Becoming an IT Exec: Master's Required?
March 11, 2007 1:41 PM Subscribe
Do I need a Master's?
I've been seeking opinions on this question all weekend, so I thought I'd ask here as well :)
Some background information:
I'm 26 years old and have a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland (who consistently ranks amongst the top institutions, both public and overall). I've been out of school for almost 5 years. Including internships and college jobs, I have almost 7 years of experience working with various aspects of IT: web application programming, database programming and administration, systems administration, customer support, and now have accepted a new position at my current employer to be a Network Security Analyst (networks and security being two of the last aspects of IT that I haven't formally dabbled in).
In addition to those 7 professional years, I have about 12 years of informal experience being a huge geek. My interest in computers came about at the right time - the advent of the Internet as a means for sharing information. I love it - every part of it, and I've always wanted to saturate my brain with as much information about as many topics as I can. I have a very broad range of IT knowledge, including some topics with a very rich skillset. I also consider myself a big picture thinker with an innate ability to dissect and analyze just about any situation.
The biggest long-term goal I've set for myself is to one day be a CTO or CIO of a company. All of that said...
Do the benefits of having a Masters (likely in Business, Information Systems or some kind of hybrid of the two, if that's possible) outweigh the immense effort and financial burden of obtaining it?
(I am not fond of writing papers, I'm still about $60k in debt from my out-of-state undergrad years, and am not 100% confident that I can maintain enough motivation to finish given that I haven't stepped in a classroom in 5 years and will likely be starting a family in the near future)
I've always hoped that the dawn of the information age would change the traditional methods, attitudes and perceptions that companies use to seek potential employees. Is a B.S., the experience, aptitude, and instinct good enough to get me to that level?
I've been seeking opinions on this question all weekend, so I thought I'd ask here as well :)
Some background information:
I'm 26 years old and have a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland (who consistently ranks amongst the top institutions, both public and overall). I've been out of school for almost 5 years. Including internships and college jobs, I have almost 7 years of experience working with various aspects of IT: web application programming, database programming and administration, systems administration, customer support, and now have accepted a new position at my current employer to be a Network Security Analyst (networks and security being two of the last aspects of IT that I haven't formally dabbled in).
In addition to those 7 professional years, I have about 12 years of informal experience being a huge geek. My interest in computers came about at the right time - the advent of the Internet as a means for sharing information. I love it - every part of it, and I've always wanted to saturate my brain with as much information about as many topics as I can. I have a very broad range of IT knowledge, including some topics with a very rich skillset. I also consider myself a big picture thinker with an innate ability to dissect and analyze just about any situation.
The biggest long-term goal I've set for myself is to one day be a CTO or CIO of a company. All of that said...
Do the benefits of having a Masters (likely in Business, Information Systems or some kind of hybrid of the two, if that's possible) outweigh the immense effort and financial burden of obtaining it?
(I am not fond of writing papers, I'm still about $60k in debt from my out-of-state undergrad years, and am not 100% confident that I can maintain enough motivation to finish given that I haven't stepped in a classroom in 5 years and will likely be starting a family in the near future)
I've always hoped that the dawn of the information age would change the traditional methods, attitudes and perceptions that companies use to seek potential employees. Is a B.S., the experience, aptitude, and instinct good enough to get me to that level?
Will your current company pay for you to get an MBA or an MA in IS? That'd be the best of both worlds, although tough.
posted by k8t at 2:09 PM on March 11, 2007
posted by k8t at 2:09 PM on March 11, 2007
Response by poster: Well, I don't hate my current job, since it's new.
It is a dinky place of sorts (less than 400 employees), but has a great customer base.
They currently do not offer tuition reimbursement, though we've been told by HR that it may be available sometime this year as are exploring better benefits.
posted by jbiz at 2:31 PM on March 11, 2007
It is a dinky place of sorts (less than 400 employees), but has a great customer base.
They currently do not offer tuition reimbursement, though we've been told by HR that it may be available sometime this year as are exploring better benefits.
posted by jbiz at 2:31 PM on March 11, 2007
To the question of what degree to get: Go with an MBA or similar. It's a great thing to keep up your IT skills and knowledge, but IT leaders are increasingly the people who have a solid combination of both IT and non-IT experience and knowledge. The lack of business knowledge among IT professionals is one of the primary reasons we are starting to see so many CIO-level positions go to people who have no IT experience at all.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 2:35 PM on March 11, 2007
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 2:35 PM on March 11, 2007
I'd say "not yet". A masters is a hard thing to do if you are motivated keen and interested in the subject: you seem to be lacking in the second two!
This paragraph in particular gives me pause for thought:
(I am not fond of writing papers, I'm still about $60k in debt from my out-of-state undergrad years, and am not 100% confident that I can maintain enough motivation to finish given that I haven't stepped in a classroom in 5 years and will likely be starting a family in the near future)
Postgraduate education either involves your spare time (and probably money) over an extended period, or a shorter period of poverty. To put up with this to study something you're not that interested in (right now) seems to me to be a mistake. So my advice would be: Clear your debts. Get good jobs and work hard in them. Get experience of management, and if in 5 years time when your debts are smaller if not gone completely you can re-evaluate your situation in the light of your promotion success, your financial position, funding arrangements but most importantly your interest in the study.
posted by handee at 3:25 PM on March 11, 2007
This paragraph in particular gives me pause for thought:
(I am not fond of writing papers, I'm still about $60k in debt from my out-of-state undergrad years, and am not 100% confident that I can maintain enough motivation to finish given that I haven't stepped in a classroom in 5 years and will likely be starting a family in the near future)
Postgraduate education either involves your spare time (and probably money) over an extended period, or a shorter period of poverty. To put up with this to study something you're not that interested in (right now) seems to me to be a mistake. So my advice would be: Clear your debts. Get good jobs and work hard in them. Get experience of management, and if in 5 years time when your debts are smaller if not gone completely you can re-evaluate your situation in the light of your promotion success, your financial position, funding arrangements but most importantly your interest in the study.
posted by handee at 3:25 PM on March 11, 2007
An MBA (at the very least MS) is essential for someone of your age and experience and ambition. It is what the BA was for people of my generation -- a ticket of admission -- you still have to be able to deliver -- but you want get the chance if you don't have the degrees. So - grit your teeth and go for it.
Good luck!
posted by peace_love_hope at 3:42 PM on March 11, 2007
Good luck!
posted by peace_love_hope at 3:42 PM on March 11, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks, handee. I should have mentioned that I am very interested in business/finance matters. I've recently been on a Wikipedia-marathon. Most of my interest in the subject is derived from the stock market, and tracking the progress of my 401(k) (Thanks to Google Finance).
I'm sure that with enough self-study, 5 years from now I could compete just as well with anyone that has an MBA - I just don't want to automatically be disqualified because I don't have one.
posted by jbiz at 3:43 PM on March 11, 2007
I'm sure that with enough self-study, 5 years from now I could compete just as well with anyone that has an MBA - I just don't want to automatically be disqualified because I don't have one.
posted by jbiz at 3:43 PM on March 11, 2007
Yes, you need the MS or MBA, but not necessarily right away. You don't sound ready to take the time out to get the Masters right now and you have the right undergraduate education, so don't. Instead, keep plugging away because you're actually in the right sized company right now to move up based on your own merits and not your educational background. At some point, your lack of the MS or MBA will hold you back, but you should be exploring MBA or EMBA programs by then (Keenen-Flagler at UNC has a great program and I know a lot of people here in DC who are doing that program).
posted by wildeepdotorg at 4:42 PM on March 11, 2007
posted by wildeepdotorg at 4:42 PM on March 11, 2007
You need the skill set to manage people, resources, budgets. You have to be able to see the big picture, have the judgement to deal with crises large and small. You have to be able to set a drirection and get others to follow you towards the goals you set. An MBA would be a big help.
Start now to see the long term goals of your employer and your department, and work on developing leadership skills, maybe leading the United Way campaign, or starting the softball team. Try to analyse what your boss does well, and emulate, which is way more productive than being critical and vowing not to replicate bad management.
Be open to the idea that the MBA has something to teach you. It's not just accounting; it's marketing, supervising, planning, in addition to business accounting.
posted by theora55 at 6:37 PM on March 11, 2007
Start now to see the long term goals of your employer and your department, and work on developing leadership skills, maybe leading the United Way campaign, or starting the softball team. Try to analyse what your boss does well, and emulate, which is way more productive than being critical and vowing not to replicate bad management.
Be open to the idea that the MBA has something to teach you. It's not just accounting; it's marketing, supervising, planning, in addition to business accounting.
posted by theora55 at 6:37 PM on March 11, 2007
I'm a former IT guy, now a product manager, who is the middle of an executive MBA program. It has been an eye opening experience and would highly recommend it if you want to be a CTO or CIO. I have been forced to look at the world from a completely different viewpoint and it has been well worth the time and money I'm investing in this. Now I understand much better why and how the executive level decisions in my business were made, and if they were really good or not. It's a big sacrifice of personal time (30 +) hours a week not counting team meetings and actual class. But my bosses have started including me in more high level meetings and seem to value my opinion more than before I started this program. YMMV.
posted by white_devil at 9:25 PM on March 11, 2007
posted by white_devil at 9:25 PM on March 11, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by parmanparman at 2:01 PM on March 11, 2007