[CLUG] [OT] Larry Ellison speech (was College stuff)

[Adam Beecher]

> But, none of those people could get a job as head sysadmin in
> google[0]. Because you need a degree/masters to get any real cool, senior
> techie (non-suit wearing) postions.
>
> If you want to play with BIG toys then you need an internationally
> recognised qualification such as a degree or a masters. Amercians don't
> understand what a national certificate/diploma is and only understand
> degrees & masters.
>
> [0] - http://www.google.com/jobs.html#sysadmin
>
That might be what it says on the Google webpage (I didn't read it :), but in
Real Life™, in the *technology* industries, qualifications are counting for less
and less. For example, on the Motorola jobs website, you have to fill in what
degree you have before you can even start your application. Not *if* you have a
degree, but *which* degree. But  in Real Life™ I could walk into the IT
department in Motorola Cork with the qualifications I have - that would be
"None" - and get a job there tomorrow.

When it comes to my own company, we couldn't give a toss about CV's and
educational qualifications. By the end of the year, I hope to employ at least
one person and hopefully more, and I can tell you right now that I'll be far
more interested in what they have done in the Internet world than what they've
done in Some College. In fact, the college work gets in my way more than
anything, because colleges tend to lean towards proprietry software and systems.
Which are useless to me - there's no proprietry software running on my servers,
and I'll *never* run a Windows box, so why would I care what s/he can do on NT?

I get, what, 2-3 CV's a week here now, and not one of them has stood up to the
test yet. They've all had their qualificiations, and their work experience, and
their time with Creamweaver and Fontprage. But not one of them has included a
URL to their website, with their portfolio or coding achievements. Some of them
didn't even have email addresses where they could be contacted. Guess where they
went? Into my "special" filing cabinet, with the Eircom bills.

Degrees count for jack in the Internet business. You either got it or you ain't.

Sorry. :)

adam