I've been thinking about getting a Cisco certification (or two). Cisco recently released a CCENT certification, which seems like a good starting point for CCNA (which I ultimately want to get).
Do you think a Cisco certification is helpful?
Thanks in advance for your advice!
IT Geeks: Cisco Certification?
2Story Time:
I started in IT in early 2004. I was making under $10 hour at the time doing bullshit work. I now make well over 50k a year doing IT stuff. I won't say CCNA is end all certification, but it is certainly an asset. I would recommend you get a couple from different vendors. Oh and the cert alone will not get you the job and money (those adds are bullshit), experience is big too.
Most of the people I know who are successful in IT (all make more than me, fuckers!) have a combination of at least an AAS degree, a few certifications, and experience.
Certification wise I'd recommend:
MCSA
MCSE
CCNA
Network+
Security+
Also look at VMWare and Linux, you won't be able to avoid them in the future.
Not necessarily all, but at least 2 different vendors. Then be ready to take on anything, because part of getting good in IT is being able to walk into almost any situation and find your way through it.
I started in IT in early 2004. I was making under $10 hour at the time doing bullshit work. I now make well over 50k a year doing IT stuff. I won't say CCNA is end all certification, but it is certainly an asset. I would recommend you get a couple from different vendors. Oh and the cert alone will not get you the job and money (those adds are bullshit), experience is big too.
Most of the people I know who are successful in IT (all make more than me, fuckers!) have a combination of at least an AAS degree, a few certifications, and experience.
Certification wise I'd recommend:
MCSA
MCSE
CCNA
Network+
Security+
Also look at VMWare and Linux, you won't be able to avoid them in the future.
Not necessarily all, but at least 2 different vendors. Then be ready to take on anything, because part of getting good in IT is being able to walk into almost any situation and find your way through it.
Last edited by karmarec_Archive on Thu Jan 17, 2008 9:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
IT Geeks: Cisco Certification?
3Even in a technologically backward area such as this one, I have had potential employers ask me whether I had any Cisco certs and why not. I'd say it is a worthwhile venture if you can swing it, I don't know about the CCENT but enough people seem to recognize CCNA that it should give you a leg up against your certification-less competition.
Personally when I was heavily into IT I was more interested in the Juniper certs, but you're less likely to find companies using those unless they've got their own backbone... Cisco certs are still pretty much it for the enterprise market.
Personally when I was heavily into IT I was more interested in the Juniper certs, but you're less likely to find companies using those unless they've got their own backbone... Cisco certs are still pretty much it for the enterprise market.
Rick Reuben wrote:You are dumber than week-old donuts.
IT Geeks: Cisco Certification?
4Thanks for the advice! I think I'm gonna go for CCENT first, as a stepping stone to CCNA. Besides, it's half the exam requirement, so it will make getting the CCNA that much easier.
IT Geeks: Cisco Certification?
5Just noticed you were from Ohio, what part of ohio you in? I'm in Cinci. I used to work in the audio industry (why I still come here), but moved to IT, seemed like a really easy transition to me (all signal flow....)