Curious as to who works in IT here

[Mibz]

Right, and that's fine, but we're not talking about experience vs certs. I'm not considering certs as a replacement for experience, I'm considering them as a supplement. Are you saying that, given otherwise identical resumes, you would completely discount certs and consider the two candidates identical?

On top of that, it seems to me that getting certs is a good way to expand your knowledge beyond what's necessary for your job. If I'm in a R&S network position and I want to switch to security it's not like any amount of experience is going to give me security knowledge, but I need that knowledge before I could get a security job. I need to get it from somewhere, why not certs?

I suppose that ties in with your "first job" comment. If I'm looking to specialize then all I need is to get enough knowledge to get my first job in that specialization and then work experience should give me pretty much everything else I need.

Heh, maybe we agree on this.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by adam c

How long have you been in the sector?
What position are you in?
What Experience do you have?

2 years and counting working as IT support.

I have computer building experience and some software usage but I mostly learned through my job. It's always an adventure when on a call.

[Bladeh]

1) 12+ years

2) Technical Support Analyst

3) Did a HND diploma in computing in 1999 back in England, when completed I came here with no job experience and challenged the A+ and Network+ while waiting for my working visa.

I have been working help desk for the last seven years and should be moving to setting up Cisco phone networks sometime in the next few months, been tired of doing help desk for the last few years and will be glad to see the back of it.

[sabad66]

Did a 12 month internship in Information Management @ a big 4 O&G from Sept 09-Aug 10. Going back there full time this June as a Business Analyst for our internal Onshore Gas clients.

Background: Finishing up my Software Engineering degree this April.

[3drian]

3 years, graduated from lethbridge college in 2008, got a networking job with a school division but didnt really like it, so I decided to code, Im a web developer now for a company in raymond AB

[Swank]

Coming up on 13 years looking after the telecom systems for an O&G company. I design, build, install, and administer systems all over Alberta and some in BC. We have a lot of legacy Nortel systems (CS1K, BCMs, MICS/KICS, Call Pilots, Avaya Octel) but are far down the path of migrating to a Cisco VoIP solution (Call Manager, Unity, CER, UCCX, MPX).

I got the job after getting a one year Electronics Technician certificate followed by a one year Telecommunication Technician Diploma from SAIT. Since then I have completed many Nortel courses and am half way done working towards my CCVP (or I guess CCNP Voice now).

The education was cheap, the pay and benefits are fat, and I love my job.

[.jl-]

Any of you guys working in a software development company (or has connections to one) hiring? I'm graduating from ITSD this month and have been looking for jobs since February and have been applying to numerous places but I've had no calls A lot of my classmates already have jobs lined up for them. I'm looking to get a summer software development position as I plan to go back to school next year to get a degree

[lowbrow]

How long have you been in the sector?

- 3 years

What position are you in?

- I tell Mibz to stop whining everyday

What Experience do you have?

- How to tell people to stop whining 101

[Mar]

Originally posted by .jl-
Any of you guys working in a software development company (or has connections to one) hiring? I'm graduating from ITSD this month and have been looking for jobs since February and have been applying to numerous places but I've had no calls A lot of my classmates already have jobs lined up for them. I'm looking to get a summer software development position as I plan to go back to school next year to get a degree

I just hired 2 guys with my company, but might look at a third. Send me your areas of expertise and any work you did.

[.jl-]

Originally posted by Mar

I just hired 2 guys with my company, but might look at a third. Send me your areas of expertise and any work you did.

pm'd

[rage2]

Wouldn't it be funny if I hired sputnik to be Mibz's boss?

[lowbrow]

I am laughing already!!!!

[interlude]

Originally posted by rage2
Wouldn't it be funny if I hired sputnik to be Mibz's boss?

[Mibz]

Asians have a weird sense of humour.

[lowbrow]

That's why your always the white one out...i mean just out....nvm.

[sputnik]

Originally posted by rage2
Wouldn't it be funny if I hired sputnik to be Mibz's boss?

Segregating the white guys?

[interlude]

umm.. hello... posting a funny african american kid as a joke is RACIST!!!!!

[lowbrow]

Originally posted by interlude
umm.. hello... posting a funny african american kid as a joke is RACIST!!!!!

That really depends on if Sputnik is White or Asian?

[sputnik]

Lets just say if you are in the rice paddy... I am in the potato field.

[Xtrema]

15 years

Infrastructure/Architecture

When it comes to certs, I agree with Mibz that it's a good supplement. Guys without certs will need some good networking to let people know their abilities.

I have worked with some awesome people without certs and some dumbasses with certs. It's just nature of all work environments.