First of all, I have a college diploma in computer networking. I tried to get a

Question

First of all, I have a college diploma in computer networking. I tried to get a job as network admin, but because of my lack of experience in that field I did not succeed. So I returned as a help desk technician (I already had 2 years of experience in this).

So here I am, 4 years of tech support and I do not like it anymore. I know I can do something more interesting to me.

I'm really interested in malware reversing and vulnerability research. I have some books that I read, and I would really like to work in that field.

My question is, do I really need a Bachelor's degree in computer science to perform those jobs ?

Because getting this degree won't teach me how to perform malware reversing and vulnerability research. Certifications like GIAC GREM or Offensive Security Exploitation expert is more likely to help me.

There again, 0 experience in the field of information security, so how would I get a job ?

The Bachelor's degree will make me a good analyst and programmer, but is that necessary ? Is someone with a degree is more likely to be hired ? I have tons of questions.

Thanks

Explanation / Answer

No degree guarantees a job, and almost ALL employers will look for experience in the field. @Andre Daniel mentioned free-lancing and participating in open source projects. This is probably the best way to gain experience in the field you're looking towards, and they look great on resumes. They are experiences that you can point to and say "I contributed to this".

While it's great that you can learn things on your own, there is still value to having a degree. But I would not recommend getting a bachelors degree. If you already have a degree in Computer Networking I would suggest going for a graduate degree in Computer Security. Graduate degrees still hold some weight, and can put you above other applicants. However, you only get what you put into it as far as degrees go. You can learn a lot or a little, it depends on the amount of effort you put in. Sadly some things on paper still look better, and this will help set you apart from others.

I've known people without any degrees who were passed up for jobs because they didn't have a degree. I've known people who have degrees and no experience who were also passed up on jobs. You should have have some blend of both. Like Schroeder said, if you want to do malware analysis then just do it. Put on your resume that you do freelance work. They'll ask you in-depth questions to get a better feel for how much you know, and that's where you can impress them. But getting through the initial resume scan I think you need a blend of both education and experience.

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