How far should I go before I'm classed as Paper Cert!

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Being reading CertForum a while now, looking for my first IT support role. However I'm doing few self study on Microsoft Cert, but do not want to over do it. I've got 8 months of hardware experience, and some experience on networking through last year CCNA evening class. Plenty of customer service experience. However no server experience. Currently studying 70-680 Windows 7 Configuration, after that looking into MCSA. Any suggestion?

 

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It's difficult to say as what one manager thinks will differ from the next manager.

 

As soon as your certified beyond your experience level.

 

What he said. The moment you have a certification you dont have experience for, you are a Paper Cert.

Edit: Whether it hurts your ability to get a job or not depends on the hiring manager really, I suppose, but the definition remains the same.

 

Actually, I should probably point out that this is less of an issue at the low end of the ladder. Its virtually expected that A+, N+ and MCDST are achieved with little to no experience in a commercial environment. As you move up the cert ladder, this becomes less the case.

 

If you're motivated do them and then decide whether to keep or omit them from your CV etc.

 

You are already past it by some peoples judgement.

Alot of people here can go out and read books and get exams but after a few months how much has actually sticked and you could do in a real job. I think for exams you should maybe do 1 more than what you current role is.

What is your surrent role and how much commercial networking expeirence have you had at work?

 

I agree with Fergal and GBL.

 

This is probably reasonable actually. One beyond your level is probably an acceptable limit to push yourself to, although some certs (such as MCSE, etc) are so complex that they dont really constitute one level beyond.

 

Thank you all for advise. Currently i'm working in retail, like to start career in IT. As for experience I'll finish off 70-680 Windows 7 configuration, since thats as far as my knowledge goes. Unfortunately I don't have any real world experience on the networking side. So I'll put MCSA on hold for now. Now just need to get that job!

 

If you are looking for your first IT Support role then I would sell any "paper certs" by saying that you wish to gain practical hands-on knowledge to supplement your learning and you see this role as a stepping stone towards that, as I would think most companies (from my experience) wouldn't let you loose on a server anyway without any experience anyway. But by having studied them and (possibly) set up and managed a virtual domain it shows you are willing to learn and develop and have a career path outlined.

 

Thanks for the advice! Using VMware and got a copy of Windows Server 2003 (120 days trial). Virtualisation is so much FUN!