Pursue Degree or Focus on Experience and Professional Certifications?

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:19:03 -0500

I've almost been in IT professionally for 3 years now, about to turn 21 years old. I have a the current job I have because of my previous experience and certifications.

A friend of mine who is doing the ITAM (IT and management) program at Central Washington (NSA Accredited University). He is about to graduate from the program and called me with a question that was common sense..... continued

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 6:19 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:19:48 -0500

and he told me "Yeah, this is the latest thing we learned... I wished I took your route and got hands on experience".

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 6:26 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 18:26:14 -0500

Both are great. Experience beats degree in IT field, from what I've seen. I've seen many job offers and it's bittersweet telling someone that I'm interested but I want to finish my degree first. Certifications are great to have, better to know. You don't need to be CompTIA * + certified to understand the material. College courses don't always get too deep in things because it's a controlled environment, usually - curriculum, rules, permissions, etc. The degree says I've been taught X things. On the other hand, nothing is stopping your friend from learning more on his own time. I do it all the time. Just because the teacher won't brief it from a slide doesn't mean she/he won't spend extra time teaching you more about it.

Response by PO3 Michael James made Feb 24 at 2016 7:28 PM

PO3 Michael James — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 19:28:21 -0500

SPC Bernardy, Sorry.. Okay, Active Military (1968-72) When the poop hit the deck, many educated officers (with degrees) would ask for advice/direction from enlisted E6's and above (experience), and for the most part follow their advice.. After all they had already survived Hell.. However, after these younger officers gained their own experience.. they then felt their own strengths.. I believe both are very valuable.. receive what experience and certifications you can and as time will allow, try to reach your educational goals, you will have the best of both for yourself and for those around you..

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Feb 24 at 2016 7:41 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 19:41:30 -0500

In most lines of work, experience and certs can get you some nice short term bumps in pay. Then the well dries up and the way forward is a formal degree and registrations based on that degree and experience. So both have advantages and time and places. In my engineering profession, a lot of Vets seek engineering technology degrees only to find out they can't do much with it. Same goes for a bunch of the environmental programs. So there's some snake oil out there. Accreditation helps but you have to look at the what happens or can/can't happen afterwards. Good luck.

Response by MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2016 7:52 PM

MSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 19:52:21 -0500

Work to get what your goal (dream job/business) requires is my best advice. Not every job requires a degree and not everyone cares about a certification (if that makes since).

Response by Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin made Feb 24 at 2016 10:56 PM

Maj Kevin "Mac" McLaughlin — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:56:09 -0500

Get the degree. In the long run it will open doors easier. Plus the military can help you cover the costs (take it while you can!). As you continue (after the degree) work the certs in the areas you enjoy most. These are easier to pursue. These are also educational pursuits which the military can pay for at various levels so there less pressure to worry about them right now. I retired and decided to go Civil Service. One of the key things which got me the job was not my certs but my computer science degree. The degree is much more tedious and time consuming. Get it now while you're young and unconsumed with the responsibilities of a senior NCO.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 25 at 2016 11:05 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 11:05:51 -0500

All would benefit the individual. Just like in the military competiveness is a major factor for promotion (money/salary/title on the civilian side) and the more competitive you are the more play you have in the game. If I'm looking to hire/promote somebody I want to see if they did their due diligence to go above and beyond the miming requirements.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Feb 25 at 2016 12:54 PM

LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 12:54:17 -0500

If you want to work in IT, getting multiple system certs is probably the way to go. If you want to be in management, engineering, etc, then a degree is the way to go...

Response by Eileen Norton made Feb 26 at 2016 11:18 AM

Eileen Norton — Fri, 26 Feb 2016 11:18:47 -0500

Certifications, without a doubt. Get your degree once hired and company pays for it.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2016 5:21 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:21:04 -0500

So to respond to this, you need a combination of what I call the "Triangle of Perfection". This includes: experience, college, and certifications. You can argue that you don't need one or the other and this can be true to some extent. I can tell you how important this is since starting as an E-1 when I was 18.

Really what happens is if your missing:

1. Experience: You'll be smart at the basics, but people will have to train you. Also you will have a hard time putting things together because it takes time to take knowledge and translate it into what you do.

2. College: You can be a hands ago and a top-tier geek, but without college, you'll miss on the critical thinking portion. With college, you take classes that make you uncomfortable. You also take courses that apply to management. Without school, some employers assume that you are NOT able to push beyond the scope of your knowledge. You should be doing school when TA is free.

3. Certifications: People will tell you this is a waste of time, but it's not. When you tell people that your CISM qualified, CISSP, PMP, OSCP qualified on a resume... that rings bells and whistles. Now certs don't make up for experience, but certs tell people that you studied a very particular subject in depth. Type CISSP, CISM, OSCP, PMP, and others in google and you'll see jobs offers that are pretty high. Once I got my certs regardless of my college, I was getting hit on linked much more for each certification obtained. It also matters what certs you get. For A+, S+, and N+... you can find dumps and pass to take a test. This is why some people may not place it as high. For CISSP, PMP, CISM, CCSP, OSCP and these other top tier ones, you cannot find one dump. For example PMP, I paid over $1000 in videos, books, and study materials and studied hard over three months. Taking that exam, there was a-lot of curve balls, but it really came down to self studying (and confidence).

Regardless, pursue all 3. If your at home just watching TV or sitting around, the first question you should ask; what could I be doing to push forward. Best of luck!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2016 2:16 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jun 2016 14:16:36 -0400

I always looked as the degree as foundation. Actually was over educated for the first decade of my professional career, but now it's a huge benefit.

When you are in the early stages of your career each degree might spark a check requirement and open another door for an entry level position. I say entry level as you have to start somewhere and the dollar amount is irrelevant. Sometimes getting in the door, to the interview and then employment is most challenging.

As you progress and apply for a manager, associate director or other leadership positions they are probably going to post requires bachelors degree, masters preferred for the position. They need to narrow down 100 applicants to 5 interviews and often a degree is one of the preferred qualifiers.

Federal employers might have 100 applicants and select 10 to be on the list. Your degree and experience will be taken into account. Now how you get the degree can equate to being in debt up to your eye balls or debt free, so use good judgement. A degree shows you have the fortitude to commit and complete a basic education, which shows you have knowledge.

Same goes for certifications, co-op or internships. They all will continue to build on your foundation and help you stand out when 100 people apply for that ideal job. So get degree and boost it as needed with certifications, volunteering, organizations, leadership and other positives.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 20 at 2018 8:17 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 20:17:03 -0400

Your question is complex, the one runs hand in hand with the other, the two are inextricably intertwined, honest....

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 20 at 2018 8:18 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 20:18:32 -0400

https://www.hireheroesusa.org/training-programs/

I just sent this in on another very similar thread....

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Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 20 at 2018 8:20 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 20:20:16 -0400

http://www.nspe.org

Also, if you can get a PE in elected engrg (PE) as a friend of mine did after I got mine, mine has been shut off as I'm total perm disabled a long while, you can run a consulting business in a totally different level from those with certifications only, honest, look up the IEEE consultant networks, you'll see what I'm referring to, promise....

National Society of Professional Engineers |

Celebrate Licensure and the Profession with PEs Around the World on August 1, 2018 for the third annual Professional Engineers Day!

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Jul 20 at 2018 8:21 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 20:21:14 -0400

Further, there's a vast difference between IT and comp sci (CS) vs elected engrg (EE,), esp at a masters or PhD level, honest....