a recruiter told me Associates == Bachelors

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

halik

Lifer
Oct 10, 2000
25,696
1
81
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

Thats comple bs (no pun intended), your resume will get tossed out in the first round. Why sould we pick you when theres many, many other candidates with real degrees.
 

spidey07

No Lifer
Aug 4, 2000
65,469
5
76
What's more likely?

1) recruiter was BSing you so they can pimp you out and make a ton of money off you knowing full and well that a ceiling is quickly reached (and career advancement/options severely limited) without a degree? Teksystems is notorious for farming out people who can't cut it.

2) Recruiter truly cares about your career and is trying to offer sound advice thereby postponing any money they can make off of you.

should be pretty obvious.
 

CVSiN

Diamond Member
Jul 19, 2004
9,289
1
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

In IT degrees as a whole are worthless.. first thing most companies tell you is.. Forget everything college taught you about IT.. this is how we do it..

they would rather have a guy with 15 years exp and no degree... over a newbie with a masters...

 

glugglug

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2002
5,340
1
81
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

BS > AA.

But AA + 6 months experience > BS + no experience.

So the question is, would you be able to get 6 months experience in the 2-3 extra years spent getting the BS degree?

A lot of places the HR dept. uses the BS/BA degree as an initial filter to reduce the pile of resumes they look at. Other than that initial filter, noone cares.
 

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: CVSiN
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

In IT degrees as a whole are worthless.. first thing most companies tell you is.. Forget everything college taught you about IT.. this is how we do it..

they would rather have a guy with 15 years exp and no degree... over a newbie with a masters...

A guy with 15 years experience wouldn't be applying for an entry-level job anyway. Degrees are to get your foot in the door. The same thing with certs, but to a lesser extent.

They are definitely not worthless, but practical knowledge and experience will trump all if you have enough.
 

Chaotic42

Lifer
Jun 15, 2001
35,257
2,396
126
My AA degree helped me land a job at a very promising employer. Best $4K that I ever spent.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
Topic Title: a recruiter told me AA==BS
Topic Summary: I thought BS > AA

she's right... in the IT industry... alcohol anonymous does equal bullsh1t.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
haha, sao. and im a guy.

okay, so you are telling me that an Associates degree would mean less then if I had a Bachelors degree?

I do want to get a decent high paying job out the door. I will have at least one year if not more if I decide to get my Associates degree.

Can someone elaborate more on this ceiling idea? I do not want to have to take more schooling later on, so if getting my Bachelors is a better idea, I might as well!
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
6,061
0
0
Originally posted by: glugglug
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

BS > AA.

But AA + 6 months experience > BS + no experience.

So the question is, would you be able to get 6 months experience in the 2-3 extra years spent getting the BS degree?

A lot of places the HR dept. uses the BS/BA degree as an initial filter to reduce the pile of resumes they look at. Other than that initial filter, noone cares.
But 10 years from graduation, it will be BS+9 > AA+11 (where AA may get resume dropped for app pool by HR handling the resumes).

agreeing...

 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Originally posted by: halik
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

Thats comple bs (no pun intended), your resume will get tossed out in the first round. Why sould we pick you when theres many, many other candidates with real degrees.

WTF??? real degrees? my first AAS has University of North Dakota on it. i guess that isnt real enough.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Originally posted by: gsellis
Originally posted by: glugglug
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

BS > AA.

But AA + 6 months experience > BS + no experience.

So the question is, would you be able to get 6 months experience in the 2-3 extra years spent getting the BS degree?

A lot of places the HR dept. uses the BS/BA degree as an initial filter to reduce the pile of resumes they look at. Other than that initial filter, noone cares.
But 10 years from graduation, it will be BS+9 > AA+11 (where AA may get resume dropped for app pool by HR handling the resumes).

agreeing...

what is the fastest way to getting a high paying job out the door when I graduate. I am looking for something I should do, not as a general :).
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
haha, sao. and im a guy.

okay, so you are telling me that an Associates degree would mean less then if I had a Bachelors degree?

I do want to get a decent high paying job out the door. I will have at least one year if not more if I decide to get my Associates degree.

Can someone elaborate more on this ceiling idea? I do not want to have to take more schooling later on, so if getting my Bachelors is a better idea, I might as well!


she would be referring to the recruiter... reading comprehension FTW.


Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
I went in for a small interview at TekSystems ( a contracting company ) and she said that a AA degree would get me just as far as a BS degree, is this true? I am going for my BS, but if I get my AA would I still be able to get the same jobs....thats what she is saying...

in the IT industry.

 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: DougK62
Most colleges are phasing out AA degrees - not even offering them anymore. That should tell you something...

yea... the universities can charge you 4 years of money for 2 years worth of learning, by adding unnecessary classes like backwards floor crawling, basket weaving, & history of the spotted zebra. Then to cover what they've done is call you a well rounded individual... which you've already become from the first 2 years of beer and pizza.


 

ivol07

Golden Member
Jun 25, 2002
1,475
0
0
I have an AA from a CRAPPY school but I have 5 years experience. I am currently making 3 times as much as the guy who is 2 years younger than me but has a BS from UCI that also works at the same company. I am the Web Developer; he is a Tech support guy on the phones. Good for me now, but maybe in another 5 years he'll be making way more than me?

And don't forget the best thing you can have to get a job....CONNECTIONS. I've seen people who are dumber than dirt making great money because of who they know.
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
6,061
0
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
what is the fastest way to getting a high paying job out the door when I graduate. I am looking for something I should do, not as a general :).
That will get you one. But your definition of high paying and mine are different. $45k is not high paying. Compare that to the $100k+ jobs that require a BA/BS and say it is high paying. And when that job you are taking goes south, you have no latitude to go to another company with an AA, even if it is the same job you have been doing for years. No BA/BS, no look at your resume. You would be stuck.

Do the BA/BS. The recruiter is not looking out for you as she gets a commission.
 

Fraggable

Platinum Member
Jul 20, 2005
2,799
0
0
I've been told by a few people who have nothing to gain by misinforming me that an AA with 1+ years of experience will almost always beat a BA/BS with no experience. Where you really win is with an AA with co-op experience. That's what I'm doing now. And I am in the IT field - network admin.

If you can get real experience in the IT field while getting an AA, go for it and be confident. By real experience I mean something other than phone help desk. I got to completely skip that step because I had enough experience on my own to land an admin position right away.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Originally posted by: gsellis
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
what is the fastest way to getting a high paying job out the door when I graduate. I am looking for something I should do, not as a general :).
That will get you one. But your definition of high paying and mine are different. $45k is not high paying. Compare that to the $100k+ jobs that require a BA/BS and say it is high paying. And when that job you are taking goes south, you have no latitude to go to another company with an AA, even if it is the same job you have been doing for years. No BA/BS, no look at your resume. You would be stuck.

Do the BA/BS. The recruiter is not looking out for you as she gets a commission.

I was thinking the exact same thing.
 

gsellis

Diamond Member
Dec 4, 2003
6,061
0
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
Originally posted by: gsellis
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
what is the fastest way to getting a high paying job out the door when I graduate. I am looking for something I should do, not as a general :).
That will get you one. But your definition of high paying and mine are different. $45k is not high paying. Compare that to the $100k+ jobs that require a BA/BS and say it is high paying. And when that job you are taking goes south, you have no latitude to go to another company with an AA, even if it is the same job you have been doing for years. No BA/BS, no look at your resume. You would be stuck.

Do the BA/BS. The recruiter is not looking out for you as she gets a commission.

I was thinking the exact same thing.
Tell her you will do part time somewhere. She can then look for that.

 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've been told by a few people who have nothing to gain by misinforming me that an AA with 1+ years of experience will almost always beat a BA/BS with no experience. Where you really win is with an AA with co-op experience. That's what I'm doing now. And I am in the IT field - network admin.

If you can get real experience in the IT field while getting an AA, go for it and be confident. By real experience I mean something other than phone help desk. I got to completely skip that step because I had enough experience on my own to land an admin position right away.

I currently am a IT Assistant, but when I got hired the IT Manager died , we support 100+ PCs and it was up to me to do it all until we hired another IT assistant to help out, my title is an IT assistant, but I consider it as an IT Manager, im not getting that pay, but I definatly have that workload.

I do want my bachelors, just because I have heard it will raise the roof in what jobs I can and cant get, even when I look on monster.com for jobs they all say have your Bachelors if not , have 5+ years experience.

and by high paying I do say 65k ++.

I also want to skip the phone help desk crap, I have heard it is just horrible.
 

newParadigm

Diamond Member
Jul 30, 2003
3,667
1
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
Originally posted by: radioouman
Bang for the buck, associates degree is hard to beat. Community colleges are cheap, and there are employers looking for people with those degrees because they are cheaper than bachelors degreed folks.


yes, but how much of a difference in the IT industry? I am currently getting a lot of experience as an IT assistant at my current job.

Certifications such as the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Profesional), CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Profesional).

I have a friend that has an AA in Computer Science from a CC, but also is a CCNP, he makes close to 60k.
 

Descartes

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
13,968
2
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
Originally posted by: Fraggable
I've been told by a few people who have nothing to gain by misinforming me that an AA with 1+ years of experience will almost always beat a BA/BS with no experience. Where you really win is with an AA with co-op experience. That's what I'm doing now. And I am in the IT field - network admin.

If you can get real experience in the IT field while getting an AA, go for it and be confident. By real experience I mean something other than phone help desk. I got to completely skip that step because I had enough experience on my own to land an admin position right away.

I currently am a IT Assistant, but when I got hired the IT Manager died , we support 100+ PCs and it was up to me to do it all until we hired another IT assistant to help out, my title is an IT assistant, but I consider it as an IT Manager, im not getting that pay, but I definatly have that workload.

I do want my bachelors, just because I have heard it will raise the roof in what jobs I can and cant get, even when I look on monster.com for jobs they all say have your Bachelors if not , have 5+ years experience.

and by high paying I do say 65k ++.

I also want to skip the phone help desk crap, I have heard it is just horrible.

Forget this ceiling nonsense. There is NO artificial ceiling in this industry, and if you want me to prove that 3,000 ways I can do so. If there were I would have hit it long time ago.

The ceiling is your potential. If you're good, you'll excel; if not, you'll always be limited. Experience is absolutely what matters, and the quality of the experience is paramount. Diversify your knowledge portfolio, seek challenging projects every single time, and make sure you continually progress in your abilities both technically and especially socially. This business is about how you can play the game, and understanding the social dynamic is what artificially limits probably 80% of all of those in IT. Understand it, play it, use it... and you'll find there's no ceiling.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
I am thinking if I get my AA + CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Profesional), CCIP (Cisco Certified Internetwork Profesional) I would be almost better off then paying for the extra TWO years at a unniversity to get my bachelors?

When I have a pretty noteworthy position where I work now. noteworthy, as in it should get accredited for expereince pretty well?