Resume question

[FuttBuckr]

I've got a question about how to present something on my resume. Because of some personal stupidity on my part I did four years of college but never quite finished my degree. I was studying mechanical engineering but screwed up my last semester pretty badly. I wanted to get my shit together before I finished school, and I was lucky that the company I was working at during school offered me a full time job.

At this point its been five years and I'm trying to figure out how to phrase my education situation on my resume. I've been in IT full time for the past five years and am making a pretty comfortable salary, but it's time to move on to a new job. Part of the reason I want to move is that my current job has pretty shitty educational benefits and I want to finish my degree.

I know I'll never actually do engineering work (I sucked ass at it) but a BS is a necessary checkbox if I ever want any kind of managerial or supervisory job. I've gotten CCNA, CEH and CISSP certifications in the past few years so I have some pieces of paper that prove that I know shit in addition to my experience, but I know I've hit the point of seriously diminishing returns with certifications. What's the best way to present my schooling situation on my resume?

 

[clamum]

I have no answers for you but I just saw your username and wanted to post: I LOVE IT. Hahahaha.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

On your resume, put the name of the degree, label it "In Progress," and put an estimated date of completion. If asked why it is taking you so long or something like that, explain that you started working full time and with a curriculum like engineering, you had to cut back on the number of classes taken while working full time.

 

[FuttBuckr]

On your resume, put the name of the degree, label it "In Progress," and put an estimated date of completion. If asked why it is taking you so long or something like that, explain that you started working full time and with a curriculum like engineering, you had to cut back on the number of classes taken while working full time.

Thanks for the advice, but isn't that sort of dishonest? I've been out of school for five years and am not currently taking classes.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Thanks for the advice, but isn't that sort of dishonest? I've been out of school for five years and am not currently taking classes.

I thought you said one reason you were leaving is that you want better education benefits to finish the degree -- is that correct? If that's the case, I would term the degree still being in progress, wouldn't you? I don't think that's dishonest because you are looking to finish the degree. If it makes you feel better, enroll in a single course.

 

[FuttBuckr]

True. I just want to be careful about overselling myself. In this line of work you can get a good job without a degree if you've got relevant experience, but any kind of dishonesty that's detected on a background check will result in people terminating and probably black balling you.

 

[alkemyst]

Just list your AA and then this next college period, the major, but don't specify degree.

If you have the experience and can speak to what you are certified in, then your degree doesn't matter much. I'd say many of our Senior Network Engineers coming on-board today either have not completed their BA/BS degrees or have never been to college at all.

What they do have is a large base of expertise and experience though.

 

[EagleKeeper]

How many more classes do you need?

The longer you put it off; the harder it will be to go back.

A semester is usually 3-5 classes.
Arrange with your work to take those classes one in day and one at night for the next year.

Get the BS beside your name.

When you go to another company; you will be swamped getting into that culture and lose another year or two before heading back to school.

I suspect that you were not granted an AA or AS; so you can not put that done.

The beast you can do on the resume is to put "in-progress".

Also as a FYI:
Be aware that while your handle may be funny to some; should it every show up via a background check; you will be SOL immediately.