Omitting course of study for a non related IT degree?

Thoughts on this strategy? I've done both and nothing is ever said in the interview. I almost wonder if it doesn't matter.... 6 in one hand, half dozen in the other?

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DatabaseHead

Follow up

https://www.jobscan.co/blog/education-on-resume/

See number 7. I always wondered about this. Omitting your degree if it's unrelated, it could make you look like you possess a divided mind.

thomas_

I would rather have an unrelated degree on my resume than no degree at all. I've heard that are tons of people who work in other fields than what their degree is in, so I don't think it's viewed as having a divided mind, so much as a change in career direction. If someone already has extensive experience in the field that they are currently working in that's unrelated to their degree, then it would be extremely unreasonable to expect that person to spend the time and money to get another degree in their current field especially when all a degree in IT gets you is an entry level job anyways...

jibtech

thomas_ wrote: »

I would rather have an unrelated degree on my resume than no degree at all. I've heard that are tons of people who work in other fields than what their degree is in, so I don't think it's viewed as having a divided mind, so much as a change in career direction. If someone already has extensive experience in the field that they are currently working in that's unrelated to their degree, then it would be extremely unreasonable to expect that person to spend the time and money to get another degree in their current field especially when all a degree in IT gets you is an entry level job anyways...

I have to agree with this. A degree in a different field is better than no degree.

This also varies with age and experience. If you are 23 years old, applying for a systems administration job with little to no experience, and your resume shows a Bachelor's of Arts in Historical Restoration with a minor in Dance, I am going to look at it a bit critically.

Of course, me being me, I will probably bring you in for an interview just to ask the question. I figure I have had enough people waste my time who were qualified on paper, that I might as well give that one a shot too...

scaredoftests

I have 2 associate degrees. One is in Food and Beverage Mgmt. I still list it.

Danielm7

Always list it. Past your first job or two most people aren't even going to care what your degree was in most times, just that they can check the "has degree" box in their filter. I know articles always love to use basket weaving as the goofy example but (pulling stats out of my rear) but I imagine most people who have an unrelated degree have something more general like business or psych where you could even argue that it's more helpful in the workplace long term than some tech that was relevant 15 years ago.

DatabaseHead

What about omitting the course of study, but listing the degree.

EG Bachelors of Science from State University?

Danielm7

Seems like it would provoke more questions like you're trying to hide something. Do you have a specific case, like yourself?

DatabaseHead

Danielm7 wrote: »

Seems like it would provoke more questions like you're trying to hide something. Do you have a specific case, like yourself?

OH YEAH

Hospitality Management

Not the proudest moment of my life....... (Glad I graduated not to sound ungrateful, but it doesn't really tie back to IT or more importantly BI).

Danielm7

Eh, it could be a lot worse, at least it has management in the name! Sounds like you've been in the game long enough that people probably don't really care about your BS degree focus at this point. I had an old coworker that just listed university name and computer science, he didn't graduate, nor did he say BS in CS but he didn't put the dates and he wasn't questioned for a few jobs, always blew me away.

DatabaseHead

Daniel - Pretty much so, it's rarely if ever brought up......

Maybe just leave it as is, keep it right on one line so it doesn't take up much space and leave it at that.

UnixGuy

List it! It can be a good conversation started/ice breaker, and it can show that you have more skills not just technical. It can also be a check box for HR (college degree...check!) even if it's unrelated

jelevated

when I'm looking at resumes rarely is a degree a net negative in any way. You may not gain anything from a for profit degree or a masters degree in underwater basket weaving, but I wouldn't look down on it. What matters is that you have one and that everything you've been doing in the meantime has prepared you for the role.

A computer science degree will always pique interest, as well as one from an ivy league or something cool from MIT or Stanford.

blargoe

UnixGuy wrote: »

List it! It can be a good conversation started/ice breaker, and it can show that you have more skills not just technical. It can also be a check box for HR (college degree...check!) even if it's unrelated

Exactly this.

DatabaseHead

jelevated wrote: »

when I'm looking at resumes rarely is a degree a net negative in any way. You may not gain anything from a for profit degree or a masters degree in underwater basket weaving, but I wouldn't look down on it. What matters is that you have one and that everything you've been doing in the meantime has prepared you for the role.

A computer science degree will always pique interest, as well as one from an ivy league or something cool from MIT or Stanford.

It's from a good school.

I'm keeping it as is, I am taking some MOOC courses and will leverage those....

mbarrett

I'd still list a degree. Certs are a different story. But an entire degree shows a level of focus and maturity that will set you apart from other applicants. Even if your course of study was different. Plenty of people are doing different work in their career than their course of study for a college degree (you are definitely not the first one.) It can't hurt.