EXP. vs DEGREE

[Burn_Cycle]

Your Job?

Most jobs in the tech field require a minimum of a BS. There are some that don't but most do. I just job shadowed someone last week that owns his own networking company and he didn't even go to college for one year! All he had was experience. He has had many jobs w/o college. I guess x amount of Experience=Degree?

----------------------My Story------------------
I am a senior in high school. I think I would like to go into computer security. Maybe an (ISO) link below shows what that is:

http://www.uh.edu/infotech/php/template.php?nonsvc_id=288

I can't find too much information on computer security though.
But this is what i do know:
http://www.mile2.com/Information_Security_Officer_Job_Description_and_Training.html
So if you have any common knowledge of what kind of jobs that are similar to an ISO or more information about being an ISO would be great. Like maybe what can i do now to prepare? Books? Practice?

--------------------------DISCUSSION----------------------------

Anyways this is what I really wanted to know:
In this thread I was just wondering how did you get to be where you are at now. I would really like to hear from you old farts that have already went through college and have a career now. You dont have to answer all the following questions but it would be appreciated!
ALSO PLEASE IF YOU AREN'T PUTTING INPUT IN DONT POST. I want to keep this thread clean so it can be used as a reference for myself to hopefully learn from what you guys have to say.

Please state the following:
1. Job+description
2. Story(On how you got your job. Examples=schooling, interests, people, books, ect.)
3. What would you change if you could go back?
4. Your philosophy on Exp vs degree?



Thanks for your input!

 

[jaeusm]

1. Job+description

Software developer. We create home automation/smart home software using .NET and C#. Currently, we are developing with .NET 3.0, using WPF and WCF for Windows Vista.

2. Story(On how you got your job. Examples=schooling, interests, people, books, ect.)

I have a master's degree in computer science and obtained this job through interviews after I graduated. I put my resume on Dice.com and started interviewing with several companies. This was (and still is) a great opportunity. After I got the job offer, I gladly accepted and canceled my other pending interviews.

3. What would you change if you could go back?

I spent 9 years in school as a full time student, and near the end, I was wishing I could go back and change several things. However, at this point, I'm not so sure that I would. I learned quite a bit and gained a lot of experience. As a result, I didn't have many problems generating interest in my resume (9 years worth of internships and research really stood out when compared to the other students graduating at that time).

4. Your philosophy on Exp vs degree?

They are both important and necessary. Without a doubt, you should pursue a degree. You're a bit too young to pigeon-hole yourself into a specific job description. There is much to learn and discover at a university, and you may find something new you enjoy even more. Besides, 80% of freshman that declare a major in college switch majors by the time they graduate.

Ideally, you should be gaining experience while you are working toward your degree through internships or co-ops in the summer. That experience is extremely valuable, and it often leads to employment with that company after graduation.

 

[superdave1984]

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1. Job+description
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Asst. IS director. Hardware, software, networking, data management. Over 100 PC's, 7 servers, AS400 in 4 different locations. We use XP, and Novell as well as HMS software plus various medical management and billing softwares. Lots of paperwork. Dealing with users, vendors, corporate honks, and doctors.


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2. Story(On how you got your job. Examples=schooling, interests, people, books, ect.)
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Went back to school at age 36, got an Associates degree in Computer Network Systems. Graduated with a 3.86 GPA, Highest Honors Graduate, Valedictorian. Took over 2 years to land a quality job. Persistance, persistance, persistance. Post on Dice, Monster, Careerbuilder, etc. Apply for lots of jobs, get a quality resume even if you have to pay somebody to do it. Short resumes are best, one full page max.

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3. What would you change if you could go back?
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I would have paid more attention in programming classes. Database design especially. And it would have been better if I had started earlier too, but hey, I'm not complaining.

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4. Your philosophy on Exp vs degree?
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You learn things in the classromm that you don't learn in the field. But experience cannot be undervalued. Just because you know how to do the math and figure out how many hosts a particular subnet will have, doesn't mean you will ever use that knowledge. But on the other side of that, the classroom can't teach you how to handle real-world scenarios such as running CAT-5 cable on a barge. (Did that on my last job)

Bottom line is this: Many employers won't even grant you an interview without some paper on your wall. My suggestion would be to go for your associates, get some certifications, and get a job at a computer repair store or something. Get that experience while you are still in school. Then move up to better things as you gain knowledge. Maybe go on and get your BS. A young guy with a degree AND experience AND some certs will be able to be selective when job hunting. Four years from now you could have a BS plus 4 years experience and at least 3 certs. Very impressive on a resume.

 

[Burn_Cycle]

Glad to see some input... I really hope that there are some more people in this forum with careers that are willing to share! Thanks a lot Jaeusm and Dave. It really helps hearing your stories so I can learn from your guy's experience, hear about different jobs, and set some realist goals.