Further qualifications and the BCS

[Fairly New graduate]

I have been performing a BA role for about 3-4 months now, this is my first job out of university and its been a very slow start. I am thinking of further qualifications to give me a more rounded exposure to the industry and I was thinking of joining the BCS and undertaking their professional examinations. As I already hold a degree would this be benefit with regards to my next job, gaining knowledge/experience and eventually contracting or would a masters in something along the lines of information systems be better? The only problem with masters is the actual cost.

Thanks for your help and any input would be greatly appreciated.

[chris79]

Get some experience then complement it with a Masters, or with some certs. Those alone on their own probably won't hold up in the contract market without experience to back it up.

I've got both experience and qualifications and whenever I go for interviews 95% of the focus is on previous experience and previous roles. The certs/degrees just give them an indication you can work at a certain level, or can double back things up... don't expect them to be blown away by qualifications standing on their own.

[DiscoStu]

I have been performing a BA role for about 3-4 months now, this is my first job out of university and its been a very slow start. I am thinking of further qualifications to give me a more rounded exposure to the industry and I was thinking of joining the BCS and undertaking their professional examinations. As I already hold a degree would this be benefit with regards to my next job, gaining knowledge/experience and eventually contracting or would a masters in something along the lines of information systems be better? The only problem with masters is the actual cost.

Thanks for your help and any input would be greatly appreciated.

One of the unpublished joining conditions of the BCS is having a beard with food stuck in it.

HTH

[badger7579]

Get some experience then complement it with a Masters, or with some certs. Those alone on their own probably won't hold up in the contract market without experience to back it up.

I've got both experience and qualifications and whenever I go for interviews 95% of the focus is on previous experience and previous roles. The certs/degrees just give them an indication you can work at a certain level, or can double back things up... don't expect them to be blown away by qualifications standing on their own.

WHS. These are just ticks In the boxes. You need experience to back paper quals up. As said above in interview it's experience clients want to know about.

[Ruprect]

One of the unpublished joining conditions of the BCS is having a beard with food stuck in it.

HTH

I thought that rule only applied to the women

[DodgyAgent]

I have been performing a BA role for about 3-4 months now, this is my first job out of university and its been a very slow start. I am thinking of further qualifications to give me a more rounded exposure to the industry and I was thinking of joining the BCS and undertaking their professional examinations. As I already hold a degree would this be benefit with regards to my next job, gaining knowledge/experience and eventually contracting or would a masters in something along the lines of information systems be better? The only problem with masters is the actual cost.

Thanks for your help and any input would be greatly appreciated.

Dont waste your time. If you are a business analyst you shhould understand everything that you do from the business point of view. Stick a BCS badge on your Cv or your "jacket" and you will be instantly branded as someone who cares more about computers than what they are supposed to be used for.

[Bob Dalek]

Dont waste your time. If you are a business analyst you shhould understand everything that you do from the business point of view. Stick a BCS badge on your Cv or your "jacket" and you will be instantly branded as someone who cares more about computers than what they are supposed to be used for.

WHS. The BCS is nothing, and I mean nothing... other than Fritzl-wannabes who can trot-out the entire ASCII table and make up limericks about binary and hex... and who all worship Clive Sinclair.

[Fairly New graduate]

Thanks for the advice, all very good points. I do understand what you mean about the BSC, any other quls people would recommend at this time in my career as well as gaining experience, I may just take golf lessons and a wine tasting course to fill my time now then!

[Spacecadet]

Thanks for the advice, all very good points. I do understand what you mean about the BSC, any other quls people would recommend at this time in my career as well as gaining experience, I may just take golf lessons and a wine tasting course to fill my time now then!

Work hard!
try and get involved in any new projects

You've probably already noticed that in any working environment 20% of the staff are credited for 80% of the work
Make sure you're in that 20% group

[Bob Dalek]

Work hard!
try and get involved in any new projects

You've probably already noticed that in any working environment 20% of the staff are credited for 80% of the work
Make sure you're in that 20% group

Sad, but true.

If you really, really want to get on, then kiss ass all day long and work until others have gone home and don't take a day off sick and always, ABOVE ALL OTHER THINGS, attend the stupid, suicide-inducing, tragically naff and mind numbing social events... all of 'em. I don't - but then I'm a DBA and nobody wants me down the pub with them.