Going back to school as a career option

[I D Shukhov]

I just noticed that local universities have graduate degree programs in Biodefense.  If you google on "biodefense masters programs" you'll see what I'm talking about.  The orientations range from policy to technology.

This is a time-honored way to change fields.  I don't know why, but I've completely ignored it.  Maybe it's because I got a M.S. in computer science in 1996 and can see what good it did me.  Then again, it was a computer science degree. 

I guess it's like anything else:  you have to research the costs (money, time) and potential benefits -- and if the benefits really look *potential*, they're probably what Don Lancaster refers to as "j-dollars" -- i.e. imaginary dollars.   I'd have to do an good-old-fashioned Bolles Job Research on jobs in biodefense and talk to people. 

I imagine that the "policy" and public health planning side of biodefense is suit territory and the technology side, especially the sensors,  is biological science and engineering.   I think that wireless sensor networks have either been deployed or are in planning.   There's a lot written about them.   Computer science and network engineering would be major players there.  Probably these school programs are barking up the wrong tree for that.

School serves two purposes.   Strangely  enough, the main benefit may be to force one to take action and stay focused.   If you plunk down money and announce to everyone that "I'm going back to school to get a degree in X." you're making a major commitment and not likely to quickly change your mind.

Benefit #2 is that you are learning something about Domain X.  It's almost a marketing exercise because the degree is probably not going to do much of anything except let you talk to people that have a mutual interest.

As I wrote, there are serious costs in time and money.  Also, what's being taught could be inappropriate because it's either out of date or something that is a fringe area the teacher thinks important with no evidence to back up the belief.

[Origisaurus]

Well said, IDS!

By and large, I think this "retraining" talk is a cover for offshoring and justifying H1Bs.  I do not find it amusing to be told I need different "skillz" by someone who has none of the skills (and doesn't know how to apply them) I already have.

Perhaps one could get into a lucrative niche in a new field with solid long term potential.  That would make the degree worthwhile.

OTOH, we have seen people getting certs and undergraduate degrees, only to find themselves competing with freshers for entry-level jobs.

Obviously, you don't want to leap without a good hard look.  Do the Job Research.

[DG9]

Depends on how old you are, don't know what's left if you are over 40, much less over 50.  Good luck.

[Slinky]

Depends on how old you are, don't know what's left if you are over 40, much less over 50.  Good luck.

Actually, I've found that business intelligence is quite friendly for folks over 40. Let the kids fight over the latest programming fad. I'm done with that hamster wheel.

[I D Shukhov]

Origisaurus -

Obviously, you don't want to leap without a good hard look.  Do the Job Research.

This is the crucial part.  Both my wife and I have M.S. degrees that we wish we hadn't gotten!!!   The only way I know not to make the same mistake twice is to research the hell out of the target field and talk to as many people doing it as possible, go to meetings and visit groups like this on the web!  We are a bit too pessimistic, but certainly offer an interesting old-timer perspective on IT for what may await a youngster...

DG9 - What's left after 50 may be another 20 years of work!  The official retirement age is currently 67 for those born after 1959.  You know that will be raised as a way to fix social security, so the "official" retirement age is probably going to be around 70.
 
Think about it:  that's equal to the years between 30-50, which was a heck of a big chunk of my career. 


Slinky -  do you think that  getting an advanced degree in subject X lets one get a foot in the door in BI?   If so, maybe the following strategy makes sense:

1)  If one can afford it, take 2 years off and get an advanced degree in something that one finds interesting and, after doing exhaustive research, seems likely to be a future demand area.

Note that if this is done at 50, 2 years is only 10% of a future work life, and possibly less.  The current SSA actuarial table says that 50 y/o males can expect to live another 29 years.  So even at 70, what are you going to do for 10 more years? Watch squirrels from a lounger, like my father did, until the day he died?

2) During the 2-year BI retraining period, work hard to develop a network in the target field.   Getting a M.S. degree can't take up all the time in a day during those 2 years.

3) Get into BI with the newly-minted degree and contacts.

Summary of thinking about the "2-year M.S. / entry level BI " strategy:

1) This has to be carefully thought out.   One would lose 2 years of income plus tuition (that has to be kept to a reasonable limit, maybe even consider an on-line, for-profit school)

(The hoped-for benefit is the ability to work for another 20 years.)

2) It only makes sense if there is at least a 67% probability that the degree actually gets one a job.   Millions of people probably have degrees in areas that have no connection to how they earn a living.

3) "Going-back-to-school"  absolutely is a waste of time if it's not looked at as part of a marketing plan.  Sticking one's nose in books for 2 years is guaranteed to fail.  It's similar to sending out resumes and waiting for the phone to ring.  It has to be accompanied by an equal amount of time marketing and network-building.

[Origisaurus]

2) During the 2-year BI retraining period, work hard to develop a network in the target field.   Getting a M.S. degree can't take up all the time in a day during those 2 years.

It has to be accompanied by an equal amount of time marketing and network-building.

It might be possible to optimize this by working at least part-time in a related area for firms that use BI.  Nothing like having a rep for a good work ethic and playing well with others to enhance network building.

[Slinky]

ID, degrees are relative to the business environment. I actually only have an Associate's Degree. However, I'm pulling low 80k in this economy. The keys have been to parley your tech background with industry knowledge. Stick with non-tech related indudtries. I actually have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry. At my last job search, I targeted a restaurant management company, and got the job relatively easy.

Now, for BI specifics. Target ETL contracts/jobs, this segment of BI has the lowest barrier of entry. Then move up to Analytics. That's where the money is at. The easiest contracts are for ETL with SSIS. This actually bolts onto the Visual Studio shell. It's actually free. This is considered grunt work in this space, but it's being basically ignored.

Join the BI groups on LinkedIn. That's where the jobs for BI seem to be.  Lots of ETL contracts in VA & GA.

Taking debt right now is a baaaaad, idea. You already have a degree, and don't really need more for this type of work. Best thing is to "talk the business" language with stake holders. This is where being older comes handy. Kids won't be able to relate to stake holders, we can do that easily.

Ok, I think I've tortured myself typing this on my Samsung Vibrant (Android) @ my hotel.

[I D Shukhov]

Origisaurus -  I also thought about the idea of working part-time as a way to lessen the financial hit.   I guess one idea would be to approach my employer with a plan to see if they'd pay for the tuition while I work part-time.   Universities all around the D.C. area offer homeland security and cybersecurity programs and I think I may be able to make a case for working part time (wouldn't be in the target area, though). 

I'd only do this if I was really interested in the subject area.

Slinky -  I did an indeed.com search (employer sites only) on "ETL" and it came up with 538 hits within 25 mi. of where I live.  That's pretty good.   When I filtered on "Informatica" I got 151 hits.  So 28% of the jobs require Informatica.   Filtering on SSIS only produced 28 hits.

I hear what you're saying about Analytics.  I don't have any real domain experience, so if I wanted to get away from software (i.e. ETL), I might have buy my way in with time and money spent on an advanced degree.

[choppedwood]

Actually, I've found that business intelligence is quite friendly for folks over 40. Let the kids fight over the latest programming fad. I'm done with that hamster wheel.

As I fit in this role, and the age group, I've been giving this some really serious thought, however, even here I see an entry barrier.  I found a job in a somewhat local city that was almost literally written for me.  Different industry but an almost identical type of business doing exactly the same things I did.  I could have almost written the description except for one small piece: they used SQL Server (and presumably SSIS, SSRS and SSAS) while I used LAMP and things like SCP and mysqlimport and a report writer that when I searched for it on indeed.com return 13 results only 8 unique) and only the NHL would have called any of the cities they were in West.

Is it really tight on the technology or can you work around it?  You seem to be saying not but everything I see in this area ties to a specific product of some sort.

[I D Shukhov]

Actually, I've found that business intelligence is quite friendly for folks over 40. Let the kids fight over the latest programming fad. I'm done with that hamster wheel.

As I fit in this role, and the age group, I've been giving this some really serious thought, however, even here I see an entry barrier.  I found a job in a somewhat local city that was almost literally written for me.  Different industry but an almost identical type of business doing exactly the same things I did.  I could have almost written the description except for one small piece: they used SQL Server (and presumably SSIS, SSRS and SSAS) while I used LAMP and things like SCP and mysqlimport and a report writer that when I searched for it on indeed.com return 13 results only 8 unique) and only the NHL would have called any of the cities they were in West.

Is it really tight on the technology or can you work around it?  You seem to be saying not but everything I see in this area ties to a specific product of some sort.

Yeah, this sounds right:  a minor difference in technology being an entry barrier.  I'm wondering if heavying-up on the domain side would help distinguish a person.  I.e. just forget about technology and go back to school in the domain area.   I really don't know -- just brainstorming.

[choppedwood]

I'm wondering if heavying-up on the domain side would help distinguish a person.  I.e. just forget about technology and go back to school in the domain area.   I really don't know -- just brainstorming.

I can't really say.  I haven't seen much that's domain focused unless you get into the higher end where you need to have a math/statistical background.  The analyst roles seem to be more flexible but the rest of it seems to often include a keyword or three with a "years of experience" clause.  Maybe it's just a case of asking for everything, maybe it's the recruiter's influence or maybe it's none of the above.

I struggle a bit with BI because it often lands in the IT department, or, businesses come at it purely from the business end when it should probably straddle both.