security, encryption, and healthcare

[Micah DesJardins]

Full disclosure - I have no college degree.  My first IT related job
was in (1990 when I was a sophmore in high school) and I have worked
in the field ever since.  I have (thus far) never experienced what I
would consider difficulty in finding or keeping a job in Information
Technology.  I have worked in higher education for the last seven
years where it has been my experience that there is an even greater
value placed on degrees than in the corporate world where I spent my
previous ten years.

I'll go ahead and chime in here, not because I don't value or
appreciate the perspectives of Joshua or Carlos, but rather because I
believe that there is another piece of the equation that we are
missing.  In our discussion of certification, degrees, and how to
prepare for doing what you most want to be doing, the most important
part of the equation, is you as an individual.  Each of us is unique
with our own talents, capabilities and experiences and the onus is on
you as a seeker of employment to showcase what makes you unique and
valuable.

One cannot underestimate the value of a degree in any professional
field.  Simply put, it is and always has been a very easy and
convenient yardstick by which to measure an individual's ability to
learn and synthesize information.  The problem lies in the fact that
all degrees are not equal and even differing degree programs within
individual institutions can have quite a bit of disparity between
covered curriculum.  I agree with Joshua that completing a degree
program shows a level of commitment to oneself and to one's chosen
field of study.

However, I also agree with Joseph.  An individual's degree matters far
less to me than the qualities and character of the person holding it,
or not holding it as the case may be.  I have met a number of highly
educated individuals who were terrible at applying the knowledge they
had acquired to real world problems.  That said, it is nearly
impossible to make a qualitative judgment about a person's character
or qualities without a significant time investment.   This is time you
simply don't have when you are in the middle of a search for a
prospective employee.  This is one reason why quantitative
measurements such as degrees are so valuable.  They are not however,
the only way to succeed.

Another way to succeed without a degree in your chosen field, is
through accomplishments.  A well documented record of success.
Successful individuals find inspiration in the work that they're doing
because it is something that they enjoy thinking about.  They look for
areas in which things are not as good as they could be and try to find
better solutions to the problems they are trying to solve.  They work
hard to educate themselves in as many ways as possible about how
things work in their chosen field or in how other people have solved
similar problems in the past.  And then, this is the important part,
they apply their gained knowledge as well as their inspiration to
create something better than what existed before.  By doing this over
and over again, you gain experience and confidence in yourself and
your abilities.

Degrees have value and are important.  Experience and applied
knowledge have value and are important.  Neither necessarily
represents the whole picture.  What someone knows is less important
than what someone is capable of learning and then able to apply.  The
most valuable employees are not the ones who know how to solve your
problems today.  They are the ones who are capable of looking forward
and trying to solve the problems you are likely to have tomorrow, as
well as capable of finding solutions to the unforeseen problems that
always crop up from time to time.

My advice would be to not worry about the next bubble.  Find something
you're passionate about.  If that's security, or health care
technology or whatever it is, then do that and be the best that you
can be in your chosen field.  Best of luck to you.

Anyways,

My 0000 0010 bits

Micah DesJardins