Which IT certification??

cee_jay

Just wondering what is the I.T. certification most employers require/desire?

I have a degree in Computer Engineering
Followed that with a course in FAS - where I got certifications in CIW Foundations and Sun Java Programming Level 1.

I am currently doing tech support - but eventually would like to do network/system admin.

I am thinking about studying for MCP (Windows XP - this would be relevant to my current job also) - or would there be another certification more valuable to me? Maybe CCNA?

Advice please! Which certification would make me more employable??

rick_fantastic

ccna is always good. window server 2003 and activy directory if ur doing MCPs

the N+ and A+ are good too

mountainyman

If you have a degree in IT the best 'cert' you can get is a masters. In 5 years it will be worth an extra 20 K a year. No joke.

More conventionally CCNA, CCNP, CCIE is the way to go. CCIE is the most valuble cert.

In terms of your own career. Think Citrix. Think what will be ubiquitous in 5 years when I am amazing at it.

Also buy the testkings/actualtest and make sure you pass.

AARRRGH

Personally, I think interview/CV/networking (non-IT) skills are more important than a qualification.

While, of course, the more certs the better, maybe getting your sys admin job might be possible without getting another cert?

funk-you

The Cisco route is definitely worth thinking about, is also worth it for what you want to go into but also bear in mind that getting experience in the industry is worth its weight in gold also.

Seanie M

rick_fantastic wrote:

ccna is always good. window server 2003 and activy directory if ur doing MCPs

the N+ and A+ are good too

I have the CompTIA A+'s and Network+, but you hardly hear of them being requested. How good are they?

Seanie.

mountainyman

I have the CompTIA A+'s and Network+, but you hardly hear of them being requested. How good are they?

They aren't that valuble. I don't know why because they are good certs technically. Most employers are morons.

nadir

I'm working in a QA role at the moment, but I do lots ot unix stuff, Im writing scripts on solaris boxes and I'm the companies Bugzilla admin.
No one seems to have mentioned unix / linux skills. I have a degree in physics, but no other qualifications, I have about a years experience in this job.
I know ****loads about linux, I wonder how this *nix knowledge will hold to me if I want to change jobs? Are people out there interested in it?
I never did the LPI, but I'm not even sure its recognised that well, it's a bit of a tough one to call. I can definatly withstand a quiz on linux at an interview, the problem s getting the einterview. I know basic cisco stuff, a good bit about hardware and a somewhat limited knowledge of windows admin.
Anyone else in a similar boat? or got any advice.

pugleon

Few pointers for you if you want to go the Admin route rather then Security or Engineering one.

First of all, make the move from your current position to entry level admin or deskside support. Once you do that you're already on the path. Everyone looks for a minimal two years experience these days. So you need to get a foot in the door at entry level.

As far as Certification I would be thinking CCNA MCSA/E as the way to go. Most employers will look for either or, or both when going for Network Admin roles. Forget CompTIA or anything higher on the Cisco track. I wouldn't hire an A+ /N+ for anything more then building pc's. And CCNP> roles would be for people with more then 4 years on the job experience, which you won't have.

I would think in addition to the above some sort of firewall cert as judging by job websites employeers want their staff to manage and admin their own firewalls these days. Checkpoint or Cisco PIX would be the way to go there.

But starting off you couldn't do better then CCNA MCSE/A. And more over, most importantly of all a move to basic Admin and Deskside support job. So you can start adding those years to your CV.

If you need any help PM me, more then happy to help

pugleon

mountainyman wrote:

Also buy the testkings/actualtest and make sure you pass.

That is not great advice. I run a few Certification websites and let me tell ya, if all you're using to pass is dumps you'll find it really hard to get past the first interview. Study the stuff, learn it, setup test labs in your house and try out in a real world sense where you can. Pickup second hand routers on ebay, whatever. THEN when you've studied hard, and feel you understand the concepts covered get some test questions.

If you don't know the material how do you expect to talk authoritively to an interviewer about it???


On a side note to the guy with Linux skills, you can expect recruitment agencies to know nothing about LPI. They are idiots after all. But I would say at least some employers would have heard of it, at least the technical ones would....