Two of the best software engineers I've ever hired (and worked with) did not have college degrees (one only had a GED for high school). But they were both highly talented and came highly recommended from people I trusted.
No, getting a CS degree doesn't guarantee that you're talented; far from it. However, it does show that you have enough aptitude to make it through a CS program, and it lessens the chance that you'll spend my time re-inventing -- or, worse yet, ignoring -- foundational concepts in computer science and software engineering.
Here are some more of my thoughts on the subject of hiring IT engineers:
No, getting a CS degree doesn't guarantee that you're talented; far from it. However, it does show that you have enough aptitude to make it through a CS program, and it lessens the chance that you'll spend my time re-inventing -- or, worse yet, ignoring -- foundational concepts in computer science and software engineering.
Here are some more of my thoughts on the subject of hiring IT engineers:
http://brucefwebster.com/2008/01/10/the-wetware-crisis-tepes...
http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/14/the-longest-yard-reorgan...
(and thanks to dmv for the link to my 'Dead Sea' post, which is what led me here). ..bruce..