how is the IT industry moving for those w/o degrees (IT job, consulting)
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I want to get into IT but I don't or can't get a second BS degree. Is it still possible to self teach yourself and land a good job?
I'm seeing job ads for helpdesk asking for a BS in computer sci/ism
In my own personal opinion, you don't need an IT or computer science degree to learn and do IT. However, employers may have a different opinion for people they will hire at entry level. At the end of the day, IT is merely a tool used by businesses. It is not a discipline in itself.
The problem is I can't think of any IT company or department in the US nowadays that will hire anyone without programming and/or DBA work experience. And I don't think its worth it to take a BS in computer science only to work in a helpdesk.
My recommendation would be to work for an IBM or HP business partner. Start in a sales job so that it won't require technical work experience. Then take courses, get certified and asked to be transferred to a technical position. After that switch to an IT department of a client. It's a circuitous process but one of the few viable ways.
My recommendation would be to work for an IBM or HP business partner. Start in a sales job so that it won't require technical work experience. Then take courses, get certified and asked to be transferred to a technical position. After that switch to an IT department of a client. It's a circuitous process but one of the few viable ways.
It's also one of the easiest ways to change careers. Get a job at a company (in a different department) that has the type of job you really want. Once you're inside the company, get to know the IT people, network, volunteer for projects, use your tuition reimbursement to take a few classes so you can throw that on your resume and make an internal, lateral move.
Are you currently employed? You can do all of this at your current company.
It is definitely possible and my degree is a BA in Economics. I worked as a network engineer and now work in sales. A lot of on the job training, self learning (certifications, etc) and attending specific classes in the evening.
Many of my colleagues have degrees in Business, Geology, Math, Electrical Engineering, Psychology, etc
There are many people in the IT field who have no degree so at least you have a BA. They just started as a helpdesk person and worked there way up which is good and bad. Good because they have knowledge of the company's infrastructure; bad because when they want to go to a different company will probably be discouraged because most of them require a degree/certification of some sort.
In then end I strongly recommend education/certification along with experience. Usually the ones with no education/certification will try to attack you during interviews because probably they feel intimidated, jealous, fearful, etc.
There are lots of IT folks that don't have degrees, but they have lots of IT experience. Even for many of them, it can be harder to switch jobs due to lack of degree. They are more likely to stay in their jobs rather than move up the ladder for more money(compared to someone with same experience but also the degree.) They might be top notch professionals with great technical skills but they just didn't need the degree for their career. Often these folks started in IT 10-25 years ago, when degrees were hardly necessary.
Fast forward to today...where many IT related jobs require BS Comp Science (or equiv). So if you don't have that, you are excluded from those jobs. Maybe that's half of the available IT jobs that you don't meet minimum criteria...possibly 75% in some specialties. The jobs that don't require the degree usually require very detailed experience. OP, you should work on getting that experience so you qualify for those jobs.
If you have a degree(even if not Comp Science or equiv) , you are ahead of lots of others that don't.
That BS Comp Science puts you ahead of lots of competition. If you also have good experience, you likely have a super easy time getting good gigs.
It used to be that most IT folks didn't have (or need) Comp Science degrees. That has been gradually shifting over the years. There are still top notch folks without degrees. But more and more jobs want those degrees. I suppose the shift will continue where even more jobs require the degree over time.
Wouldn't it be awful to find the perfect job that matches your experience and is everything you want...only to find it requires a degree that you don't have? And you know you are capable of doing the work? But yoi can't get past the minimum criteria, so nobody at the hiring company will consider you. That's where you can be at times in the future of you don't get the Comp Science degree. Maybe not the end of the world, since you still qualify for other suitable jobs. Just saying.
Last edited by sware2cod; 11-28-2013 at 06:36 PM..
I want to get into IT but I don't or can't get a second BS degree. Is it still possible to self teach yourself and land a good job?
I'm seeing job ads for helpdesk asking for a BS in computer sci/ism
My brother in law didnt finish college. Instead took a bunch of certifications, worked his way up the ladder, and is now pulling low six figures in IT. That being said, he started that journey over a decade ago. I dont know if it would still be possible to go this route today.
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Originally Posted by biafra4life
My brother in law didnt finish college. Instead took a bunch of certifications, worked his way up the ladder, and is now pulling low six figures in IT. That being said, he started that journey over a decade ago. I dont know if it would still be possible to go this route today.
+1 on that, including the question of whether this route is even viable today... I think it is, IMHO.
Got a BA in English from Middlebury College in VT in 1995... in 2005 I was working as an Art Director/Graphic Design Consultant and I wanted to get MCSE and Cisco Certs and get into IT... the head of the University in my city then gave me some great advice- study the Web like Securityfocus.org (before Symantic bought them) and a few really good DIY Network sites, from beginner to intermediate and so on... six months later, after using nothing but online-available Cisco and MCSE study guides and practice tests I aced both exams and had my first Cisco Cert, a CCNA, the more difficult of the two exams for me... I was the youngest by at least 15 years and the only non-CS Degree in the bunch of 35 co-testers.
Worked in a variety of Enterprise, Academic and government environments since then and finally developed an IT Security consulting business... good client roster, solid contracts I can take to the bank for loans, etc.. Awhile back I got some friendly advice from the head of IT at Google technologies- learn the technologies and designs that Google deploys, because that's where IT is going... sure enough, a lot of larger-scale Enterprise stuff is moving slowly from the tried-and-true Cisco '3-layer' Router Network design to early-adopter Google's software-based tech and Network design. I have several current Cisco CCIE certs and now I can deploy software-based Network technology and designs from studying on my own, just like the old days.
My fees run anywhere from $280.00 an hour plus travel and per diem for Enterprise consulting down to $140.00 an hour for 501c3 consulting... and business, as they say, is very good.
Hopefully this kind 'DIY', autodidactic method of career development can work today... 'hopefully'.
Last edited by threepounduniverse; 11-28-2013 at 08:54 PM..
My brother in law didnt finish college. Instead took a bunch of certifications, worked his way up the ladder, and is now pulling low six figures in IT. That being said, he started that journey over a decade ago. I dont know if it would still be possible to go this route today.
I worked as a shipping clerk until 2008 with Access/Excel. I was a super user. I got a $25k raise at a new job. I was doing MS Access reporting and working as a liaison between IT and the business. I ended up rewriting the SQL for IT, when the developer couldn't fix the automation issues.
In 2011, I figured why should the developers get paid, when I am doing all the work. I took an Oracle certification. I was offered $75k to do SQL reporting. Now I make over $80k after raises.
This field of work would be MIS, instead of computer science. These jobs are often found in IT departments.
I still get calls from Fortune 500 employers, even though I have no education listed.
Coursera, EdX, Udacity and other sites can help you teach yourself.
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