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Advice for a soon to be Computer Information Systems graduate?

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  • Computers
  • College
  • Systems
  • Business Computing
Last response: in Business Computing
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August 20, 2013 3:48:07 PM

Looking to get some guidance/insights since im kinda in a cross-road while having 1.5 years left til I get my degree in Computer Information Systems. Im at the point of my life where Im not sure whats gonna happen and how im gonna be able to handle life after graduation.

Ive been 2nd guessing my pursue of a CIS degree because I neglected to realize how many specialized IT jobs can be had with just certs and exp. Ive decided to stick with finishing my CIS degree since I originally switched from Biology thus ive been in school for too long while the student loan piles up. If I could re-do my college career and start at 18 again I would probably gone after a accounting/engineering degree.

Ive accumulated some technical experience such as working for broadcom as a bluetooth tester and recently working as a geeksquad repair tech for 2 1/2 years. But none of those are actual "IT" experiences in my opinion. After working geeksquad, I realized that I dont want to be working in a IT support role (helpdesk / desktop) just troubleshooting because it would make my degree useless and am driven to chase after specialist IT positions like security, networking, cloud or administrator.

Im currently unemployed and have been looking for a part-time / fall internship thats in the IT field, but having no luck as of yet here in Houston.

Should I just wait it out this fall and focus on getting certs and attend my campus job fair for internships for next summer?

What advice can be given to help me see through this unknown/dark times?

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August 20, 2013 4:02:07 PM

lreyes66 said:
Looking to get some guidance/insights since im kinda in a cross-road while having 1.5 years left til I get my degree in Computer Information Systems. Im at the point of my life where Im not sure whats gonna happen and how im gonna be able to handle life after graduation.

Ive been 2nd guessing my pursue of a CIS degree because I neglected to realize how many specialized IT jobs can be had with just certs and exp. Ive decided to stick with finishing my CIS degree since I originally switched from Biology thus ive been in school for too long while the student loan piles up. If I could re-do my college career and start at 18 again I would probably gone after a accounting/engineering degree.

Ive accumulated some technical experience such as working for broadcom as a bluetooth tester and recently working as a geeksquad repair tech for 2 1/2 years. But none of those are actual "IT" experiences in my opinion. After working geeksquad, I realized that I dont want to be working in a IT support role (helpdesk / desktop) just troubleshooting because it would make my degree useless and am driven to chase after specialist IT positions like security, networking, cloud or administrator.

Im currently unemployed and have been looking for a part-time / fall internship thats in the IT field, but having no luck as of yet here in Houston.

Should I just wait it out this fall and focus on getting certs and attend my campus job fair for internships for next summer?

What advice can be given to help me see through this unknown/dark times?


Finish up your degree, then pursue some sysadmin work and associated certifications. Consumer facing IT (Geeksquad) mostly involves wiping coke and semen out from keyboards but professional IT for large corporations not only pays really well, it's an extremely fun career (if challenging at times). I'll be finishing up my Computer Engineering degree this year but I work as a sysadmin for a web company. Certifications may make it easier to get your foot in the door, but actual academic credentials are better in the long run.
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August 20, 2013 5:09:33 PM

What basic certs can I start with other then A+ that will get internship recruiters interested?

Being that I wont have cash flow as I perviously have, I need to be picky which certs I obtain first.
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August 20, 2013 5:16:42 PM

lreyes66 said:
What basic certs can I start with other then A+ that will get internship recruiters interested?

Being that I wont have cash flow as I perviously have, I need to be picky which certs I obtain first.


The A+/Server+/Network+ certifications can actually be used to advance other certifications. If you want to get into enterprise IT (which I highly recommend), look into the CCNA, MCSA, and RHCSA / NCSA as well.
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August 20, 2013 6:17:45 PM

It feels like a+ is such a generic cert. Should I even bother with A+ even if I plan on specializing in either networking or security?

Im aiming to maybe get at least 3 Certs done by the end of the semester... so if you had to list in order which certs to get, what would they be?
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August 20, 2013 6:17:46 PM

It feels like a+ is such a generic cert. Should I even bother with A+ even if I plan on specializing in either networking or security?

Im aiming to maybe get at least 3 Certs done by the end of the semester... so if you had to list in order which certs to get, what would they be?
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August 20, 2013 6:35:54 PM

lreyes66 said:
It feels like a+ is such a generic cert. Should I even bother with A+ even if I plan on specializing in either networking or security?

Im aiming to maybe get at least 3 Certs done by the end of the semester... so if you had to list in order which certs to get, what would they be?


A+ is a very generic certification, mainly because the content is a a prerequisite for every other certification out there. It may be a fairly generic certification but don't assume that makes for an easy exam or worthless certificate; the pass rate on the A+ is not very high and the study book is quite thick.
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Best solution

August 23, 2013 8:24:45 AM

My recommendation would be to ensure you make use of the free resources available from Microsoft, especially those which center on the latest technologies such as Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 and the features which apply to the enterprise. Master the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and you will be able to roll out a new operating system to 10 or 10000 systems with ease with complete control over drivers, applications, and more. Master the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) to be the hero of the day when you can make an application work in a new environment when the standard compatibility tools are unable to.

The Microsoft Virtual Academy contains a large collection of free courses and information on a wide variety of Microsoft technologies. I strongly recommend the Windows 8 for IT Pros Jump Start which provides a deep dive into the new features and technologies and changes for systems administrators and IT pros.

There is even more information available from The Springboard Series on TechNet, the resource for IT pros working with or managing Windows. The Windows 8 Jump Start available in the MVA is one such example, but there is much more, enough that it is well worth subscribing to the Springboard Series Blog to keep track of the latest updates and the Springboard Series Insider, the monthly newsletter. Don’t forget to use the evaluation software to get hands on and to try things out!
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