Getting Started in Information Technology - Do you need a College Degree? - Chris Titus Tech
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Date: 2022-03-20
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Comments and reviews: 10
it_industry
I'm work in the IT field but I had a strange start. I took a class in Highschool called Computer systems and during my summer that year I started fixing computers for family and friends and then I got recommended to other people. So I was just this HS kid who was freelancing during the summer and on the weekends during the school year. I didn't even hold an official certification till I was 22 and I had been working on computers since I was 16. But I took the A+ when I was 22 cause I thought it was important, I didn't even take the class for it I just took the test and passed. It wasn't my only job, I worked factory for several years to fill in and I went into the military which didn't work out. But in the IT field I have actually never worked for anyone else, I actually own my own business with 20 employees right now. But I do something unique, during the summer I do apprenticeships for HS students that want to get started, they make minimum wage but they get paired with someone who teaches them the ropes. (I'm hoping the minimum wage stays where it is at so I can continue to do this because I like being a teacher). They are also allowed to work part time through the school year so long as they keep their grades and attendance up and I make it a part of their employment agreement that they must show report cards to me (I make it a point that their education come first, and I'm always willing to work with them for study time if they need it). If they work hard I will write employment recommendations letters for them/help them find a job somewhere or if I have a spot open I hire them myself.
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I'm work in the IT field but I had a strange start. I took a class in Highschool called Computer systems and during my summer that year I started fixing computers for family and friends and then I got recommended to other people. So I was just this HS kid who was freelancing during the summer and on the weekends during the school year. I didn't even hold an official certification till I was 22 and I had been working on computers since I was 16. But I took the A+ when I was 22 cause I thought it was important, I didn't even take the class for it I just took the test and passed. It wasn't my only job, I worked factory for several years to fill in and I went into the military which didn't work out. But in the IT field I have actually never worked for anyone else, I actually own my own business with 20 employees right now. But I do something unique, during the summer I do apprenticeships for HS students that want to get started, they make minimum wage but they get paired with someone who teaches them the ropes. (I'm hoping the minimum wage stays where it is at so I can continue to do this because I like being a teacher). They are also allowed to work part time through the school year so long as they keep their grades and attendance up and I make it a part of their employment agreement that they must show report cards to me (I make it a point that their education come first, and I'm always willing to work with them for study time if they need it). If they work hard I will write employment recommendations letters for them/help them find a job somewhere or if I have a spot open I hire them myself.
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Joey
I-ve done research if you need a college degree to get into IT. I-ve read on the CompTIA website that it-s a myth that you need a college degree to get an entry level job in IT. A family friend who works in IT told me the same thing and that certifications and experience run the IT world. On the other hand, I-ve searched on google jobs, IT careers, and I want to be able to work at home. 95% of the job postings required or preferred a bachelors degree in computer science or related. I-ve been trying to look for someone who works in IT to get advice from. I have 19 credits left to finish my associates degree and I-ve been constantly debating if I want to finish the degree and then pursue a bachelors to look good on my resume to put on a job website so that companies who are hiring will want to reach out to me for having degrees plus certifications. Nearly everyone I know tells me to get a degree because it can-t hurt and that-s what today-s world has come to. I-d like to start a career early, but I have not shadowed anyone in IT so I don-t even know if it would be something I would like to do. I-m not too big of a big fan of college overall, but I don-t really know what to do. What kind of advice do you have for me? Will a degree help me to look good for other companies?
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I-ve done research if you need a college degree to get into IT. I-ve read on the CompTIA website that it-s a myth that you need a college degree to get an entry level job in IT. A family friend who works in IT told me the same thing and that certifications and experience run the IT world. On the other hand, I-ve searched on google jobs, IT careers, and I want to be able to work at home. 95% of the job postings required or preferred a bachelors degree in computer science or related. I-ve been trying to look for someone who works in IT to get advice from. I have 19 credits left to finish my associates degree and I-ve been constantly debating if I want to finish the degree and then pursue a bachelors to look good on my resume to put on a job website so that companies who are hiring will want to reach out to me for having degrees plus certifications. Nearly everyone I know tells me to get a degree because it can-t hurt and that-s what today-s world has come to. I-d like to start a career early, but I have not shadowed anyone in IT so I don-t even know if it would be something I would like to do. I-m not too big of a big fan of college overall, but I don-t really know what to do. What kind of advice do you have for me? Will a degree help me to look good for other companies?
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Eric
This is the best video I've seen about how to get a job and how to be a very good professional at your job. Yes, make absolutely sure you blow the interview out of the water. Be prepared, be confident and be willing to learn. Practice your interview 3 times before the actual interview. Yes, dress like a professional AT ALL TIMES, this can NEVER hurt you. When you get the job just treat everybody the exact same, like their your best friend..always be willing to help someone out and you will always be remembered as one of the great ones. You have to take care of yourself, take a lot of breaks and take very special care of your eyes and DO NOT get carpal tunnel. Get you diet dialed in, I ended up fasting for 18 hours a day and then 2 med meals during the 6 hours I have. Trust me I have plenty of friends who did NONE of the above and their health has suffered so bad they look like the living dead. You must take breaks, take vacations, and be self aware if things get rough you might have to get another, less stressful job..of which there are millions of computer jobs out there for the next 20 years and beyond.
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This is the best video I've seen about how to get a job and how to be a very good professional at your job. Yes, make absolutely sure you blow the interview out of the water. Be prepared, be confident and be willing to learn. Practice your interview 3 times before the actual interview. Yes, dress like a professional AT ALL TIMES, this can NEVER hurt you. When you get the job just treat everybody the exact same, like their your best friend..always be willing to help someone out and you will always be remembered as one of the great ones. You have to take care of yourself, take a lot of breaks and take very special care of your eyes and DO NOT get carpal tunnel. Get you diet dialed in, I ended up fasting for 18 hours a day and then 2 med meals during the 6 hours I have. Trust me I have plenty of friends who did NONE of the above and their health has suffered so bad they look like the living dead. You must take breaks, take vacations, and be self aware if things get rough you might have to get another, less stressful job..of which there are millions of computer jobs out there for the next 20 years and beyond.
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Eldritch
Comforting advice but doesn't really seem to be accurate in my area. I have A+ and Sec + and have been unable to get any interviews for basic help desk and desktop support jobs. I've been told in replies about a dozen times that I was denied because I don't have a degree or experience. I have been working in customer service for 5 years but I don't have any professional IT experience.
So as much as I agree with the assertion that the knowledge you gain in college isn't worth the cost or the time investment, the piece of paper for completing it is unfortunately required for a lot of employers.
It's debilitating and demoralizing but I've signed up for the final semester to finish my 2 year degree in the hopes that it'll be enough to get me an interview.
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Comforting advice but doesn't really seem to be accurate in my area. I have A+ and Sec + and have been unable to get any interviews for basic help desk and desktop support jobs. I've been told in replies about a dozen times that I was denied because I don't have a degree or experience. I have been working in customer service for 5 years but I don't have any professional IT experience.
So as much as I agree with the assertion that the knowledge you gain in college isn't worth the cost or the time investment, the piece of paper for completing it is unfortunately required for a lot of employers.
It's debilitating and demoralizing but I've signed up for the final semester to finish my 2 year degree in the hopes that it'll be enough to get me an interview.
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Eman
I couldn't agree more. I actually dropped out of college that only made it half way through my Network and System Administration program and haven't been to college since 2015. Employers esp in IT value experience over a degree. When I was in school, all the internships were mostly entry level support roles such as Help Desk. I mean, I could just go an get myself a Help Desk job on my own without going to college. Many of my own collages that graduated from college all started out at the Help Desk with me which sorta defeats the purpose of having a degree in I.T since you are going to end up at the Help Desk anyway before moving up into an Admin or Engineer role. I've since then moved up into a Desktop Support role which then leads into a Jr. System admin role.
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I couldn't agree more. I actually dropped out of college that only made it half way through my Network and System Administration program and haven't been to college since 2015. Employers esp in IT value experience over a degree. When I was in school, all the internships were mostly entry level support roles such as Help Desk. I mean, I could just go an get myself a Help Desk job on my own without going to college. Many of my own collages that graduated from college all started out at the Help Desk with me which sorta defeats the purpose of having a degree in I.T since you are going to end up at the Help Desk anyway before moving up into an Admin or Engineer role. I've since then moved up into a Desktop Support role which then leads into a Jr. System admin role.
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Stephen
Glad to finally hear someone speak the truth about college where IT is concerned. I basically followed the same path as you Chris with the same result. IT Manager for the last 10 years and tech 8 years before that. 0 college, and as a matter of fact 0 certs too. Being able to perform/excel in IT is a gift, like many other trades. Not that you can't learn it, but spending thousands of dollars on an education (and going into debt) without the gift will not guarantee a long career in this field, nor will you enjoy it. You have to live and breathe this stuff because once you hit the real corporate world, a lot of what you use to think was fun will get sucked right out. Could not agree more with your top 10's.
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Glad to finally hear someone speak the truth about college where IT is concerned. I basically followed the same path as you Chris with the same result. IT Manager for the last 10 years and tech 8 years before that. 0 college, and as a matter of fact 0 certs too. Being able to perform/excel in IT is a gift, like many other trades. Not that you can't learn it, but spending thousands of dollars on an education (and going into debt) without the gift will not guarantee a long career in this field, nor will you enjoy it. You have to live and breathe this stuff because once you hit the real corporate world, a lot of what you use to think was fun will get sucked right out. Could not agree more with your top 10's.
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bulcub
You are ON POINT!! When applying for a position read the job description carefully because you have to decipher what will get you to the door and what is the WISH LIST!! I always create a list to bring with me so that when it comes to the question -do you have any questions-. I whip out my list and grill the interviewer to find out what are they really looking for, or I just point blank ask -What do I need to know RIGHT NOW that will get me into the seat that Monday morning- These interviewers know that you don't have experience in all that they want, you have to find out what is really important to them and then PUT THE HAMMER DOWN!!
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You are ON POINT!! When applying for a position read the job description carefully because you have to decipher what will get you to the door and what is the WISH LIST!! I always create a list to bring with me so that when it comes to the question -do you have any questions-. I whip out my list and grill the interviewer to find out what are they really looking for, or I just point blank ask -What do I need to know RIGHT NOW that will get me into the seat that Monday morning- These interviewers know that you don't have experience in all that they want, you have to find out what is really important to them and then PUT THE HAMMER DOWN!!
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itech
wow all 18 minutes and 24 seconds were worth it. Seriously THANKS! This video was perfect timing. It summed up a lot of views that I share about IT and degrees. It also highlighted some things I could work on in the list of 10 tips lol. I think the biggest tip I liked was the part about coach-ability and how employers aren't actually expecting this perfect superhero to walk in the door but just hoping that some of those attributes are there. That takes a lot of pressure off. Thanks for sharing all of this. Subbed.
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wow all 18 minutes and 24 seconds were worth it. Seriously THANKS! This video was perfect timing. It summed up a lot of views that I share about IT and degrees. It also highlighted some things I could work on in the list of 10 tips lol. I think the biggest tip I liked was the part about coach-ability and how employers aren't actually expecting this perfect superhero to walk in the door but just hoping that some of those attributes are there. That takes a lot of pressure off. Thanks for sharing all of this. Subbed.
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Chris
Just wanted to add after reading the comments. My views on college only apply to those in the USA and are looking at the IT field. The point was this, It is not worth putting yourself in $250,000 to $500,000 dollars worth of debt for a diploma that will only slightly help you out in your IT career. In the end, always be learning and improving your skills and work on your interview skills. If you can get a higher education at a reasonable cost, you absolutely should do it!
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Just wanted to add after reading the comments. My views on college only apply to those in the USA and are looking at the IT field. The point was this, It is not worth putting yourself in $250,000 to $500,000 dollars worth of debt for a diploma that will only slightly help you out in your IT career. In the end, always be learning and improving your skills and work on your interview skills. If you can get a higher education at a reasonable cost, you absolutely should do it!
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wally
Thanks for your speech. You woke me up. Lately, I have been -ROTJ- (retried on the job) at work. I have been working for the same entity for 38 years now. I hate going to trainings now, I don't want to do extra stuff like I use too, and I like to go home right at 5:00pm: if I have to stay over I get mad about it. I want to work two more years before I want to retire. I think if I apply some of your wisdom might help me get across the finish line a lot more happier.
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Thanks for your speech. You woke me up. Lately, I have been -ROTJ- (retried on the job) at work. I have been working for the same entity for 38 years now. I hate going to trainings now, I don't want to do extra stuff like I use too, and I like to go home right at 5:00pm: if I have to stay over I get mad about it. I want to work two more years before I want to retire. I think if I apply some of your wisdom might help me get across the finish line a lot more happier.
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