IT Career advice

[Bateluer]

I'm torn here and not really certain which path to take. My AAS degree in Linux Networking Administration is almost complete, with graduation the second week of May. Don't much care for any ceremony, I'm just getting mailed the degree and calling it a day though.

I've also completed two CompTIA certs, the A+ and the Network+. I'm also scheduled to take the RHCT in the middle of may, and I plan on taking the LPIC-1 exam before the end of May as well. The combined above gives me a pretty solid ground in Linux, with emphasis on Red Hat EL.

My concerns are which certifications to pursue next. My next degree will be focusing on Information Systems Security, so I know where that path goes. Since I scan various IT job postings on several websites, I see a lot of the positions what MCSE/MCSA certs. I've had several courses in Microsoft as well, focusing on XP and various aspects of Server 2003, so attaining the MCSA shouldn't be too difficult. I should also state that for the MCSA/MCSE certs, I'll be focusing XP and Server 2003 paths. Given Vista's slow adoption rates and general distaste of Vista in the corporate world, I don't think I need to invest too much effort into learning Vista. Not to say that I don't want to learn about Vista at all, I'm just stating my focus will be on XP/2003.

I also want to pursue a CCNA certification as well, and I've taken half the courses for that.

Eventually, I would like to attain both, however, my more immediate short goals are to maximize my employment potential.

Any people working in the IT industry want to give their thoughts?

 

[SampSon]

Get a job in IT while you're doing all of that so you have experience to back up a bunch of silly letters following your name.
If you already have one, rock on.

 

[spidey07]

Really strong unix guys are hard to find. Keep getting good at that. To succeed in IT today you really have to specialize and become a guru in your field. The CCNA would be good as it would give you some background in networking which will come in very handy. A lot of the big virtualization push going on today relies on a good understanding of networking so having that base knowledge will really help you out on the unix side.

 

[Mashed Potato]

Originally posted by: SampSon
Get a job in IT while you're doing all of that so you have experience to back up a bunch of silly letters following your name.
If you already have one, rock on.

2nd that......I got a job in a VOIP company Network Operations Center, and I am positive that I have learned so much more than if I hit the books.

What you learn at a good job that you are interested in will benefit you greatly....good luck


-mashed

 

[SpunkyJones]

Another get a job recommendation. Nothing is better than hands on experience, you'll learn a lot more in 3 months on the job than you will sitting in a cert class for a year, plus the use of IT technology in the field will not be as cut and dry as it is in class.

 

[Bateluer]

Thanks for the responses. I haven't gotten a job in IT yet, still have a few more weeks on active duty, then almost two months of terminal leave to job hunt.

My primary goal right now is to have the education and skills necessary to get in the door. Once I get in the door, my experience will increase. Right now, my experience in IT is limited, at best.

And obviously, I don't want to give up the linux education and experience either, catch is, I haven't seen a great many junior/entry level positions for sysadmins.

 

[sjwaste]

Spidey's right. Also look at seeing if you can get an entry level job doing mainframe work. As the baby boomers retire, the shortage of mainframe folks becomes even bigger, and organizations still use them. It's one of the best paid niches in IT for that reason.

Look at insurance companies and financial services firms to start. If it's truly mission-critical, there's a decent chance it's running on a mainframe.

 

[randay]

experience > poop > certs

 

[Vehemence]

Worry little about certs. Experience, some degree behind you, and fitting the company are key.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: randay
experience > poop > certs

Thanks, thats very helpful. Turn on your sarcasm meter.

Experience is a great thing, but if you don't have a degree or certifications, you're not getting past the secretary.

 

[Vehemence]

Originally posted by: randay


Experience is a great thing, but if you don't have a degree or certifications, you're not getting past the secretary.

Wasn't the case with me or any of my friends. Worked in IT positions through college. Internships were great as well.

A degree is pretty much mandatory and certs aren't worth much at all, so it's the experience that's going to count. Building it up and then reinforcing that with appropriate certs will get your career going well, not the other way around.

Well it could, just not my advice or the advice of anyone I've heard.

Either way I wish you luck.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: sjwaste
Spidey's right. Also look at seeing if you can get an entry level job doing mainframe work. As the baby boomers retire, the shortage of mainframe folks becomes even bigger, and organizations still use them. It's one of the best paid niches in IT for that reason.

Look at insurance companies and financial services firms to start. If it's truly mission-critical, there's a decent chance it's running on a mainframe.

True that - any large processing/mission critical stuff is done on a mainframe. Banking, insurance, manufacturing, healthcare, etc.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Bateluer

Originally posted by: randay
experience > poop > certs

Thanks, thats very helpful. Turn on your sarcasm meter.

Experience is a great thing, but if you don't have a degree or certifications, you're not getting past the secretary.

I guess I am an exception to that rule. And I could very well be, but my honest opinion is that you dont need certs to know what you are doing, more often then not(in my experience), the guy with certs is lost when it comes time to actually get work done.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: randay

Thanks, thats very helpful. Turn on your sarcasm meter.

Experience is a great thing, but if you don't have a degree or certifications, you're not getting past the secretary.

I guess I am an exception to that rule. And I could very well be, but my honest opinion is that you dont need certs to know what you are doing, more often then not(in my experience), the guy with certs is lost when it comes time to actually get work done.[/quote]

That is true, having the cert is no guarantee that the they can do the job. Most of my instructors at school emphasize 'real world' tasks and applications rather than just book knowledge. Degrees and certs have more than one purpose, they should that the individual is capable of buckling down and working to achieve a goal, as well as the knowledge and skills they certify.