Re: The future, what employers look for, and degrees

[Kevin <l0ngshot.0x00 () gmail com>]

Adrian, 

I'd have to say a lot depends on the employer. Where I work, they value the paper. I got into the company by someone I 
knew getting my resume into the right hands, but for two years no one would judge me by what I knew. I took the time 
and got my MCSA and overnight I was suddenly the Windows Guru. And a similar reaction when I got my GCIH. 
I am now working on my degree for a bachelor's in Comp Sci because I have been told by a mentor that sooner or later I 
will hit a glass ceiling without it. 
Am I getting something out of it? Yes, but it is definitely more academic/theoretical that practical, but I do find 
some of the classes flesh out some of the practical learning I have had. That's my two cents.

Kevin

On Feb 1, 2011, at 5:50 PM, Adrian Crenshaw <irongeek () irongeek com> wrote:

>     Ok, I was speaking with someone today from a different field today that has a masters. I alluded to the fact that 
> I'm loosing interest in the "Security Informatics" masters program I'm in because of lack of perceived applicability, 
> time taken that I could use learning other things, and it seems like there is a huge disconnect between academia vs. 
> what I see in the industry (through my admittedly limited experience listening to podcast, reading forums/mailing 
> list, going to conferences, etc). His take was that I'd be competing with people in the future, and the masters 
> degree could likely be the deciding factor. Do you think that is really true? Or do you think employers will start to 
> see academia as it has become to be a largely wasteful exercise vs. getting your name out there and learning/getting 
> experience on your own? When I hear about people going into great debt to get something that amounts to a union card 
> in many cases (a degree), it kind of makes be hope the whole system can be reformed. For what I've seen in the 
> industry, it seems to mater more what people know you for than any degree you have. Am I wrong? Anyone got a 
> different way to look at it?
>
> Adrian
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