Are you looking to jump-start a new career in the Information Technology industry?
If so, you might be wondering if you should enroll in a 4 yr. bachelor’s degree program or simply self-study and take the vendor specific I.T. certification exams (CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco) when you’re ready.
This was one of the biggest dilemmas that I faced when I decided to pursue my career in Information Technology.
As someone who already has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business, I debated whether or not it was worth it to go back to school for a second degree.
Depending on your current life situation, both the school or the certification route may offer distinct advantages to you.
Speak to an Academic Advisor
The first step I took in my decision process was to call up the local community college near me and set up an appointment to speak with an academic advisor in the I.T. department.
On the day of the scheduled appointment, the academic advisor provided me with plenty of information on the various I.T. related degree programs and the specific curriculum options that were available to me.
After speaking with the academic adviser, I got the undeniable feeling that going back to school would most likely be the best option for me.
This route offered me the best possible chances of getting hired by a company considering my limited work history in the tech industry.
However, I also thought about the fact that I work a full-time job and going back to school was not really a viable option due to my busy work schedule.
I strongly considered the idea of just self-studying and sitting for the individual tech certifications when I felt like I had the confidence to achieve a passing score.
This route would also offer me the flexibility to study on my own time and sort of go at my own pace.
I was deeply conflicted about both options: one offered me a rigorously academic program that pretty much ensured that I would receive comprehensive knowledge across various I.T. related fields and the other route offered a more flexible but somewhat limited path into the I.T. industry.
Research Local I.T. Positions
To further aid my decision on whether or not to pursue an I.T. degree vs just studying for my certifications, I decided to do a local job search for popular I.T. positions in my area and the educational profile that these companies were looking for in new hires.
After conducting a job search for popular tech positions in my area, I discovered that the overwhelming majority of I.T. companies were asking for a 4 year bachelor’s degree in I.T. or some other computer science related field.
I ultimately decided that going back to school for a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology would give me the most competitive edge in the job market once I completed my program.
Also, because the community college offered online courses as part of its curriculum, attending school would not conflict with my full-time work schedule.
Speak to Current I.T. Professionals
Another step I took was to reach out to my professional network of friends to see if they knew anyone who was currently working in the I.T. industry.
Surprisingly, they did and I was able to speak to and get advice from highly experienced professionals that have been in the I.T. field for several years.
All in all, depending on your specific situation, both options offer various pros and cons. However, if your goal is get an entry level position in the I.T. field, either option can open the doors of opportunity for you.
Make A Decision
So to recap, my final decision was to go back to school to get an I.T. degree after taking these 3 important steps.
The first step was to speak to an academic advisor at my local community college; the second step was to conduct research on the qualifications needed for local tech jobs in my area and then finally I spoke to several current I.T. professionals.
I hope that by sharing my experiences, you too can make an informed decision on whether to pursue an I.T. degree or self study for the entry-level tech certifications instead.
And besides, it never hurts to have both a degree and the certifications!
