Does anyone have a degree in Management Information Systems (MIS)?

[Neuromancer]

I don't have a BS in MIS, but I have an AS in Computer Programming (and a BA in English Lit), and worked in the field for thirty years...started as a COBOL Programmer, worked my way up to Systems/Business Analyst, and around 2000 switched to Network Analyst/Engineer...I hold several certs, Microsoft and Cisco, A+, Network+, MCP, MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA...what would you like to discuss?

Originally Posted by Neuromancer

I don't have a BS in MIS, but I have an AS in Computer Programming (and a BA in English Lit), and worked in the field for thirty years...started as a COBOL Programmer, worked my way up to Systems/Business Analyst, and around 2000 switched to Network Analyst/Engineer...I hold several certs, Microsoft and Cisco, A+, Network+, MCP, MCSE, MCDBA, CCNA...what would you like to discuss?

I was hoping to find out what people do with it in the field. I've read 20 or 30 "canned" descriptions from different campuses across the nation, but I don't know anyone with the actual degree to find out what day to day life is like in that job.

[pnoon]

Originally Posted by Darrell

I was hoping to find out what people do with it in the field. I've read 20 or 30 "canned" descriptions from different campuses across the nation, but I don't know anyone with the actual degree to find out what day to day life is like in that job.

You probably need to be more specific. Your question is akin to asking what day to day life is like in the field of medicine or law. It depends on what you want to do.

Originally Posted by pnoon

You probably need to be more specific. Your question is akin to asking what day to day life is like in the field of medicine or law. It depends on what you want to do.

True. I used to work very closely with our director
Of MIS, while he himself was a programmer thats not what his job was about. Literally he managed our information systems, from worki g with end users to determine what legal database software we used, to a host of other things

Likewise, my brother who moved to the caribbean was the director of HR MIS for Merck for over 10 years. Again, day to day he dealt with what hr software was used to track emplyee performance, and associated issues relating to how their information systems were managed

Originally Posted by pnoon

You probably need to be more specific. Your question is akin to asking what day to day life is like in the field of medicine or law. It depends on what you want to do.

True... I have a degree in Biology, Minor in Chemistry and IS. I have been working in IT for over 10 years and there is always something different. I used to manage a help desk and now manage networks as network administrator. Certs are good, but it doesn't always mean you know how to apply what you just passed on a computer in real life situations. My day yesterday consisted of making sure that all was well with our wireless infrastructure. Today, some nimrod pulled out a supervisor engine from the wrong switch and hosed it over. I am still at work running through all the connections making sure they are up before I can go home.

[mithrilG60]

Originally Posted by chubby

True... I have a degree in Biology, Minor in Chemistry and IS. I have been working in IT for over 10 years and there is always something different. I used to manage a help desk and now manage networks as network administrator. Certs are good, but it doesn't always mean you know how to apply what you just passed on a computer in real life situations.

Pretty much exactly me to a tee as well (except my minors are Biochemistry and Military History). From my experience certs are basically useless and not particularly well regarded by most in the industry. Personal knowledge and learning is FAR more valuable both to you as an individual and to your organization. It may have changed, but it was FAR too easy to just memorize brain dumps and come out with an MSCE without actually knowing anything. I remember a buddy back in the day who was a FoxPro dba (that's dating myself, I know) who scored an overall average of 95% on all the tests for his NT4 MSCE+I designation. When he finished he had never once used NT4 Workstation or Server let alone install, configure or troubleshoot a network.

In my experience IT is alot like any other job, it has both positives and negatives and what you get out of it on the whole is what you put in. However it does have a wide variety so the best advice I can give is it figure out what kind of work environment you prefer so you can focus on that. If you business orientated application support and/or technical archicture are good places to look. If you like detailing with people more desktop/client orientated support is good. If you don't like dealing with people then server admin and networking is a good place to go. Unfortunately for almost all you have to put in your time on the low rungs (like every job) and that's almost always desktop/help desk.

If possible avoid falling into a call centre. Those jobs often require very little direct technical support or interaction which makes it hard to gain the experience needed to move into whatever your preferred role would be. As we at my office say, call centres are where IT people go to die. That's a generalization of course, but call centres do have a tendency to limit your skill set and if you say there too long it's almost impossible to find something else.