What constitutes an IT Pro?
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One definition I did not include in my article was a definition provided via an off-Spiceworks conversation with a friend over at, well, SW.
According to him, this is what an IT Pro is: "Generally, an IT pro is someone with certifications and training as a system administrator, DevOps, network administrator, or other comparable training and works within the IT department for their organization"
How do you feel about his definition?
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Notice how it doesn't include development in there - I'm pretty sure @scottalanmiller has stated that developers are not IT, though I can't recall his actual definition. But I think it centered around building of systems and administration. But I could be completely wrong too.
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@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
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Firstly, let's not confuse "professional" with "expert". People may blur their usage, but they don't mean the same thing. Professional basically means you get paid to deal with it exclusively. How does that not fit in "IT pro"?
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@art_of_shred said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
Firstly, let's not confuse "professional" with "expert". People may blur their usage, but they don't mean the same thing. Professional basically means you get paid to deal with it exclusively. How does that not fit in "IT pro"?
100% agree.
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@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
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@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
I agree if there is a lab portion of it for sure
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From Webster's
https://i.imgur.com/4YI7MjO.png -
@Dashrender engaged in by persons receiving financial return
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@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@Dashrender engaged in by persons receiving financial return
welp - I guess 2 b and 2 c get most people into the professional side of things..
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@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
I agree if there is a lab portion of it for sure
So I guess the question now goes - is there a hierarchy of IT-related certifications and/or degrees? Are some deemed "better" and more "legit" than others?
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@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
I agree if there is a lab portion of it for sure
So I guess the question now goes - is there a hierarchy of IT-related certifications and/or degrees? Are some deemed "better" and more "legit" than others?
Absolutely, but I think it's very subjective and will vary greatly depending who you ask to qualify that hierarchy.
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@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
I agree if there is a lab portion of it for sure
So I guess the question now goes - is there a hierarchy of IT-related certifications and/or degrees? Are some deemed "better" and more "legit" than others?
If something has a good lab you need to do to earn the certification I would consider it legit. "Better" is subjective. Is better a higher level cert or a cert that is more appropriate to your job title? I use the certification stuff as an education path. I don't get the certs themselves.
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@art_of_shred said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@wirestyle22 said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters With brain dumps in the world I don't see certifications as a reliable metric to determine competency.
Actually this fully depends on the cert.
As I understand it, the Linux certs have a hands on portion - here is a broken something -fix it. That makes that certification worth something to me.
I agree if there is a lab portion of it for sure
So I guess the question now goes - is there a hierarchy of IT-related certifications and/or degrees? Are some deemed "better" and more "legit" than others?
Absolutely, but I think it's very subjective and will vary greatly depending who you ask to qualify that hierarchy.
Hells to the yeah!
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We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
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@IRJ said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
If the IT industry were to standardize job titles, do you believe that certain certifications and/or degrees would have to be included in those descriptions?
What is the likelihood that this is even possible?
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@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@IRJ said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
If the IT industry were to standardize job titles, do you believe that certain certifications and/or degrees would have to be included in those descriptions?
What is the likelihood that this is even possible?
It's possible but not probable. I could see the certs being included in the job description but any good employer is going to test your knowledge in the interview. In my experience the cert just gets you in the door.
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@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@IRJ said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
If the IT industry were to standardize job titles, do you believe that certain certifications and/or degrees would have to be included in those descriptions?
What is the likelihood that this is even possible?
First of all, there's no central body for most of these things - certifications aren't generic, they are mostly very specific for a specific vendor/product line - so I don't see how they could become a requirement of a job title.
An IT Pro in an all Linux shop who is looking for a helpdesk level I person doesn't care if they have windows certs, because they don't support Windows, etc.
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@Dashrender said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@IRJ said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
If the IT industry were to standardize job titles, do you believe that certain certifications and/or degrees would have to be included in those descriptions?
What is the likelihood that this is even possible?
First of all, there's no central body for most of these things - certifications aren't generic, they are mostly very specific for a specific vendor/product line - so I don't see how they could become a requirement of a job title.
An IT Pro in an all Linux shop who is looking for a helpdesk level I person doesn't care if they have windows certs, because they don't support Windows, etc.
There are vendor neutral certs, but none that i can think of that are very high level. That is a good point.
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@SamieWalters said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
@IRJ said in What constitutes an IT Pro?:
We can argue which certs are good and which ones are bad, but they definitely aren't hurtful to you
If the IT industry were to standardize job titles, do you believe that certain certifications and/or degrees would have to be included in those descriptions?
What is the likelihood that this is even possible?
It could happen. Some committee needs to be formed to create the standard, and then the industry has to adopt it, at least in part. It's like spreading a rumor. If you get enough people to do it, it can take on a life of its own. That's how a lot of "standards" have come to be that.
