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Hello SpiceHeads,

I need some advice… I want to continue my education, but not sure which direction I should go. I currently have my Bachelor’s of Science in Information Technology. I’m debating of getting some certifications, or continue for my Masters in Computer Science or Cyber Security. I’m currently a help desk technician for a medical facility, I’ve been doing this for 1 1/2 years now. My biggest flaw is networking, I’ve been learning networking as I go, and it’s pretty amazing the things you can do with networking. I’ve learned a lot of new things which assures me that IT is the right career choice for me. I love technology, gadgets, video games, overall I’m a NERD… I really can’t do both since I’m working full time, family full time, and got bills to pay.

I need advice… Not sure what to do… Below are my choices…

1. Stay with my Bachelor’s, and get work experience…

2. Stay with my Bachelor’s, and get certs…

3. Go for my Master’s

Thank You SPICEHEADS for the ADVICE!!!

21 Spice ups
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I have a friend who got his Masters in Cyber and is getting nothing back on job inquiries. I believe mainly due to lack of security clearance.

3 Spice ups
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I would stay with the Bachelor’s and get more work experience. Think about certs if you can find time/money for them. The Master’s could wait for a couple years.

7 Spice ups
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I think your Masters is going to do very little for you at this point.

Keep getting experience, and study IT concepts you find interesting. If it’s networking, go for that. CCNA might a nice place to start.

Getting experience and learning more should not be mutually exclusive.

5 Spice ups
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As a fellow American, the cost / benefit of this specific degree is probably not worth it for you. As others have said, certs etc. will probably be much more helpful to you than a M.S. would.

2 Spice ups
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As someone currently working full time in IT and pursuing my bachelor’s (currently have two IT Associates), I think in the long run experience combined with education does make a difference. Everyone has a different opinion on education, but since you already have the bachelor’s it’s a non issue.

From the outside, it doesn’t seem like now is the best time for you to look into a masters program. I haven’t seen many, if any, job postings requiring a Master’s degree - most are asking for a bachelor’s or equivalent experience. On top of that, masters programs are expensive. A lot of companies will pay some or all of that cost if they want you to have it… I’d wait for that.

So my recommendation to you would be to hustle a little bit, learn new skills, if your current employer doesn’t have opportunities to learn, maybe it’s time to make a move. Overall, what you can provide to an employer, how you can help, is what it’s all about. Look into some certs for the information and experience only.

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Option 4: Go for the Masters while continuing to work. In the meantime as you learn for your masters you should find some of the certifications easy to get.

5 Spice ups
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Speaking from personal experience, getting work time and certs over furthering your degree will benefit you more in both the short term and the long run. Most companies list bachelor’s, certs, and look for work experience.

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In my opinion, both your degree and certifications are worth the most to potential employers when it is the last thing you did before working for them. After that, they all look at your current job for judging your experience, knowledge etc and all the degrees or certifications become a check box to sort your resume.

Answer this for yourself: Does the path for your continued education take you where you want to be, contribute to new opportunities and get you to the level of knowledge you believe you need for your career goal? Or is it just more time, debt and sitting in a classroom because you haven’t found a job?

I’d broaden your continued education to include a requirement to do some hands on kind of lab research, an internship and or community service working for a non-profit-- but adding the personal requirement that the task of any of these means you are putting your degree knowledge to work. Or another way of putting this is spin the dial, take some a big risk, move to a new school, mainly broaden your horizons and get out of your comfort zone.

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My personal experience was to switch up my field of study after I completed my BSIT - Security. I went for an MBA, which came in handy to help me find the position I am currently in, but I also went in for some certs (CCNA, CCNA Security) and I’m working on my CISSP.

My MBA has done more for me than my BSIT and resulted in higher net pay, and I’m still working with technology and applying more knowledge from that degree than my MBA - the MBA just looks good to upper leadership. I guess it really boils down to what you have time for and what you’re willing to sacrifice to make time.

I am seriously considering going in for yet another degree to change disciplines again and this is only after having finished my MBA in 2014. I’m looking at this based on the landscape of my current jobs market; if I were to give you any straightforward advice it’d be to evaluate your specific jobs market first, then determine if a cert or a totally different degree is going to better supplement your career.

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Of the listed options I would go with one or two. You will need the job experience to get better jobs and advance your career. Pick up some certs along the way as time allows you too.

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Masters degrees make Help Desk Techs. Experience make Architects.™

1 Spice up
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A masters degree makes you qualified to go for a Doctorate which makes you qualified to teach. That’s about all it’s going to do for you. Also consider that any curriculum you have for IT in college is usually out of date when you take the class.

2 Spice ups
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The masters is a good plan if you really want to work your way into the C-suite, I’d do a minor in buisness at that point. The truth is, in this industry experience you can back up is priceless. A bachelors and real experience would be the target I’d shoot for if your heart is set on expanded education. Worry about Certs when you find ones that compliment your experience.

1 Spice up
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I would agree that Certs will probably help you more at this point, along with experience. What are you really interested in? There are lots of certs out there, but try to dial in on what you really want to do. For security there are a number of options, but many require hands-on experience along with passing a test. Cisco offers security certs which will also give you a decent networking background. CompTIA’s Network+ or Security+ are also decent options to start with. Juniper, HP and other vendors also offer certs, some more reasonable and more or less useful than others. I’d look to get a cert or two under your belt and then try to find a different job that offers you a chance to get experience in the field you’d like to work in. Good luck!

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You should probably do a bit of cost/benefit analysis on the master’s option. Graduate programs aren’t cheap, and financial aid at the graduate level is not as easy to come by as it is for your first undergrad degree. You could be spending (that is, borrowing) thousands to pay for a degree. If that’s the case, you’d best have a solid handle on how long it will take to recoup the cost.

Will getting the master’s degree translate into a sufficient income increase to cover the cost of paying back the loans you took? How long will it take to pay them off, and how many more years to you anticipate working in the IT field?

1 Spice up
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One can teach in an adjunct capacity without either. Been there, done that.

1 Spice up
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To echo others here, I think you should hold off on the Masters, at least for now. I don’t see a lot of IT jobs that require a Masters and the ones that do are typically upper management/executive level. You’re going to find yourself simultaneously over qualified (with degrees) and under qualified with lack of work experience.

You might even see yourself getting passed over for entry to mid-level jobs because they see the education and think you will want too much money or that you’ll want to move up the ladder where there aren’t opportunities.

Some employers offer tuition reimbursement so the Master’s might be a good option in that scenario, especially if it complements a career plan with that employer.

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I would have to say that work experience is just as important as your certs and degree. I thought about going back for my masters instead of just a bachelors but decided to just keep working. It really got me far in my career. It is important to know things from school, but nothing is more valuable then real life experiences.

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Thank You ALL for your feedback. It definitely helps to hear others perspective, specially in the same field (IT). What are some good options for my Network+, and Security+ certs?