School vs. Experience

[stace609]

I'm getting pretty frustrated looking at career prospects. I've been going to school full time and with 2 semesters left I'm starting to really look into jobs. Is it just my imagination or does school mean nothing? It seems like employers don't look for education, only experience?
Also, any suggestions for areas to look into with a degree in business administration? Not something I'm really interested in, but there's not a wide variety of jobs in anthropology.
Thanks,
Stace

[kamikaze_rzrbak]

they say the best school is the school of the experienced, but all the graduates are retired

[thomps6s]

Experience is huge, however most employers want someone who has completed college as well. It shows that you can commit to a goal and accomplish it.

[MY450R]

well ill tell you
im an optician and would rather work with someone with experience rather than someone with text book knowledge anyday
in my field you can apprentice for three years or go to school
the ppl that comwe out of school no absolutly nothing about the real world when it comes to what i do

[thomps6s]

I agree 100%. I went to school for an IT related field. When i got out I didn't know chit. I learned more in 2 weeks on the job than I did my whole time in college.

[zephead400ex]

Originally posted by thomps6s
I agree 100%. I went to school for an IT related field. When i got out I didn't know chit. I learned more in 2 weeks on the job than I did my whole time in college.

Welcome to the world of sh"IT":D

[thomps6s]

Yeah I have been in it for about 4 years now. It is SH"IT"

[ballisticpb]

been in "IT" for 8 years and most companys still want the college degree for them to think i know what i am doing

[Quad18star]

Most companies want to see a paper stating that you did complete a higher education . But like everyone has said ... you can't beat real world work experience and I'd much rather work with someone that knows the hands-on rather than someone that goes by a book .

[thomps6s]

Originally posted by ballisticpb
been in "IT" for 8 years and most companys still want the college degree for them to think i know what i am doing

You have worked in IT since you were 14? That is pretty cool, you must have had some good oppurtunities given to you at a young age.

[SHARPMACHINE]

hehehehehe:devil:

[SlapNutz]

:blah:

[wilkin250r]

School can't teach you everything, the real world is way to diverse. School gives you background knowledge, and teaches you HOW to learn once you actually get on the job.

I work in electrical engineering, and there is NO way that you could ever do this job with experience alone. Sure, I could show you what buttons to push, and what numbers to look for, but they only apply to one application. If you don't know what the numbers mean, how do you know what to look for if the application changes?

[flyin#5]

between the internet and the garage ive learned more usefull knowledge than in my 11.5 years of school.

[SRH]

depends on your schooling if you go to school for soemthing basic like business management you might be setup good to work as manager at macdonalds :p i think ideallly an employer would like to see you had prior expirience at the job, went to college then a trade school specializing in the same thing

or you can just say **** it and work construction

[ballisticpb]

yea been working on computers for a high school. i have ownned my own business since i was 16. a+ cert. at 15 i have been a hard worker. and it is still hard to find a job

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by wilkin250r
School can't teach you everything, the real world is way to diverse. School gives you background knowledge, and teaches you HOW to learn once you actually get on the job.

I work in electrical engineering, and there is NO way that you could ever do this job with experience alone. Sure, I could show you what buttons to push, and what numbers to look for, but they only apply to one application. If you don't know what the numbers mean, how do you know what to look for if the application changes?

That's like Civil Engineering ..... Sure you can build a structure .... but without the knowledge and background that the class room has to offer ... you might have a few lawsuits on your hands . I never knew it was so complex to build a road .... I always thought you layed down the gravel them slapped the blacktop on it .... WRONG !!!! Even with 2 years and a Civil Engineering Tech degree , I don't trust myself to build any structures . Main reason why I haven't pursued a career in it . :p

[wilkin250r]

It really all depends on the route you want to take. Do you want decent money right away, which will eventually turn into good money in the long run? Or would you rather have crappy money now, decent money later, and GREAT money in the long run?

In a specific career field, you will learn a whole lot more with 2 years experience than you will with 2 years of schooling. This will translate to decent money right now.

However, you will learn a whole lot more with 4 years of schooling and 4 years of experience than you ever will with 8 years experience.

Experience will take off quickly, and then rise slowly. Schooling will take off slowly, but rise quickly. It's much MUCH easier to go to school, and then gain experience later on, vs gaining experience, and then trying to go to school later on.

[stace609]

Originally posted by SRH

or you can just say **** it and work construction

I'm a chick :blah:
wilkin: i'm not looking for a lot of money now because my husband has the bills under control. i'm looking more for a job that has potential. as someone mentioned i don't want to end up working at mcdonalds. i just can't seem to figure out how to get into a company.

[SlapNutz]

Originally posted by SlapNutz
:blah:

:blah:

[lil400exman]

Originally posted by Quad18star
That's like Civil Engineering ..... Sure you can build a structure .... but without the knowledge and background that the class room has to offer ... you might have a few lawsuits on your hands . I never knew it was so complex to build a road .... I always thought you layed down the gravel them slapped the blacktop on it .... WRONG !!!! Even with 2 years and a Civil Engineering Tech degree , I don't trust myself to build any structures . Main reason why I haven't pursued a career in it . :p

learning about rightaways now eh greg? thats why i said i give up on surveying........too much risk and hard work without the pay to benefit!:ermm:

[wilkin250r]

Originally posted by stace609
wilkin: i'm not looking for a lot of money now because my husband has the bills under control. i'm looking more for a job that has potential. as someone mentioned i don't want to end up working at mcdonalds. i just can't seem to figure out how to get into a company.

It used to be that you could walk out ofcollege right into a good job or an executive position. Nowadays, unfortunately, there are a lot of dumb people graduating college. That's why employers are looking for experience, because the real world tends to weed out the stupid ones.

The only advice I can give you is to look a little more long-term, and set your short-term standards a little lower. Don't expect to come in to a company at the top rung of the ladder. Even with a college degree, you may have to start at the same place everybody else starts, at the ground floor. But just because you START there, doesn't mean you have to STAY there along with everybody else. Your education will allow you to move up the ladder much faster than others.

[Neece#303]

Originally posted by stace609
I'm getting pretty frustrated looking at career prospects. I've been going to school full time and with 2 semesters left I'm starting to really look into jobs. Is it just my imagination or does school mean nothing? It seems like employers don't look for education, only experience?

The requirements will vary depending on where you are trying to get a job at. I think a degree is very important. At the current company I am at now for example... you can not get a position in our accouting or billing department without a degree. It just depends.... companies do look at experience....

In my past experiences a degree has always been more important. Experience is good... a degree with experience is awesome.... I have seen more companies if choosing an employee choose degree over experience.... if you have the degree they know that you have the knowledge and background and wouldnt mind givng that person a little training....

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by lil400exman
learning about rightaways now eh greg? thats why i said i give up on surveying........too much risk and hard work without the pay to benefit!:ermm:

I enjoyed the first part of surveying ... but then it just started getting too complicated for me . And like you said ... there's a lot of risk involved if you have a tiny mistake somewhere along the lines . One bad number throws off a whole days work . :grr:

About the only part I enjoyed out of the program , was the legal part of it . Planning , cost estimating , etc . I probably would have enjoyed being an inspector of a job site .

[culookn]

im in school for dental hygiene and i hope it all works out in the end. one thing i learned is school can tech you the technical stuff, life will take care of everything else. it depends on your life choice to decide to go to school or not.

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by culookn
im in school for dental hygiene and i hope it all works out in the end. one thing i learned is school can tech you the technical stuff, life will take care of everything else. it depends on your life choice to decide to go to school or not.

That's a good career choice . My cousin did her 2 years of college and is now making $45 an hour in a dental office . She's got more $$ than she knows what to do with ... and shes only 23 or 24. :eek2:

[zephead400ex]

Originally posted by Quad18star
That's a good career choice . My cousin did her 2 years of college and is now making $45 an hour in a dental office . She's got more $$ than she knows what to do with ... and shes only 23 or 24. :eek2:

My gf is currently majoring in Dental Hygeine, but just decided she wants to be a Dentist. So, looks like we'll probably be moving in about a year or so to allow her to pursue her dream. With the IT skills that I've learned from my current job, I can get a job about anywhere in the country, moderately speaking.