Is it too late to pivot into entry-level IT in my late 30s?

It's absolutely not too late; lots of people break into IT support in their 30s and 40s, and managers prize maturity and customer skills. Your hospitality background screams patience, de-escalation, and clear communication, which is half of help desk. If you want a single credential that actually moves the needle, aim for CompTIA A+; if money's tight, self-study and pass once, don't stack a bunch of certs. Pair that with working knowledge of Windows and macOS support, basic networking like TCP/IP, DNS, and DHCP, Office 365 admin basics, and Active Directory user and group management. Nice-to-have later would be Network+ or ITIL Foundation and a bit of PowerShell, but your priority is A+, hands-on practice, and communication.

To translate hospitality on your resume, quantify what mirrors help desk: high-volume queues, time-to-resolution, NPS or CSAT, training new staff, shift leadership, and documented procedures. Phrase bullets like you triaged issues, documented steps, escalated appropriately, followed playbooks, and turned fixes into repeatable SOPs. Add a small home-lab section showing concrete work: spin up a Windows Server VM, create a domain, make users, join a client, set up file shares and printers, test group policy, and practice with a ticketing tool and remote support software. Realistic timeline while working full-time is about 8–12 weeks to study and build the lab, start applying by month two, and expect 3–6 months total to land a first role, often with an MSP, internal transfer, or short contract. Network with your company's IT, be flexible on shifts, and prep a simple troubleshooting story framework (identify, isolate, test, document, escalate) so you come across as reliable even without prior IT titles.

Swapped a brunch shift for 'home lab' once and accidentally DHCP'd my neighbor's smart fridge—long story, they brought me cupcakes and I fixed it. Point is, your hospitality muscle is gold for users who are hangry and confused, which is most of IT support.

If money's tight, aim for A+ first, then sprinkle in basic networking and a tiny bit of scripting so you can automate the boring bits. Learn a ticketing flow, practice phone etiquette with a friend, and write down mini case studies of fixes you've done at home. On the resume, turn 'handled angry guests' into 'resolved high‑priority incidents while maintaining CSAT 95%+' and nobody blinks. Timeline wise, evenings and weekends can get you interview‑ready in about 4–8 months if you treat it like a light second job.

Timers, novelty baits, and A+ flashcards—attention managed, not cured.

Think composition: one clean page, sharp highlights. Lead with cert‑in‑progress A+, a tight skills block (Windows, AD basics, networking), and three hospitality achievements rewritten as incident stories with numbers. Add a tiny home lab line with what you actually built. Two to three months of focused shooting—er, studying—can land screens while you finish the cert.

Realistic take: entry‑level help desk can be a grind. Pay is often underwhelming, schedules skew evenings/weekends, and some places are ticket factories that burn people out fast. The cert landscape is noisy; you can spend too much time and cash chasing logos that hiring managers barely skim. Age won't disqualify you, but you'll feel it when a 22‑year‑old with an internship wants the same seat for less. Also, lots of postings are inflated wish lists that say three years experience for a junior role; that's just lazy HR copy, but it still clutters the search.

The workable path is narrow but there. Do A+ once, not five different entry certs; then learn enough networking and PowerShell to show you can troubleshoot and automate basic tasks. Target internal support at hospitals, schools, hotels, or manufacturers rather than pure MSP sweatshops; your hospitality background reads stronger there. Translate achievements into metrics: reduced queue wait times, calmed escalations, trained new staff, handled X incidents per shift, maintained Y% satisfaction. Build a tiny portfolio of write‑ups for home‑lab fixes and keep the stories tight. With full‑time work, expect 6–9 months to land something if you apply weekly and interview monthly.

One practical tip: stop spraying applications and pick 15 companies you actually want, then tailor hard and follow up with a short, specific note to the hiring manager about a pain you can solve. That cuts through more noise than another certificate.

Not too late. For help desk, A+, basic networking, Windows admin, ticketing etiquette, and a little PowerShell beat most noise. Translate hospitality into de‑escalation, SLA‑style speed, and measurable wins; studying nights between kid pickups, expect 3–6 months to first interviews.

Baseline that actually matters: A+, basic networking concepts, Windows support, and how tickets flow. Nice‑to‑haves: light PowerShell, a whiff of Linux, and understanding Wi‑Fi weirdness. Your hospitality wins translate as de‑escalation, prioritizing under pressure, and hitting response times; put numbers on them. Write two versions of your resume, one general, one tuned to each posting, and keep it plain. While working full‑time, think 4–7 months to land interviews if you apply weekly. Not glamorous, but it's a clean, doable path.