security, encryption, and healthcare

Thu Mar 1 14:12:57 MST 2007

Micah + PLUG,

  Just to reiterate on my past statements... if someone claims they
are this 'awesome talent' and they have utmost dedication to the
field, etc.  presumably they are claiming that it is a lifelong
commitment( at least 20-30 years ).  If someone really were this
stellar talent, they would be a absolute idiot not to at least gain
some basic credentials.  I mean you're talking about 2 years of basic
requirements followed by 2 more years of total immersion in Computer
Science and Math concepts.  You're telling me this doesn't count?
That your experience screwing around with PHP for www.dogfood.com is
far more valuable?  I've heard the story before... I'm a really great,
really sharp guy, and I don't have a degree, etc. etc.  Sure you may
have managed to impress a few employers and some of your buddies
around town, but that doesn't really say too much.  How can you give a
reference from someone who doesn't even have the capacity to measure
your skill and knowledge?  The fact is that eventually, people will be
forced to throw you into the same boat as all the BS artists( no pun
intended ) who would probably be pumping gas had they not figured out
how to fake a resume.

  What will happen to the lower strata that I mention is that this
group will evolve into something more like a mechanic than a
scientist.  There will certainly be room for both, but there are far
less mechanical engineers than mechanics.  On another note, if you do
plan on having some kind of employment in the next decade I advise you
get off your butt and say something to your congress critter about the
H1-B cap raise that is being proposed( SKIL bill ).  We are talking
about another 1.5 million foreign workers in the next 7 years.  I will
probably move on from this field( at least far enough not to be
effected by this ), but I perish the thought of an America that does
not give its own people the right to work in their own country.  I
would much rather have an American engineer making money than a cheap
foreign engineer charging %10 less, not because its sounds like a nice
thing to do, but it really does benefit me in the long run.  There is
a reason why were the best.  For those of you struggling to find work,
or are wondering why your boss gets away with being a complete ass,
you can thank Bill Gates for appealing to the public for a 'shortage
of engineers'.  Oh and BTW- outsourcing is not really a threat in this
case... it has proven to be a huge financial risk and this risk will
always keep salaries relatively high stateside.

  regarding not worrying about bubbles... I actually got involved with
CS having no idea of what has in store for myself and the US( dot com
bubble ).  I was more interested in pattern recognition applications,
but the internet job market had far too much gravitational pull.  My
experience is that the financial world has such an enormous influence
on our countries industry and production that to ignore it completely
is career suicide.  Americans could all be starving to death, but if
the financial world says that swimming pools are the most valuable
thing in the world, thats the way it is going to be.  This is due in
part to the fact that Americans are very susceptible to get rich quick
schemes, and dare I say it, good 'ol greed.

  -jmz

On 3/1/07, Micah DesJardins <micahdj at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
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