Get a decent IT job without a degree?
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Is it possible to get a decent job in the IT field without a college degree of some sort. I know I can get a set of Certs that will help but can I get by with just them?
If so, what are some of the key certs that I can get so that I could start working within a year.
If so, what are some of the key certs that I can get so that I could start working within a year.
Comments
-Peanut
-Mayor Cory Booker
Blog: www.network-node.com
Be focused and motivated and you'll be fine.
I am all for working my way up. What is the most entry level IT job out there? From my understanding it is help desk, is this true?
Yes that is true. Level 1/Level 2 positions (help desk/desktop support) are pretty much what you're going to be shooting for. So you're going to want to work on A+/Network+/Security+ (I throw Security+ only because if you get A+ and Network+ first plus use Darril Gibson's Get Certified Get Ahead for Sec+, you'll pretty much be good to go).
The best thing you can do after acquiring those certs is see if you can find a jack-of-all-trades type of position, usually found in libraries, schools, and small non-profit IT shops.
Best of luck.
An A+ can get you a variety of entry level jobs such as help desk, deployment and desktop support. You can look through all of the jobs sites for jobs and look through staffing companies also to find jobs.
Also you might want to look at community college and WGU to help get more of an education. Online isn't for everyone but the program does have its advantages. Community college will atleast get you some basic IT courses, gen-ed courses and an associates degree to help further you along and can be transfered to a BS program when you want to.
Good Luck...
It is more realistic to have all three, though you should try finding a help desk job NOW while you are working on the three. They are the easiest IT certs to land (well, the CIW certs are actually the easiest, but I've never seen jobs asking for those). I only had to get mine because of WGU.
The whole lifetime/3 year to recertify CompTIA certs are moot. The whole point of getting CompTIA certs is to get in the door of IT (or if you are going to use them as MCSA electives like I was before I ended up getting a better job that didn't require a MCSA). You may either go the Cisco or Microsoft route (or both) after you land your first IT gig. It's not a hard thing to do either. Many folks start out Geek Squadin' or working at Staples as a tech before landing a real job elsewhere. Just hit the job boards, craiglist, etc. If you are hungry, you will find work. Then you can worry about getting an education from a place like WGU. There are places out there that will hire you based on a positive attitude/willing to learn.
Believe me, if you want to work in IT...there is only one person that gets in your way...you. Just start working on a plan based on what's been given to you thusfar.
Degree and/or certs = good.
Degree and Certs = better
Degree and certs and experience = better still
Degree and certs and experience and knowing someone who can get you hired = THE BEST
A lot of getting a job depends on what the hiring folks are looking for. Some like certs, some like degree, some focus more on experience.
How are you defining "decent"? Is it a certain amount of money or a challenging job? Is it "job security" or benefits? What are the criteria? My answer is that yes you can have a "decent" job without a college degree. IT is probably one of the few fields where you can still make a "decent wage" (55-75+) without a college degree, assuming you have the "right" qualifications (experience AND certs) and can sell yourself well in an interview. I am in the lower in of this range without a college degree, just certs and experience and when I make my next move I plan to be in the middle to upper in of this range and I probably won't be done with my A.A.S.
You can "get by" with just certifications. You might not be able to get ahead in certain environments with just certs though. You are going to have to do something to get your "weight" (and worth) up. For many that might be a degree. For others it might be specializing. Still others, high level certs. For some it is all of thee above.
What type of work? I suggest that you get that if you have the money get A+, N+ and S+. If not, get the S+ and go for some vendor certifications. I only say get the security+ because I think that no matter what you do, having Security knowledge will only help you. There isn't a magic bullet. You could get all the certs in the world and still not be able to land a gig or you could get S+ and work as a government contractor making 40K. More important than certs is getting some experience (I know, chicken and egg situation) getting you name out there, networking online (linkedin) and in personal professional organizations. That will do more for your career than any cert. Who you know is the difference.
YESSSS... i have had bosses who have worked for decades and never had real interviews because they know folks. this site can be helpful as you can make contacts with folks who can at least point you in useful directions in all three options in bold.
No degree or certs or experience and knowing someone who can get you hired and keep you hired = EVEN BETTER. It happens.
It can be a 4-year degree in basketweaving...as long as it's from an accredited school, and you have some idea about IT, you can get hired. I've worked with many colleagues who were sociology majors, biology, chemistry, criminal justice, and various liberal arts degrees that were in my IT depts in every one of my shops.
True story! This is unless they request a degree in X but usually you'll see something like "years of experience can be substituted on top of an unrelated degree" (I've seen it in many postings that require CS degrees.)
But if I was a mentor or parent I would guide you differently. I would have a face to face with a 12 pack of some McEwans Ale and Smoke a few Cain F's and have a heart to heart and find your skills sets and your passions and come up with a list of 10 of degree programs you would be interested in. Then I would narrow that down to a few and start looking at regionally accredited universities.
But that's just me.
Very true and that's how I've been able to get my jobs without a degree or relevant certs!
Are you more than an advertisement for that college? All you do is poke your head into these forums, revive a thread with the word "degree" in it and post a similar response, always including that link.
I guess I was fortunate to get in when I did, and my hobby since middleschool was hacking, programming and working with MS Server.
My honest suggestion to you if you have no experience would be start posting in the GIGs section on craigslist, see if you can pickup some small time IT jobs. It would at least give you a little experience to put on your resume, and then build from there.
If you wanna get started what the other posters recommend is good, get maybe you A+, Net+ and go apply at small mom-pop computer shops, geek squad, etc. It will get your foot in the door and get you started.
I would still get the degree though, I dont have one now, and while I have 10 years of experience, not having the degree can shut some doors. Though once you reach 10 years of experience people will look over the lack of degree a lot, since most positions will list 4 yr degree or equivalent work experience. But I in no way advocate not getting a degree.
CCIE: Network Security Principals and Practices
CCIE: Routing and Switching Exam Certification Guide
For the rest, it's the blue collar route to success which means (hopefully), just enough grunt work in operations to get out of there and become more technical/commercial or you stay there and make the best of things. Operations is fast becoming a vanishing point for successful careers in IT.
You don't a degree for a good job. You really dont.