Omitting course of study for a non related IT degree?

DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
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?

Comments

  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
    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_thomas_ Member Posts: 1,012 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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...
  • jibtechjibtech Member Posts: 424 ■■■■■□□□□□
    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...
  • scaredoftestsscaredoftests Mod Posts: 2,780 Mod
    I have 2 associate degrees. One is in Food and Beverage Mgmt. I still list it.
    Never let your fear decide your fate....
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
    What about omitting the course of study, but listing the degree.

    EG Bachelors of Science from State University?
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Seems like it would provoke more questions like you're trying to hide something. Do you have a specific case, like yourself?
  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
    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).
  • Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
    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.
  • UnixGuyUnixGuy Mod Posts: 4,564 Mod
    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
    Certs: GSTRT, GPEN, GCFA, CISM, CRISC, RHCE

    Check out my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/DRJic8vCodE 


  • jelevatedjelevated Member Posts: 139
    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.
  • blargoeblargoe Member Posts: 4,174 ■■■■■■■■■□
    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.
    IT guy since 12/00

    Recent: 11/2019 - RHCSA (RHEL 7); 2/2019 - Updated VCP to 6.5 (just a few days before VMware discontinued the re-cert policy...)
    Working on: RHCE/Ansible
    Future: Probably continued Red Hat Immersion, Possibly VCAP Design, or maybe a completely different path. Depends on job demands...
  • DatabaseHeadDatabaseHead Member Posts: 2,753 ■■■■■■■■■■
    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....
  • mbarrettmbarrett Member Posts: 397 ■■■□□□□□□□
    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.
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