Is my masters degree a liability for entry level IT work?

First, I'll give you a little history: some years ago, I graduated from my mid-major state uni with a BS in History and Political Science and then I went on to graduate school to work on my masters degree in Library Science (yes, to become a librarian). Before I graduated, of course, the great recession began. After graduation, I stayed in a AT&T sub-contracted customer care call center (billing and first tier tech support). I was tired of not finding a "real job" too. So I decided to go back to school for my AAS in Computer Information Technology, from which I graduate in December. My question, basically, is this: is leaving my Masters degree on my resume going to be a liability for me? I'm specifically thinking of the liability being hiring managers and recruiters will look at my resume and think I'm overqualified. Has anyone had experience with this before? Also, would it be okay if I kept my resumes bare bones with my BS, AAS and only have my work experience being my call center gig, work-study gig, and my internship listed as work experience and leave no trace of library work on my resume be okay? I'm specifically putting "relevant education" and "relevant work experience."

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Comments

srabiee

I think you are going to get mixed responses on this one. I have seen some people recommend leaving it off because they feel you will get more responses with just the bachelors degree listed.

My personal opinion is to leave it on there. I would never purposely hide something that I worked my ass off to obtain.

In your case it's a little different because the degree is not in IT, so I'm not sure about this one. Generally speaking though, I have seen guys on here with MS degrees in IT hide it from their resume because they are afraid of being passed over on job opportunities. I think it's a little silly personally, but everyone has different feelings and experiences on the matter.

I'm interested in hearing first-hand experiences from those who have masters degrees and have actually encountered issues related to this when actively seeking employment.

tjb122982

Would leaving my masters degree off as a be considered unethical?

srabiee

No, not at all. It's your decision whether you want to "use" it or not. I think it would be unethical to lie about it if the topic came up during an interview, but as long as the information on your resume is truthful, it's up to you as to what you want to include or not.

Danielm7

Surely nothing unethical about it, I would find it highly unlikely if you got an interview that they would ask you if you've done any higher level education beyond what you wrote on your resume.

As for leaving it on or off. I'd say off. My thought process is that if it was an MS in something like finance or business, then maybe the company could see themselves getting some benefit to your training. But, library science is so specialized my first thought would be that you're looking for a job until a library position opened up and you don't want to give them a reason to skip your resume before you even get a chance.

NinjaBoy

I can only say from an IT Manager's point of view to leave it on (but everyone will have their own opinion). I, personally, don't have any issues seeing high level academic qualifications on a CV on an entry level position, it's when I see high level professional certifications that should reflect a person's experience (when there is none) is when I laugh

da_vato

tjb122982 wrote: »

Would leaving my masters degree off as a be considered unethical?

Something that people don't think about for some wierd reason is that your resume is just to get you an interview, that's it, nothing else. Personally I tailor every resume submission per the job posting. If you think your chances of getting a call back could be hurt by putting your un-related degree in there then don't do it.

daviddws

It's rare that someone would initially look at your resume anyway. Keywords are what seperates your resume from the rest. I would leave it on but call me biased.

Polynomial

My Master's in IT Management scared off employers during my last job search. Its the whole 24 years old/ambition/he's going to leave/he out-educates me phenomenon. It is a thing. I watched interviewers ask me about it multiple times over 1st and 2nd round interviews and they were blatantly repeating themselves over the topic.

They were ultimately shitty companies, but nonetheless.

markulous

If I was applying for a really low-level IT job, like a call-center that's almost all scripted, I probably would not put it on there. Those places will hire anyone with a pulse and it's only going to put you in the overqualified group that they toss out.

If it was a was a place that gave you more responsibility and there was plenty of room to move up there, then I would definitely include it.

iBrokeIT

Yes and no. Some managers may be threatened by you having more education and have seen a few threads on here about that situation. Some employers will like that you have a master's degree and I would say this group is probably the majority. Personally, I would play the odds and keep it on there.

AverageJoe

Definitely tailor your resume for the position you're applying to. On the other hand, if you're asked or have to fill out an application, you should be truthful and list it if asked.

wgroom

A Master's degree is something to be proud of, and in now way would I remove it from your CV. You have invested heavily your time and ambition to obtain a graduate degree. Have you considered looking for IT positions specializing in library services? If that field is slim, have you considered using your education and experience to create a piece of the pie in said field? With a graduate degree, I would be hard put to consider an entry level position. If there is no opportunities for someone with your experience, create the opportunity. Best of luck either way.

markulous

wgroom wrote: »

A Master's degree is something to be proud of, and in now way would I remove it from your CV. You have invested heavily your time and ambition to obtain a graduate degree. Have you considered looking for IT positions specializing in library services? If that field is slim, have you considered using your education and experience to create a piece of the pie in said field? With a graduate degree, I would be hard put to consider an entry level position. If there is no opportunities for someone with your experience, create the opportunity. Best of luck either way.

I see where you are coming from, but it's not about pride, it's just maximizing his chances for a job. If he was applying at a Walmart, would they really hire him to stock produce when they see a master's degree on his resume? Some of these entry-level IT jobs aren't much better than that either.

LinuxNerd

markulous wrote: »

I see where you are coming from, but it's not about pride, it's just maximizing his chances for a job. If he was applying at a Walmart, would they really hire him to stock produce when they see a master's degree on his resume? Some of these entry-level IT jobs aren't much better than that either.

Yeah I would not list the Master's. There is no need as it won't help you get the job. List it after you have your 1 year of experience.

Jon_Cisco

I think a lot of managers would be concerned about giving you an entry level position. Two things come to mind where it might not matter.

1. Contract work. If you take a short contract who cares if you are looking for better opportunities.
2. Companies that actively recruit from there entry level positions so it might show them promise.

Use your education to create a logical argument for transferring you academic skills to the IT world. Companies want good employees that can communicate clearly.

Good Luck!

JockVSJock

I have a Masters in Mngt of Info Systems and I have struggled to get any type of work other then business analysis positions, which I do not care fore.

If you are applying for basic help desk/NOC/SOC work, you will probably get hired, however be prepared to be passed over for promotion like I was because you will be too valuable to promote, especially if you excel in the work environment.

Are you in a bigger city? Then you may have a chance to work for a company that may take a chance an in college grad, however be prepared to knuckle down and start getting certs to get the skills/experience to get the position that you really want.

pevangel

I don't think you'd want to work for somebody that views you as a threat because you have a masters. That just means there's no growth potential there. Look for a company that values your achievements and will promote your growth.