opinions please

I'd like to pose a question to all you IT pro's out there. I've been in school for a while now in computer information systems. At the moment, I have a double course concentration of networking and security (and thinking of adding programming). My question is this: Which carries more weight when it comes to landing a job in IT, a college degree or professional certifications such as COMP TIA A+, Networks + and Security +. I can only attend school part time and haven't been in a hurry to graduate since I imagine that I'll be taking classes for professional development throughout my career anyway. I'm really looking for the most direct route to getting started in the field. ALL opinions are welcome.....thanks.

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Comments

networker050184

I love these debates....

IMO they are both to enhance your chances of getting a job. Which one is valued higher will vary depending on the employer and position.

My advice would be start looking for work now. Add the certs and degree along the way. The more qualifications you have the better.

djhss68

My A+ and Net+ certs have gotten me nowhere. Got one interview a while back and that's it. I firmly believe you have to get into MS/Cisco if you want a chance at landing a job. I'll have my MCDST and MCSA by the end of this summer and I truly believe I'll be able to get more interviews once obtained.

brad-

a_culter wrote: »

I'm really looking for the most direct route to getting started in the field.

That tells me that you would probably be more interested in certifications. You can knock out A+ and an MCP exam in a couple months. You can do quite a few certs in a year's time. The degree is going to take you 4. Not much to debate IMHO if directness is your only priority.

However, education is something you should never sell yourself short on. Once you get a family and a full time job, your formal education career will most likely be over. I have a B.S. in CIS, which I regretted at the time because I hated programming - and even regretted for a while afterwards, but it did become a bargaining chip and opens enough doors that I feel secure in my field even if I lost my job.

Use the force. The quick and easy path will lead you to the dark side - though you can still make a living working for the dark side. Most people i know dont have a degree, just experience. The key is doing what it takes to get experience. The biggest factor there is social networking (IMHO). My social networking would have been non-existant if not for college.

brad-

djhss68 wrote: »

My A+ and Net+ certs have gotten me nowhere. Got one interview a while back and that's it.

Oh ya, it also matters where you are from. If you have nothing or just A+ in San Fransisco, Chicago, or NYC, you'll be hard pressed. If you're in a rural area, the south, or midwest...it wont be nearly as bad.

djhss68

brad- wrote: »

Oh ya, it also matters where you are from. If you have nothing or just A+ in San Fransisco, Chicago, or NYC, you'll be hard pressed. If you're in a rural area, the south, or midwest...it wont be nearly as bad.

I do live near a major city, so that could be why. But I stand by my statements. It seems you need at least an MCSA/CCNA to be taken seriously.