IT CERTIFICATION

When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
you able to get a job with that certificate with out
having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
IT certified?

I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
like to learn more about this process.


Christopher B. Crosby

Christopher B. Crosby

Well, never say never . . . . I can only speak to probabilities. There are
always people who manage to get jobs where others fail.

First, as to the value of certification. . . Most certs are from a specific
vendor (MS, Cisco, Sun) and only have value to companies that are looking to
fill positions that use that specific technology. Employers do not consider
them "portable" to other technologies. Also, many employers have either
given me blank stares or were openly derisive of certs so in those cases,
the certification had no value whatsoever. Some companies do value the
certification but usually experience is wanted as well. In a poor job
market, where there are plenty of experienced candidates looking for work, a
candidate with a cert and no experience will never win over a candidate with
experience but no cert. (Unless he's the boss's nephew!)

Second, as to the requirement for college . . . There's not a single answer
to your question. There are many dimensions to consider. One is the size of
the company. Most larger companies will not consider candidates without at
least a 4-year bachelor's degree - - with or without certification. Smaller
companies are sometimes less strict about this. And again, the state of the
job market factors in. If there are plenty of candidates available with
degrees, then not having one is a real disadvantage.

I am not trying to discourage you - - you really have to get out there and
start searching to learn the market conditions in your local area. It
doesn't really matter if there are no jobs in California when you are
job-hunting in Indiana.

Best of Luck.



"Christopher B. Crosby" <> wrote in message
news:01b001c377bb$403c7700$...
> When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
> you able to get a job with that certificate with out
> having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
> need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
> IT certified?
>
> I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
> like to learn more about this process.
>
>
> Christopher B. Crosby

emg

Agreed.

One additional point - even if you get the job without the degree, you will
hit a glass ceiling at some point in growing within the company.
Those with the degree get to be Director of IT/VP of Technology.

At a certain point, certifications do not matter any more; the college
degree is what matters.

Good luck to you.
Davin Mickelson, MCSD.NET, MCSA, No college degree and feeling the sting
after seven years in IT


"emg" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Well, never say never . . . . I can only speak to probabilities. There
are
> always people who manage to get jobs where others fail.
>
> First, as to the value of certification. . . Most certs are from a
specific
> vendor (MS, Cisco, Sun) and only have value to companies that are looking
to
> fill positions that use that specific technology. Employers do not
consider
> them "portable" to other technologies. Also, many employers have either
> given me blank stares or were openly derisive of certs so in those cases,
> the certification had no value whatsoever. Some companies do value the
> certification but usually experience is wanted as well. In a poor job
> market, where there are plenty of experienced candidates looking for work,
a
> candidate with a cert and no experience will never win over a candidate
with
> experience but no cert. (Unless he's the boss's nephew!)
>
> Second, as to the requirement for college . . . There's not a single
answer
> to your question. There are many dimensions to consider. One is the size
of
> the company. Most larger companies will not consider candidates without
at
> least a 4-year bachelor's degree - - with or without certification.
Smaller
> companies are sometimes less strict about this. And again, the state of
the
> job market factors in. If there are plenty of candidates available with
> degrees, then not having one is a real disadvantage.
>
> I am not trying to discourage you - - you really have to get out there and
> start searching to learn the market conditions in your local area. It
> doesn't really matter if there are no jobs in California when you are
> job-hunting in Indiana.
>
> Best of Luck.
>
>
>
> "Christopher B. Crosby" <> wrote in message
> news:01b001c377bb$403c7700$...
> > When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
> > you able to get a job with that certificate with out
> > having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
> > need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
> > IT certified?
> >
> > I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
> > like to learn more about this process.
> >
> >
> > Christopher B. Crosby
>
>

Davin Mickelson

> One additional point - even if you get the job without the degree, you
> will
> hit a glass ceiling at some point in growing within the company.
> Those with the degree get to be Director of IT/VP of Technology.


Not necessary. My wife, who has no degree, is director of IT business
solutions within the company she has worked at for the past sixteen
years. She sits on the board and the company's IT budget is about
20(ish) million GBP.

Any company worth their salt, promote people from within who have proved
their ability, loyalty & commitment.

Degrees are only important in order to gain entry into a profession.
After that companies, when hiring, look at the experience and benefits a
person can bring with them. This is the same in IT as well as other
industries.

Maybe it's somewhat different in the USA?

Davin Mickelson wrote:

> Agreed.
>
> One additional point - even if you get the job without the degree, you will
> hit a glass ceiling at some point in growing within the company.
> Those with the degree get to be Director of IT/VP of Technology.
>
> At a certain point, certifications do not matter any more; the college
> degree is what matters.
>
> Good luck to you.
> Davin Mickelson, MCSD.NET, MCSA, No college degree and feeling the sting
> after seven years in IT
>
>
> "emg" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
>>Well, never say never . . . . I can only speak to probabilities. There
>
> are
>
>>always people who manage to get jobs where others fail.
>>
>>First, as to the value of certification. . . Most certs are from a
>
> specific
>
>>vendor (MS, Cisco, Sun) and only have value to companies that are looking
>
> to
>
>>fill positions that use that specific technology. Employers do not
>
> consider
>
>>them "portable" to other technologies. Also, many employers have either
>>given me blank stares or were openly derisive of certs so in those cases,
>>the certification had no value whatsoever. Some companies do value the
>>certification but usually experience is wanted as well. In a poor job
>>market, where there are plenty of experienced candidates looking for work,
>
> a
>
>>candidate with a cert and no experience will never win over a candidate
>
> with
>
>>experience but no cert. (Unless he's the boss's nephew!)
>>
>>Second, as to the requirement for college . . . There's not a single
>
> answer
>
>>to your question. There are many dimensions to consider. One is the size
>
> of
>
>>the company. Most larger companies will not consider candidates without
>
> at
>
>>least a 4-year bachelor's degree - - with or without certification.
>
> Smaller
>
>>companies are sometimes less strict about this. And again, the state of
>
> the
>
>>job market factors in. If there are plenty of candidates available with
>>degrees, then not having one is a real disadvantage.
>>
>>I am not trying to discourage you - - you really have to get out there and
>>start searching to learn the market conditions in your local area. It
>>doesn't really matter if there are no jobs in California when you are
>>job-hunting in Indiana.
>>
>>Best of Luck.
>>
>>
>>
>>"Christopher B. Crosby" <> wrote in message
>>news:01b001c377bb$403c7700$...
>>
>>>When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
>>>you able to get a job with that certificate with out
>>>having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
>>>need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
>>>IT certified?
>>>
>>>I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
>>>like to learn more about this process.
>>>
>>>
>>> Christopher B. Crosby
>>
>>
>
>

Simon

Simon, it sounds like you have a lucky wife who has worked quite hard to get
where she is at. Let's hope she never has to leave that company.

It also appears that you are a lucky man, too.

Thanks for your feedback.
Davin Mickelson

"Simon" <> wrote in message
news:...
> > One additional point - even if you get the job without the degree, you
> > will
> > hit a glass ceiling at some point in growing within the company.
> > Those with the degree get to be Director of IT/VP of Technology.
>
>
> Not necessary. My wife, who has no degree, is director of IT business
> solutions within the company she has worked at for the past sixteen
> years. She sits on the board and the company's IT budget is about
> 20(ish) million GBP.
>
> Any company worth their salt, promote people from within who have proved
> their ability, loyalty & commitment.
>
> Degrees are only important in order to gain entry into a profession.
> After that companies, when hiring, look at the experience and benefits a
> person can bring with them. This is the same in IT as well as other
> industries.
>
> Maybe it's somewhat different in the USA?
>
> Davin Mickelson wrote:
>
> > Agreed.
> >
> > One additional point - even if you get the job without the degree, you
will
> > hit a glass ceiling at some point in growing within the company.
> > Those with the degree get to be Director of IT/VP of Technology.
> >
> > At a certain point, certifications do not matter any more; the college
> > degree is what matters.
> >
> > Good luck to you.
> > Davin Mickelson, MCSD.NET, MCSA, No college degree and feeling the sting
> > after seven years in IT
> >
> >
> > "emg" <> wrote in message
> > news:...
> >
> >>Well, never say never . . . . I can only speak to probabilities. There
> >
> > are
> >
> >>always people who manage to get jobs where others fail.
> >>
> >>First, as to the value of certification. . . Most certs are from a
> >
> > specific
> >
> >>vendor (MS, Cisco, Sun) and only have value to companies that are
looking
> >
> > to
> >
> >>fill positions that use that specific technology. Employers do not
> >
> > consider
> >
> >>them "portable" to other technologies. Also, many employers have either
> >>given me blank stares or were openly derisive of certs so in those
cases,
> >>the certification had no value whatsoever. Some companies do value the
> >>certification but usually experience is wanted as well. In a poor job
> >>market, where there are plenty of experienced candidates looking for
work,
> >
> > a
> >
> >>candidate with a cert and no experience will never win over a candidate
> >
> > with
> >
> >>experience but no cert. (Unless he's the boss's nephew!)
> >>
> >>Second, as to the requirement for college . . . There's not a single
> >
> > answer
> >
> >>to your question. There are many dimensions to consider. One is the
size
> >
> > of
> >
> >>the company. Most larger companies will not consider candidates without
> >
> > at
> >
> >>least a 4-year bachelor's degree - - with or without certification.
> >
> > Smaller
> >
> >>companies are sometimes less strict about this. And again, the state of
> >
> > the
> >
> >>job market factors in. If there are plenty of candidates available with
> >>degrees, then not having one is a real disadvantage.
> >>
> >>I am not trying to discourage you - - you really have to get out there
and
> >>start searching to learn the market conditions in your local area. It
> >>doesn't really matter if there are no jobs in California when you are
> >>job-hunting in Indiana.
> >>
> >>Best of Luck.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>"Christopher B. Crosby" <> wrote in message
> >>news:01b001c377bb$403c7700$...
> >>
> >>>When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
> >>>you able to get a job with that certificate with out
> >>>having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
> >>>need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
> >>>IT certified?
> >>>
> >>>I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
> >>>like to learn more about this process.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Christopher B. Crosby
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>

Davin Mickelson

You need a college education (at least 4yr if you want to
be an engineer/programmer. 2 years for technician).
There is no two ways about it. Sure some old-timers might
have been able to work things out without one, but
employers expect more now.

A degree in CS or IS won't give you much in terms of
product specific training. That is where vendor training
and IT certification comes in. The degree will give you a
more broad understanding of the technology and enable you
to understand the bigger picture.

It is all about balance. Get the degree. Get a job.
Work on certifications. Gain experience, make yourself
valuable to the company, learn everything you can, and
provide for your family. Anyone who would suggest you not
get a degree is steering you in the wrong direction.

I know, I tried myself to fight the uphill battle without
a degree. I am glad that I decided to go back to college
and get one.

-Roy Lawson


>-----Original Message-----
>When you become IT Certified in one or more areas, are
>you able to get a job with that certificate with out
>having 2 or more years of college experience? Or, do you
>need 2 or more years of college to get a job when you get
>IT certified?
>
>I am new to this and don't have all the facts but would
>like to learn more about this process.
>
>
> Christopher B. Crosby
>.
>

Roy Lawson