Will I Be Pegged As a Geek if I Get My Masters in IT?

People who work in the information technology field are used to hearing the IT GEEK label, but most of them never flinch. That’s because these computer experts are so busy making other people’s lives easier that they don’t have time to care about what others have to say. Will you get pegged as a geek for getting a master’s in IT? There’s a good chance it’ll happen more than once whether jokingly or not, but here’s why none of that matters.

Name-Calling Is for Insecure and Jealous People

The only people who get enjoyment out of bashing others are those who need to make themselves feel better. The next time you get called an IT GEEK, remember that the guy or girl who said it probably envies your job and your life. These individuals look at you and realize that they can’t even compare because they’re so misguided and confused about their careers or life in general. To get a little self-confidence boost, such losers throw out hurtful comments so that they can convince themselves that they’re better than others in some way. Sadly, they don’t ever realize that they’re only projecting their insecurities, and it’s as clear as day to their victims.

Getting a Master’s Degree Means Making More Money Doing What You Love

Some individuals can’t stand to be in school and would never consider returning after graduation. Those kinds of feelings usually have an origin whether it be struggling in undergrad, failing a difficult course, being bullied in school, or simply not understanding or valuing the worth of a good education.

If you wish to get a master’s degree in IT, by all means, do it. The trade-off for being called an IT GEEK is much greater potential for landing a stable job and a higher salary. Most people would gladly take the verbal abuse to secure that successful career. After all, individuals interested in an IT master’s degree probably did IT during undergrad as well and would’ve already been victim to the name-calling. According to BLS, a bachelor’s degree is required for landing the well-paying positions of a computer programmer, network architect, database administrator, systems analyst, and more. Imagine what you could achieve with a master’s degree. If you really enjoy computer technology and want to get paid to be surrounded by monitors, routers, cables, and code, you would never think twice about furthering your education no matter what anybody called you.

Being a Geek Isn’t Necessarily a Bad Thing

Some people accept the “geek” label with pride. To them, being a geek means having extreme passion for something, and that can be seen as a very positive thing. In fact, this world needs more geeks because everybody would be better at everything that they do. People would strive to learn and perfect their craft because they get so much enjoyment out of it. Cosplayers are labeled as geeks. Video game fanatics are labeled as geeks. Anime enthusiasts are labeled as geeks. Technology lovers are labeled as geeks. They all love themselves and their lives, and so should you. According to Salary.com, information technology managers earn an average salary of $107,909. What’s not to love about that?

People are judgmental creatures, and there will always be someone out there who has a negative opinion of you. However, true passion will always trump any obstacle whether small or large. Never let getting called an IT GEEK get in the way of achieving your dreams.

Check out “Geeks vs. Nerds” for more information.