Need some help making a career choice 1

[geokor]

I realize this is off topic a bit but I need some advice. I have an AS In programming, about 3.5 years experience in developing web aps, am a Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) and am about to get my JAVA/Sun certification. I would like to get away from MS and move strongly toward open source. In the past I've used ColdFusion and ASP and am currently working with Perl, PHP, Apache, etc. but now I have a choice to make.

Should I go back to school and get my BS in computer science or continue working and getting more certifications? Which will make me more valuable to companies? Thanks for the advice.
George K

 

[pcunix]

Depends on the company. Some companies like degrees, others could care less.

A *lot* of people making good money in computers never even graduated high school- and that includes me. However, I'm self-employed so that might not count.

But I know quite a few people with no college degree earning 6 figures. f course they are bright, capable, well certified and have lots of experience..

They'll probably never be offered management positions, though. OTOH, they probably wouldn't want them.

Tony Lawrence
SCO Unix/Linux Resources

http://pcunix.com

tony@pcunix.com

 

[CaKiwi]

Sounds like good advice. There is a

How to Improve Myself to Get Ahead in My Work

forum that I subscribe to that you might want to check out.

CaKiwi

 

[rycamor]

I think mainly it depends on where your interests are. However, I'm willing to bet that 3-4 years actual experience at development has already taught you more than any 4-year computer science degree ever can. I have seen some of the recent output from C.S. departments, and frankly, it is appalling. If you are interested in a degree simply for "practical reasons" (IE. just to get a job), I would focus elsewhere.

A lot of this depends on the type of company you might want to work for, and even what sort of industry. Also, a lot of this is social/culturally decided, rather than based on merit.

Fortune 500 companies that are not directly in the computer industry tend not to like taking chances. They like to either get fresh young graduates, and train them in their company culture, policies, etc..., or get experienced people from similar industries, with established credentials.

Internet/computer companies tend to be a little more interested in your actual performance than in your formal credentials. Companies that are developing radical new ideas, or new startups, etc... tend to fall in this category, as well as smaller tech-savvy companies. Generally, I have found that the more tech-savvy the company, the less they are interested in your credentials, and the more in your actual experience, ideas, and abilities. One company I worked at had two C.S. graduates, and two programmers without C.S. degrees (I am one of the latter). Which two programmers ran the shop? You guessed it; the two without C.S. degrees. In fact, I have no formal certification in any computer field, and I _always_ have work. At the moment I am freelancing in web app development, while considering two possible job offers.

However, it's not bad to have some sort of University degree, if you want to be a more well-rounded person. And this tends to help when moving up in the corporate world in general. I have no C.S. degree, but I have a degree in English, and I took several courses in scattered areas such as Calculus, technical writing, programming, and foreign languages. I don't regret this, but honestly I have learned far more about any of these areas by self-directed study than any University course.

If you're interest is just in getting a job in the near future, then I recommend you simply work hard, and dig into the books to prove you can learn. Don't focus on certification, but on developing unique applications that prove you are capable of independent though. For example, while working your full-time job, freelance at developing special applications for smaller companies, or even open-source projects that prove your abilities. If you really want to go to college, I would recommend you take a range of courses (like the classic "liberal studies" concept), because this will open your mind and give you better communication skills, and understanding of the world in general. Of course, if you want to be a researcher/theoretician, that is another matter, but you will need more than 4 years of colledge for that, and a mathematics degree would probably be better preparation.

Think about it this way: the world has plenty of 4-year C.S. "duh-velopers", but what would companies give for an experienced programmer who can write well, or who understands economics, etc... The biggest problem in the modern IT world is not what the programmers are capable of, but how to actually make the programming have value to the company. This requires just as much knowledge of people and the world in general as it does specialized computer skills. -------------------

Current reading --

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=25456

 

[geokor]

WOW! Thank you all for the great advice. I already had a plan/direction. Only needed to hear someone else say it was a good idea. Thanks again.
George K

 

[Guest_imported]

wow rycamor - good speech!!!

i do feel I must add my feelings here...
the best [and the worst] position to be in I think, is where I am at the moment.
some days it is total HELL and other days things are quite good - i shall elaborate:
i work full time [5 days a week] as a webmaster / programmer and study part-time a BSc in
Computer Science[1 day a week]. i have been working in the IT industry for about 12 years
now doing many different things [jack of all trades].
i realised 3 years ago that i knew a little of many
things, which in IT these days just doesn't cut it anymore. i think there are too many
employees out there, thinking that a basic understandning of html makes them a web developer...
anyway, so i went to uni 2 years ago and i am almost halfway through a degree whilst working,
which is extremely difficult and can be very stressful.
BUT
i will definitely finish this degree while working [cos I'm a fanatic] and I applaud anyone
that is able to pull it off at the same time. throught the frustration and sweat and debate
about whether studying is better, or working is better blah blah blah...
if you like a challenge: the most difficult but most rewarding is finding that great IT job
whilst doing that C.S degree at the same time.
in 3 years from now, when i do gain that degree, plus the extra experience - there will be
NO contest.
if you have an equal amount of balls and brains ... then follow me ...