MSIS with no experience?

Hi all!

I'm entering a MSIS program with just a bachelors in economics. I took a year off and did some nonprofit work. I'm wondering what kind of job opportunities/pay range I should be looking for after I earn the masters?

**I'm going to make some big attempts to get an internship at a company while in school. Currently I have an unpaid internship with a nonprofit assisting in the creation of a database

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CyberfiSecurity

sospina wrote: »

Hi all!

I'm entering a MSIS program with just a bachelors in economics. I took a year off and did some nonprofit work. I'm wondering what kind of job opportunities/pay range I should be looking for after I earn the masters?

**I'm going to make some big attempts to get an internship at a company while in school. Currently I have an unpaid internship with a nonprofit assisting in the creation of a database

You are looking at entry level job because you have no experience. A Master degree without experience would not get you and further. I would recommend you not to get a Master degree that would get you more into student loan debt. Instead start exploring the IT certification/industrial certification.

If you are lucky enough that there is a small number of job requires the following:
- 8 Years experience with no college degree
- 5 years experience with a Bachelor degree
- 3 years experience with a Master degree
- 0 year experience with a Ph.D degree

Information Technology and Information Systems fields require 60% experience, 25% formal education, and 15% Industrial certification. Sometimes Industrial Certification is interchange with formal education.

da_vato

I've never heard of anyone being accepted into a MSIS program without experience.... What school are attending?

Anyways, without true experience, you'll most likely be limited too entry level jobs. I know entry level security jobs are not very common. Good luck to you.

pinkydapimp

Yea to be honest, its will be tough to get a non entry level position with out experience. and you may not get as much from your program without experience. Can you defer for a year and get a little experience?

Otherwise, there are places that may give you a shot. i would look to find an internship and hopefully try to get hired by them.

sospina

I'm not worried about debt since I paid off undergrad already and I'm not worried about starting at the bottom. I know it'd be better to have experience as with any masters, but I just want to get my masters out of the way before I have children. I'm just curious as to what "the bottom" job entails. Could I pull off a business analyst position with the combination of degrees? Could I just get something that's working as a junior dba? It may sound like dumb questions, but I don't know people in the IT field besides my supervisor at my internship (who didnt get a degree and is super against school lol).

And Da_Vato it's a satellite of Texas A&M.

TechGuru80

Try to get a few certifications while you complete your degree if possible. The masters will come in handy if you want to get into a management or high level position. It really depends on what route you end up wanting to take because there are several options. Database, system admin, network admin, engineer...many of these positions are related somehow and versatility in the industry makes you more in demand. The first job might not be the best because lack of experience, and not having a great idea on actual types of positions/responsibilities but it will not take an extremely long time to find what you really like.

sospina

I actually was thinking about that after reading some of the replies...

What certifications would you recommend?

aderon

sospina wrote: »

I actually was thinking about that after reading some of the replies...

What certifications would you recommend?

It's probably going to depend on what specialization you want to work in, but I think the majority opinion here is that the CCNA is one of the most useful entry-level certs you can attain.

da_vato

I would recommend starting with security+, this is a security degree right?

sospina

da_vato wrote: »

I would recommend starting with security+, this is a security degree right?

It's Information Systems. I do have an option to do a security track, but I haven't had enough exposure to even pick a concentration.

da_vato

Ok, that explains my confusion.

What do you want to do then? Such as networking, database admin, sysad and so on.

sospina

da_vato wrote: »

Ok, that explains my confusion.

What do you want to do then? Such as networking, database admin, sysad and so on.

I'm thinking more along the lines of database admin.

Danielm7

Then look into Microsoft SQL certifications. I don't know how big certs are in a DBA job but it can't hurt.

da_vato

I beleive some Oracle certs are relevant too.

There are lots DBAs on this board I'm sure someone will chime in with specific guidance.

pinkydapimp

Being that you will have a masters and a BS in economics. I feel like you should be looking for roles closer to the business side of things. Probably your quickest path to a role that would reward you for your skillset when you graduate.

sospina

pinkydapimp wrote: »

Being that you will have a masters and a BS in economics. I feel like you should be looking for roles closer to the business side of things. Probably your quickest path to a role that would reward you for your skillset when you graduate.

What kind of position titles would that involve?

And thank you to everyone who has been responding. I really appreciate y'all taking your time to help me.

aspiringsoul

Like the others mentioned, that really depends on your interests. If you're interested in server administration, consider MCSA: Server 2012 and VMWare VCP. If you're interested in Networking, consider the CCNA: R&S.

The CompTIA certifications do not offer nearly as much of an ROI as the certifications above, but they are required for some positions (the Security+ by the DOD), and studying for these certifications will provide you with essential knowledge that would be very beneficial for you. Consider studying for the exams, but maybe don't take them unless you are reimbursed by an employer.

Just throwing this out there, but one of the best IT professionals I know has a BA in Economics. He is a certification junkie, and has an incredibly versatile skill set. I do recommend that you pursue some certifications either before you begin graduate studies or while you are pursuing graduate studies. Certifications are essential for you to be competitive in a technical role, while a Masters degree would help you obtain a management position.

I think you would have a difficult time obtaining a role as a DBA even with Oracle and MS SQL certifications without experience. I believe entry level DBA is somewhat of an oxymoron. So you should probably consider getting IT experience before trying to pursue a position as a DBA.

pinkydapimp

Good thing is that more and more i see the need for IT folks that can interact with the business. But not only that, can IMPACT the business. That requires an understanding of IT and then being able to relate those concepts in order to make the business more efficient, save money, reduce risk, etc. Thats where you want to be with your skillset. There are a ton of job titles. There are tons of options. Project Management, IT security, Sales Engineering, Business analyst, solutions architects etc. I think in your case maybe closer to the security realm would give a better ROI. But really the titles will change and be different everywhere so don't focus on the titles as much as the what the role is.

I think shot term, you will want to get some basic IT experience(maybe desktop support at your school? Or a field engineering or consulting role? The more customer facing the better). Can you get a CCNA and CCNA security cert while doing your masters? It will provide a good foundation of networking knowledge. Then maybe look at sales engineering roles which will move you closer to the business and allow you to gain more tech knowledge as well as interact with the business side. Look towards those roles that allow you to interact with different companies so you can see the best/worst ways to implement technology and also network with those same people.