Just curious, how do they go about getting salary information during a background check without permission to contact your current employer?

"When you had a stack of resumes, were certs and/or degrees a factor in which ones got interviewed?"
Good question. I need to add my IT career ended 10 years ago. So I was in networking from the beginning until 2004. Taught myself Novell - it was the first large scale solution. In the early 90's servers with networks was the new thing.
As a manager in the late 90's early 2000's I found the people who taught themselves were the best. They were at it all the time AND they could obviously learn on their own.
Now - to answer your question. Certs would mean something to me back then. All the BS people had was theory. A Novell cert, or a Citrix cert or a Cisco cert was good, but I was able to talk to all applicants. We had a "gauntlet" interview process. Every engineer was invited to interrogate every new hire! :) A little rough on the applicants, but we got the best people. One guy went on the big a Big Dog at Citrix. He is still there.

I am enrolled to get my bachelors in IT Security and will also have 17 certs when the program is done. I have a AA so this is another 2.5 years.

A BS is a "Union Card" so to speak. My brother works as a Technical Manager at JPL. He started as a technician, and got his BS in Business after being there about 20 years, and that opened the gates for him to move up in a technical field. His pay scale ceiling basically doubled.

Me? BS, MBA and a few professional licenses and certifications. Don't use a lot of it day-to-day, but my employer believes that they are worth me having. They will pay for certification maintenance continuing education.

Even with permission to contact, I guarantee no corporation I ever worked for would divulge any more information than:

Yes, "so and so" was employed here from xxxx to yyyy.

I don't think they even offer if they'd rehire or not anymore (Remember those steeenking lawyers we were discussing earlier :)?).

That would always be AFTER you were hired too (if necessary). "Hey, you know where I freakin' worked....you lured me away :D"

ps: 'course there are ways around everything....

[QUOTE=dennis in se pa;7770396...Taught myself Novell - it was the first large scale solution. In the early 90's servers with networks was the new thing.
As a manager in the late 90's early 2000's I found the people who taught themselves were the best. They were at it all the time AND they could obviously learn on their own. .....[/QUOTE]

Exactly! Self taught here too. Microcode development, systems programmer, large SNA networks, online systems, large TCP/IP networks, Mainframes, high powered servers, more operating systems than I can count, web farms, IT security (firewalls, etc.), and that's just of the top of my head. Leading edge networking gear at every step of the way...

Just something to add, when I started with Boeing about seven months ago they asked me to put together a portfolio of my IT work. They were entirely disinterested in my certs or degrees, just the portfolio.

Start working with the best executive recruiter/headhunter you can find. Follow his advice. I would think that people who value what you do will care about your knowledge more than degrees or certifications, but they need to know you first. A recruiter will help you find employers who will fit you and will value your knowledge without requiring a degree or certification.

If you have to chose one over the other, in your situation certificates are probably the better bang for the buck. Of course it's always better to get a higher level of education, but telling someone with 20 years of experience and an AA to get an MBA is kind of pie in the sky. Assuming every AA credit will transfer and count toward a BS with no slippage, you're a minimum of two years full time study from a BS. And to what end?

Get connected with a recruiter who will find you an employer who is sophisticated enough to care more about your knowledge and skills than your pedigree. And once you're there, start working on your pedigree so you never have to worry about it again.

can you get CLEP'S [CREDIT for LIFE EXPERENCE] ?

Bingo! Good for you. Real new jobs in big companies are rare in Akron. Refreshing it can still happen.

You will do better buying a pair of jogging shoes, trim some weight and get some sun before an interview. Skip the Rolex (or any related hint of being wealthy/worldly) if you have one. You may piss people off, especially in a smaller company.

Articulate your portfolio in a down to earth manner. Bag the horse crap "strategic synergies through cross function integration" bull. Bag the "independently saved the enterprise $50 sqillion via unsurpassed forethought".

Just say what you have done and sell yourself on the talents you have.

Right now, A job is more important than a real good job.

Absolutely not. Don't even assume that means a thing. In fact, CLEPS is a detriment.

Specific experience in the area that a potential employer needs a resource - assuming a seasoned person is acceptable for hire - is the key.

The United States is a rough, rough country to be a displaced mature worker. Exceptions, sure. Average Joe without connections, expect a step down in income.