Degree = Taken Seriously?

I found that I'd only be taken seriously if I had a degree... It was a fun filled festival of music, beer and spending around 50% of my time actually in class and the rest in my bed, all paid for by our wonderful government. Cheers - here's my tax return and student loan payment.

I learned some, but really it was just a case of jumping through the academic hoops so that I could get an honours badge at the end. Went and got a decent grad job, never looked back.

You hear day in day out of punters with a degree flipping some horsemeat in a 'those with hangovers apply here' restaurant. But is that their fault? Probably. *unintended arrogance here*

You just don't get offered a great job because you have a bit of paper saying your qualified (exemption applies for plumbers).

The small percentage who actually make it really do work hard to get there, they care about the profession, will go anywhere, can do anything and love every minute of it.

1. Be Interested to learn something you don't understand.

2. Be patient enough to understand it.

3. Be able to sell that interest at an interview by displaying your knowledge in an enthusiastic manner.

The Nix Route - Decent wages.

- Throw a few VM's together (read up on distribution differences)

- Start by installing servs or pick up a decent red hat book and work through it. Learn the basics, then how to host services, then things like load balancing and multi pathing.

- Take a shot at recompiling a linux kernel with your own chosen modules built in.

- Finally try to install gentoo linux (took me a few days but it teaches you a lot)

- Go get a Linux support role job and work your way up the ladder from there.

The MS Route - Not so decent wages.

- Throw a few VM's together with Windows Server and Windows 7 Clients

- Play around with setting up services, domains, active directory, dhcp etc etc. (good Windows book would help here)

- Go get a 1st line support role and work your way up from there.

The Database Route - Pretty Damn Good Wages

- If it's oracle you're after, prepare to end your life for the next three years, you'll need a lot of money and time and you should aim for an OCP Cert.

- Anything else, learn SQL first, try to combine knowledge from windows and linux and setup your own little java application from sourceforge, whether it be a workflow server or a CMS. Write custom SQL scripts to add backend functionality. Configure it all to run on a LAMP setup and even add load balancing to complicate matters.

- Go ahead from here and learn database admin skills, again buy the book, but most importantly you should understand the general architecture of a DBMS.

Finally, to backup your knowledge in these areas you will need networking experience (go for CCNA books), understanding of backups and DR situations (CompTIA A+ Stuff, again buy the books) and security (patched on at the end, I know, but CCNA will introduce this, follow it up with Cisco Security and best practises).

But yes, whilst you're working on all of that, try to get on to a 1st line role somewhere. Gets your foot in the door and pays bills while you spend your free time learning.

VMware is good but it's not so great unless you can work with multiple platforms and applications.

Experience in things like security, big data, HPC clusters, cloud-related-gash and other stuff should come in time.

Expect a lot of competition, what sets you out is presentation, interest and the ability to seriously oversell everything.

Good Luck!

Used to have VM

I used to be a VM advocate, I had their 30MB from when it was telewest 512K. Fantastic until SuperCrapHub came along.

Now all I hear is complaints.

I moved out of a cable area, went with BT, couldn't believe it. Their quoted speed met expectations, I never have buffering, Had to call their customer service a few times, completely effortless and very reminiscent of vodafone's fantastic service.

All very shocking as I used to view VM as a great brand synonymous with great customer service and unquestionably quick, reliable internet connectivity.

As per the news article, it really sounds like VM have gone the way of TalkTalk. Oh well, pint anyone?

Bestiality? Didn't the victim die in the end?.