Just got my Network+ cert.

[Jimmah]

After about 4 months of putting it off because I didn't feel like I knew enough (or had studied enough) I finally booked an appointment and took my test yesterday. 6 weeks of hard studying, 5 days (near the end) I basically ate and slept TCP/IP and the OSI model.

Booked my A+ exam for Wed. of next week, going over every online exam and study sheet I can find, as well as picking up a different A+ study book tomorrow (in case the one I have missed something).

So, all in all I'm very excited to move towards a different career. Been in manufacturing since I was 17, now I'm 26 with destroyed knees/ankles from standing too much for too long. Even went to college to get into CNC programming, and although they say there's lots of jobs to be had, up here in Ottawa the only way you're going to get into any shop that programs is if you are sleeping with the owner. Also started volunteering for a local inexpensive housing company doing minor tech support for their tiny little computer rooms.

I have a question for anyone who has a moment though: Would it be a wise decision to continue getting my comptia certs (Server+ and Security+) or just head towards MCSE/something similar?

Anyways, just though I'd share how I'm feeling. Been depressed for the last year being out of work but now starting to feel like a useful human being again.

 

[Vehemence]

Congrats. :beer:

I wouldn't stress on certs too much though.

 

[duragezic]

If you're still interested in the CNC programming, have you considered moving? I thought that would be in pretty good demand all over.

 

[XxPrOdiGyxX]

You should probably ease up on the certs after you finish A+. Both of those are entry level certs that are supposed to reflect and validate 6-12 months of experience. If you get an MCSE, at this point, with no experience you will look like a paper cert guy. Find something IT related, even if it's part-time, and gain experience. Most likely you are looking at a help-desk type role or maybe an assistant to a system admin at a small company. Get at least of year of experience and then go for MCSE.

 

[Megadeth]

I agree with building up some work experience before continuing on the cert path. When you do pick up on the certification path again, I would take the security+ as it will count as an elective for MCSA, MCSE and MCSE:Security. Even if you don't plan on going for the MCSE, the security+ has a good amount of subject matter that is good to know anyway.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Work on getting experience after the A+.

 

[TreyRandom]

Congrats!

What the others say is wise: stick to entry-level certifications until you get some experience in IT. These include the A+ (which you're getting), the Network+ (which you've got), and the MCDST. Getting advanced certifications without the appropriate amount of real-world experience won't be very helpful in getting you a job. Getting entry-level ones will.

You shouldn't start the MCSA until you've got about 6 months of experience administering servers in a multi-server domain environment... not just 6 months in IT, but 6 months doing that job. That's Microsoft's recommendation, and in my experience, it's accurate. I'd also recommend experience before pursuing Server+ or Security+.

If you haven't already purchased it, I'd highly recommend the A+ All-in-One Exam Guide, Sixth Edition by Mike Meyers. If you want some lab exercises to work on, pick up PC Technician Street Smarts by James Pyles.

Watch out for those online exams... most are braindumps - illegal collections of questions from the live exam. Using them is no different than stealing a professor's final exam from his or her desk. As a result, certification vendors (CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco) aren't too happy about them... and will decertify you for life if they discover you've used them. Not worth the risk. Besides, you want to learn the material to make you a good tech, not just memorize questions to help you pass the exam, right? Stick with legitimate practice exams, even if they cost money - consider it an investment in your career. If you are not sure which are legit and which are braindumps, use Certguard's search tool.

Best of luck on the A+, and in your IT career!

 

[Jimmah]

Originally posted by: duragezic
If you're still interested in the CNC programming, have you considered moving? I thought that would be in pretty good demand all over.

It is very much so......just not in Ottawa (Alberta is gobbling up all the mobile peeps I know). I would move as well, but my wife works for Foreign Affairs and has the lovely government permanency.


After thinking about it (and everyone's unanimous replies) I'll stop after I get the A+ (maybe do the security+ after a couple months of volunteering/working). I wish I could get into helpdesk right now, but my french is terrible (literally, almost every job in Ottawa for helpdesk requires a BBB/CBC bilingualism).

TreyRandom - Thanks for the long reply I'll definitely look for a MCDST book and start studying it thoroughly. As for the online tests, I had heard about those braindumps so specifically stayed away from the shady websites (Proprof - I think thats what its called - was my main source of tests), also had tests from two Net+ books I got for my birthday and the whole CBT Nugget series (12+ hours of video training......fell asleep many times) plus a Street Smarts book I've been doing everyday since April


Thanks everyone for your replies, I appreciate them a lot

 

[JD50]

Are you at all interested in Linux?

Edit - Or VMware?

 

[Soundmanred]

I never finish my cereal after fishing out the certs. They make them so hard to get by putting them at the bottom!
It took me forever to get all of the Lucky Charm dust off of my MCSE cert.
Why can't they just put them at the top!?!

 

[Alyx]

Congratulations on getting your first done!

I just took the Network+ last fall and passed it too. Good luck finding the first job, it'll be the hardest. The little bit of hands on work with volunteering should look good though.

I'm also of the mindset that you want to wait on your MCSE stuff, look into taking the Windows XP or Vista test though. 70-270 and 70-620 (I think). You'll need those either way later on and since you are looking for a desktop job right now they might come in handy.

 

[Jimmah]

Originally posted by: JD50
Are you at all interested in Linux?

Edit - Or VMware?

I'm not too familiar with VMWare, although what I have heard about it is extremely interesting, its definitely something I would like to pursue if I can find some material on it or someone to teach me. As for Linux, I'm almost finished fixing my plywood computer (its actually a particle board case 14x10x6 with an atx skt 754 mobo, gutted PSU and 6.4gb HDD) just for different Linux distro's, I'm hoping it helps with the proper learning techniques and not just memorizing the theory.

 

[TreyRandom]

Originally posted by: Jimmah
TreyRandom - Thanks for the long reply I'll definitely look for a MCDST book and start studying it thoroughly. As for the online tests, I had heard about those braindumps so specifically stayed away from the shady websites (Proprof - I think thats what its called - was my main source of tests), also had tests from two Net+ books I got for my birthday and the whole CBT Nugget series (12+ hours of video training......fell asleep many times) plus a Street Smarts book I've been doing everyday since April

ProProfs is one of the few legit freebie sites, so you're safe there.

I used to be a senior network admin, but I now write for one of the bigger practice exam companies (which must go unnamed to avoid undue advertising on the forums - the company name starts with a B).

 

[XxPrOdiGyxX]

Originally posted by: TreyRandom

Originally posted by: Jimmah
TreyRandom - Thanks for the long reply I'll definitely look for a MCDST book and start studying it thoroughly. As for the online tests, I had heard about those braindumps so specifically stayed away from the shady websites (Proprof - I think thats what its called - was my main source of tests), also had tests from two Net+ books I got for my birthday and the whole CBT Nugget series (12+ hours of video training......fell asleep many times) plus a Street Smarts book I've been doing everyday since April

ProProfs is one of the few legit freebie sites, so you're safe there.

I used to be a senior network admin, but I now write for one of the bigger practice exam companies (which must go unnamed to avoid undue advertising on the forums - the company name starts with a B).

You are BMichael aren't you?

 

[Cable God]

Ya know, it never hurts to go through the MCSE/MCITP books building your own lab environment. That's a great learning experience if you don't work with it every day.
Don't let people hold you back telling you that you shouldn't learn because you don't have experience. That's how you get experience.

 

[TreyRandom]

Originally posted by: XxPrOdiGyxX

Originally posted by: TreyRandom

Originally posted by: Jimmah
TreyRandom - Thanks for the long reply I'll definitely look for a MCDST book and start studying it thoroughly. As for the online tests, I had heard about those braindumps so specifically stayed away from the shady websites (Proprof - I think thats what its called - was my main source of tests), also had tests from two Net+ books I got for my birthday and the whole CBT Nugget series (12+ hours of video training......fell asleep many times) plus a Street Smarts book I've been doing everyday since April

ProProfs is one of the few legit freebie sites, so you're safe there.

I used to be a senior network admin, but I now write for one of the bigger practice exam companies (which must go unnamed to avoid undue advertising on the forums - the company name starts with a B).

You are BMichael aren't you?

I am, indeed. Was it the advice or the signature that gave it away?

 

[TreyRandom]

Originally posted by: Cable God
Ya know, it never hurts to go through the MCSE/MCITP books building your own lab environment. That's a great learning experience if you don't work with it every day.
Don't let people hold you back telling you that you shouldn't learn because you don't have experience. That's how you get experience.

Don't misunderstand me. Learning is great. Learning helps you advance faster. Getting certified before you have real-world experience is where the problem lies. If you're overcertified and underexperienced, you'll often be passed over for lower-level jobs because you look overqualified (when you're not), and you'll certainly be passed over for more advanced jobs due to lack of experience. In short, it makes you LESS attractive to employers, not MORE attractive.

So learn to your hearts content. Get the CCIE books and configure a monster lab, if that makes you happy. But take the advice of someone who has reviewed resumes before for IT positions, and has heard the difficulties that overcertified people have in trying to get employed: hold off on certifying (or, at least, putting those certifications on your resume) until you have enough relevant real-world experience.

For the record... you don't get experience by working in a home lab or school lab. You build knowledge... but not experience. Experience is gained only by working with the technology in a real-world environment, with real-world users and real-world data and real-world productivity that is lost when your real-world data connection goes down and your real-world boss is sitting over your real-world shoulder wondering why you haven't fixed everything yet while real-world revenue goes out the window. THAT is what builds experience; you can't train for that in a lab environment.