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Bachelors vs Certs or Masters?

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by mcstadel

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I am currently earning $35000 in a business position. I started moving into the IT field temporarily when I helped with the year 2000 upgrades, etc. I found IT to be much more challenging. Unfortunely after 2000 the industry had no room for beginners, at least not at my salary level. My question is will a bachelors be enough or must I get a masters?

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by jim-h

Well when it comes to IT positions there are some main things you have to consider.

1)Location ? This is important as to breaking into an IT role vs. what you need on the resume and how much you will make. Some areas needed IT professionals so bad in the 90s that entry levels in the 30K range was fairly easy to find. Companies were more then happy to take you under their wing to train you to meet their employee needs. These areas began to be FLOODED with IT professionals making the supply less than the demand from employers, not to mention that most companies had to struggle in the new millennium to keep above water if they stayed in business at all. These areas are now full of IT people just looking for a stable job. Entry level candidates will now have to compete with experienced individuals for the jobs and this is a VERY tough battle for the entry levels as the experienced will take anything that they can find.

2)Experience ? Experience is very important in IT and can sometimes be a substitute for any Degrees. There are just too many things that you learn from the real world than you do from books and employers know this. Experienced resumes are often at the top of the list if salary requests or demands are in range for the open position. So if you are just touching the surface you do not want to be in an area where there is a large number of unemployed, experienced, candidates; it just makes the odds that much tougher.

Continued?

by jim-h

Continued?
3)Certifications ? Certifications are very nice to show what you have put some effort and focus on. In the 90s just having a Certification on your resume guaranteed and interview and probably a job offer. Of course again, when the word got out everyone jumped to get the certifications and lately it is just ?assumed? that the candidates have a couple certification under their belt. I highly recommend grabbing some certifications if you do not have experience to show off.
4)Degrees ?Degrees are starting to show up as a tie breaker to experience that I have seen. Comparing to the last decade so many employees were needed that you could get a great IT job without any Degrees to show at all. Since then resumes pass across hiring manager?s desk that have the experience, certifications, and degrees and it is just hard to compete with that.

Since you can?t get any experience without a job then I suggest focusing on both a Degree and Certifications. These qualities can ?mask? the lack of experience in the race to the ?interview? pile and possibly get your foot in the door. Personally, I suggest for IT hitting a technical, or trade, school that pushes you through a program in a year or two while studying certifications in parallel hopefully based on your classes. If possible, I would go stepping stone towards a degree. If you can go in for a Bachelor?s from a trade school they will typically help you find a job. In this scenario you will be up against your student peers and certifications can help push you over the top. Then, if it still looks just too tough to get in take the next step and apply yourself towards a Master?s.

Good Luck mcstadel!
-Jim

by riverfreight

Getting the masters will be the road to go but don't forget to take those 100's, 200's, 300's, and all them so that some kid from high school undercuts you and you feel like a fool and react like a wounded Water Buffalo, my Dads favorite, 'cuz you have no idea what he's talking about or worse he's selling a pig in a poke you knoe it but can't quite put in perspective til its way to late.
The certifications, Registrations and Licences come automaticlly with the degree, the easy part then is keeping them up 'cuz you have an actual foundation for all those upkeepers that personel is required to provde you with and you are required to take per the Standards Act of 1953 and came fully into law january this year 2003.

RIVER FREIGHT

by mlayton

Masters is a plus depending on the level you want to go and if you attend the right program. The proper program should introduce you to things like legal ramifications in IT and project management and things that help you relate to management and other business departments. Experience can be gotten through volunteer work so check out if your local favorite charity (or even election campaign) can use you in an IT role. Lots of valuable information can be picked up that way and it looks fabulous on a resume.

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