IT Job with no IT degree?

Hello

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if its possible to start a career in IT without an IT degree? I have a BA in Communications, MPA in public administration, and my PMP. I plan on going for CompTIA certifications to get started.

Thanks!

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galed

It is possible. I got my BA in International Studies and currently work Desktop Support.

Node Man

ive seen many high ranking IT professionals without any degree at all. two paths i would suggest is have people be references for you, and have a verifiable portfolio of work that you can show a recruiter. i have seen this work very well for web developers.

Nemowolf

I started my career in IT with only an associates in creative writing. my first "job" was for the geek squad only because they called me back and i had no other offers. Six months later i started putting my resume out there and was getting call backs from recruiters. I landed my first real IT job doing help desk/desktop support for a local company supporting about 600 users and traveling once a month. During my time i asked why they picked me, my boss told me frankly that they could have gotten someone with far more tech skills but they tend to have far less customer service skills and their interpersonal communications are not up to par. I hate to say that they went with me because i didn't fit the stereotype but it worked to their advantage as i was able to write much of the technical documentation and edit the rest.

N2IT

Short answer - Yes it can be done.

The company will determine a lot however. Some companies require a CS or IT Degree on the other side of the spectrum some require nothing. Then you have everyone else inbetween.

Landing a certification or two would be a great way to get into the IT world. You have your PMP so you could maybe leverage that into a tech BA or PM role which could start you down the path of learning different technologies. You could pop on a help desk or NOC and work your way up from there. It really depends on the market and what you want to do.

CompTIA's are a great way to learn about a certain technology from a vendor neutral vantage point. They do cost a little bit but they do lay a nice foundation. A+ and Network + are the most popular. A+ alone will get hits from the HR scanning tools, Network + not so much.

Then you have Linux + and Security + which are both the next most popular. Security + is a good one if you are in a government heavy market. If you have a high technical aptitude maybe jumping to Linux + would be a good way to start.

***Look around the different forums to gain a better understanding of these different certifications. There is a lot of content out there.

Vendor certifications are nice to have as well. Cisco and Microsoft are the most popular.

pinkydapimp

Nemowolf wrote: »

I started my career in IT with only an associates in creative writing. my first "job" was for the geek squad only because they called me back and i had no other offers. Six months later i started putting my resume out there and was getting call backs from recruiters. I landed my first real IT job doing help desk/desktop support for a local company supporting about 600 users and traveling once a month. During my time i asked why they picked me, my boss told me frankly that they could have gotten someone with far more tech skills but they tend to have far less customer service skills and their interpersonal communications are not up to par. I hate to say that they went with me because i didn't fit the stereotype but it worked to their advantage as i was able to write much of the technical documentation and edit the rest.

Soft skills i think are the most underestimated skill in IT. I have gotten my past 3 jobs because of my personality, and experience in a customer facing role.

TO answer the OPs question, there are many paths to getting an IT job. Many folks are successful without an IT degree. However, there are also many folks that find themselves having trouble finding a job, or getting the job that they want due to not having a degree. Just keep bettering yourself and make your own path. However, i will say your best bet is to look at the requirements for the roles that you want to get to. if you find they are asking for an IT degree, work towards getting one at some point because it will give you an advantage in getting those roles.

Mrock4

A degree won't EVER hurt- but don't think it's a prereq to working (and being successful) in IT.

broke_it_guy

This question seems to come up a lot and I think it stems from a misunderstanding of what hiring managers are looking for. In some cases, a job is created with a certain set of requirements and there may be some environments where this is strictly followed. In the vast majority of cases, the hiring manager is going to look at the total picture, the more they will have to interact with you the more so this is true. Would you want to hire someone with a degree and very little experience to work on production equipment you were responsible for. Would you want to hire someone with a degree and superior attitude when you know you might need to ask this person to work the occasional weekend or evening? It's fairly easy for me to see why a lot of recent graduates get picked over. Then after 10+ years in the field, the degree again matters very little because if two people have been doing the same work for 10+ years, they have probably developed the skills required for the job. I was already working in IT before I finished my degree, and I do think my degree was worthwhile and I learned a lot especially in my programming classes. There are many jobs where I'd be concerned about hiring someone with no degree unless they proved to be an expert and I knew they had all the knowledge course work forces you to endure. However, working on Windows Servers or helpdesk, I wouldn't give a crap if you had a degree or not. I'd be looking at your customer service/communication skills, whether or not you're a pain to work with, and if you can get the job done without causing any problems... I mean you're helpdesk not developing robotics.

xza

windycity84 wrote: »

Hello

I was wondering if anyone could tell me if its possible to start a career in IT without an IT degree? I have a BA in Communications, MPA in public administration, and my PMP. I plan on going for CompTIA certifications to get started.

Thanks!

I am 90% done with my BA in comm/rhetoric degree. My explanation in interviews for the major is that computer science if usually for people interested in programming/software engineering and I opted for comm because communication is important for ever field, especially with public speaking courses and persuasion, et cetera! Since I'm still in school the EDU is at the top but when you graduate shift it towards the bottom.

Bundiman

I started out in just desktop and have worked my way up to a Sr. Network Engineer in 10 years. I don't have a degree only on the job experience and a love for working in IT. Start out making $12/hr and now I make over six figures a year. At this point I am working on my CCIE security then my degree will become next so I can make the move into management.

higherho

My brother in law has a 4 year degree in english and is a Senior Software programmer at Cornell university. Its all about the experience however, I will say that Cornell forced him to get a Masters (a while after he was employed their) but that was mainly because he was working for a IVY league school.

jeepster78

Mrock4 wrote: »

A degree won't EVER hurt- but don't think it's a prereq to working (and being successful) in IT.

I agree however I also think this one of the reasons that the education system is so flawed. If a college education is not needed in IT why are we going?

I have multiple degrees and my boss has none!

Akaricloud

jeepster78 wrote: »

I agree however I also think this one of the reasons that the education system is so flawed. If a college education is not needed in IT why are we going?

Just because they aren't a requirement doesn't mean that it is a bad idea to get a degree. The attitude of only doing the bare minimum necessary to do your job is not a good one to advocate.

Instead we should be asking the question: Why not get an IT degree?

jeepster78

Akaricloud wrote: »

Just because they aren't a requirement doesn't mean that it is a bad idea to get a degree. The attitude of only doing the bare minimum necessary to do your job is not a good one to advocate.

Instead we should be asking the question: Why not get an IT degree?

Money? Payoff? Don't get me wrong I don't regret either of my degrees and they are paid for but with that being said I don't think we should advocate everyone needs one either.

N2IT

jeepster

This happens from time to time. I wouldn't call it the norm but it happens nonetheless.

The justice!

jeepster78

In state/government employment many times it is the norm especially in IT, a lot of clauses state that experience can be taken in place of education. There are so many with degrees that are unemployed/underemployed and on top of that have loans. This college for all isn't paying off for all.

Akaricloud

Blanket "for all" statements that include people are rarely true in any circumstance, but it is true that college pays off for most. Just because a degree isn't paying off immediately after college doesn't mean that it won't over a person's lifetime. Often time there is a better time than most pick to go to college but that is a completely different discussion.

Regardless, if the only aspect that you think of when deciding whether or not to expand your knowledge through a degree program is the money, then I do feel that you're missing the point. Even if it were a poor financial decision I would absolutely pursue a degree in order to better myself and my relations with others.

As far as how this relates to the original poster: You can absolutely go ahead without an IT specific degree, but do evaluate your options and at this point it may be easier/cheaper than you think to finish one. There are many degree programs that include industry relevant certifications that may be worth looking into, especially since you would already have the majority of the non-technical classes completed.

jeepster78

OK here is another blanket statement for you, most attend college for financial/job reasons. Actually its not a blanket statement, a poll conducted in 2011 found that out of 10000 graduates 98% said the went to college for better jobs and more money.

Mrock4

jeepster- I completely agree with regards to your sentiment on going to college (yet many not needing it in IT). For a bit of background information, I have held senior-level technical/management (lead type roles) for the past few years, but have no degree. In all of my recent positions, a degree was "required" yet the requirement was waived in each case.

That being said, and I will probably take heat for this- I think MANY places these days are simply cashing in on "the dream" of big money in IT. Schools are suddenly offering programs for Cisco/MS, and promising huge salaries. As a result, a big emphasis is being placed on traditional education. I'm NOT saying it's a waste- there was legitimate technical programs before IT blew up..but I think a lot of them are targeting these types of individuals.

With that out of the way, I think a traditional (when I say traditional, I refer to a degree..not self-study/certs) education IS very valuable in IT, but not unless your position exclusively requires it AND they won't waive that requirement OR you're trying to break into a high level senior management role..then it becomes necessary.

At the end of the day, I do not think a degree is at all required to be a technical guru in IT- but I have never valued the technical aspect of nearly any degree..I value the soft skills degrees promote..the ability to communicate effectively, logical reasoning, working in team environments, etc. To me, that is worth it.

At the end of the day, we all have to play to our strengths. My weakness is in traditional education (which is why I'm pursuing a degree on the side), whereas my strength is in technical experience. If I had a degree and little technical experience, I'd probably be talking about how a degree should absolutely be a requirement for all jobs!

On a final note, I should point out I'm not knocking those with a degree at all..but rather the programs out there which promise high salaries in exchange for too much money. Most of the other degree's which come to mind (from legitimate institutions) are worth it IMO..you just don't see the ROI from those as directly as you do from a certification. That doesn't mean the ROI isn't there, it's just harder to spot. Just my $.02!

pinkydapimp

At the end of the day, a Degree will help you more towards the middle/later parts of your career. Also, think of it as insurance. Sure, without a degree you can have success. But having that degree gives your greater flexibility in what roles are available to you. That way, if in 8 years you decide you want to switch to another realm of IT, you have a better chance of doing that with a degree in your back pocket.

So while a degree is not needed(one is not needed for most career paths), it can be quite beneficial which is why i recommend it to anyone getting into IT.

sammysame

degrees are like houses. it's one of the pillars of THE american religion. If you don;t have a degree, ou will not be enslaved to our job and be grateful for ever scrap that comes your way, just so you can get out of student loan debt. ditto for buying a house.

people in debt make good, loyal workers

DevilWAH

OK talking as some one who has a degree but from a field out side of IT, and out side of the US (UK here)

I look at it like this, a degree takes what 3 years to achieve?

So you can do two things, spend 3 years and get a degree that will most likely bump you up the food chain when you apply for your first job.

Or spend 3 years starting out at the very bottom of the food chain (the dish washers of IT) and working up to a decent position with out a degree.

At the end of 3 years if you work hard and are a good engineer you will have a decent job what ever, if you are a bad engineer and lazy you wont.

People often ask whats more important, Education or experience. Well what one do you put at the top of your resume/CV to catch someones eye? I would say most people put their experiences first, why would you highlight a 3 year degree to a potential employer over the 10+ years experience.

A degree really is quite a basic qualification at the end of the day, looking back now I wonder what all the fuss was about. I am glad I did my degree and hope to do another one in time. But if you do a degree do it because you will enjoy it, if you just want to get money go out and start to earn it now.

One thing I can grantee is that getting a degree, dose not grantee you will get more money and a successful job. Hard work, common sense and good work ethics are the only path to that.

Thomas Elliot

It's the great debate. Although I have a short time in this industry I have met and worked with a lot of people who received their degrees while working.
Strictly from my viewpoint, it seems to be experience speaks louder than degrees.
From my own personal experience, I have two degrees and lots of professional experience, but none of it is in this industry. So I took an internship and I am starting from the ground up.
I work with guys who have degrees in Economics, Mathematics and Policy, but they have been hacking and working with computers since grade school.
I have also seen people who a list of certifications a mile long and can't figure out Sharepoint.
So it works both ways.
Given your PMP, if you add a few certifications to your resume I think you would be more than okay.
I know the people I have spoken with say the CISSP is a pretty big cert that opens a lot doors.