Re: [SAGE] Computer Sciences degrees in IT

[Gene Rackow <rackow@mcs.anl.gov>]

Lyndon Nerenberg made the following keystrokes:
 >[ Jon, I am deliberately ignoring your Reply-To header as I don't think 
 >it was what you really intended here. ]
 >
 >Jon 'maddog' Hall wrote:
 >
 >> I think many people on this list (including myself) have stated that a
 >> college degree is not required for a sysadmin job, nor really for many
 >> jobs.  Nevertheless, all things being equal (and I mean ALL things being
 >> equal), if I had two people standing in front of me and one had a
 >> college degree and the other did not, I would probably take the one with
 >> the degree.
 >
 >I'm curious why you would pick the one with the degree over the one with 
 >the best critical thinking skills.  Having a degree doesn't imply good 
 >problem solving skills, but (IMO) the latter is much more relevant to 
 >doing the job well.
 >
 >--lyndon
 >
Well, Jon indicated that ALL things being equal, which I would take to 
mean they are equal in regards to critical thinking skills as well.

It's a real serious problem.  I agree that some of the best admins
have not had degrees, but getting past the HR department screening
process without one is going to be difficult.

Once you get past that initial screening, the degree does not matter
as much in getting the job.  It's personality and capability that
makes the difference.  Now, once you have the job, where you go from
there may be a matter of what degree you have.  It depends on where
you work.

--Gene