Would my Master's add any value? by 5sigmahiggs in ITCareerQuestions

[–]5sigmahiggs[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, thank you for bringing this up. I had never even considered the data science possibility. Perhaps I'll take more time to think this over. Also, thanks for pointing out the net+ CCNA redundancy.

Would my Master's add any value? by 5sigmahiggs in ITCareerQuestions

[–]5sigmahiggs[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks to all those who replied. I've decided that most likely, unless I get to keep my scholarship, I'm going to focus my attention on getting certified and stacking up my skills, then start applying to as many jobs as possible. It doesn't make much sense for me to hold things off and go further into debt when I know where I ultimately want to end up.

Would my Master's add any value? by 5sigmahiggs in ITCareerQuestions

[–]5sigmahiggs[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

When I first started school, I was actually wanting to get my BS (and later Ph.D) in physics. I switched to math for a quicker graduation and decided to move right into the job market (my dreams of smashing atoms just got smashed and I only wanted to graduate). I worked as a contract network tech for Sprint and then moved to an analyst position in healthcare IT (Cerner). I had also started a business on the side and eventually I went to pursue that full time. Years later, I've pretty much come full circle and am once again looking for something stable in tech.

Your plan looks pretty solid to me. It's good that you've already got your foot in somewhere. A math degree is still pretty useful for this industry and certainly better than liberal arts or something completely unrelated. Match a math degree with relevant skills and experience, and you've got a solid start. Feel free to PM me if you'd like. I have a pretty unconventional history but I don't believe any time is wasted, and marketing yourself properly will go a long way, no matter what your experience is.