61–70 of 92 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sounds to me like the difference between IT and IS. You're either "the IT guy" or you work in IS doing real things. Not just rebooting a managers PC and installing printer drivers.
Are you posting from the 90s?
I just don't think you need a degree if you know what you're doing.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you posting from the 90s?
Helpdesk, desktop support/field service, and Geek Squad still exist. You tend not to see developers or architects doing that work for a living.
Here's my advice. First, some context. I have degrees in math and experience in computing. I am now part-owner of an established company, and occasionally we recruit. The following is my experience based on some successful hires, some unsuccessful hires, and many, many CVs and interviews. When I look as a CV I want to know what value you'll bring to my company. I want to know why you'll be worth the money I'll pay yo…
Interesting! I'm building a way for people to apply for tech jobs by showcasing their experience, and skills backed up with evidence (www.accredible.com - just posted a Show HN after seeing this thread. Edit: reached the front page!). It sounds like your hiring thought process matches this philosophy!
I have people constantly telling me I should get my degree (Older friends/family) and the ones who don't bug me about it often say things like "But he will eventually...". That said I have not yet had it hold me back in the tech field as all of the places I have talked to care more that I can do what they need than if I have a piece of paper. About a year and half after dropping out I have ZERO regrets, I am now seeing my peers who stayed in school complain about not being able to find jobs (on FB and the like) while I have had no problems at all finding a places that will hire me.
The thing to remember is to never stop learning. Some of my peers (both in school and at where I work) see finishing college as the end of having to learn where it couldn't be further from the truth.
[0] http://joshstrange.com/why-i-canceled-my-college-subscriptio...
In a way without a degree, you may have more lee way in the types of interesting projects you can put on your LinkedIn.
The bottom line is, always be building, and always be shipping something to show what you can do. Technology is one area where one's education isn't as relevant as the ability to learn anything, in a self-directed and self-teaching way.
I have one semester of college, in which I took psychology and political science. I've worked as the lead network architect for a large ISP, as a developer and then lead developer of a network security tool, as a security researcher (I have a pretty decent cite record and a fun list of universities with courses that have taught papers I wrote), as a 2-time startup founder, the first of which was VC-funded, as a lead…
> Math didn't matter much in my first 10 years or so, but it matters a lot to me now
Can you please expand on what kind of math matters a lot to you and your work now?
> I would pay a lot of money to be taught serious linear algebra and calculus instead of hacking and slashing my way through the subject on my own.
Why not just take it at a univ. then?