Ok here is a different one
I have 3 cert's: W2K Professional & Server, and Network +. I am working on CCNA now,and future prospects are Unix, SQL (database cert), and CCIE (a security cert). And yet, I am a Microbiology Major. Interesting, isnt it. My concern:
Because I don't have a CS degree, is it hurting me when I apply for a network admin/Help desk related position? Is there a profession where I can combine my BS in Microbiolofy and my mindset for computers in the IT field? I have heard about Bioinformatics .... however, I have no programming skills. Should I get some since my major is not CS?

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Do a google search: Biotech+employment

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in my area we have jobs in the medical field that are looking for various qualifications such as yours.

i dont know what they are doing other than it appears to be some sort of data base type position.

but they stress that they desire people with medical experience and experience with excell, access, etc.

i dont know if this is what you are looking for, but it might be worth a look see.

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prog,

it sounds like you're only scratching the surface in half a dozen areas.

You're sort of going in 6 different directions and hoping someone will hire you. My suggestion is decide what career you want and start aiming for it.

Even in IT- do you want to be a programmer? a database admin? a network admin? a server engineer?
Once you decide, start focusing your training and certs in that area.

Hate to say this, but a recent grad who has a non-IT degree but wants to get into the IT field doesn't look too good on paper.

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With no experience in the It field your certs will not mean very much. The best thing to do to enhance your degree and get you into the IT field which is what I think you want to do is to minor in computer science. Get as much experience through internships as you can. That way you have the knowledge to interact with proefessionals in the microbiology field and the knowlegde to write efficient code.

I saw an interview with Bill Gates and he was aked what he would get into if he was just starting out in the computer field and one of the fields was biotechnology.

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quote:

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I saw an interview with Bill Gates and he was aked what he would get into if he was just starting out in the computer field and one of the fields was biotechnology. [/B]

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quote:

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Originally posted by curiousgeorge
prog,

it sounds like you're only scratching the surface in half a dozen areas.

You're sort of going in 6 different directions and hoping someone will hire you. My suggestion is decide what career you want and start aiming for it.

Even in IT- do you want to be a programmer? a database admin? a network admin? a server engineer?
Once you decide, start focusing your training and certs in that area.

Hate to say this, but a recent grad who has a non-IT degree but wants to get into the IT field doesn't look too good on paper.

---

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progmetalaax,

the correct term I should have used is Bioinformatics and not biotechnology. Here is a web site on Bioinformatics.

http://www.cse.ucsc.edu/research/compbio/

The interview can be heard at the following url http://www.charlierose.com/archives/archive.shtm

Hope this helps out.

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quote:

---

Originally posted by curiousgeorge
prog,

it sounds like you're only scratching the surface in half a dozen areas.

You're sort of going in 6 different directions and hoping someone will hire you. My suggestion is decide what career you want and start aiming for it.

Even in IT- do you want to be a programmer? a database admin? a network admin? a server engineer?
Once you decide, start focusing your training and certs in that area.

Hate to say this, but a recent grad who has a non-IT degree but wants to get into the IT field doesn't look too good on paper.

---

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Every position in IT has a chance of being outsourced. I would not worry so much about outsourcing as I would automation. Automation and technology upgrades will eliminate more jobs than outsourcing. As far as certs go, most managers think certs go well with experience but only do not really mean that much. If you go after a bunch of certs and do not use the knowledge you have gained, what good is it? It is a piece of paper on the wall. Learn something and learn it really well. Become the expert in that area. The people that try to do too much are mediocre at best. If you do not have an IT degree you will most likely have to start out in a call center help desk position. Calltech is always hiring. While working that job go after the certs that you are interested in that compliment what you have done. Security is a hot field if you have 2 plus years of experience doing something like firewall administration or have been a server admin for several years or better. If you are just getting started nobody is going to trust you to be able to secure his or her information systems.

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