IT Certifications

[Sabolin]

I will preface this by saying that I do not have CS degree, I have a BS in Meteorology with a minor in Math.

I've been in an IT position working for a company in my field for over a year now. I do development, debugging, database administration, web design, and more. I use PHP, HTML, Javascript, MySQL , MS Access, VB6, and can look at scripts/code modules from other varying languages that I have less experience with and can manipulate them to my needs or can at least translate the algorithms into a language I can use. All of this I've learned within the past year working at this job. I've always been good with computers both hardware and software since I was very young, but chose a different path when I went to college.

I do not know what the future holds, but am happy with my current job. However, I have friends with CS degrees with no real-life job experience shelling out thousands of dollars for Microsoft certifications and security certs and other stuff like that.. more classes and tests, and they either are practically begging for jobs or working temp/contract jobs well over a year after graduation and several certs later.

I guess what I'm asking is: Would I be able to continue in the computer science job field with no certifications and no computer science degree if I chose to do so in the future?

Or to put it another way: how important are the CS degree and certifications to an employer?

[Abysmal]

Originally Posted by Sabolin

I guess what I'm asking is: Would I be able to continue in the computer science job field with no certifications and no computer science degree if I chose to do so in the future?

Or to put it another way: how important are the CS degree and certifications to an employer?

it's one of the few fields where you do not need a degree. there will always be opportunities available for you and a lot of employers like real experience over degrees and certs. however, certs might help boost your pay depending on where you work, or where you want to work. figure out exactly what you want to do and find out what most people doing that job have for an education.

[Hachima]

It would depend a lot of where you are applying. A smaller company/startup that doesn't get many resumes? Probably not as much as a large company getting 100s of resumes for a position. In that case a CS degree/Cert may help you get past the filtering process and into an interview.

[Desx]

IT Certifications

are a waste of time.

[eVasiege]

Hmm, kinda like me except I'm still in school. Always thought I would go the CS or IT route for my BS and I ended up going Pols instead as I figured certs would be relatively easy to pick up later on if I wanted.

[Sole]

Originally Posted by Desx

are a waste of time.

Unless you work at Dell and all you need is a GED?

Everything helps--experience, degree, certs. The more, the better. That simple.

[Rhuobhe]

Originally Posted by Sole

Unless you work at Dell and all you need is a GED?

Everything helps--experience, degree, certs. The more, the better. That simple.

Agreed.

In IT all you need is experience. Thats fine. However if you are ambitious and would like to make more money then the certs or degree will help. Since you already have a bs stick to the certs or get a masters.

Please keep in mind that IT Certifications are toilet paper if you don't really have experience.

A lot of engineers and senior level guys have nice jobs w/o the certs. However as you are progressing in your career and are smart enough, you can make a lot more money at their age or experience level. Managers for companies that are worth a shit like their guys to be intelligent.

Additionally, you will not have the disadvantage they may have way later on when your company is looking for a Manager or VP. They will hire someone from the outside if they see you have been eating shit for the past 10-20 years.

[Maio]

Originally Posted by Sabolin

I do development, debugging, database administration, web design, and more. I use PHP, HTML, Javascript, MySQL , MS Access, VB6, and can look at scripts/code modules from other varying languages that I have less experience with and can manipulate them to my needs or can at least translate the algorithms into a language I can use.

There are several certifications related to what you do at your job. Look for Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Certified Internet Web Professional, Certified Software Development Professional, Oracle Certifications, etc.

Originally Posted by Sabolin

However, I have friends with CS degrees with no real-life job experience shelling out thousands of dollars for Microsoft certifications and security certs and other stuff like that.. more classes and tests, and they either are practically begging for jobs or working temp/contract jobs well over a year after graduation and several certs later.

They have the papers that claim they know the theory but no experience that proves they are capable of applying it.

Originally Posted by Sabolin

I guess what I'm asking is: Would I be able to continue in the computer science job field with no certifications and no computer science degree if I chose to do so in the future?

Of course you will, in IT experience > all. However, obtaining a certification is no harm.

Originally Posted by Sabolin

Or to put it another way: how important are the CS degree and certifications to an employer?

It depends on the employer and the position you are applying for (high demand/low supply). An employer might hire you for an entry-level position if you hold a number of certifications, but don't expect a competitive salary. If you are already employed it depends on wether or not your current employer (or the HR staff) knows about the certifications that you hold: they may mean crap for them, or they may think something like, "this guy is becoming more marketable, we gotta do something or we might lose him".

[slitz]

Originally Posted by Sabolin

I will preface this by saying that I do not have CS degree, I have a BS in Meteorology with a minor in Math.

I've been in an IT position working for a company in my field for over a year now. I do development, debugging, database administration, web design, and more. I use PHP, HTML, Javascript, MySQL , MS Access, VB6, and can look at scripts/code modules from other varying languages that I have less experience with and can manipulate them to my needs or can at least translate the algorithms into a language I can use. All of this I've learned within the past year working at this job. I've always been good with computers both hardware and software since I was very young, but chose a different path when I went to college.

----

I guess what I'm asking is: Would I be able to continue in the computer science job field with no certifications and no computer science degree if I chose to do so in the future?

As people have already told you, work experience is pretty much everything in our business. It's almost too dependent on work experience in fact, since I also, just as your friends, had a hard time getting my first job due to the lack of work experience. The good thing is though, once you get it, you can pretty much pick almost whatever job you want, assuming you have the knowledge they seek (it's actually even better to look for a job when you have a job, easier that way since they know someone wants you and your "skills").
Though, you will most likely not get a engineering position without a engineering grad so unless you want to continue with web development, a engineering degree is pretty much necessary (at least here)..
If you get a engineering degree + work experience however, then you'll have a smorgosbord to choose from.
If you have to decide between the two (degree or work experience), I'd choose work experience hands down.

[Sharmai]

Experience > Degree > Certifications

I do not have a degree or any certifications yet I am already well employed. I have actual skills which got me a basic job and then got me promoted 3 times in > 2 years. Eventually you will need to get a degree or certification to reach certain levels of the pay scale (which i am going for a degree right now) but experience will get your foot in the door faster.

Nevermind any boss knows that a choice between and IT guy with 4 years experience and a new college grad is going to take the 4 years experience guy every single time. (Of course a college grad with 4 years and a degree will kick your ass but thats obvious)

[Sharmai]

Oh and if you have real skills and not just some BS then you should know you will have PLENTY of opportunity to display your real skills. In all the various IT places I have worked I have seen people with MS/CISCO/CS DEGREES and everything else under then sun that I could run circles around with what my experience. I don't have facts to back this up but I would say about 80% of the people who have that crap don't know jack shit. I honestly think those certifications and most degrees are 100% worthless showing of actual computer skills.

Just get a entry level job some where and wait for 8/10 of your co-workers to fuck up cause they don't know shit then show off your l33t tech skills to your boss and watch the promotions come quick as shit.

[Jenison]

Originally Posted by Sole

Unless you work at Dell and all you need is a GED?

Everything helps--experience, degree, certs. The more, the better. That simple.

They are really only good at getting your foot int he door at the begining of your career. After that its all .. 'What have you done'

I've been a contract programmer for more then 11 years. I have zero certifications and have been doing contracting since I was 18 out of High School.

Not one time has anyone said 'While you have X years of experience you dont have a certification...goodbye'

Certifications might also get you a little more money as an employee. But honestly...its not going to be anything.

Contracting is a huge jump in pay from standard employment then being an employee and getting a certification. Unless you are working at McDonalds and getting your certification to become in the IT field, then its worth it.

[Sharmai]

Oh and another thing to consider is the $$$$$ cost of certifications. Some of those certs cost a fuckton and amount to barely getting a job. Paying 3-4k or 10-20k to get a cert and then only getting a 20k a year job will piss you off to no end. Whats worse is that you could have worked somewhere for 2 years for 20k and then had 2 years experience and taken that and got a 40k a year job with no cert.

So seriously look at those cert costs. Then go to careerbuilder and do a search for the job you want and see how many of them are hiring specifcally for a person with that cert and ZERO experiance. You will often find no jobs at all hiring for that cert but no experiance. Often they will say they require a cert but you can tell them that you have 2 years experiance but just don't have the cert and they will still give you a trial period. (Which if you know what your doing is all you need)

Some companies will even pay for you to go get certs after you get hired.

[Zippygoose]

It looks like you're getting some good applied experience at your job, but all of the technologies you've listed are quite old. For this reason certs might be a good thing.

Before you spend any of your own money ask your employer if they will cover some of it (many do, my employer 100% covers my MCPD EA and actually requires that I complete it).

If you have an MSDN subscription you can get a lot of the latest tools (VS 2008, Silverlight, etc etc) to play around with as well.

[Ashes Emberblade]

I have a shitload of experience as well as a Bachelor's in an unrelated field. Recently got turned down for a job because I didn't have the proper certifications despite nearly 12 years of relevant experience.