[ale] Little OT: Blind Future: Advise Wanted

[djinn at djinnspace.com]

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
> --
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