Which Cert??

jank

OK im unemployed and kinda bored for the last month after graduating from my degree in computers and networking

There are feck all jobs so ive decided to do one or 2 certs to pass the time

Ive heard fas do them and do them cheap too (120 yoyo's, beats spending 800 or so lol)

I have a CCNA and I want to go into the security/networking field more than anything else

So out of the following list which ones are the ones that hold up most on a CV and will give me that extra brownie point that may get me that job

A+ Technician
CISCO-Interconnecting Networking Devices
Comptia Security+
INET+
Internetworking Professional (CIW)
CISCO Internetworking Technologies
Linux+
Microsoft.NET overview
MS Windows 2000 Installation, Configuration & Administration
Network+ **
UNIX
Security Professional (CIW)
Server Administrator (CIW)
SQL Server 7.0 - System Administration

taken from the http://www.fas-netcollege.com/

anybody do any of these courses?

the linux+ and security+ are the ones that stand out for me (whats up with the UNIX one!?)

One more thing, someone posted a link here before that gave a good breakdown of each and every IT cert out there, did a search and all but cant find it!

Anychance of posting it up again

pebble

Any cert is better than no cert.
It realyl depends on how hard you want to work for your cert and how much time you have.

The Comptia certs are easy enough to get and have are generic industry centric, so you get a good over view of everything, but not anything deep down. I have a couple of these, and they are useful to prove that you can work on your own initiative. And its always good to get a basic understanding of the subjects.

The more intensive Cisco, Novell, Microsoft certs will taka a lot longer and are really only going to be needed if you know what you want to do. Theres no point in doing a Cisco cert if you never touch a router!

Personally, at the moment I would go for a RedHat cert, but then again, I'm not a techie anymore, so I won't

jank

yea cheers

At the moment i am going in the order of preference of

1 secuity+
2 linux+
3 A+

id prefer to fly though them

And i might be talking 2 weeks to done one
Is that too short/long?

This is just going over the material involved not the actual exam itself but once i feel i know the stuff then I can book an exam with peometric

I had a feeling that the micosoft/novell ones would take a lot longer and not really interested in it unless i was ask by an employer to get one

Im going to stay clear of cisco's exams for the time being but im def going to try and do a CCNP before my CCNA expires but would have to do that in CIT or some college that has proper lab sessions.
That will cost me a good bit though

ToxicPaddy

A+ and N+ together will actually give you an exemption from one of the electives
from MCSE..

At the moment it seems that the basics expected are MCSE and CCNA for most
sys admin jobs..

If you're looking to go into network security field, then the Cisco route is the way
to go, but you will also need something along the lines of a Unix/Redhat cert and
a firewall cert like Checkpoint.. all will definitely help.. its adviseable to go for a
sys admin job as you may have all the certs you need but experience will be required
especially with a network security role..

So get the MCSE and that will help with get your foot in the door.. then from there
start the steps towards the security end of things...

Tox

Moonbeam

If u have a degree and a ccna then u are more then qualified already.
On the job experience will stand to you more then most extra certs will at the moment.

There's no ponit doing the network+ exam if u have a ccna,
Though the security one and the linux/unix ones might help you out if u didn't do alot of unix during ur degree

jank

cheers ive signed up for the Security+ course( was free too ), hopefully ill have it done within 2 weeks although i might be waiting to do the exam

Been looking at the network+ and it seems very basic and a bit light while the a+ seems to be very hands on (more like pc repair/ support etc) and seems a bit better.

Got more info here @ http://www.examnotes.net
It has a very usefull forum just to look up stuff but i cant find that link im on about anywhere

I know that work experience would be better in the long run but even getting that is very hard at the mo so certs i feel may give me that extras edge in the near future
Dont worry im not going to spend the next 3 years doing all those various certs, just a few to make me more employable

Raz

How did you go about applying? And how come you got it free? I assume you'd have to pay for the exam when you go to do it.
I'd be very interested in doing the security+ one if I could get in free like that

jank

i got it for free cause at the moment im claiming social welfare, although im going to have to pay for the exam itself i think but may get some sort of discount

All it is really is access to an online course you can do at home

BB connection recomended though

Check out the link I gave above the FAS net one

Raz

A bit off topic but you said above that you finished your degree a month ago (As did I) and now you're claiming social welfare. I didn't think that was possible. (I'm assuming you did work experience last summer) I thought you have to be out of work for 18 months or something like that. Can I claim welfare if I was working (Full time) last summer ('03)?

eth0_

Originally posted by Raz
A bit off topic but you said above that you finished your degree a month ago (As did I) and now you're claiming social welfare. I didn't think that was possible. (I'm assuming you did work experience last summer) I thought you have to be out of work for 18 months or something like that. Can I claim welfare if I was working (Full time) last summer ('03)?

Yes you can.
My friend has taken a year out before doing her last year of uni and she instantly claimed the dole. It was crappy money because she'd never really worked before, though.

jank - if I were you i'd keep going with the cisco courses, once you're CCNP or CCIE you'd be well in demand.

Raz

Originally posted by eth0_
Yes you can.

Excellent :cool:
I'm off to figure out how to claim it

eth0_

Originally posted by Raz
Excellent :cool:
I'm off to figure out how to claim it

Just go down the dole office with your pps number, proof of ID and address and you should probably bring a letter from college proving you've finished your course.

Raz

Cheers eth0

jank

jank - if I were you i'd keep going with the cisco courses, once you're CCNP or CCIE you'd be well in demand

lol i wish i was in demand now

I have a bit of a head start and all as regards the CCNP, ive done some of the frame relay, ISDN, VPN stuff already last year in college.
The actual labs we did were taken out of the CCNP itself so I know what to expect

Anyway should be starting the security+ next week and hopefully have it done and passed in a month!

The exam will cost me 250e and i dont think FAS will subsidise the cost but I found this website

http://www.examvouchers.com

Not sure now if its a scam or not but hey its worth a try and might save me 50e or so

accensi0n

eth0_ wrote:

Yes you can.
My friend has taken a year out before doing her last year of uni and she instantly claimed the dole. It was crappy money because she'd never really worked before, though.

jank - if I were you i'd keep going with the cisco courses, once you're CCNP or CCIE you'd be well in demand.

I was chatting with someone a while ago who got talking about the CCIE. He said that its almost impossible to get. Only about 15 people in Ireland ahve it...

Any truth to this?

Moonbeam

You can claim unemployment assistance,different name similar help!

Yes it is true there are very few ccies in this country.