Career advice: Whats more important - a degree or certifications?

Fellow Geeks,
I need some career advice and I'd greatly appreciate some help. I'll format this in outline form to make it visually easier.

1). Here’s my background: A+ certified, 1 year experience as PC tech (field tech performing Dell warranty work), 5 years experience doing freelance PC repairs (yellow page ad, bulletin board ads and flyers), 18 Dell certifications (various desktops, notebook, printers, and servers)

2) Here’s my goal: Full time work as hardware tech or network maintenance (not network administrator) for large company

3) My question: I'm 45 and just started a 4-year bachelors degree course for Information Technology (classes at night). Is a degree really going to help me, or should I focus on specific certifications, like MSCE or CompTIA?


Thanks in advance,
DCO

 

Cert or degree???

In my experience, neither. It's work experience that means the most. I once worked with a guy who was a CNA, but didn't know squat about Netware. Another guy, who didn't have a CNA or degree, but had Novell experience just from a previous job, was a total expert with it.

I am close to finishing my degree, and have a few certs, but to most people, those don't mean as much as my 8 + years of experience.

I'm just doing the school+certs cause my emp pays for them, and I don't really have anything better to do.

I think if you highlight your past experience, and really focus on that on your resume or an interview, it'll go farther than certs or a degree. Employers I think are getting tired of guys with certs who went to a "boot camp" and got a CCNA or MSCE in 3 days.


-Steve

 

Degrees show to employers that you are willing to make larger commitments and go the extra mile. Certs obviously don't take near the amount of time, and if you know the stuff, are merely a test away.

My degree is going to be Computer Engineering. Would you prefer me, who is going for his Bachelor's then Master's, or someone with a certificate saying they passed a test? I know in things that matter (like working for Raytheon), I'd take the more educated person.



In my case, I'm supplementing myself with certs too, mostly because it will take some time for me to get security clearance at the company I will probably work for, and may end up in EE instead of Comp Engineering.

 

i agree with evil. I just turned down a job where the guy that left had a degree and certs with no experience and he was lousy, so they wanted someone with experience. I turned it down b/c i accepted a position where the pay was double and benefits were better than the position previously offered and I do not have a degree or any certs...they were impressed with my previous experience.

 

So, you've got a total of six years of experience. Thats pretty good. What did you do previously? How did you get the 18 Dell certs?

Contact your best freelance customers and ask them if you can use them as references. If any are businesses, thats even better.

And stay away from Fairless Hills Dental Center. That guy should have his license taken away!


-Steve

 

Degree, Degree, Degree...

 

I got my degree in '86 and was certified in '91. Both have been valuable experiences.......

 

No job is finished till the paperwork is done....

 

Certifiable you mean.

 

LOL..that too

 

Steve,
The Dell certs I can get online because I work as a Dell FSR (Field Service Rep). The certs are a big benefit. Each takes about a day to study for and the tests are usually 2 hours long.