New Job - quite an opportunity

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So yesterday i got a junior network support engineer job in the company i was just doing helpdesk work for (contracting). Its a posistion i wanted to get into - but thought i'd only have a good chance maybe in a years time once i'd started doing my CCNA. basically - was going to do an A+ followed by a Network+ and then move onto a CCNA (mainly as i've spent alot of my life travelling and have finally decided what i actually like doing and what i want to do!). Now i do think i'd have a good chance of passing the A+ now, and i think i'd get through the network + as well, however i fully appreciate there mght well be quite a jump to the CCNA. However with in this job they are looking at sending me on a CCNA boot camp at the end of november. Now in the interview (i know both the guys interviewing me - there mates of one form or another) - i said you know i was hoping to do this (a CCNA eventually), but if i'm not ready in november whats gonna happen, and they said it would be moved until i am ready - which is cool. Now i was just wondering what others thought about this situation i'm in. Networking is somthing i want to get into - and getting this job is great, i know ive got alot of work ahead - and will probably see my life dissapearing! But i've got the drive to do it, the network guy thinks i can do it - i appreciate without knowing my history etc.. its difficult to workout at what level i am at but i just wondered what others thought - the network guys have already said in my interview what there gonna do is give me work which is going to help with the stidying and then the head guys gonna help me with the studying and of course i'll have to do alot of stuff in my spare time, which is all great - am i being stupid and this is gonna be quite a jump ? or should i just appreciate the fact i've landed on my feet ?

 

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Hard to say... without knowing what sort of work you'll be doing. The guys there would know more about that than I would.

Here's how I look at the A+ and Network+... if you study for them, and there's not much for you to learn, it should go quick, right? But if there IS a lot of new information for you to learn... then you should be learning it anyway, right?

The A+ isn't as directly related to the CCNA, but I'd *definitely* recommend that you conquer Network+ before going for the CCNA. Bootcamps typically throw a bunch of stuff at you in a short amount of time, and rarely does it stick without previous exposure to Cisco equipment.

What disturbs me about some bootcamps is that some schools and/or instructors will give their students braindumps to study in an attempt to artificially increase the percentage/number of their students who pass the exams. Doing so will enable them to pass the exam before they're ready... and besides, it's cheating. I would hope that the bootcamp you're about to attend (and the teacher of that course) doesn't condone any use of braindumps.

Hope everything turns out well for you! It likely will... but it's a natural reaction to stress a little, especially when making a big jump.

 

thanks for the reply mate, i do agree with you - thats why i was sort of thinking - although i think i can do the A+ now there were a few little bits i brushed up on and then thought i would be better to do a network + before doing the next step. To be honest the guys at work, there all mates and a good laugh - they are all taking the piss when i've got me A+ book out, saying stuff like 'why r even bothering with that? - you know how to take a pc apart and put it togethor ?' and i'm like yeah but its better to follow a path if you like A+>Network+>CCNA - its strange as i am well up for this and fully appreciate i'm going in at the deep end, but the oppotunity arose so i went for it, and they gave it to me - so i'm ovbioulsy gonna give it ago - my ocncern was biteing of more than i can chew VBut like you say its diffcult asking my inital question on this thread as know-one ovbiously knows what level i'm at!!

 

ps!
i actually aalso thought that it might be better if i did the ccent first - my (new) boss has said to me that the ccent is a bit like the network + anyway and thats part of the CCNA? (not sure if thats right!)

 

The CCENT is sorta-kinda like Network+... but not really. Keep in mind that Network+ is vendor-neutral, and doesn't require that you have Cisco knowledge... where the CCENT focuses on Cisco, and DOES require you have Cisco knowledge. That's why I always, always, always recommend to get Network+ first to get the basics of networking down... THEN do the CCENT (or CCNA).

Yes, the CCENT can be taken as the first step to the CCNA. In fact, I'd recommend that path. Taking the ICND1 exam will get you the CCENT... and combining that with the ICND2 exam will get you the CCNA.

 

Hi,

It sounds more like you are wondering if you are up to the task of passing the CCNA. Hope I am on track here.

If you look at the CCNA as one huge task then it can appear daunting. I would chunk it down and tackle one piece at a time with a view to taking the CCENT which covers all your IP addressing, VLANs and some routing.

Why not start with:

Subnetting/IP addressing which are vital for your role
Basic routing with RIP and RIPv2
Basic switching

and see how you get along with that. Set a goal to study for 1 or 2 hours per day and stick to that. Your confidence will quickly grow.

I would advise against the A+ and Net+ because they are not really Cisco related and the CCNA covers a lot of your basic networking stuff anyway. If you want to, buy and read a Net+ book which you can get from ebay.

Hope it helps.

 

I think you answered your own question - it is quite an opportunity.

As the previous poster said you seem to be more concerned with the certification, but practical experience is everything.

I say go for it, jump in with both feet, ask questions all the time and find out as much info as you can. You'll be amazed at the amount you learn on the job (especially when things go wrong!) as opposed to sitting with a book.

 

I would disagree with ciscopaul. Here's why.

Foundational subject matter knowledge will NEVER be something that you will regret. Having vendor specific knowledge is good, but it's not nearly as easily transferred between technologies as is having the basic grasp of how everything works.

That being said, I didn't take the Network+ before I took my CCNA, but, I had been reading and studying on the basics for a couple of years before I started my CCNA. I had studied encapsulation, the network stack, used a packet sniffer extensively to see what really happened when two computers talked to each other and to troubleshoot networking problem, and had a pretty thorough understanding of most command line network troubleshooting tools. I had a few books on the basics just so I could learn. I'd also taken a few of the practice tests for the Network+ and done very well on them. All that, plus networking concepts seem to be a very natural fit for me. They have always come to me very easily. Part of that is my study, but the other part is just a gift in that area.

Knowing nothing of your capabilities I'd just say be really honest with yourself, and if networking is something that baffles you, take the Network+ before moving to the CCNA. If networking is something that is almost innately easy for you, and you've already studied the basics, then I'd say just go for the CCNA. Whatever you do don't base your choice on wishful thinking or on how fast you want to get a certification. That's the basis for regrets.

 

I was in a similiar situation at one time, I was very close to taking the A+ when another job offer came up for a higher level position. I skipped the A+ and went after the other job and haven't looked back.

I would do a little review of Network+ material and then start studying some of the books for the CCENT/ICND1 exam or if those are not out yet the Cisco Intro exam.

Information on the CCENT: http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le45/learning_certification_level_home.html


Cisco Press study guide for CCENT/ICND1:
http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587201828