aff_id=153284&url_id=14830 It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee! For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    Just Apply: You're More Qualified Than You Think

  8. Jul 24

    I Worked 3 IT Jobs, Here's Where AI Would've Saved Me

    Send us Fan Mail The daily tasks from three IT roles I actually worked — help desk, desktop support, and networking — and where AI would've made me faster in each one. Not a video about AI taking your job. A video about AI taking the worst parts of it. The 7 use cases: 1️⃣ Knowledge base search — describe the issue, get the fix 2️⃣ Ticket documentation — write-ups in seconds 3️⃣ Outage emails — drafted and out the door 4️⃣ Script creation — AI writes it, you review it 5️⃣ Error code lookup — no more 10 pages of Google 6️⃣ Alert triage — find the errors that actually matter 7️⃣ Device configuration — but you still have to know if it's right AI is your employee. You're the supervisor. And you can't supervise something you don't understand. 💬 Comment below: do you use AI in your role, and how? ⸻ 🎯 1-on-1 Coaching — 60 minutes to figure out your next move, plus your roadmap in writing. First 10 get the founding rate. →  https://cal.com/debtfreeinitwmike/it-career-strategy-session 🛒 My Amazon Store: Books + gear to level up in tech: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/shop/debtfreeinitwmike 📬 The Log Files Newsletter: Real tips to break into IT. 👉 https://thelogfiles.beehiiv.com/subscribe ⸻ #CCNA #NetworkingLabs #CiscoLabs #ITCareer #debtfreeinit  💡 Have a question or a topic suggestion? Drop it in the comments or email me at Debtfreeinit@gmail.com! 🌐 Connect with me: 📸 Instagram | 🎥 TikTok | 👍 Facebook: @DebtFreeInIT 🔗 Website: http://debtfreeinitwithmike.com 📌 If this helped you, drop a comment and let me know — and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone trying to break into tech 💻 Support the Channel: cash.app/$DebtFreeinIT *This video is NOT sponsored. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission ***************************************** Listen to Debt Free in IT w/ Mike ****************************************** Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: Debt Free In IT w/ Mike Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0... Website: www.debtfreeinitwithmike.com For support inquires, or business inquiries, please email Debtfreeinit@gmail.com Music provided by Epidemic Sounds. Start your free trial here  https://share.epidemicsound.com/vi35vl Follow me on Social Media (When you add me, inbox me and say What's Up!) IG: @debtfreeinit TikTok: @debtfreeinit Linkedin: Michael Bowden Support the show

    I Worked 3 IT Jobs, Here's Where AI Would've Saved Me
See All (194)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

“This Podcast is for anyone looking to get in the IT industry, whether it’s a career change or your just interested. You come to the right place”

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Bowden
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    194
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Debt Free In IT w/ Mike
  • Show Website
    Debt Free In IT w/ Mike

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