[ale] Little OT: Blind Future: Advise Wanted

[Leonard Thornton]

Amen and hallelujah.....

On Sun, 01 Jul 2001, djinn at djinnspace.com wrote:
> What these other guys aren't telling you is--the real world sucks.  A lot.  Avoid
> it as long as humanly possible.  Trust me.
> 
> I'm 25, quit college at 20 but not by choice...grades dropped to below "acceptable
> levels for a scholarship" while working 3 jobs and taking a full load.  Sorta
> bitter.   In my world, you work really really hard to convince people you know
> enough to get hired, and they say "wow, you're the best employee we've
> got...everyone says such good things about you and you work lots of overtime" and
> then they pay you 30% less than they pay the guys who sit around all day playing
> Quake because they have degrees and you don't.
> 
> Don't be bitter...suffer thru college. ;)
> 
> jenn
> 
> 
> Leonard Thornton wrote:
> 
> > On Sun, 01 Jul 2001, you wrote:
> > > If every thing goes well I will graduate December 2001. I am interested
> > > in knowing, from you who have been there and/or know what employers are
> > > looking for, should I go to collage and pursue a degree in computer
> > > science? If yes, would a four or two year be enough?
> > >
> > > Or, I can skip collage and go get the certifications? Which
> > > certifications should I look more into? Any additional advise would be
> > > welcome!!! Hind site is 20/20
> > >
> >
> > <Climbs up on Soapbox...>
> >
> > Go to college!  Get the degree!  Don't make the mistakes I did......
> >
> > <Falls off of soapbox...>
> >
> > A long time ago (and I won't say HOW long...), I got out of high school, went
> > off to college to get that sheepskin (Major in CS, minor in Business).  I got
> > to school, went to classes and was BORED OUT OF MY SKULL!!!!  The subject
> > matter (I thought) was irrelevent, the instructors (I thought) moronic and the
> > general material useless.  Maybe so....maybe not.....that was not the point, I
> > later learned.  Suffice it to say, I lasted 2 semesters before blowing it off
> > and going out into the real world.....
> >
> > Now, fast forward (and I won't say HOW FAR FORWARD....) to the present day.
> > Looking in the rear view mirror I can tell you for a fact that I have had to be
> > twice as smart, twice as good and worked 3 times as hard as those people with
> > degrees to get to the same level.  Why, you may ask?  Like it or not, fair or
> > not, the piece of paper carries a lot more weight and influence in the first
> > 10-15 years of your career than any experience you may have.  When looking at
> > two equally experienced candidates, one with a degree and one without, the one
> > with the degree will win 9 out of 10 times.  Does it mean he knows more?  Not
> > necessarily...  Can he do more?  Maybe, maybe not...
> >
> > The degree will do 3 things for you.  It will immediately get your foot in the
> > door at a lot more places than without a degree.  A lot of companies will not
> > talk to you without a degree, regardless of what you know or what you can do.
> > PERIOD.  Secondly, when it is a choice between two equally qualified
> > candidates, that degree can be the deciding factor getting you in the door.
> > And lastly, when it comes time to promote someone, the guy without the degree
> > doesn't stand a chance...
> >
> > If you decide not to get the degree, you had better plan to start your own
> > company and work for yourself.  Otherwise your opportunities will be severely
> > restricted.
> >
> > Just my $.02 and worth every bit you paid for it.
> >
> > --
> > The difficult while you wait ... The impossible overnight ...
> >
> > Leonard Thornton
> > Intelis, Inc
> > leonard at intelis-inc.net
> > --
> > To unsubscribe: mail majordomo at ale.org with "unsubscribe ale" in message body.
-- 
The difficult while you wait ... The impossible overnight ...

Leonard Thornton
Intelis, Inc
leonard at intelis-inc.net
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