Degree+Certifications

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I had to re-post this, after getting zero replies in the general forum, so it is not to be considered as spam.

There' a bit of confusion again in my mind regarding my degree in Computer Science and my current certification track.

I'm currently pursuing B.E (Bachelors of Engineering, Computer Science).
Regarding certification track, i CANNOT pursue MCSE as i'm not having the required experience (if i get that later while working, i may pursue it). I've to finish my MCDST by the end of this year( 70-272 is still left), the moving onto the MCSA track ( MCTS (vista), that also gives MCITP) and the 2 core MCSA exams. That's the most i can do in the next 2 years.

And by that time, i would be finishing off my degree as well. Is a degree in Computer science with MCSA is good enough for a decent job? My main interest is in three things:- Operating Systems, Networks (Security) and some programming. I've hands on experience in my family's office network, however it can only lead me to completing MCSA as the network is quite small and most of the time i'm at college in a different city.

I'm also thinking about doing network certifications, starting from the basic to build some foundation (proved by the certificate) and then moving onto CEH (yes, i love security)

I've heard people say that it's better to do some entry level tech work while getting a degree and then apply for jobs after you're done with it. In my degree we're supposed to do two trainings at different companies but that does not count towards job experience.

Based on the interests, what sort of job roles will i be eligible to apply for? Secondly, is doing a Master's degree worth it after completing Bachelors. I'm not that interested in theories and stuff. I would rather gain some more working experience and pursue higher certifications.

Advice needed

Thanks in advance

 

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You've answered your own question for that one, a Masters is only worth doing if you want to do it, if you think you'll be happier getting into the world of work then signing on for a Masters isn't going to tick the right boxes for you.

 

Hi,

I am not in India so am not sure

But in the UK Certs, degrees and experience are all important. Having one is better then none and having three is even better.

As for jobs you should start looking for 1st line jobs and maybe 2nd if your lucky but all depends on the business roles tend to blurr with different comapnies. A masters is good but if you are not in to theroy then I am not too sure its the right move for you.

 

Sorry... you cover a lot of concepts in one post, and it takes a while to respond to all of them when they're all in the same message.

Actually, there's nothing that prevents you from pursuing the MCSE without experience. Whether the MCSE will do you any good without experience is another matter entirely, and that's why many of us advise that you wait until you have 12-18 months of actual server admin experience before pursuing the MCSE.

Microsoft recommends 6-12 months of server admin experience before pursuing the MCSA. So why would you be against doing the MCSE, but for doing the MCSA? It is recommended (but not required) that you have experience before doing either.

Depends on what you think a decent job is. Neither a degree nor certifications is enough to help you start out anywhere other than where everyone else starts off in IT - at the bottom, with an entry-level IT job. The degree and certifications simply make you look more attractive to employers.

You won't likely have much luck getting a security admin job without experience... those jobs are typically given to people with years of server and network admin experience. It's certainly something to shoot for down the line.

Operating Systems could mean anything from desktop support to server support. You could possibly get a desktop admin job starting out... server admin jobs typically come after you've gotten a little experience under your belt.

Programming and IT Administration are two different fields entirely. Programmers don't typically do much admin work, and IT admins don't typically do much programming. You're gonna have to choose which path you want to go down... and if you choose the programming path, getting technical administration certifications (A+, Network+, MCSA, MCSE, CCNA, etc.) aren't going to help you much.

Yep. If you had the option to do EITHER certs OR get a part-time/full-time IT job, but not both, I'd recommend the job.

How would it not count towards job experience? If you are doing real IT work for a real company, whether or not it is for a degree program, it is real-world experience.

Based on your experience, you would be eligible to apply for entry-level jobs - by definition, jobs in which you enter the IT career field. These are jobs that require no experience.

I would recommend prioritizing getting a job over getting a Masters. Degrees will be more important later in your career... but you don't need ANY degree to get started in IT.

 

I think what a lot of people forgot is that to someone that doesn't work in IT or a business that is not IT focused there is a lot of waffle about skills etc and a degree is something that is widely respected in all fields.

The thing I found is that you can have certs coming out of your ears, working knowledge and experience of advanced systems and set-ups etc etc but unless the company is 100% focused in IT or it is a full on specialised role a lot of that has no meaning to a member of personnel staff or later to anyone else in the company.Also, how do they know you're not making this stuff up? I mean it's quite easy in jobs to turn "I set up user accounts on the win 2003 server" into "I administrated a win 2003 server", "I fixed and setup some new PC's" into "I helped carried out a deployment". Where as with a degree you can't really argue with it when you have it.

One other thing is that a degree is kinda timeless, I did it when I was 23 and it will still be on my CV should I be working when i'm 63, I don't think I can say the same for an MCSA etc

Working in IT for 5 years now, has it helped me? hmm, I like to think it has, but i'm not 100% sure. It is resuring however when I speak to the bigger bosses and they say things like "brainbox uni boy" hehe. And I suppose I can also apply for jobs that on the first line say "Degree in relevant discipline", that used to piss me off before I had one.

 

I thought this was going to be about a new Comptia Certification Degree+