A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

As I mentioned in the Layoff thread, i'm seeking new employment. I"ve actually had a lot of activity and even a couple of offers, I've been utilizing LinkedIn a lot and meeting all sorts of interesting folks. I had an interview yesterday for a job that i literally had little business being at the table for, but I got a toe in the door from someone i knew in the industry. While really learned a lot from the individual, however I've come to the realization that there is more shit I'll never know than shit I do know - and if I try to know it all I will die trying!

Having said that, I've been working on an MBA and finding that even though I have many years of Project Management experience, I don't have a cert. And especially in the IT industry, EVERYTHING is a project now. So while i can't learn everything, I think this is something I need to achieve.

I know there's IT folks in the midst here - any of you have a PMP or considering one?

I think you'd be better off getting scrum master certification than PMP certification, unless you're looking at infrastructure-based IT project management. I don't know of any companies that are hiring old-style 'project managers' but plenty that are hiring 'scrum masters', which basically is the same thing just...not? lol

You want to be a certified PiMP??????

I guess i'm not sure - that's why I"m asking. Seems like most jobs that are being posted via recruiters, job sites, etc are still using the term "project managment" . I do currently work a lot with projects that involve infrastructure, albeit most of what used to be traditional on-prem hardware/applications is now cloud based. I have worked in Managment for several years too in the context of Shared Service deveolpment ( unified communications, video and telephony, etc) and also a lot of ITSM/Agile process/prodecure/service management.

mickey wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:47 pm You want to be a certified PiMP??????

At this point i'm open to swiching to any field if the pay is good enough What I'd really like is to be retired like you, but i have a few more years and kids to pay for before that happens, so unfortunately i'm gonna need a job of some kind.

I got amused several years ago when my sister in law retired as an engineer, then went to school to become an RN.
Then got an MBA. I asked why an RN would want an MBA?
She smiled sweetly and replied "Which do you thinks makes the most, an RN or a Hospital Administrator?"

It depends is the only answer I can give you. A lot of the people I work with scoff at certs, but I've gotten at least two or three jobs based on the learning I did for very basic entry-level certs. I think it's good for people who can also demonstrate knowledge conversationally and not just have the piece of paper.

golem wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 2:34 pm It depends is the only answer I can give you. A lot of the people I work with scoff at certs, but I've gotten at least two or three jobs based on the learning I did for very basic entry-level certs. I think it's good for people who can also demonstrate knowledge conversationally and not just have the piece of paper.

Yeah, at this point in my career I do have the skills and plenty of experience with the conversation piece, but some people do just want the piece of paper in addition. Especially in public sector positions the degree/paper means a lot. I've worked for the state University system for 20 years so i've been on both sides of that fence.

I guess what I'm really wondering is which version of Project managment Cert is likely the most universal in the IT realm. I do know that I hate those tests and in my searching in noticed that the PMP exam is rated #2 on the "10 worst certifications exams" list right after a Cisco CCIE. I remember takiong the Cisco CCDA test 3 times before I passed back in the day

If you're working with Developers like me you're generally seeing Agile, Scrum, or Safe. I feel like Safe is a little more popular locally.

Keep in mind that if you get the PMP you have to take continuing education to keep it current.

golem wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:37 pm If you're working with Developers like me you're generally seeing Agile, Scrum, or Safe. I feel like Safe is a little more popular locally.

My vertical is mostly Unified Communications and surrounding infrastructure - things like Cisco Webex/CallManager/MS Teams/Zoom and all of the hardware/enpoints associated with using them. Most of it is cloud based these days but the projects generally involve the implementation of a service, or the migration of one platform to another. And all of the associated security, training, licensing etc issues that surround it.

Having said that my MBA has taken me in the direction of Data Anaytics and BI lately - so who knows where I may end up. I've been working with MS Power BI, Tableau and R a lot. If nothing else it's fun learning new tricks.

Houblues wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:41 pm Keep in mind that if you get the PMP you have to take continuing education to keep it current.

Yep, I just had to renew my ITIL foundations cert a while back. It's no secret that the certificatoin entities themselves are pretty profitable too

uwmcscott wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:44 pm
Yep, I just had to renew my ITIL foundations cert a while back. It's no secret that the certificatoin entities themselves are pretty profitable too

They made me take ITIL Foundations recently. I found it to be a complete waste of time, but it might've been something that would have benefited people who really weren't aware of what software development in the last 5-10 years should look like.

[mention]uwmcscott[/mention] I work in and around IT, mostly in Business Analysis and Solution Architecture but also program and project management. I changed jobs to a start-up a few weeks ago but my previous gig was also in the UC space like you (big vendor starting with 'A'). I had lots of colleagues with PMP certification. It's a pain to keep it going though.

I also had a gig in IT Operations a few years ago but never bothered with the ITIL certification - I would though if I wanted to make it a long term career.

I agree with the person above - I think these days you will get more mileage out of Scrum master experience and credentials.

Good thinking about the analytics stuff. All that is in demand. Also all things to do with Cloud and Security. And if you can spin up or hack together tools quickly (don't laugh - Excel, VBA etc) then there should be plenty work in smaller businesses. Especially if you have some business sense too - if you can talk the talk with the guys who make the spending decisions then you will have a distinct advantage over the regular techy foot-soldiers.

I dunno...I'm quite a generalist - it's stood me well over the years because I can adapt quickly as business conditions change. But IT is a tricky game - perpetual pressure and deadlines and always trying to keep ahead. Some days I think I know nothing useful anymore.

golem wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:54 pm They made me take ITIL Foundations recently. I found it to be a complete waste of time, but it might've been something that would have benefited people who really weren't aware of what software development in the last 5-10 years should look like.

I felt the exact same way when I took the foundations course, and the subsequent exam. It is very applicable if you work in managment for an entity that follows ITSM principles, and it's somewhat similar to SixSIgma and other frameworks, but for those in positions that actually do development or engineering or front line work, it is not very exciting. And honestly, even when it is part of your job and you understand it becomes overbearing and boring at times.

SalteeDog wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:07 pm I dunno...I'm quite a generalist - it's stood me well over the years because I can adapt quickly as business conditions change. But IT is a tricky game - perpetual pressure and deadlines and always trying to keep ahead. Some days I think I know nothing useful anymore.

I could have written this I started out my foray in the tech world when I built the first "web page" for the department I worked at as a Graduate Assistant back in probably about 1994 ish? I think it had one photo and 6 hyperlinks, and I hand coded it in Notepad. Since then I've been a software insttructor, an presales tech rep, a sales consultant for a general IT vendor, an Instructional Technologist, and then I moved to the dark side ( Managment ) about 7 or 8 years ago.

Along the way i've done web design all the way from hand coded HTML/CSS to database driven sites in ASP and others, and then on to content managment systems. I've done a lot of database work in things like MS access, SQL, dablled a little in oracle etc. I had a long stint in the AV/tech sector working with Control Systems ( Crestron/AMX ) programing and AV integration, H.323 codec and MCU installs/managment and lots of funky audio/vidoe switchign and routing things.

My last foray has been in UC - which seems like the lane to pick right now as eveyyone is pushing to use the tools to work from home and deliver content virtually.

I enjoy learnign new things, and it's hard to pick a lane. I"m also finishing up an MBA to try and get some of that business sense in my head too - becasue those are really the people that make the decisions about what gets funded and what doesn't. Being able to communicate with tools they understand is very important too.

My company is now downsizing as we were able to get the entire company virtual (40,000 employees) during the COVID outbreak, so I guess that accelerated the plans to get out of some of our real estate. I am in IT, but my background was 25 years in the business I ended up supporting. I learned a lot, tools some courses and lead deliveries of hardware nationwide, and am now having to start looking for a job. I want to stay in IT. I have a business sense, I was in Management in the other side for 18 years. BUt its scary. And I am sure the designations will make a huge difference

uwmcscott wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:09 pm I felt the exact same way when I took the foundations course, and the subsequent exam. It is very applicable if you work in managment for an entity that follows ITSM principles, and it's somewhat similar to SixSIgma and other frameworks, but for those in positions that actually do development or engineering or front line work, it is not very exciting. And honestly, even when it is part of your job and you understand it becomes overbearing and boring at times.

SixSigma was the only way to get any changes made when I worked for Raytheon in the Middle East. It was good that such a hierarchical and conservative (i.e., in the sense of being resistant to change) had an approach one could follow to advocate for process improvement. The problem I found was that it was the only way to get any change(s) made. I was a fan of Kaizen which was discussed in our SixSigma training, but it wasn't practiced at my location.

We're trying to advocate for basic processes in the group I work as well as DevOps (i.e., Eugene Kim style DevOps) in general. My ITIL training seemed to suggest that they were coming around to that way of thinking so it was refreshing to hear that management would be exposed to those concepts and that my group might have a shared language we can use to convince them to take that approach. Speaking of which, if you have audible I think I can loan out any of his books if you're interested.

I remember the 90s too. My first gig in 91 was writing Lotus 123 macros. That didn't last!

Regarding the UC track. I think the money is in professional services. Integrations and implementations and ongoing management. Thinking among other things APIs to the big Enterprise apps (Salesforce, Dynamics, SAP, etc. ), as well as industry or market specific apps and use cases.

A lot of the currently cool UC stuff is going to become commoditized in time. All those WebRTC apps are already converging in terms of functionality. The value is going to be at the edges.

What language are y'all speaking???

SalteeDog wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 6:14 pm I remember the 90s too. My first gig in 91 was writing Lotus 123 macros. That didn't last!

Regarding the UC track. I think the money is in professional services. Integrations and implementations and ongoing management. Thinking among other things APIs to the big Enterprise apps (Salesforce, Dynamics, SAP, etc. ), as well as industry or market specific apps and use cases.

A lot of the currently cool UC stuff is going to become commoditized in time. All those WebRTC apps are already converging in terms of functionality. The value is going to be at the edges.

That is exactly how it works. When I first started out in the Video Conferencing arena ( back before UC was even a thing ), a video codec was usually a $25k customized computer with proprietary hardware/software. The bridge was a million dollar investment that only a few companies in the world made. And they were fed by mega-expensive ISDN and ATM lines. Then people like tandberg and polycom developed appliance based codecs and MCU's that people could afford ( relatively ) and now anyone with an internet connected device has a portable codec and you can get a Zoom/Webex license for the same cost of a cable TV subscription.