Re: [SAGE] Computer Sciences degrees in IT

[Ruth Milner <rmilner@nmt.edu>]

Jeffery Malloch wrote:

> All of these accomplishments mean almost squat because I don't have a
> degree.  I feel as if most of the people I support and work with lift their
> noses to me as soon as they find out I don't have a Masters let alone a
> Bachelors even if I've proven time-and-time again that I can do this job and
> do it well.

First of all, by the time you have 15 years under your belt, the degree
(or lack thereof) counts for much less than it might have in the first
5-10 years.

But more importantly, why are you so sure that most of these people
perceive you that way? As someone else pointed out, clearly that can't
be universally true or you wouldn't have the responsibilities you've been
entrusted with. Consider for a moment that most of us are very poor at
figuring out what someone else is thinking, and that it's easy to project
our own insecurities on others.

Even in environments full of PhDs and professional engineers, I met very
few people I was supporting who didn't value years of excellent work far
more than a degree. Of course there will be some positions not open to
you without certain "qualifications" (note that CIO != senior sysadmin),
but how is that different than in any other field?

For many years I worked with a top-notch computer hardware maintenance
technician who was absolutely certain that he wasn't valued because he
didn't have a degree. I could never convince him otherwise despite ample
evidence to the contrary. I guess it was hard for him to see past the
chip on his shoulder because he'd carried it around for so long that it
became a heavy boulder weighing him down. It sounds to me like you're
pointing yourself down the same path, and it's not a happy one.

By contrast, a Windows sysadmin I worked with at the same place also
didn't have a degree. But she never let that bother her, and I never
observed, or heard from her (and she would have told me!), that it
particularly bothered anyone else, either.

> I've seen the rewards.
> The joy of finding that solution that's been dogging you for god knows how
> long.  The joy of making that person's day when you fix something for them
> that has been a pain in their arse.  Even the joy of making an income that
> really is enough to support your family comfortably.

Now I'm mystified. You love your work (most of the time :-) ), it keeps
you learning, it pays well enough to provide the things that you and
your family need, and you are confident in your ability to do a good
job. Shouldn't these satisfactions far outweigh the feeling that other
people where you work may be snobs about your academic background?

I urge you to talk to someone - your supervisor or, better, a colleague
you're comfortable with who works at the same place with the same people
and would be in touch with the chitchat around the place. Ask them to be
honest, and see whether they corroborate your perceptions. If you come
out of that with your suspicions confirmed, you may want to consider
changing employers. But if they react to your question with surprise,
listen to them - and then get back to enjoying your work. It really is
one of the best jobs in the world! :-)

Best of luck,

Ruth Milner