What Would You Do If You Were In My Shoes?

[Babylon]

Hi Guys,

This poll is directed to the the people in the IT industry.

I have come to a point in my career where i wanted to dedicate time and step up to a new level.

Im not sure what to get started on the CCNA or MCSE, they are complete to different directions but id love to get your feed back specially those who have been in the industry for many years. The MCSE will open alot of doors but i LOVE working with routers, switches etc......what do you think?

Thanks in advance.

Babylon

Edited September 21, 2005 by Babylon

[Moanie]

its harder to get cisco certified... plus i love working with routers and switches too!!!! move fun than mircosoft stuff

[Babylon]

its harder to get cisco certified... plus i love working with routers and switches too!!!!  move fun than mircosoft stuff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah same but the opportunities and doors open are harder to find within the Comm's field!

[Moanie]

really?! i would have thought there was a demand?! i haven't really looked at the market...

[shaolin]

I would say go the MCSE first and then do the Cisco cert...

[Babylon]

really?!  i would have thought there was a demand?!  i haven't really looked at the market...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

key word "experience" more important word then "certified"

[shaolin]

I got experience... just not the certs and I am doing Ok... until I have to find a job... haha

[Babylon]

I got experience... just not the certs and I am doing Ok... until I have to find a job... haha

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol microsoft puts me to sleep sometimes a bit like watching cricket

get my drift? im 24 in oct dont want to waste anytime

[Moanie]

why would you say mcsc first james?!

[shaolin]

why would you say mcsc first james?!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because of my experience and what I have seen other people do...

Microsoft is pretty much the standard... People may not like it... but there are a lot of people that use it.

I think there is a lot more work for MCSE's than there are CCNA's and evern more if you have both...

[Driver]

i work for bhp billion mining doing fly in fly out IT support for desktops and networks.

Ive never studied or done a certificate in my life.

Most places are just after experience, thats what i had.

[Tommyk]

Im working as a network designer at Telstra. All we do is create designs for installs of Cisco network equipment, some juniper, fibrolan Mac's, sun, hp and other servers. Big money sort of stuff. Eg, we have just got a work order for the install of a cisco CRS Big Mumma occupying 3 rack units, weighing 700 odd kg and worth several millions of the big ones. Fun stuff

I was tempted to do my CCNA also. I spoke to one of the people that works here and they have suggested that CCNA probably isnt the best thing in the world to waste your time on. If you are going to be doing installs and working with routers and switches the whole time, then yeh.

Im seriously considering doing CCDA instead. Its much cleaner work - you design networks rather than build them physically - food for thought i guess ?

PS - Is it just me, or does my AVATAR not show up anymore ?

[Merli]

Both a CCNA and CCDA are pretty useless certifications. They are so basic and easy to obtain, that they really don't give potential employers ANY guarantee of what you know. Seriously, even someone who has held a job in networking for 6 months can pass his CCNA with their eyes closed.

Simply put:

- a CCNA won't land you a better job in networking than you'd get without one. You'll still only qualify for a very very entry level networking job.

- a CCDA is useless without other networking certifications. You're not going to be hired as a Network Architect with a CCDA . CCDA/CCDP is a cert that you chase after you have several years experience in network engineering (device configuration, staging and installs) i.e. hands on stuff, and then want to make the move into a more design/architecture role. Although most large companies worth putting on a resume will only hire CCIEs for architecture roles (CCNP at a minimum).

Basically, if you're not going to go for your CCNP or CCDP, don't bother as they won't get your foot further in the door than NOT having a CCNA/CCDA.

Oh, and comparing MCSE and CCNA is ridiculous. If you want a job in networking, you can have EVERY SINGLE Microsoft certification offered, and it won't help you ONE IOTA. NADA. NOTHING. GO HOME.

DISCLAIMER: The above MAY NOT apply if you're looking for a networking job in a small company that needs a "networking guy" on staff to address simple routing/switching problems. In that case, a CCNA might land you that job.

But if you want a "proper" networking role: planning, designing, configuring and rolling out medium to large ($2 million+) networks for external clients, take note of what I posted

[Merli]

PS - Is it just me, or does my AVATAR not show up anymore ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your avatar works fine.

[silver gts-t]

Both a CCNA and CCDA are pretty useless certifications. They are so basic and easy to obtain, that they really don't give potential employers ANY guarantee of what you know. Seriously, even someone who has held a job in networking for 6 months can pass his CCNA with their eyes closed.

Simply put:

- a CCNA won't land you a better job in networking than you'd get without one. You'll still only qualify for a very very entry level networking job.

- a CCDA is useless without other networking certifications. You're not going to be hired as a Network Architect with a CCDA . CCDA/CCDP is a cert that you chase after you have several years experience in network engineering (device configuration, staging and installs) i.e. hands on stuff, and then want to make the move into a more design/architecture role. Although most large companies worth putting on a resume will only hire CCIEs for architecture roles (CCNP at a minimum).

Basically, if you're not going to go for your CCNP or CCDP, don't bother as they won't get your foot further in the door than NOT having a CCNA/CCDA.

Oh, and comparing MCSE and CCNA is ridiculous. If you want a job in networking, you can have EVERY SINGLE Microsoft certification offered, and it won't help you ONE IOTA. NADA. NOTHING. GO HOME.

DISCLAIMER: The above MAY NOT apply if you're looking for a networking job in a small company that needs a "networking guy" on staff to address simple routing/switching problems. In that case, a CCNA might land you that job.

But if you want a "proper" networking role: planning, designing, configuring and rolling out medium to large ($2 million+) networks for external clients, take note of what I posted

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ok you have outlined what not to do, so what do you recommend doing instead?

im thinking of ditching engineering and doing some IT myself.

[Flaps]

Off topic:

Silver, i read you work for St george, i work for Fujitsu and we handle all your hardware

[someonestolecc]

MSCEs aren't worth the paper they're printed on. What Merli says is what I see all the time in our IT division.

If you know your stuff consider a bachelors. Might be hard to get into and take longer but really most employers either hire wizz kids via consulting houses or people with degrees.

There are off course exceptions to every rule.

[TommO]

Certificates like these shouldn't be used for getting a step in the door, rather they should help YOU learn more about a specific area, so that you have the confidence to apply for jobs within that area and know what you're talking about.

Too many people do these certificates to get the piece of paper. That's not what they are about, they are about learning more about a product. Simply as that IMO....

Pick an area you'd like to get into, and pick a course to help you learn as much as possible in that area. From there, you can start applying for jobs etc etc, as you have the knowledge required. Some employers considering the MCSE / CCNA a benefit still, but not many.

[RANDY]

Work wants me to have my CCNA within 4 months (as of a month ago)... I have my MCP, and i'll get my MCDST (easy easy easy) soon just for the heck of it.

MCSE may teach you what you need to know to easily get a helpdesk kind of job, or entry-level server support role, but a CCNA is more likely to get you into the bigger-dollar kind of roles.

Go for what you want to do first, but in the end, it wouldn't hurt to get both. =-]

[Babylon]

Thanks for your feed back guys much appreciated

I truly believe if you are in a job position your love and have a passion for it you are truly blessed.

I think i will follow what i love doing and hit the books for the CCNA.

I know it does not guarantee me a job in the field but it doesn’t hurt to have that cert.

I think my biggest struggle is getting my foot in the door in Cisco its so hard I mean how do you get in without experience.

i tried a year ago rang heaps of places up, even went to Cisco head office in north Sydney

asked for work experience willing to work on my holidays or weekends for just work experience

its so hard didn’t find anything but i wont stop trying.

Thanks again