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Home Study Courses

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by chrisms

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All my qualifications have come from home study courses and I have paid good money to partake of these courses.
The other day I was travelling into London when I overheard a conversation between 3 'HR' manageresses, which went something like this;1st: I've had loads of applications for a job with studied at home on them.
2nd: I always throw tose ones away without reading them as I think they are a waste of time.
Obviously at this point I had to insert my own views, and I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or thought it was a waste of time to study at home. Incidentally, I am 34 with a family to support, so taking time off to study is not an option.

10 replies

by linta

I haven't had a similar experience, but I do have some friends that have studied at home. I definitely don't think it's a waste of time. However, I have heard people say that studying at home isn't as good as study at an actual school because being at the school, gives you the experience to work well with others as well as other experiences that you might not receive at home. I could see what they meant, though I don't agree. If you're working already, it should make you an equal candidate as someone who applies just coming out of school. I guess maybe they think it's a waste of time due to some other negative reasons. Anyone else have an opinion?

by retro

It's all relative to the personal preferences of the first person who sees your qualifications. There are those who recognize that IT people learn their trade by various and sometimes unorthodox methods, and those who believe that you couldn't possibly be able to find your butt with a GPS system unless you have a BS degree. The industry is just as populated by people who were pretty much hired on the spot with no experience at some job fair as it is with people who are self taught and people with degrees and certifications. I truly believe the old adage that "It's not what you know as much as who you know."

by shiny_topadm

I think this is an area that might be industry specific. I work for a small electronics service company and "study at home" or even self-taught are very common for techs. Much of the certification programs are manufacturer and product specific, soan individual isn't likely to have done them on their own (i.e., Sony camcorder school). Experience and ability to do the job matter much more to us than owning a piece of paper (regardless of its source). I'm certainly not saying that formal education is discounted, but we certainly would not discard an application because of a lack of classroom training. Perhaps this is partly due to not having a specific 'HR' department (we're too small), but this seems to be how our niche operates. Oh yeah, I'm half of the IT staff, have no certs, but I've been in the field for > 20 years. I do have a music degree, though!

by chipw

I also studied at home, but not any official program(s). I started by networking a couple old computers, and expanded that over the years, teaching myself the ins and outs of networking several differant OS's, making them work together properly. That experience helped me get into the IT dept where I have been for the last 3 years, finally getting out of dead-end warehouse jobs. Since then the company has sent me to the local university where I have acquired two certificates. I think studying athome is good for you, if you are studying what is appropriate for your desired job. I think it definately helps.

by generalist

I suspect that the HR types have run into a lot of people who have 'studied' at home but still lack the needed skills. Home study standards for IT related skills don't really exist, unless you go through a really good on-line university.

Now if you could show the quality of your home study abilities by passing various certification exams, you might get somewhere. And if you had a portfolio of what you can do with word processors, spreadsheets, databases and other applications, you might beable to get past the first interview.

When you get down to it, having certifications might make it possible for you to remove 'home study' from the application.

by chrisms

All the home study course I have taken have resulted in a certificate from the college which I studied with. I also have experience within the field, being in IT for a year before the company went downhill.
For the colleges to give certificates, there ust be some sort of standard involved, regardless of where you learnt.
I also believe home study is better, because you have a lack of teachers/students around you to help, so all problems are solved using your own resources.
As far as teamwork goes, I spent 12 years in the army, so team is not a problem for me.

by ankh

When the individual already has experience in IT (a good working history). I can see no reason why they should be penalised for showing their commitment to their craft. I am presently working at sea within an IT role, previous to that I worked in ITManagement in London and would readily have employed anyone willing to give up their own time to further/better themselves. Of course I would have looked at their work history , but in the final analysis if I had 2 similar candidates I would have chosen the person willing to give up their own time , although working for me I would hope I would afford them the time take courses and not have to resort to a home study course.

by ken-k

It appears to me this is the applicant's problem, not the person doing the review.

Most people do not know the proper way to fill out a job application. First mistake...Stating that you studied at home.

It is absolutely no business of a prospective employer to know where you got your qualifications only that you have them.

If one is filling out a prepared application: in the area where it asks for your educational background, write "see attached".

When you submit the application attach to it a documented listing of all the certificates, degrees, and diplomas that you have earned, including the dates you got them.

That will usually impress the heck out of the typical low status "office climber" who reviews it.

by chrisms

I agree, and this is what I do. As stated this was only a discussion that I overheard and took part in, Not my personal experience.

by col_guderian

I have a college degree, and I also have taken homestudy courses which I felt were very useful, but there are people and organizations that feels that courses taken at home are always inferior to ones taken in a formal school, which I think is a pity, as it takes more initiative to study alone
than when there are peer pressure for you to finish the course as in a classroom setting.

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