Do you study what will get you ahead or what you like?

Just curious what approach you use in regards to your career.

I noticed most people at work, tend to focus on what will get them ahead. The problem is it seems they don't get very far usually. Work, family, hobbies, burn out etc prevents them from completing something. Whether it be a certification, training course or just learning a new skill in general. The people who align with their passions or at least enjoy part of the material they are reviewing seems to complete these task.

With that said those folks don't always get a lot out of that approach, for their position, X, Y and Z matter mostly, but they enjoy N, so they do N. And while N might be a nice to have it most certainly isn't a game changer.

Obviously there is the perfect storm and those folks have the best of both worlds. I never seem to get that, it's usually one or the other.

So.... Do you follow through with items that strictly align with your career or do you tend to lean towards new knowledge that interest you and if the money comes, it comes?

Me personal, I love coding and problem solving so I stay in that space and it most certainly helps, but there are areas where I have gaps and I just can't for the life of me take even 45 minutes a night to fill them. I wouldn't consider them critical, but they do snap directly into my career path.

Oh well I suppose....

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lloris_20

Good question.

I work with Linux everyday and I love learning more about it so I purchase Linux bible and now reading it. I enjoy shell scripting , so any time I can give to it I m happy. It has helped me to automated somethings in my daily tasks. It may not need too much scripting for my job which is the bad point.

But I have a passion for this command line , hopefully someday I can put it to use.

MitM

I like to mix it up. I'll use my personal study time to learn more about technology that I use daily, and the rest of the time I'm learning something that maybe I'll use in the future. I always want to learn things that will keep me relevant, "just in case" I need to find new employment.

Welly_59

If you don't enjoy a subject you'll probably find it difficult to study for it.

I love networking. For that reason slogging my ass off gaining certs in that area is a joy rather than a chore

Kinet1c

Welly_59 wrote: »

If you don't enjoy a subject you'll probably find it difficult to study for it.

^ This +1. I wouldn't study something I didn't like.

E Double U

It is a combination of both for me. I went for the CCNA because it was a big deal at the time, but I also found it fun. I continued with CCNP Security because it matched what I was doing at the time, but I didn't expect big bucks to come out of it. It did keep my CCNA valid and I had more fun.

The (ISC)2, GIAC, ISACA, and EC-Council studies I've done align with my career and the material is interesting. I definitely wouldn't say that I love it though. I take advantage of an employer that wants to invest in me, but if I had to pay for all of this out of pocket I know my cert chase would slow down drastically.

thomas_

I primarily study for things that will either get me a promotion or better paying job. I'm not sure how many people truly enjoy their jobs even if they say that they love what they are doing. If you didn't have to work another day in your life and could afford everything you ever wanted, would you continue to work 8 hours a day in your current profession?

I find what I'm doing enjoyable, but I find staying employed and employable even more enjoyable. Part of being employed and employable involves learning new skills. Anything that I think will keep me progressing has my interest even if I find it kind of boring to study.

JoJoCal19

I pursued and studied for most of my certs to get ahead. The GSEC was the only one that I found interesting enough that it wasn't a slog. It was definitely a tough slog for the CISA, that's for sure. My adventure in pursuing certs to get ahead or pad the resume officially crashed and burned with the PMP. As you know, I just went into DGAF mode and gave up studying, and ultimately didn't pass. I have zero desire to even try for it again. Even though I deal with projects as a large part of my job, I would only ever consider going for an Agile/SCRUM cert, and that's IF my employer made me.

At this point I am only pursuing what interests me, and that is learning coding and hacking/pentesting. That's it. Thankfully those two items are that perfect storm of being stuff that will only help my career, especially coding.

cyberguypr

As said above, I do not study stuff I don't like. All my certs have been part of my pursuit for knowledge, not a requirement. The closest thing to something I didn't like was my CEH and CHFI but only because I despise EC Council, not the material.

Blucodex

What I like which happens to be what will get me ahead.

DatabaseHead

@JoJo, that's because the PMP isn't real world.

If I tried running a project with that methodology my career would suddenly come to a halt along with my performance appraisals.

@Blu, so IF you like it but it doesn't get you ahead you won't do it or if you don't like it but it gets you ahead you will forgo as well?

@Cyber, sounds like me. You go for stuff you like not because of the dollars that follow it...

TechGromit

I would have to say a little of both. For example I do like working in networking, so some aspects of studying for the CCNA certification I enjoy, but there required exam topics that I do not enjoy at all, and it makes those areas more difficult to study. The same is true of GREM, I enjoy the behavioral aspects of analyzing malware, but the static malware analyzing is painful when it comes to trying to figure out what's going in the code at the assembly level.

Dakinggamer87

I would go in the group of both. I want to improve my credentials and career prospects while also enjoying the subject matter that I am studying. So ROI is definitely important but also looking at what areas it can improve in my life outside of IT is another vantage point I consider.

kohr-ah

I study what is relevant to my current job and what interests me but you know what has gotten me further than anything else?
Social skills and personality.

clarkincnet

I pursued my certs because I was interested in the material. It keeps the brain fresh and I've found that I do better learning things when I have a goal in mind.

UnixGuy

What will get me ahead! If I do what I like I'll be watching Netflix all day (which I do sometimes..)

Having said that, the longer you do something the better you become at it, and as a result you enjoy it! sounds odd but read a book called "so you good they can't ignore you" it explains this concept well

I don't hate what I study, but I like to spend my time in things that will get me returns.

SteveLavoie

I do both... I pursue certain certs because it is good for my career or for partnership reason (within a certain focus). However I make sure to read or study other thing that I call my side projects. I will take a class in september about assembly language for reverse engineering. It is totally out of my current role (Server admin, virtualisation, storage, networking), but every once in a while I can bring some of my side project study out of my bag of trick...

After all, I love IT, either as a server admin, networking admin, or developper.

It is all a facet of IT.

DatabaseHead

UnixGuy wrote: »

What will get me ahead! If I do what I like I'll be watching Netflix all day (which I do sometimes..)

Having said that, the longer you do something the better you become at it, and as a result you enjoy it! sounds odd but read a book called "so you good they can't ignore you" it explains this concept well

I don't hate what I study, but I like to spend my time in things that will get me returns.

But that's the conundrum if you do what you like you have a better chance of being successful, however...... If what you like doesn't align with supply and demand it may not offer much return.....

ITSec14

I think the further someone gets into their career, they will naturally gravitate toward a specific skillset. Doesn't mean we shouldn't also pursue other areas of knowledge. People should never assume their career is safe just because they are a 15 year veteran with expertise in a specific area, especially when there are teenagers out there who are showing huge potential in this field.

Kore

I tend to break it up of 75 what I like and 25 to get ahead to make sure I am studying technologies that are in demand to get ahead. Some technologies I want to learn are not implemented at clients of the company so no way to put it into production and just have my lab to test. It's also more difficult staying focused when studying technologies that I am not too eager about especially when you cannot put into practice and is technical. I rely on my lab to help push through.

What I find work for me also is taking a short break to just read about something that i find intriguing to give my mind a break. When I return to actual studying, I feel more refreshed.

dave330i

It's easy enough to train yourself to study a subject. Even if it's something you dislike. You just need the right motivation.

yoba222

I think the majority of people study what they like and the majority of people are experts at videogames, social media, and Netflix.

UnixGuy

DatabaseHead wrote: »

But that's the conundrum if you do what you like you have a better chance of being successful, ......

Very debatable really...and there is no end to this discussion, sure I liked computers in my teens but then you grow out of it. However, I think it's a good career and is enabling me to do what I really love without worrying about money! You need a career that gives you a certain amount of autonomy and freedom

Panther

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Just curious what approach you use in regards to your career.

I noticed most people at work, tend to focus on what will get them ahead. The problem is it seems they don't get very far usually. Work, family, hobbies, burn out etc prevents them from completing something. Whether it be a certification, training course or just learning a new skill in general. The people who align with their passions or at least enjoy part of the material they are reviewing seems to complete these task.

With that said those folks don't always get a lot out of that approach, for their position, X, Y and Z matter mostly, but they enjoy N, so they do N. And while N might be a nice to have it most certainly isn't a game changer.

Obviously there is the perfect storm and those folks have the best of both worlds. I never seem to get that, it's usually one or the other.

So.... Do you follow through with items that strictly align with your career or do you tend to lean towards new knowledge that interest you and if the money comes, it comes?

Me personal, I love coding and problem solving so I stay in that space and it most certainly helps, but there are areas where I have gaps and I just can't for the life of me take even 45 minutes a night to fill them. I wouldn't consider them critical, but they do snap directly into my career path.

Oh well I suppose....

I love coding also. Learned it on my own. Started out in IT doing that for 6 months. Then scared of outsourcing and went the direction of IT operations/service desk (anything that required being onsite).

I noticed your certs are ITIL. Is that your job area also?

Been recently laid off, and now I'm focused on my next move, Sys Admin/Management. Need to setup labs. Research WGU. Priority and time now are definitely anything career-wise versus hobby, as much as I enjoy coding (and not spending too much time on techexams lol, though it's really helpful).

Panther

thomas_ wrote: »

I primarily study for things that will either get me a promotion or better paying job. I'm not sure how many people truly enjoy their jobs even if they say that they love what they are doing. If you didn't have to work another day in your life and could afford everything you ever wanted, would you continue to work 8 hours a day in your current profession?

I find what I'm doing enjoyable, but I find staying employed and employable even more enjoyable. Part of being employed and employable involves learning new skills. Anything that I think will keep me progressing has my interest even if I find it kind of boring to study.

Good mantra!

DatabaseHead

Panther wrote: »

I love coding also. Learned it on my own. Started out in IT doing that for 6 months. Then scared of outsourcing and went the direction of IT operations/service desk (anything that required being onsite).

I noticed your certs are ITIL. Is that your job area also?

Been recently laid off, and now I'm focused on my next move, Sys Admin/Management. Need to setup labs. Research WGU. Priority and time now are definitely anything career-wise versus hobby, as much as I enjoy coding (and not spending too much time on techexams lol, though it's really helpful).

Can't stand ITIL, think it's an huge incredible waste. I list it more of a joke than anything, if I could get my 3,000 dollars back I would......

I am in BI, working with descriptive statistics, ETL, SQL, Data Analysis. Anything in the BI space, except architecture which is down the road hopefully.

NetworkingStudent

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Can't stand ITIL, think it's an huge incredible waste. I list it more of a joke than anything, if I could get my 3,000 dollars back I would......

I am in BI, working with descriptive statistics, ETL, SQL, Data Analysis. Anything in the BI space, except architecture which is down the road hopefully.

I don't know a lot about ITIL, but it seems like alot companies take bits and pieces of ITIL and say "we practice ITIL.." I have never heard of a company implement ITIL 100%.

NetworkingStudent

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Just curious what approach you use in regards to your career.

I noticed most people at work, tend to focus on what will get them ahead. The problem is it seems they don't get very far usually. Work, family, hobbies, burn out etc prevents them from completing something. Whether it be a certification, training course or just learning a new skill in general. The people who align with their passions or at least enjoy part of the material they are reviewing seems to complete these task.

With that said those folks don't always get a lot out of that approach, for their position, X, Y and Z matter mostly, but they enjoy N, so they do N. And while N might be a nice to have it most certainly isn't a game changer.

Obviously there is the perfect storm and those folks have the best of both worlds. I never seem to get that, it's usually one or the other.

So.... Do you follow through with items that strictly align with your career or do you tend to lean towards new knowledge that interest you and if the money comes, it comes?

Me personal, I love coding and problem solving so I stay in that space and it most certainly helps, but there are areas where I have gaps and I just can't for the life of me take even 45 minutes a night to fill them. I wouldn't consider them critical, but they do snap directly into my career path.

Oh well I suppose....

I study both:

Certs that will get me ahead and ones that I'm interested in.

However, I think business and communications skills will get you farther in IT, than certifications will.