#DegreeMatters #CareerAdviceNeeded #ITJobs #CertificationsVsDegree
Hey everyone! 👋 Let’s talk about the age-old debate: Does a degree actually matter in the IT field? 🤔
Here’s a bit about my background: I’ve got a ton of certifications under my belt and I’m working towards my Bachelor’s degree in IT. Recently, I found myself in a tough spot where I’m considering a job change due to various reasons. I’ve applied to several roles but not getting the responses I expected.
So, here’s the big question – will having a degree make a significant difference in landing a better IT job? 🎓 And how can I make sure my experience and certifications are shining through in my job applications?
Here are a few possible solutions I’m considering:
– Tailoring my resume to highlight both my certifications and upcoming degree
– Reaching out for networking opportunities within the industry to get my foot in the door
– Exploring professional IT organizations that may offer job leads or connections
What are your thoughts on this? Any tips or insights to share? Let’s help each other out! 💡 #CareerAdvice #ITProfessionals #JobSearchTips
You competing against people with degrees ,experience and certs bro you might have the certs but what about the people who got the bachelors some certs and more experience I didn’t realize that until somebody in the sub said it and it makes alot of sense i kinda understand why it’s curtains trying to find a job. I stopped going to unc cus I thought I could get in IT via help desk and a cert im back in school finishing my bachelors and gonna get a cert or 2 on the army dime. the market apparently too fried to get in without a degree right now
You didn’t mention a security clearance. Are you not applying for cleared roles?
Degrees can be a really big differentiator, and are becoming more & more important as people continue to flood into the tech space.
Based on your experience & other credentials, I’d agree that this might be the credential that’s holding you back.
To some employers, yes, a degree matters. To others, a lack of a degree can be offset with experience and certs. Your experience and certs seem like the type that could offset a lack of degree (IMO). That said, the job market is tough right now so you might be competing against dozens (or hundreds) of people with experience, certs, and a degree for every job you apply to.
My take/advice: I would have to imagine you got some sort of clearance from your Navy service (im guessing TS). IMO, thats a bigger ace up your sleeve than any degree (I would consider trading my MS for a TS clearance if I could lol). If I were you, i’d be checking out cyber jobs for which a clearance is required (stuff in defense, certain companies with government contracts, work in the government itself, etc). I have no experience in this world but I have to imagine theres a lot less competition for these jobs given how few people have the requisite combination of clearance + certs + experience. Plus, the lack of qualified people really inflates the pay (or so i’ve been told)
Also, from what i’ve seen, you’re ratio of apps:callbacks:interviews is actually pretty good for this market. I’ve seen a number of people on here complaining about hundreds of apps and fewer calls/interviews than what you’ve received.
It unfortunately matters much moreso today than a few years ago. There’s a ton of people in the market for jobs at the moment, and a degree is becoming a baseline requirement to get past HR filters.
For the time-being, work on your human networking, it’s the best way to get a step up towards an interview. Local meet-up groups, reaching out to hiring managers on linkedin, etc. Of course, make sure your resume is up to snuff. Cloud and automation are always good stand-out skills to have.
I don’t think you realize this but your callback rate is exceptionally high. 5 call backs for less than 100 applications is really good.
Degrees may not be strictly necessary but they do open doors. With your experience, you shouldn’t be in a terrible spot but are up against stiff competition. Make sure your resume is up to par and then it’s a numbers game.
Without a degree, you are 100% going to need a connection to get in the door.
List your bachelors on your resume, as it’s your final year. List it as in progress, 2 semesters remaining.
With your clearance-Clarence and experience, you’re getting auto flagged due to Degree.
I can name two places right now that would probably suck your dick to go work for them. On site and in Florida though. No remote.
Honestly I would take a look at your resume. With the clearance and your prior experience you should be able to trip and fall into cleared jobs, especially with those certs.
A degree is a check in a box you don’t have. So yes there is some sort of value to it
Let’s put it like this. Say you and the next candidate have 5yrs exp. Almost identical but one of you has a degree and the other doesn’t. The hiring manager is taking the one with the degree 9x out of 10.
Yes
yes and no. in the gov/defense space, your military time covers the degree. tech companies are degree driven because thats what the leadership did. A degree never hurts and since you got the GI bill use it.
Yes
Thank you for your service.
You shouldn’t have hard time getting calls, you most likely need to update your resume.
Also degree matters at times, many contracts have a degree requirements, it could be substituted with years of experience, but it’s a big check box.
Update your resume, tailor it to the job you’re applying to.
I wish I did IT instead of Nuke in the Navy. Keep your head up, the job economy is rough out here for everyone, especially in IT.
If you did over 6 years in the Navy IT and you’re not receiving more callbacks it could be a variety of reasons. Some of which you may already be tracking. The things in your control is making sure you can translate you Navy experience to the civilian world. What you did in the Navy probably isn’t going to make a lick of sense in the civilian world. Use civilian terms to describe your role and your accomplishments to the civilian world.
Reach out to other people you served with that may have already gotten out. (Typically) The best jobs are found through networking.
It could also be your location. IT jobs can remote work which can expand your job search nationwide.
As for a college degree. I personally feel like every year the college degree gets less and less valuable. I’ve been reading about how more and more college graduates are underemployed (doing jobs below what their degree should get them; underpaid). I have the GI bill and I have yet to use it. College is an approximate 4 year time investment. In my opinion, unless you’re going into an industry where a degree is necessary to even be considered for a job (doctor, engineer, R&D in whatever) I wouldn’t go to college. It’ll probably help you get a better job. But I also think if got an IT job that slightly exceeds your experience level and just learn on the job how things are done wherever you end up, in 4 years time there you’ll already be more qualified to job hop to a job that’ll pay you more than whatever you would land right after college.
I have met plenty of folks in IT and software development with no bachelors degree making great money (80-100k) with less than 10 years of experience.
Yes, degrees matter. Not having a degree is only a disadvantage. There is no advantage to not having a degree
A drunk professor at my old college who nobody took seriously happened the say the smartest thing:
A degree won’t open any doors for you, but it’ll sure keep some shut.
I’ve found this to be true. For example, you won’t even get some interviews/opportunities without one. Also, a degree won’t have anyone knocking on your door to hire you either. Degree -> Internship/Experience -> Certs will lead to a good job.
To HR they are. I don’t think it matters to any mgrs, though; none I’ve talked to anyways. They just care if you know what you’re doing and if you can get the job done.
I honestly don’t believe a college degree matters at this point especially in tech. I graduated from college with a Bachelors in IT and System Administration concentration 3 years ago and have gotten 0 opportunities to get my foot in the door in the IT field. At this point I’m even studying to take my CompTIA A+ certification to hopefully PROVE to companys that I’m worthy of atleast an entry level position. This job market is insane especially recently.
With your Navy experience, you should be looking at jobs that require a security clearance instead. A degree is till helpful, but look strongly towards in-house and contractor roles in that space and you will never be unemployed.
NO absolutely not, but two things to consider, at my last job which was a fortune 500 company they reviewed education, and anyone with a bachelors got an automatic 10-15k/yr bump and anyone with a masters got a 15-20k/yr bump and at the same time made it mandatory for any management to have a degree. Not having a degree won’t matter as long as you have the experience, but you might not make as much and you could hit a road block in career advancement.
Completely disagree with most people on this thread. Degrees DO NOT MATTER.
I can guarantee EXPERIENCE will win over degree any day. If I was hiring someone into my cyber team I want to understand real life hands on experience opposed to a piece of paper.
Make sure your cv includes technical and non technical. It’s funny because security and IT are saturated with people who are technically outstanding but have ZERO other things to bring to the table.
Show your level of understanding of organisations, roadmaps, collaboration, closing the gap between technical and non technical. Projects, process improvements – automation.
Show you have BOTH. Good luck!!
Your skill set seems up the alley of my org. I PM’d you.
>Does a degree actually matter?
Yes
I’m currently 2 years into my first IT job. I have zero certifications or degree.
However, you’ll always be in a better position having degrees or certifications, I just happen to find a job that’s willing to train me and give me a shot.
In gov sector, that and years exp determine billing. Does it make u unemployed? No. But if some snod has ba and ma in something like art appreciation… they can bill a couple of steps higher.
That what u competitive against.
I was in IT for 13 years before I got my degree. Had around 80 credits from military (I was Navy – IT rate), certifications and a few college courses. I accepted a position that required me to finish my Bachelors within 2 years. I’ve worked and a couple different organizations since that time. One required a degree and the other highly preferred that you have a degree.
Years ago I would say no. However, in the past 3 or 4 years it seems be more and more a requirement.
Is a degree required to actually do the job well, no.
Is it required to stand out against the competition that does have a degree, certifications, and experience yes as that is what HR sees, and what the automated resume systems look for. It is also business risk reduction to require candidates to have a degree, certification, etc. so they know the person coming on board has a certain baseline knowledge validated by a valued, known 3rd party.
Review the job req, see what the hard requirements are, and apply for jobs to where you actually do meet at least the minimum hard requirements they are asking for. If it says required or minimum you should show experience doing it on the resume. If you do not have it you may need to keep looking until you gain experience in x requirement. Now if it is a massive laundry list of things, make sure you at least meet 5 before moving forward. If they want 20+ things, they need to be paying 20x the market for it.