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Experience or Education

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by funky_monk

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Obviously both are invaluable when considering a potential employee but what I would like to know is, when hiring for a position in any field of IT which holds more weight? Is there any one that is more important to you as an employer or are both taken into consideration equaly?

18 replies

by lance.gillis

I always look for at least a couple of years of higher education. This tends to be an indicator of better critical thinking and communication skills which are critical to most workplaces. The greater emphasis is on ability to accomplish the job. Past performance is always the best indicator of this, ie: Experience. In IT, the experience factor is usually more important. Good luck.

by admin

The bottom line here is what you can do: -how well and how fast. Demonstrating this ability is important, and this usually is done through experience.

On a personal note though, I recommend higher education whenever and wherever possible. One reason is that expands your ability to climb and grow within an organization. The other is that it makes life much more palatable when you can go enjoy a play or good book instead of being agitated and stuck on IT problems every waking and dreaming hour :)

by urnotready

What does your level of education have to do with the ability to go to the theater or read a good book? A college degree does not automatically bestow intelligence on you.

by admin

Obviously it doesn't insure success or work for everybody, but I find that more well rounded people (that's why you HAVE to take some core classes usually) handle the curves life throws at them a little easier.

by bdhuizenga

I would appreciate some feedback on getting a degree in Computer Network Systems from ITT and how it fits in this discussion.
Compared with a much less expensive 2 yr degree from a communitity college?
How does the addition of certifications during the college process help?
Considering I have lots of work experience in technical although not specifically IT fields, should I just save the money and go to the conventional school with the goal of then getting a BS.

Thanks for any input

BDH

by admin

skill demonstrated (depending on what it is etc.), you may be able to find an entry level position and learn networking on the job and even get the company to pay for your certs. My brother did this in the education field working for a Community College and then the Public School Districts. Basically he had technical skills and no certs to start.

You can really learn or not learn anywhere. You can learn a lot in a tech program, but those that just pass the tests and get certs without real world business knowledge or application brought about the term "paper certs" and these folk are often more difficult to train than someone with a clean slate. Many hiring in IT attempt to avoid these people in my experience. You can compensate for this getting started by gaining experience at home, with small businesses in your area, working part time for a networking group. etc. I even look for people at LAN parties that are hot with keeping the games running and start talking to them. Anywhere you can couple experience with education you are best off.

One other thing to look for. Ask your community college if they have a related associates that some or all of the classes can transfer to a B.S. you could get later. In an ideal scenario, I would go for that and get involved in a work study program in the computer lab or get hired there, get into the networking and LAN party clubs etc. Maybe there is even an AI club in conjunction with the philosophy department etc. I would try this approach.

Hope this helps... and solicit lot's of opinions from people that work in the field and hire rather than rely on the guidance counselors at the program you chose :) Good Luck!

by kajer

Any degree is usually better than no degree at all, as far as most companies are concerned. I got 2 computer related degrees from a local community college, and that combined with experience got my foot in the door at a company that is now paying for me to get my bachelor's degree

by geas

Personally I go for Experience but think about it, is there a way for you to REALLY know how good somebody is BEFORE you HIRE him? Experience is 'all-talk' before employment. In the real world it takes mos and yrs before your full potential gets noticed. That is why most company give more weight on education. Well, if your 'pirating' a 'well-known' employee, it's a different scenario.

by djent

As a network VAR I have spent way to much time teaching degreed sysadmins the difference between an EISA and ISA slots. Why they should not want 140 watt power supplies and numerous other basic issues. They may understand binary math but many can't make a 10base T cable that works, and a crossover cable is quantum physics.

by lance.gillis

Excellent Point Maxwell. Attitude and determination are what success are made of. Personal characteristics matter more than education and experience in the long run.

by jimhm

I have found it depends on the position we are interviewing for. If the position is an entry level - then Education / Certification get weighting. If the position is more senior or management level - then College Degree required and Experence.

We found that someone with a college education either in science or business - writes better and understands the business user over the certified / experenced person.

Then a third position - is the Senior technical person - this person we look foreither college or certification and heavey experence. I was hired into a senior tech position because of degree - and 25 years of diverse experence - from Mainframe operations and systems programming to business programming to network configuration and support to end user desktop support and installation to business consultanting and solutions development.

So depending on the position requirements - is what becomes important in education / certification / experence...

by jastormont

Mate you are a very shallow thinker.
You do not need a Degree to be able to do things like what you are suggesting. You have degree no doubt and look at what trash you just typed.

by admin

I never said you NEED a degree to do these things. In the IT world you're generally dealing with people that can read on their own etc. Where I grew up, many people couldn't physically even read a novel, much less enjoy it. College was the thing they wanted for their kids and yes, I stand by my words, it generally helps people with appreciating the arts as opposed to staying drunk in a trailer house and staying illiterate.

by jastormont

At the end of the day the biggest thing as to having an advantage of further education is it gives you better barging powers for better pay.

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