Let me begin to give my insight on what life outside college is really like. First, if students are going to be receiving an MIS degree, they will have to leave for any decent job. WV continuously ranks among the worst earning potential, when compared with the other 50 states. After I received my MIS degree I worked non-technical jobs (and still do). Only after leaving West Virginia (my girlfriend moved to Missouri), did I experience any sort of hope for jobs making over minimum wage. I have yet to use the knowledge that I have mostly forgotten (thanks in part to staying in West Virginia and the failing economy). Statistics show that 80 some percent of all college graduates never accept or receive jobs in their fields. This may sound negative and I hope it’s not perceived as such, but the MIS department needs to figure out better coursework that may help students achieve what employers are looking for. When I was an MIS student most of the coursework (upper level classes) focused on team-work. This was the biggest mistake (in my opinion) that the department participated in. Yes, when you go to work you face challenges and have to interact with co-workers and sometimes customers on a daily basis, but interjecting students with what the MIS professors heard from surrounding business is just plain stupid. I had all the interaction I needed and team-building while working at 16 years of age and through college. I would STRONGLY suggest that the MIS department not put thoughts of “growing” and “high-paying” fields into the mantra to attract students. Most employers aren’t looking specifically for a college educated student, they want results. Out of all the MIS students that I know of (some I graduated with, others before and after me), only two are using their degree. One double majored in math and MIS and the other got his job because of Nepotism. So to give students a “real” measure for what awaits them with an MIS degree
Ø Moving away from WV to accept a wage that you deserve
Ø Move toward taking certifications (employers always seem to ask for them)
Ø Don’t believe there is a job waiting for you (this economy is tough and the more qualifications you have, the better off you’ll be)
Ø Apply knowledge you learn with Access, Excel, C+, to real world problems. If possible develop small programs that you can use and save those that work for references during job interviews
Most of the MIS books that were used in the last year of classes taught me nothing important to the field of MIS. I would strongly suggest students checking out the Head First book series when trying to learn or refresh their skills.
Bobby Christian
Quality Analyst
US Bank
Nevada, MO
MIS Alumni 2004
3 comments:
Thanks for your candidate thoughts. We will discuss what you have said and make changes to the curriculum. Would you mind if I place your document on a blog so others can respond and we can develop a dialogue about changes we should be making. I am interested in your team project concerns. Would it be better to have most work done as individuals. Part of the team process is “peer learning”. It you are not sure of a concept, another team member can help you understand. Did this happen in your experience?
Rick
I completely disagree with the comments on the job market in WV. I was able to land a well paying position a month before I graduated with very limited previous experience. I've had numerous job offers since that have all been very good salaries (opted to stay where I'm at due to a promotion). I also know others who have had no problem finding great jobs. In addition, the company that I work for has found it very difficult finding enough applicants for IT job openings so I'm not sure where all these people who can't find jobs are at(we actually have an opening now that we are probably going to fill with a recent college graduate due to limited applicants). I feel that if an MIS grad puts the needed effort into the job search, creating a great resume, and interview preparation, you should be able to find a good job. This is where I feel that most people are lacking. Most resumes I've seen that come through for our open positions are absolutely horrible. I've also seen a few people with great resumes and horrible interviewing skills. You have to possess the whole package to be able to sell yourself. I asked my boss why he hired me a few months after my initial interview, and he said that I was the only person he interviewed that didn't act scared to death and had a decent resume. I don't think the problem lies with the MIS program and what courses are being offered...the problem is that there is not enough focus in the LCOB on the skills needed to land a job.
Thanks Jarred, it's actually just the roll of the dice. Your in the position where you were *lucky* enough to land a job. I have got more personality than most people I know. Your take is coming from your side of the table. I have put resume after resume out there and 5 and a half years later, nothing. So do me a favor and trade with my situation for awhile and see where you stand.
Post a Comment