College dropout: considering my options

chemguy

Hello everyone! Stumbled on this forum as I was searching for advice and reviews on the whole IT certification process. Firstly, a little background information about myself:

I'm a college dropout; studied 2yrs majoring in Chemistry (and was AWESOME at it!). The reason for this is that I was facing financial difficulties. It was my first time living by myself away from family and stuff. I was never raised to be independent per se; I never really did the whole work-for-yourself thing (ie. finding/getting yourself a job, researching career paths, etc). I've been trying to fix that though. Anyways, I digress. I've had a hobby for tech since forever. So, when it comes to tech experience like fixing computers, hardware, tinkering, etc. I've got that under my belt. Fixed computers for friends and such. Did TONS of research on many different areas of IT and technology in general. Recently, I got into cryptography. I researched and tried out all sorts of programs and algorithms....even the uncrackable OTP (one-time pad).

Anyways, after I dropped out, I just slipped silently into the general workforce; doing odd jobs here and there to pay the bills. Couldn't apply for financial aid (I resided in NYC). After getting royally screwed after being offered an off-the-books job, I left The States to join the rest of my family for a sabbatical. And now, I'm stuck. I can't continue my college education where I am. So, I have to consider my options.

This is where the certification thing comes in. I have the knowledge, the experience, and thankfully I have the funds to pursue. However, I could always use a little brush-up and updating. Nothing I can't do. My question: if I decide to get a couple of certifications (I was thinking CompTIA A+,Network+,Security+, Cisco and maybe some security certs like CISSP) how much can I guarantee myself a job? In other words, is it worth the time/effort? The idea is that I'm not looking to go into the IT field as my career. It's just a hobby that I happen to be good at and I need something to get me a decent enough income to survive NYC rent, bills, etc. and maybe be able to continue my college education (with the hope that I'll get some help from financial aid). The thing that makes me hesitant is the fact that I feel that these certifications act as only supplements to college degrees in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on my resume isn't going to be enough to land a decent job, is it? Could I really get lucky and get a decent job, armed with just experience and certifications?

I guess what I'm really looking for is a general guideline or FAQ for pursuing these certifications. I'm also looking for what are the best certifications for my needs. I'm thinking just general repair, MAYBE some networking, and since security is "the thing" these days and I happen to have amassed knowledge in cryptography, I'm thinking of pursuing certs in that too.

Willing to hear any/all advices....thanks!


PS: I did some searching on the forums before posting to see if I could find a cert guide or something....just a suggestion for the next guy who doesn't know any better lol

ande0255

IT as a hobby is not particularly lucrative, and working low level jobs are usually a low wage stepping stone to higher level positions with a lot of time / effort getting certifications.

I had a classmate that spent 3-4 years in school going there for all things 'hacking', to do computer forensics stuff, but really approached it more as a hobby than a career, by that I mean didn't get certified or aggressively seek higher level IT positions to grow his career path. Probably needless to say, I see Facebook posts from him fairly often asking for handouts to save his family, and practically begging his FB friends to hire him for PC work.

Also low level jobs are going to be call center type deals, resetting passwords and monitoring server alerts, and generally all things I would not consider to be a hobby. It takes a lot of work to get to a level where IT is enjoyable, and the challenge only grows as you continue down the path!

pram

Sure, I got my first job as a Unix admin without any certs. Depending on your knowledge they may not be a big deal, I don't think anyones ever commented on any of mine other than my RHCE.

CISSP requires 5 years of experience in certain roles, jfyi.

NotHackingYou

You were very close when you said "I feel that these certifications act as only supplements to college degrees in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on my resume isn't going to be enough to land a decent job"

Here's how it really is IMO. Certifications act only as supplements to a desire to learn and apply that knowledge in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on isn't going to be enough to land a decent job.

To answer your question more directly - Yes, with 'just experience and certifications' you can land a great job. The key is that experience. What is your experience like? If you are troubleshooting home computers and SOHO networks, it is less likely. If your hobby is troubleshooting, configuring and maintaining enterprise infrastructure, then yes you can probably land a good job with that experience and certs. Tell us more about your experience and we can tell you more about what kind of jobs you may or may not qualify for.

The thing about security is that it is a cumulative skill. You can't just learn 'IT Security'. IMO you need to understand a lot of other supplementary stuff that you learn along the way, working on help desks and administrator positions first. How can you secure something if you don't know how it works? If you haven't seen and made the mistakes that open security holes?

IMO life is too short to **** your dreams. I love my work. I want you to love you work too. It sounds like chemistry is what you love. Only you can decide if the time and effort in IT certs is worth it for you if this is not your chosen career field. It sounds like it may help get you there. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Edited to add: A college degree is certainly helpful but IMO experience still trumps everything else in this field.

networker050184

chemguy wrote: »

I feel that these certifications act as only supplements to college degrees in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on my resume isn't going to be enough to land a decent job

Certifications are supplements. So are degrees. They each are just a piece to the overall puzzle which also includes your experience, your resume, your ability to sell yourself to potential employers, etc. The more pieces you have to bring to the table the easier your life will be. Not having one or more pieces does not make it impossible though.

I personally do not have a degree but have had a very successful career so far with the other pieces I bring to the table.

chemguy

CarlSaiyed wrote: »

You were very close when you said "I feel that these certifications act as only supplements to college degrees in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on my resume isn't going to be enough to land a decent job"

Here's how it really is IMO. Certifications act only as supplements to a desire to learn and apply that knowledge in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on isn't going to be enough to land a decent job.

To answer your question more directly - Yes, with 'just experience and certifications' you can land a great job. The key is that experience. What is your experience like? If you are troubleshooting home computers and SOHO networks, it is less likely. If your hobby is troubleshooting, configuring and maintaining enterprise infrastructure, then yes you can probably land a good job with that experience and certs. Tell us more about your experience and we can tell you more about what kind of jobs you may or may not qualify for.

TBH, my experience is more like online reading and trying out what I read rather than actual work. I did a lot of tinkering with electronics and hardware in general. I was in the hacking scene for some time but nothing crazy that I can hold up and say "I'm proud to say I did this". So, experience-wise, I can honestly say that it wouldn't be enough (honestly of course ) to satisfy a hiring officials' needs. But, that doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing low-level entry jobs...it just means that I can't be expected to do something I haven't learned yet.

CarlSaiyed wrote: »

IMO life is too short to **** your dreams. I love my work. I want you to love you work too. It sounds like chemistry is what you love. Only you can decide if the time and effort in IT certs is worth it for you if this is not your chosen career field. It sounds like it may help get you there. Best of luck in whatever you decide.

Edited to add: A college degree is certainly helpful but IMO experience still trumps everything else in this field.

This is why I'm still stuck a year later. I can't seem to find that path that'll get me to where I need to go. I'm more hands-on, lab orientated. I worked in chem research for 2 professors. Without financial aid and a shabby work history, I can't expect to get a job that'll pay me enough to continue my education as well as pay the bills. I'm trying to find anything really....I considered IT certs because it was something I could wrap my head around and grasp the concepts. It is something that I can say with confidence that I can pass the exams. I also do enjoy working on tech related stuff...both hardware and software. I can't say that I LOVE tech work, but I certainly do enjoy it.

draught

If it's just using the term "college dropout" is what's hurting you. Do what I did and take a look at WGU. It's an accredited college that only costs 3,000 per six months which is really cheap when you count in the grant. I feel like I'm shilling for them every time I mention this but people should be aware. Wish I had better advice on the money for college.

santaowns

First I want to tell you welcome. Second I want to expl

santaowns

First I want to tell you welcome. Second I want to explain that you fixing anyones pc is not experience, it is knowledge at best. Fixing a CEOs pc while your boss and his boss ask you every second where you are at and the ETA could begin to count as experience. Next, go back to school go to community college, whatever get an associate or bachelors then get a masters when you get your first low paying job. The certs verify experience but don't supplement it. You will start off in a help desk or box, maybe stealing a high school kids job at best buy. Don't expect to make $50k $100k to start. The money comes with experience, always keep growing with technology rather than catching up. Again go back to school, and keep it as a hobby or get serious and be ready for a long haul.

Sorry for double post my phone did that.

powerfool

chemguy, you haven't said where you are... it may or may not limit your options.

Start working to finish your degree, even if it is still chemistry (you can take CS/IS electives or maybe a minor or double-major). You can look at getting an internship while you are working on it and that will help you on the experience front.

Then, as you have a little experience, start working on some entry level certifications that support what you are doing or your goals.

Betrayal

OP, if you want a temporary income and you aren't looking for a long-term career in IT then you are wasting your time. Life is about doing what you are truly passionate about not doing what will pay the bills. An entry-level IT job such as IT Help Desk Technician can provide you with a stable income but how will it look to employers if you tell them that you aren't looking to build a career in IT and just want a temporary income to pay the bills. Why not find that entry-level job in a field that you are actually interested in making a career out of?

Anyway, if you are looking at starting out in IT, Professor Messer offers great training videos for entry-level IT jobs in order to help you get some certifications such as CompTIA. You should also consider transferring into WGU with the college credits that you already have.

JaneDoe

Start with the A+ or something and see if you can get a job on Geek squad or something that's a little better than bagging groceries or other low level work, then you can work your way up. While you're there you can start working on more certs and looking to get a better job with some experience.

markulous

santaowns wrote: »

First I want to tell you welcome. Second I want to explain that you fixing anyones pc is not experience, it is knowledge at best. Fixing a CEOs pc while your boss and his boss ask you every second where you are at and the ETA could begin to count as experience. Next, go back to school go to community college, whatever get an associate or bachelors then get a masters when you get your first low paying job. The certs verify experience but don't supplement it. You will start off in a help desk or box, maybe stealing a high school kids job at best buy. Don't expect to make $50k $100k to start. The money comes with experience, always keep growing with technology rather than catching up. Again go back to school, and keep it as a hobby or get serious and be ready for a long haul.

Sorry for double post my phone did that.

Not to pick apart your post, but I don't agree with getting a masters degree when you get your first low paying job. The ROI on that will be poor if he's not aiming to move to upper management, which wouldn't happen for years to come anyway. A bachelor's degree is more than satisfactory for any type of HR requirements for any type of IT job outside of the aforementioned path.

This guy seems iffy on it. If I was him I'd pursue an associate's at a community college and maybe a cert if I was a little on the fence. That way their isn't as much investment if he was to decide he didn't like it.

GoodBishop

chemguy wrote: »

Hello everyone! Stumbled on this forum as I was searching for advice and reviews on the whole IT certification process. Firstly, a little background information about myself:

I'm a college dropout; studied 2yrs majoring in Chemistry (and was AWESOME at it!). The reason for this is that I was facing financial difficulties. It was my first time living by myself away from family and stuff. I was never raised to be independent per se; I never really did the whole work-for-yourself thing (ie. finding/getting yourself a job, researching career paths, etc). I've been trying to fix that though. Anyways, I digress. I've had a hobby for tech since forever. So, when it comes to tech experience like fixing computers, hardware, tinkering, etc. I've got that under my belt. Fixed computers for friends and such. Did TONS of research on many different areas of IT and technology in general. Recently, I got into cryptography. I researched and tried out all sorts of programs and algorithms....even the uncrackable OTP (one-time pad).

Anyways, after I dropped out, I just slipped silently into the general workforce; doing odd jobs here and there to pay the bills. Couldn't apply for financial aid (I resided in NYC). After getting royally screwed after being offered an off-the-books job, I left The States to join the rest of my family for a sabbatical. And now, I'm stuck. I can't continue my college education where I am. So, I have to consider my options.

This is where the certification thing comes in. I have the knowledge, the experience, and thankfully I have the funds to pursue. However, I could always use a little brush-up and updating. Nothing I can't do. My question: if I decide to get a couple of certifications (I was thinking CompTIA A+,Network+,Security+, Cisco and maybe some security certs like CISSP) how much can I guarantee myself a job? In other words, is it worth the time/effort? The idea is that I'm not looking to go into the IT field as my career. It's just a hobby that I happen to be good at and I need something to get me a decent enough income to survive NYC rent, bills, etc. and maybe be able to continue my college education (with the hope that I'll get some help from financial aid). The thing that makes me hesitant is the fact that I feel that these certifications act as only supplements to college degrees in the IT field. In other words, putting these certs on my resume isn't going to be enough to land a decent job, is it? Could I really get lucky and get a decent job, armed with just experience and certifications?

I guess what I'm really looking for is a general guideline or FAQ for pursuing these certifications. I'm also looking for what are the best certifications for my needs. I'm thinking just general repair, MAYBE some networking, and since security is "the thing" these days and I happen to have amassed knowledge in cryptography, I'm thinking of pursuing certs in that too.

Willing to hear any/all advices....thanks!


PS: I did some searching on the forums before posting to see if I could find a cert guide or something....just a suggestion for the next guy who doesn't know any better lol

Yo. Welcome to the forum.

I have been in your situation. I had a full scholarship, and yet dropped out of college. What I did was found a job that supported tuition reimbursement, and started out in help desk and took night classes (aka the long way).

I did have A+, Net+, Security+, and MCSE at the time, so I was able to get a help desk job without a degree.

While you might be able to get a entry level job, it will be difficult. I spent a LONG time sending out resumes. I would definitely recommend looking for a entry level job, and getting a few certs. Once you break in and do a outstanding job, then you go back to school and finish your degree.

It's key these days to have a degree. I know there might be folks who disagree, and there are rare exceptions that do make six figures without any degree, but for the most part, you need to have a degree to be considered for many positions. See what your options are - you mention that it is not a option, but do more research into it.

From a cert perspective, A+, Net+, Security+, CCNA would be a good foundation. Then you can decide what to do there. For the CISSP, you need to have experience before getting the cert - 5 years in security.

isual

GoodBishop wrote: »

Yo. Welcome to the forum.

I have been in your situation. I had a full scholarship, and yet dropped out of college. What I did was found a job that supported tuition reimbursement, and started out in help desk and took night classes (aka the long way).

I did have A+, Net+, Security+, and MCSE at the time, so I was able to get a help desk job without a degree.

While you might be able to get a entry level job, it will be difficult. I spent a LONG time sending out resumes. I would definitely recommend looking for a entry level job, and getting a few certs. Once you break in and do a outstanding job, then you go back to school and finish your degree.

It's key these days to have a degree. I know there might be folks who disagree, and there are rare exceptions that do make six figures without any degree, but for the most part, you need to have a degree to be considered for many positions. See what your options are - you mention that it is not a option, but do more research into it.

From a cert perspective, A+, Net+, Security+, CCNA would be a good foundation. Then you can decide what to do there. For the CISSP, you need to have experience before getting the cert - 5 years in security.

when you say degree, i'm assuming something in IT ? I graduated with a BA in political science, but an pursuing my ccent first, and then a ccna. Also, while I believe a+ seems so basic, do you believe it can help? I looked over the questions and they were somewhat rudimentary for someone who is proficient if not a maven with tech.

JaneDoe

isual wrote: »

when you say degree, i'm assuming something in IT ? I graduated with a BA in political science, but an pursuing my ccent first, and then a ccna. Also, while I believe a+ seems so basic, do you believe it can help? I looked over the questions and they were somewhat rudimentary for someone who is proficient if not a maven with tech.

That's how I felt about the Sec+ exam. Certs exist to prove you know what you know. If you can pass the A+ in a week, do that, and you'll have proof you're proficient with tech. Being proficient with tech is the only real qualifications for a lot of help desk jobs; if you've never worked in tech and are trying to break into the field, it helps. It doesn't add much to your resume if you've been working in tech for a while.

dpsmooth15

I looked over the questions and they were somewhat rudimentary for someone who is proficient if not a maven with tech.
isual, Listen to me closely…Most certs will say how many years of experience or this or that..yadda yadda yadda. If you apply good study habits, read books and if necessary watch a few videos they can be obtainable easily. Till this day I am not sure if the easiest certification I have ever took was CCENT or Security+. But they are neck and neck . The right book, will lead anyone and everyone to that print out that says PASS. You have to give 100% if you give 50% that is what score you will get on the exam