Miscellaneous > The Lounge
Linux Pro's in the workplace
voidmain:
quote:Originally posted by Gonusto:
I've got the desire and the motivation (I think), but what's the best way to go about gaining experience? We have labs and programs due every week for class, but the problem is these take up all of my time that isn't spent doing work for other classes. This means I only have time to "learn" what is required to complete the projects and pass the tests .
--- End quote ---
Isn't life grand? You're damned if you do and your damned if you don't. While you are bustin' your ass in school there is someone else just like you devoting 20 hrs/day leaning/programming on their own and probably learning the "computer" only side of the house much faster. And they probably get a jump start with experience as they might be picking up an apprentice level job somewhere. By the time you get out of school, they have the experience. People like me may put more weight on experience but there are many that value the certificate. Of course you'll hopefully be skilled in other very important areas that the other guy missed out on. And it's likely you'll make it up through the management ranks faster with your degree even if you are never as good technically as the other guy. I've been asked many times to take director level positions and have always refused because I really enjoy the technical side of the house (and I would have to take a pay cut if I became a director ).
My suggestion to you is, expand your 24 hour day to 36 hours so you can get 12 hours a day of hands on experience while you are going to school. Then you'll have the best of both worlds. Might also help to take up coffee drinking if you don't already (one habit I never got in to. Mountain Dew works wonders). And if you figure out how to expand your day to 36 hours let me know the secret because I've been living on about 3 hours sleep a night for the last 15 years. I think it's causing me to age faster than most.
quote:. . It also means I don't have to time to just sit down and expirement with lines of code and *really* learn the ins and outs of the language(s). I'm forced to learn things at their (the school's) pace . . . not my own. And I'm afraid I'm not fully learning everythign I need to. Any advice on what the best way to gain "real" experience is? Anybody?
--- End quote ---
How long before you get your degree? I would say that you don't need a degree to become rich if that is your goal. Anyone with the motivation can make this happen. However, if you have the opportunity now and can afford it, stay in school. It will certainly help you down the road, especially if you have slightly less motivation than you think you have. Nobody that I know of was ever turned down for an interview because they *have* a degree. I know of many examples of people being turned down for *not* having a degree. How's that saying go? Don't be a fool, stay in school?
[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]
Calum:
yup, this is one of the reasons i am considering open learning, as i will get to do the stuff in my own time, and so on, also i will be able to do whatever else investigation i like in the meantime.
Also it is interesting that you say many prospective employers want you to have a degree, because if we don't have a degree, then we will only be considered for employment by those people who don't care about all the BS (ho ho!) such as yrself, and we may well land in a more honest type of position as a result, which is a bonus for me. i have a similar attitude towards tha management structure as it sounds like you do , Main, ie: it's there for a reason but it might not be for me.
I suppose we walk that bit closer to not getting a job in the first place though, and i reckon i need a degree, not to make me learn stuff so much as to let me know *what* stuff to learn. I have an avid interest and basic bog standard short course type education in a lot of technological/mathematical/computer/code related things, but now is the time to seriously dive into a few precise subjects, so i can be great at a few things rather than just passable at a lot.
[ March 22, 2002: Message edited by: Calum ]
mskarl:
Hey all thanks for all of your posts. Reading this had made me just want to go home bust my ass for a year and then work for VoidMan. <--- Probably fat chance in hell because I'm entry lever at my very best but a guy can always wish.
kinky:
to many would-be employers... certs seem to take more importance than anything. ive seen too many companies hire complete dumbasses, just cuz they passed some cert test by studing old tests questions and answers and not really knowing the material... or going to a boot camp
but, getting exp, and certs is a good way to get noticed for a job...
and you thought certs were just for your breath
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