Poor Grades

[tgr430]

Hi,

I go to college and I am a CIS major. I have taken programing classes but I have gotten Cs in all of them. However, I do work at the helpdesk for the IT dept at school. My question is, what do employeers look at more when they are hiring, good grades or your work experience?

Thank you!

 

[rosieb]

donttreadonme
I completely agree that many people change direction throughout their careers, I have a first degree in chemistry and an MBA, and slid sideways into IT via publishing sales.

You say that the degree is most important, not the actual field of study , I think that the most important thing is the learning process, learning how to learn, and enjoying the process. Ideally, a degree should broaden your intellectual horizons. I may have studied chemistry but I also discovered interests in history, philosophy and politics (Machiavelli wasn’t on my reading list, but it was interesting).

My point to tgr430 was that s/he does not sound as though s/he’s enjoying the study. I also inferred that s/he is not too far along with the course. My point was that if the sole purpose of the degree was to get a “good” job in IT, maybe a rethink was required. With a master’s in business education, you will appreciate the concept of sunk costs.

sleipnir214
You are right, poor choice of word.

In my experience, the better the teacher, the more they enjoy dissent / discussion (provided it is informed). However, many students lack the confidence / experience necessary to feel comfortable making such challenges. (I’m guessing that lack of assertiveness, is not something from which you suffer.)

If tgr430 wants guidance from a teacher, then making an appointment sets a clear professional context for the encounter, one in which yelling is not appropriate.

tgr430
If your professors really aren’t clarifying their points properly, then for your own sake, you must take them through step by step, if necessary, using the “So what you are saying is…” technique. Don’t allow them to get away with it. Maybe too many of their students have allowed them to get lazy in their thinking.

 

[willir]

tgr430

Man, is this thread getting long...

I re-read some aspects, I noticed I missed a couple of things.

Firstly, if you are having problems with grades, I suspect you need to focus. Working and commuting - do not help make a good student. I have been in this situation before, twice actually. Both times, I rented a small apartment / shared housing near school -- why? So I could "live and breath computers". Yep, a real drag, but this is where "means justify the ends". I prioritized school and my marks. And I did this by ruling out other distractions. Worked wonders.

Ask yourself, "Do I want to be a Helpdesk person for... or move on to something better? (And yes, I agree, Helpdesk adds value and you gain experience. But you have to do this AND be successful academically. If not, something has to give.)


Scondly, there are good and bad professors just like there are good and bad managers and bosses. Have you discussed this with your fellow students? They may have a similar perspective, or a different perspective. (Worst course I ever took was when the professor was going through a nasty divorce.) If everyone seems to share your feelings, get together and discuss. If bad enough, as a class, approach the department chair or other superior being. Get together to form study groups too. (See what I mean by "live and breath"??)

By living outside the academic community, and spending time working, you may be missing this apsect.


Thirdly, seek additional resources.

Some of the self-help books on computers are not too bad. You get exposure to other ways of teaching the same thing. It can get a bit confusing if terminology differ, but by emersing yourself, if will begin to make sense. And then you will grasp the big picture.

This is want you want -- learn the "big picture". And this is why I feel some people are bad managers -- mixing the big picture and micro-management.

Another resource would be a mentor. Try to latch on to some one who is doing well. I was on the "other end", and I found that when I explained things to those needing help, I learned even more. Not everybody likes to help, but usually, at least some will.

By the way... [blue]rosieb [/blue]
I absolutely agree with the learning process. This is part of the transferable skills I have learned to value. "Learning how to learn" is key to adapting to the changing IT world.