| |
| |
|
College & University Information |
|
|
|
Five Questions To Ask A Computer Training School Before Signing Up
As with any field, there are good technical training schools, and bad ones. When you sign up with one of these schools, you've made a significant investment in time and money. You deserve to know everything about the school and your job prospects after leaving that school before you put down your hard-earned money. The problem is, sometimes it's hard to know the right questions to ask. The point of this article is not to bash technical training schools. That's how I got my start in IT eight years ago, and today I'm a CCIE? and own my own Cisco training company and my own consulting firm. Before I ever put down the first dime, though, I asked some tough questions. So should you. What are my true job prospects and legitimate salary levels after I graduate from your school? We've all heard the ads on the radio? "Did you know the average salary of an MCSE is $80,000?" "Are you worth $65,000 a year? If not, call us!" I'm an optimist, and I often tell people that no field rewards individual achievement and drive like IT does. Having said that, none of us start at the top, and darn few of us start at that kind of salary. I'm sure that there are some people who broke in at $80,000, but I haven't met very many of them. Be very wary of technical schools that use the famous/infamous MCSE Salary Survey as a marketing tool. They tend to represent those salaries as starting salaries. Ask your technical school what the average starting salary of their graduates is. And keep in mind that salary is not the most important factor to consider when looking for your first job in IT; it's the experience you'll be able to put on your resume later on that you should weigh heavily at this point. In short, be very careful about schools that brag about starting salaries. It's not where you start, it's where you end up. How up-to-date are the courses you're offering? Make sure the school you're going to attend has made efforts to keep their courses relevant. Ask what changes have been made to their curriculum in the last three years. No field changes faster than IT. If the answer to that question is "none", look somewhere else. I want to work in IT security. Have you placed anyone in this field lately? If so, can I talk to them? Technical schools are jumping on the security bandwagon, with a couple of schools running ads about training you to work in Homeland Security. If that's your goal, that's great, but keep in mind that you have to get a security clearance for any job like that. And how do you get a security clearance? You have to be sponsored. And who will sponsor you? Your employer. Can you get employed in a Homeland Security job without having the clearance in the first place? Hmmm. Probably not. Hello, Catch-22. Again, I'm certainly not saying you can't eventually get an IT security job; if that's where you want to go, you can eventually get there. The key word there is "eventually". Ask the school you're thinking of attending whether they've actually been able to place graduates in such jobs. Ask to talk to them. If the school's managed to do so, they'll be glad to put you in touch with such graduates. What textbooks does your school use? Some technical school chains use only books that someone in their organization wrote. I've heard some of their own teachers complain about the quality of these books. The technical school I attended used off-the-shelf books, and the quality was very good. If you're looking into entering the IT field, you probably know someone who's already in it. Use that resource for everything it's worth. Ask that person what they think about the books, or for that matter, what the local reputation of the school is. IT is a small world, if the school has a good or bad reputation, most of the IT personnel in your city or town probably know about it. The fifth question is a question to ask of HR representatives. Every technical school lists companies where they've placed their graduates on their promotional material. Pick up the phone, call these companies, and ask to speak to someone in HR. Ask that person about the reputation of the school. Five to eight phone calls will give you a good picture of where the school stands with local employers. Making the decision to attend a technical school can be the best decision you've ever made; it certainly was for me. Make sure to ask the right questions before writing a check or taking a loan to attend; the answers to those questions will indicate to you whether this school is truly the school that can help you achieve your dreams. Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage. The Bryant Advantage's website offers FREE ebooks and tutorials for the CCNA and CCNP exams, FREE subscriptions to "Cisco Certification Central", and sells the best CCNA and CCNP prep courses and books on the market today. Visit his site at http://www.thebryantadvantage.com today !
MORE RESOURCES:
College-University - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Online Education with the University of Phoenix University of Phoenix Online Focuses on Team LearningUnlike some other schools, the University of Phoenix Online focuses on Team Learning. For all classes, team assignments can make up to 20% of the student's total grade. Revolt of the Scholars http://www.realsci. The Freshman 15, or 20, or 25 Now I remember being a freshman in college, and let me tell you, there are a couple of key things to keep in mind (that most people don't). One is how to manage your time, another is how to manage your money , and last but certainly not least is how to manage your health (what most don't realize is that all three are closely related). Need Money for College? Finding money for college can be a challenge for many students and their families. While saving in advance is the best choice, many times saving money for college is not easy for families. Oustanding Business Professors at WVU, Part 1 Paula Bone is a marketing professor who teaches "Consumer Behavior" and "Marketing Strategy" at West Virginia University's College of Business and Economics. Classes filled with lots of theory can be intimidating for students who are used to answers being "black" and "white," but Dr. Who Should Earn an Online Associate Degree? An online associate degree is a two-year general studies degree that is obtained entirely over the Internet. This type of degree is perfect for those individuals who wish to begin their college career or who wish to finish their two year degree before continuing on to obtain their bachelor's or master's degree. Who Can Apply For Online Nursing Degrees? Online nursing degrees are college degrees in the field of healthcare and nursing that are obtained via the Internet. Online nursing degrees are great ways for registered nurses to further their careers without having to take a leave of absence from their jobs. Student Financial Guide is Your Guide to College Success The Student Financial Guide website is divided into categories pertaining to pre college resources, during college experiences, post college challenges, investing, news, and even a forum where you can chat with other members looking for advice or just wanting to chat.Preparing for college is very important and that's why the Student Financial Guide covers topics on budgeting and planning for your college years. Pre-Bachelor The program should be one term, two terms or three terms (1 year). This program is meant for students who lack the necessary language skills to start the first-year bachelor program, the course enables them to improve their skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. College Low Expectations Game Cost Students, Parents, & Taxpayers Thousands of Dollars During a recent conversation with a client, he shared with me his frustration when registering his son for his first year at college. This university, incidentally one of the big 10, would only allow his son to register for 12 hours. How to eMail Your Professor So its 12:30 Pm and there you are at the computer trying to refresh the email inbox page. The big test is tomorrow and your Professor still hasn't replied back, but why? Contrary to popular belief, that your Professor wants you to fail, the problem could stem from the fact that your email never reached him/her. Medical Assistant - Medical Assistant Distance Education Considerations in Distance Education for the Medical Assistant InstructorMedical Assistant distance education is emerging to meet the demands of a new generation of students in the twenty first century. St. How to Choose the Right School For You Now that the admission committees have handed you their decisions, it is time for you to choose which college to attend. For some, this choice is easy. What to Look for When Choosing an Online Degree Program Choosing an online education program should be exciting and fun. While there a many good, recognized diploma or degree programs available through online education, choosing the one which is right for you can seem like a daunting task. College Is Way More Than Higher Education The first day of college begins with hopes and dreams of a new future. You walk around the college, drinking in the newness of a world unknown, where the buildings will become a second home to you as you release yourself into a variety of lectures. Outstanding Business Professors at WVU, Part 2 Stratford Douglas enrolled at the University of North Carolina in an economics graduate program in 1982. Five years later, he graduated with his Ph. An Online Degree Has Never Been Easier to Obtain Online education is steadily gaining acceptance in the academic world and more people than ever are completing courses online, working toward a degree. Online education at the higher level is no longer looked down on by the rest of the academic world and more colleges and universities are offering online programs every day. Online Education I always dreamed of going to school and getting a degree in something I'd love to do. I had plenty of dreams, and I wanted to pursue them. Whats behind the Explosive Growth in Distance Learning? There is a ground swell of support globally to support the growth of distance learning. Market research firms, government agencies, public and private companies, and even venture capital firms - those companies that invest in new and emerging businesses - all agree that distance learning's future is very bright, and a good investment opportunity as well. Get Your College Degree Online Have you long wanted or needed to increase your level of education with a college degree? Perhaps, you have desired a degree for your own personal satisfaction or because you have found it difficult to advance in your work field without one.One of the best blessings to come from the Internet is the ability to now obtain a college education online.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
