Hi all!

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I'm currently studying towards my CCNA, and trying to get my first IT job.
I've been a gradute for two years now, attended numerous interviews, yet on each occasion my lack of "hands on practical experience" has cost me dear... (catch 22 lol)

Now also considering some voluntary work as a means of getting myself started in an IT career.
Anyways, nice to meet you all, keep up all the great work on the forum!

Regards,
Paul.

 

Hi & welcome to CF

NB

 

Hi Paul,

Nice to meet you and welcome to the forums. Good luck finding that voluntary work and like the others say hang in there!

 

Hi and welcome to Cert Forums!

 

Welcome, to CF.
And good luck with the study!

 

Hello and welcome to the forums!

Qs

 

If you're just starting in IT, you're pursuing the wrong certification. The CCNA is designed for network admins who are just starting to work with Cisco gear. And no company in their right mind is going to let someone without experience administer a network, particularly one with Cisco gear. The logical IT career progression typically goes something like helpdesk/entry-level tech > desktop support tech > server admin > network admin. It's sometimes not that cut-and-dried... but as you can see, you're studying for the wrong end of the spectrum.

In truth, having a CCNA can make it MORE difficult, not LESS difficult, to get your first IT job. Employers with CCNA-level jobs won't hire you because you don't have experience (as you have seen), and employers with entry-level jobs won't hire you because they don't require someone with the CCNA - someone who is likely to be more expensive, or at best, won't stick around very long as they look to move up the IT ladder... leaving the employer to have to find/hire/train someone all over again. So you end up with your CV in the trash either way.

What I would recommend is pursuing some solid entry-level certifications to build a strong foundation upon, like the A+, Network+, and MCDST... and no further until you build some real-world experience. These certifcations CAN give you an advantage when pursuing your first IT job because they directly relate to things an entry-level tech will be doing.

Welcome to the forums!

 

Hi there and welcome

 

Welcome aboard...
The advice I'd give has already been mentioned - best of luck.