In need of advise

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Hi guy's,

I'm a bit stuck at the moment i been reading a few forums now and opinions seem divided on paths to take etc so here is where i'm at.

Experience: I have some experience repairing (installing, configurations etc) and building computers for 1 year + mainly on a personal level family, freinds and one or two small business nothing major.

Certifications: A+, CCENT

I decided i was going to take the ICND2 at a later date and obtain the CCNA as it seems a bit pointless to get such an advanced qualification until i start getting some experience on a bigger scale.

Next on my list is gonna be MS cert's MCSE which i will upgrade to a mcitp enterprise and possbily and ITIL cert lot of job postings at the moment seem to be asking for it.

Now i know i must find a balance between experience and certifications i have been looking for volunteering opportunities but have hit a wall unable to find anything in London to be honest.

Job search at the moment had 2 interview one was not succesful and the other im on final stage with bloomberg for tech support.

Would like some guidance on what i should do i know i dont mind working for free but im desperate for an opportunity to get some experience.

P.S i have done all my cert's to date with self study .. no boot camps or brain dumps.

regards

 

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The MCSE is way beyond your current real world experience level. It is seven exams, some of which even seasoned IT professionals find "tough'. I realise that recruiters advertise for entry level people with this credential but that is due to their total lack of understanding of the appropriate certification paths.

If I were you, I would be looking at *entry level* certs, the N+ is full of useful information that will help you grasp more complex things later on. Sadly, it now expires after three years unless you conform to CompTIA's requirements. I would check their site for up to date information regarding certification expiry.

After N+, the MCDST would be a good one to bag, as it is (the exam not the certification) being retired in June 2011, I believe.

Be wary of over certifying for your experience level. Any cert, that isn't an entry level cert, is there to show that you have a theoretical understanding of the products that you are working with now, in the workplace.

For example, a phrase was coined many years ago.. the paper MCSE. This referred to the plethora of people that by hook or by crook attained the MCSE without any real world experience. These people failed dismally to impress their subsequent employers and their ineptitude to perform basic tasks in the real world ended up damaging badly the reputation of the MCSE itself. This is one of the main reasons I have not bothered to update my MCSE. The other reason is I don't need to as I run my own business.

Good luck with whatever you decide. Welcome to CF.

 

Thats my issue i dont want to over certify but when i look for helpdesk positions it seems MCSE etc are the minimum requirements. I'm kind of stomped for that very reason with a A+ and CCENT dont seem to be enough to be considered for any positions at the moment.

I just need to find something that will enable me to get that experience any suggestions?

On a side note will having a poorly structured c.v hinder you in a big way?

Thanks for all feed back i will need to start taking some decisions after next week on which direction to head.

 

Yes, experience counts. Overcertifying yourself is somewhat *bad*

What Bluerinse said applies here. U have A+ and CCENT, getting N+ and MCDST OR an equivalent MCTS would be a better start to get you going rather than taking a jump dive into MCSE (and choose a MCTS that fits as an elective for MCSE, which u can later use to it's full advantage, as after finishing electives, only core exams would be left, which u sit for when u have the relevant experience)

U could work for some charity nearby. U would gain some real world experience and they would benefit from your work. Make your CV and put whatever u have gained uptil now along with certs, start applying and studying. Searching for a job and learning at the same time enhances your career to the max.

Best of luck and Welcome to the Forums!

 

Could I send you my cv and you give me some feed back?

 

You should start a new thread and attach a depersonalised CV for whomever might want to have a look and chip in a few ideas

 

All good advice given. Overcertifying beyond your experience level is generally not a good idea. Employers with upper-level jobs will pass you over due to lack of experience, and employers with lower-level jobs will pass you over because they don't need someone with a bunch of upper-level qualifications. Stick with the A+, Network+, and MCDST/MCITP for now.

A poorly constructed CV can absolutely sabotage your chances for an interview. Post up a santized version and have several people take a look at it.

 

Thank you all for the advise given i will post my c.v when i come back from holiday.

I decided to take the mcdst and then upgrade it to mctip:enterprise desktop tech windows 7

i will be doing my mcdst exams next week gonna review a few things but I'm pretty confident with the exams .

I'm still not sure about the N+ i got the ccent and allthough its a vendor cert i feel it goes into a lot of detail in terms of networking and the basics.