IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[FreshFromATL]

O cool! I got a look at Tableau. The ease of use for self service on the business user end is great. And some of them charts man, look great. I haven't seen much of microstrategy.

I really enjoy Qlikview though. Its definitely more of a tool for IT to direct on. It allows you to build a data model in qlikview quickly, so you don't have to worry about building it out in a database first. And while the charts and UI are kinda shytty, they have this thing called extension objects that allow you to customize an application with javascript. Luckily, with my time using it, I've been able to create some dope and useful applications/dashboards.

How's life with those tools?

That's dope man.

Tableau and Microstrategy are great. Tableau is super dope because it allows you to work in the metadata meaning I can pull data from any system (even if they're on different servers) and join that data together in the metadata. That type of flexibility is great because we're working to become more of an agile department and those tools allow you to build reports/d do analytics without having to build out some models in a database. Not to mention the chart/graphics/analytics ability in Tableau is just

 

[Regular Developer]

That's dope man.

Tableau and Microstrategy are great. Tableau is super dope because it allows you to work in the metadata meaning I can pull data from any system (even if they're on different servers) and join that data together in the metadata. That type of flexibility is great because we're working to become more of an agile department and those tools allow you to build reports/d do analytics without having to build out some models in a database. Not to mention the chart/graphics/analytics ability in Tableau is just

Oh yea, the ROI as far as knowing what you want to see, then moving the data into the correct visuals is amazing quick. I almost feel like I couldn't go back to a .Net or Java shop.

How big can a Tableau or Microstrategy app get? And do you wind up having a lot of business users build out charts and graphs for their department?

 

[FreshFromATL]

Oh yea, the ROI as far as knowing what you want to see, then moving the data into the correct visuals is amazing quick. I almost feel like I couldn't go back to a .Net or Java shop.

How big can a Tableau or Microstrategy app get? And do you wind up having a lot of business users build out charts and graphs for their department?

Those joints can get as big as they have to be. You can store all the data in a Tableau Data Extract. We have two BI teams in my company. One enterprise BI team and one Supply Chain BI. We (SC BI) control all development of our BI. Business users just interact.

 

[Spiritual Stratocaster]

I was all set on using my gi bill and going back to school to get a degree in Computer Science but damn is it even necessary? It sounds like yall got some good paying gigs by studying and getting certs.

 

[duckbutta]

CISSP isnt a cisco cert nor is it a networking cert.

Regarding a masters, its all about what you want to do. There is no purpose getting a masters if you want to be a sysadmin. but there are plenty IT roles where a MS will serve you well. Anything in the security sector for example will respect a MS. Solution architect, consulting, sales engineering type roles all would welcome them as well. So to the person whose company will pay for it, thats free money. Go get that. Then you can decide who you want to leverage it.

You are correct is a security cert...I just always lump it in with cisco certs because any person I have ever met that had one worked in a cisco shop and had a ton of cisco certs leading up to the CISSP...

Doesn't excuse me just calling it a cisco cert though

 

[Apollo Creed]

I was all set on using my gi bill and going back to school to get a degree in Computer Science but damn is it even necessary? It sounds like yall got some good paying gigs by studying and getting certs.

Degrees are just like certs, shows you can follow directions, but neither mean you will be great. IMO get an accredited degree the easiest fastest way possible. College teaches you how to think like a developer, sys admin, etc, once you learn how to think like what you want to be, it is easier to learn specific technologies.

 

[Regular Developer]

Those joints can get as big as they have to be. You can store all the data in a Tableau Data Extract. We have two BI teams in my company. One enterprise BI team and one Supply Chain BI. We (SC BI) control all development of our BI. Business users just interact.

OK, makes sense. Pretty much how most of my Qlikview deployments have gone.

 

[sfgiants]

You should know that a masters degree is going to make it hard for you to get another IT job outside of your company if it isn't in management.

As a hiring manager I can tell you first hand that our HR department is trained to tossed away resumes that have anything past a bachelors for any non managerial jobs unless the manager of the department specifically says "give me x number of resumes with master degrees." And since our HR department is full of people who used to work at other HR department, I believe this practice is the norm and not the exception for my company.

The thinking is that someone with an advanced degree is going to want to get into upper management, so even if he is a great sys admin he is going to want to move into the management ranks sooner rather than later and they want you to be a sys admin forever...it's a problem for them if you want to advance past that...seeing as how those positions are usually full or already have some other manager waiting in the wings for them..

Now if you plan to get into management...sure it's a no brainer especially if they are paying 50% which is about as good as you can hope for for a company investing in your future as an employee. But just be aware that IT is a "price yourself out" job market and nothing is going to scream "you have to pay me top dollar" like an advanced degree of any kind.

considering the huge amount of "masters degree preferred" jobs out there this can't be true, as is the notion that a masters degree can only benefit you at the company you're currently in. that's just inaccurate.
also saying that a person who has a masters degree automatically wants to get into management is also not true. this has to be company specific and not an industry-wide thing.

a quick search on indeed will show a ton of listings where masters degrees are preferred or outright required for positions that have nothing to do with management.

 

[Spiritual Stratocaster]

Degrees are just like certs, shows you can follow directions, but neither mean you will be great. IMO get an accredited degree the easiest fastest way possible. College teaches you how to think like a developer, sys admin, etc, once you learn how to think like what you want to be, it is easier to learn specific technologies.

I've been leaning more towards going for an Associate in Computer Info. Systems...the school says the program is this

• CIS 102 - Intermediate Business Computing 5.0 Credits
• CIS 125 - Network Workstation 5.0 Credits
• CIS 161 - A+ Hardware Support I 5.0 Credits
• CIS 171 - Cisco Networking I 5.0 Credits
• CIS 220 - Enterprise Architecture 5.0 Credits
• CIS 233 - Systems Analysis 5.0 Credits
• CIS 234 - Systems Design and Development 5.0 Credits
• CIS 250 - Database Theory and Design 5.0 Credits
• CIS 251 - Structured Query Language (SQL) 5.0 Credits OR
• CIS 253 - Application Development Tools 5.0 Credits
• CS 115 - Introduction to Programming 5.0 Credits

.

I've been a computer person since I was like 11..I feel like stuff like would just click better in my brain. hell I setup the internet for our house back when I was 13 we first got comcast because the idiot installer got frustrated because he didn't know how to work with gateway computers .

But anyway i'm more about that job security,and having a field I can grow in...i'm 24,(did the military thing )...my main concern is going through all the studying,getting a degree and not finding a job ....Is it hard moving up from entry level?

 

[Apollo Creed]

I've been leaning more towards going for an Associate in Computer Info. Systems...the school says the program is this

• CIS 102 - Intermediate Business Computing 5.0 Credits
• CIS 125 - Network Workstation 5.0 Credits
• CIS 161 - A+ Hardware Support I 5.0 Credits
• CIS 171 - Cisco Networking I 5.0 Credits
• CIS 220 - Enterprise Architecture 5.0 Credits
• CIS 233 - Systems Analysis 5.0 Credits
• CIS 234 - Systems Design and Development 5.0 Credits
• CIS 250 - Database Theory and Design 5.0 Credits
• CIS 251 - Structured Query Language (SQL) 5.0 Credits OR
• CIS 253 - Application Development Tools 5.0 Credits
• CS 115 - Introduction to Programming 5.0 Credits

.

I've been a computer person since I was like 11..I feel like stuff like would just click better in my brain. hell I setup the internet for our house back when I was 13 we first got comcast because the idiot installer got frustrated because he didn't know how to work with gateway computers .

But anyway i'm more about that job security,and having a field I can grow in...i'm 24,(did the military thing )...my main concern is going through all the studying,getting a degree and not finding a job ....Is it hard moving up from entry level?

I`m not big on Associates honestly, I always say get the Bachelors, because once you got a bachelors you won't ever have to go back to school, because while an advance degree helps (as seen in tis thread I`m looking at it) it most def isn't mandatory to make good money. IMO with IT the hardest thing is getting your 1st entry level gig, once you get your foot in the door and get 2-4 years of experience, you are pretty much golden. If you look at job sites there are sooooo many openings for senior positions, because its hard to find people who know specific technologies. IMO once you get an entry level gig, and get some experience, you can literally look on job sites and see what positions are requiring and just teach yourself the tech, then apply. Being that you have a 4 yr degree & Work experience, anything you list on your resume look legit.

 

[Spiritual Stratocaster]

I`m not big on Associates honestly, I always say get the Bachelors, because once you got a bachelors you won't ever have to go back to school, because while an advance degree helps (as seen in tis thread I`m looking at it) it most def isn't mandatory to make good money. IMO with IT the hardest thing is getting your 1st entry level gig, once you get your foot in the door and get 2-4 years of experience, you are pretty much golden. If you look at job sites there are sooooo many openings for senior positions, because its hard to find people who know specific technologies. IMO once you get an entry level gig, and get some experience, you can literally look on job sites and see what positions are requiring and just teach yourself the tech, then apply. Being that you have a 4 yr degree & Work experience, anything you list on your resume look legit.

They have bachelor's in CIS based stuff?

I always thought if you went the bachelor route that pretty much means just Computer Science.

Oh and the associate's is for transferring, I don't have the grades for a 4 year school...planned on getting an associates then transferring to a school like UW,WWU,etc...

 

[duckbutta]

considering the huge amount of "masters degree preferred" jobs out there this can't be true, as is the notion that a masters degree can only benefit you at the company you're currently in. that's just inaccurate.
also saying that a person who has a masters degree automatically wants to get into management is also not true. this has to be company specific and not an industry-wide thing.

a quick search on indeed will show a ton of listings where masters degrees are preferred or outright required for positions that have nothing to do with management.

Not for your typical sys admin or dba position it is not...

Post a link to just a regular windows admin job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to just a regular unix admin job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to a random 3par storage engineer job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to an exchange administrator job that says "masters degree preferred"

Not an industry wide thing

Probably 35% of Starbucks work force is comprised of people with MIS or CS degrees that never got an IT job

But it's not an industry wide thing


And you talking about Indeed has postings...breh there is a big difference between a posting for a job..AND A REAL ACTUAL JOB... I work at a fortune 100 company that always has about a 100 "postings" for jobs even when they are laying off 60% of the people in the group the job posting is in

I know this is supposed to be a thread about being positive and uplifting and you can do it keep studying get that cert get that job welcome to IT but come on breh...some of you guys are living in some fantasy land where everyone is eating oh so good in this IT gig and if you are not then obviously you did something wrong...

IT as a whole is moving to "the cloud" and being outsourced to other countries at a rate faster than it ever has before...but hey it's all good just get a masters degree and click apply on a job board like Indeed and you will be eating in no time

 

[Apollo Creed]

They have bachelor's in CIS based stuff?

I always thought if you went the bachelor route that pretty much means just Computer Science.

Oh and the associate's is for transferring, I don't have the grades for a 4 year school...planned on getting an associates then transferring to a school like UW,WWU,etc...

You have CIS/MIS and then you have Comp Sci. If you want to be a programmer/developer, anything else do CIS/MIS.

 

[Apollo Creed]

I mean to say Comp Sci if you want to do development/programming.

 

[sfgiants]

Not for your typical sys admin or dba position it is not...

Post a link to just a regular windows admin job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to just a regular unix admin job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to a random 3par storage engineer job that says "masters degree preferred"

Post a link to an exchange administrator job that says "masters degree preferred"

Not an industry wide thing

Probably 35% of Starbucks work force is comprised of people with MIS or CS degrees that never got an IT job

But it's not an industry wide thing


And you talking about Indeed has postings...breh there is a big difference between a posting for a job..AND A REAL ACTUAL JOB... I work at a fortune 100 company that always has about a 100 "postings" for jobs even when they are laying off 60% of the people in the group the job posting is in

I know this is supposed to be a thread about being positive and uplifting and you can do it keep studying get that cert get that job welcome to IT but come on breh...some of you guys are living in some fantasy land where everyone is eating oh so good in this IT gig and if you are not then obviously you did something wrong...

IT as a whole is moving to "the cloud" and being outsourced to other countries at a rate faster than it ever has before...but hey it's all good just get a masters degree and click apply on a job board like Indeed and you will be eating in no time

are you ok? what's with the smileys? this rambling response and extra assumptions your adding to my very easy to read post are weird. take a deep breath and read carefully.

i'm going to break down my response for you because i don't think you understood
1. you said a masters degree would make it difficult to get a non-management job outside of a person's current company.
your exact quote: You should know that a masters degree is going to make it hard for you to get another IT job outside of your company if it isn't in management.


here is one example of a job listing that specifically lists a masters degree as a requirement AND is not a management job:

https://www.healthitjobs.com/job-details/business-analyst/new-york/new-york-city/jobid-7555/

This is a business analyst job that is mostly dealing with requirements gathering and working with developers in delivering whatever the job description lists.
This is one example of a job that 1. requires a masters degree and 2. is not management

· Highly Desired Requirements:
Master's degree in Biomedical Informatics, Business, Public Health, Computer Science, or a related field.

here is completely diff job in a different city :

https://windriver.tms.hrdepartment....&site_id=148&view_language=en-US&referrer=102

Education:

• BSCS/BSCE/BSEE or Equivalent.
• Masters degree is an asset.

and one more for good measure:
https://jobs3.netmedia1.com/cp/faces/job_summary?job_id=SWG-0653599

Preferred

• Master's Degree in Information Technology

Those are 3 completely different examples of jobs at different coasts that
a) are not management jobs
b) require or prefer a masters degree

follow the logic:
a) a person is at company A.
b) company B, C and D have job postings for non management jobs that prefer a masters degree
c) conclusion: there are non-management jobs at other companies that require or prefer a candidate with a masters degree.

that's how easily deductive logic works, and how easily your statements are proven wrong.

is that easier for you to understand? I hope this was clear and you don't go off rambling about "fantasy lands" or making incorrect blanket statements alluding to masters degrees basically being useless or detrimental to one's job search outside of their current company.