IT Certification Primer

I work tech support at a bank...(only 7/hr) :(


no certs what so ever but word passed to the next town over from where I lived about my experience. I also had a doctor in comp sci vouch for me. they have trained me in security+ but havn't taken the test yet. I don't have a college degree but im in it right now...(going for elec. eng.) read several books on A+ but never taken that test either... I want to study for the Network+ and take that before I take the security+. then maybe go for MCSA and a cisco cert. I am one of three with access to the server room... even the mcsa admin askes me questions! the head boss lady though has a TON of AS/400 training and 30+ years experience so I can't even compete with her...


EDIT: sorry! didn't see it was this out of date!
 
Im not sure why people feel that the a+ is a waste. Im 19, and just finished a network security program at a local tech school. Im now working on my MCSE and CCNA. With just my A+ Ive already held two nice IT positions in the last year and recently took a tier 2 help desk position that pays 42k. I work with people twice my age that have already completed college. You can make money with the a+, but If you want to take it to the next leave you need an alphabet of certs behind your name. Once I onbtain my ccna and mcse Im going to start college while working.
 
winuxgeek said:
Im not sure why people feel that the a+ is a waste. Im 19, and just finished a network security program at a local tech school. Im now working on my MCSE and CCNA. With just my A+ Ive already held two nice IT positions in the last year and recently took a tier 2 help desk position that pays 42k. I work with people twice my age that have already completed college. You can make money with the a+, but If you want to take it to the next leave you need an alphabet of certs behind your name. Once I onbtain my ccna and mcse Im going to start college while working.
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Everyone's situation is unique. However, by and large I've found that being the Jack of All trades isn't what it used to be. Specialization is starting to become more profitable, if you get into the right niche. Security is the new hot thing, but you're not going to be taken seriously unless you've got several years of experience first. IMO, skipping the alphabet soup and cross-training in a myriad of diciplines will better suite IT professionals of tomorrow. To piggyback on this, I'm starting to think that focusing and bolstering one's skills in a particular field such as security & database administration is the way to go in the very near future. Its gotten to the point that anyone can program a router or manage a server.
 
thats very true, What I have noticed tho is that businesses now are looking to have one person do everything. Being able to control multiple avenues of network administration can possibly mean more money for you because less people will be required at your organization to complete a task. The place im at now has an admin for everything. You name it theres an admin. In my opinion its just a waste to have so many if the job can be done by one person. This also can work against you to make jobs unavailible.. Its tough. One thing that I have noticed tho is that companys love when your driven to succeed. I just started my current position and am looking to adavance in a few months. Some of the people that I work with have been in the same position for over a year because they lack the motivation to go above and beyond to further there career.
 
BobSutan said:
Everyone's situation is unique. However, by and large I've found that being the Jack of All trades isn't what it used to be. Specialization is starting to become more profitable, if you get into the right niche. Security is the new hot thing, but you're not going to be taken seriously unless you've got several years of experience first. IMO, skipping the alphabet soup and cross-training in a myriad of diciplines will better suite IT professionals of tomorrow. To piggyback on this, I'm starting to think that focusing and bolstering one's skills in a particular field such as security & database administration is the way to go in the very near future. Its gotten to the point that anyone can program a router or manage a server.
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id have to disagree with your first comment. at my current place of work, not even the senior level administration can manage servers properly. the suits i can understand, but im talkin bout the people who are supposed to be level 3+ support. albeit this is my first IT position, so maybe i just got lucky enough to be around imbiciles, but theres seems to be a lot of people who dont seem to know what the hell theyre doing.

the rest of ur post i pretty much agree with. specialization does seem to be the new trend especially in security, databases, and thin clients.
 
winuxgeek said:
Im not sure why people feel that the a+ is a waste. Im 19, and just finished a network security program at a local tech school. Im now working on my MCSE and CCNA. With just my A+ Ive already held two nice IT positions in the last year and recently took a tier 2 help desk position that pays 42k. I work with people twice my age that have already completed college. You can make money with the a+, but If you want to take it to the next leave you need an alphabet of certs behind your name. Once I onbtain my ccna and mcse Im going to start college while working.
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Holy crap did you luck out. 42k with no experience? Damn! I think I was only making about 33k when I was 19.

I have no certs, and yet I've met some incredibly stupid MCSE's. They couldn't tell the difference between a workgroup and a domain, yet they somehow managed to get an MCSE.

Our company of course likes people with certs, the more certs you have the more you can be billed to the gov't. Most of all they love Bachelor's Degrees. I only have an Associates, and my boss constantly breathes down my neck about getting my Bachelors.
 
st4rk said:
Holy crap did you luck out. 42k with no experience? Damn! I think I was only making about 33k when I was 19.

I have no certs, and yet I've met some incredibly stupid MCSE's. They couldn't tell the difference between a workgroup and a domain, yet they somehow managed to get an MCSE.

Our company of course likes people with certs, the more certs you have the more you can be billed to the gov't. Most of all they love Bachelor's Degrees. I only have an Associates, and my boss constantly breathes down my neck about getting my Bachelors.
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if your organiztion is willing to pay for ur certs, please tell me ur going for them. even if u think theyre a joke, theyll help u not hurt u, plus u dont gotta pay a red dime. also if the suits are pressing u to get ur bachelors, and theyre willing to pay for it, go for it too. get as much outta them as u can
 
yea its the best if your company is willing to pay for certs. I have to wait 90 days before I can take advantage of that perk. The company is called eds and they treat their employees pretty well.
 
two separate tests. I did them early 2006 and if I can remember, they were both only about 40 questions. Didn't study much at all but since i consider myself a bit of an "XP Guru" :p i passed both first time.
 
enforcer17 said:
two separate tests. I did them early 2006 and if I can remember, they were both only about 40 questions. Didn't study much at all but since i consider myself a bit of an "XP Guru" :p i passed both first time.
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I am taking my exams in April/May.
 
anyone ever do Citrix training? I am looking around and would like someone who has dealt with XX company with positive results. Willing to travel :D
 
O2Flow said:
anyone ever do Citrix training? I am looking around and would like someone who has dealt with XX company with positive results. Willing to travel :D
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Are there even Citrix classes?

And, Holy thread resurrection batman :p
 
Unfortunately for me I don’t have any certs but looking to change that and I am thinking about getting into the security side of things but where to start? Or on the other hand a network engineer and network Admin have always appealed to me but I would think getting deeper into security would only benefit my goals. So any info on where I should start? Going back to school is an option for me but I would prefer to study and take the tests. Any direction or help would be great…
 
wow.. major thread resurrection!

I've come along way since my post in this thread in 2004. (see sig)
 
Just from my personal experience, I've found that having experience and reputation vastly overrides certifications and degrees. Obviously this isn't the case everywhere but it has been with me. I am A+ certified and I do not have a degree but I marketed the hell out of myself as an independent contractor for a few years, did tons of horrible house-to-house and business-to-business virus and spyware cleaning, and eventually was referred to a few places and offered full time jobs. The one I currently hold earns me a little over $43k per year.
 
I know how some of you feel about testking and braindumping... But I am an IT pro and have my MCP.

I am working on my CCNA, have a few years exp. and want to get certified (it pays more).

But what I have recently discovered is there are two sites for Testking. The two are testking.com and testkingcert.com. They both look similar, but testkingcert is ALOT cheaper. Has anyone tried these two, if so how do they compare?

I dont want to waste my money on one if it is not updated!

Thx in advance for any feedback!
 
I just noticed this thread. Anyone familiar with the Apple OSX, Desktop, Portable exams? How are they? I know if you have gsx you can do their training. Is there much demand for workers with Apple Certs?
 
don't know if this is in the right spot. But i am very interested in obtaining my certs and just recently talked to some people in the local area called tech skills. basically i finance 10,000 and that covers my vouchers, book and lecture and i go in when ever i want and do there web based program. and workthrough the program at my own pace. the program is the following
A+
N+
MCP
MCSA
and thats all in 37 weeks and on the last two months they send you on a externship with a local company. My question is will all this be worth it? Im sure somewhere someone here has been through there program. Any Comments before i sign my enrollment papers? Please Help me
Thanks
Scott
 
I'm currently studying for the network+. I hope to take the test here soon. I have a voucher for the CCNA exam also. Unfortunatly where I goto college for computer science, they don't teach anything cisco related. I guess I could probably bug their net work techs.

Ive picked up some reading material for the CCNA, but I figure I would need to setup a cisco test lab. Someone aways back recommended 4 routers, but that seems kind of pricey. I would feel more comfortable buying two. Should I also want buy a cisco switch or just stick to two cisco routers? Would a 2500 series be enough or maybe a 2600 series.

Thanks for the info, the thread was a great read.
 
big daddy fatsacks said:
everyone in college seems to think they have earned some right to make assloads of money. guess what, you haven't. you earned the right to move up and go far because you have a good education as a foundation. but you start at the bottom like everyone else. sure, there are exceptions, but don't fool yourself.
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The problem is that school costs so damn much that to take a job right out of college at $25-$30K is sorely impractical if you've financed your education on student loans. I know, because I did just that. Society puts a disproportionately huge price on education these days.

I have a creative writing BA, so shame on me first off for going $50K+ into debt for a thoroughly unmarketable degree. I landed a help desk job for $30K fresh out of school because I knew someone. I couldn't hope to meet my student loan payments on $30K/yr, no way. Since then (2 yrs out of school now) I've moved into a tiny one bedroom with my gf (nice-ish, but tiny), gotten rid of my car and found a different lv. 1 support job for $40K. I am now just barely able to meet my minimum dues, rent and usual necessities with about $200 left over each month.

I work with several people my age who have no degree or certs, make more than I do, have investments and savings and (in some cases) real estate. This is because they worked instead of attending college. The raises at my workplace are almost nil, so I'll continue in about the same financial situation for as long as I'd care to stay put. Do people in my situation think things like "how can I make $75-$100K now?" You bet! It isn't realistic, but it is reasonable.

I did study a bunch for the CCNA out of personal interest (believe it or not) while I was in school, though I never took the test. Right out of college I interviewed for a job that paid $60K to start (they saw my resume, they called me). Cert or no cert, if I would've known my CCNA stuff cold at the time I believe I would have had a pretty good shot at the position, just based on the questions they asked me. Shame on me (again) for not following through with those studies and that cert.

I'm thinking of returning to that CCNA study track now so I have SOME kind of formal credential aside from 2 yrs experience in lv. 1 support. I'd also like to be free from student loan debt rather sooner than the current 15-20yr projection. Besides, you've gotta make a way out of lv. 1 help desk/support. I know I'm only 2 yrs in but it looks to me like support usually only leads to more support: the harder and better you work, the happier they are to leave you right where you're at.
 
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