Stewing over Certs

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Even though they had never heard of the A+ and N+, it might have helped. Then again, it might not have. Hard to say for certain because we're not in their heads. Still, is it worth getting on the off-chance that it will make a difference? In my opinion, yes... especially considering how hard it is to get into IT. Had the A+ and Network+ been higher-level certifications that nobody had heard of, I might have a different opinion.

 

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I think there is also some confusion here about whether we are talking about recruitment agencies and actual employers when discussing the A+ and N+. I would be pretty shocked if IT managers who were involved in the hiring process had not heard of the A+ or N+. I can definitely see agencies and their obsessive buzzword fixation ignoring anything other than MCSE and CCNA though.

There will be IT guys who hire with no knowledge of Comptia certs but I would have to think they are in a minority. The problem is getting past the untrained commission hungry recruiters who just want someone to hit the MCSE bingo button or else fail to be passed on to the actual hiring companies for interview. Even at lower level jobs. We have all seen MCDST type roles advertised with things like MCSE essential or desired at some point which is ridiculous.

I started with no certs in IT and nearly 10 years later find myself forced to join in or get left behind when looking for work. I love learning new things though luckily and certs fill in the gaps that experience sometimes misses, or rather they show me how MS likes to do things compared to my own way .

I think that the original poster had it right when he suggested that people are now looking at certs as something to do before you even touch a computer. It is seen as the key to the door into a new world of easy cash. We all know this is not true. Once you get into IT the learning never ends. There are not many other professions where you have to learn so much on a continual basis over the course of your career or be left behind. IT is hard but rewarding to those who put the effort in. I really do believe that if your heart is not in IT and you do not love IT with a passion, you will never achieve your maximum.

If I were a bricklayer, I may have to learn a few new tips and tricks now and again but once you know your stuff you are set for life. My advice to anyone who hears about the pot of gold at the end of the IT rainbow is to think again unless IT is your passion. If you do not love tinkering with websites or computers or servers you should look elsewhere. Certainly do not start an MCSE with some training provider in the hope of that 30k payday. For you it won't happen.

 

Interesting question, made me review my route into IT.

I do now feel that with nearly 2 years in a proper IT job (minus 6 months in the middle - but that's another story!), I think experience in IT counts far more than any cert' etc.

I was the typical IT wannabe type guy since the early '90's, building my own PC's etc but my normal day job progressed to the point that entry level IT could not pay the wage I was used to, a common problem for people wanting to get into a job they would enjoy I guess. However, my day job starting involving PC's and basic reimaging and drive changes etc which I found to be simple enough but many didn't, so it became part of my job role and a bit of legitimate experience to go on the CV, but was essentially still stuck in the same rut.

I then decided that certification was the way to go. I started with the OU towards a degree, got as far as a diploma. I also started with Cisco and got the CCENT, intending to go towards the CCNA. All applications still drew a blank. It got to the point that I really wanted to leave where I was, so started looking around, was getting some serious offers in the same field I was in based on my experience there, but I also went for an interview on an IT helpdesk, basic stuff (call logging mostly) and poorly paid, but was offered the job (certs were not even discussed). I took a gamble on it, hoping to increase the salary later and just somehow manage for now! Whilst there I also certified for the MCPITP/EST, thinking Vista certs might be desirable. Applied for a few jobs and this time managed to get a few interviews, but none had heard of the MCITP stuff. After going out of the IT field for a couple of months (contract issues etc), I ended up back into IT and at 2nd level, and this time experience mattered mostly and knowing the systems and processes from the first line job accounted as much as the tech knowledge, although because the experience is not very long the money is still low compared to others, but the basic beats my old job.

I feel that the helpdesk was like an apprenticeship, it confims your people/phone skills and helps establish a reputation.

Certs for me now are just part of learning something new, after going into 2nd line I then got the DST, as it taught me a bit more and gave me more confidence in the job. I will work towards the MCSA as I only need two more exams, but other than that I will wait to see where the career goes.

 

All i can add to this is that in my current empoyment with an IT company my manager / MD did not have a clue what the A+ or N+ were and dosent even seem to know what MS cert mean what.

For example we had someoen apply on spec for a posistion and i heard the MD say, "Oh they have a Comp - what? A+? N+ what are they? oh they are working to an MCSA taht would be good on support desk!"
Now on support all we do is deal with teh in house software, nothing esle, so an MCSA would be over kill. We dont even need and MCDST to do teh job. Just some support desk experience and teh ability to pick things up as we go.

We now have someone who has been moved to development, they did a basic network protocol 2 day course, and now teh MD is looking at them doing an MCSE. The guy in the role has no other IT quailifications, and i think teh MSCE might just be over the top as thier first OT cert. Plus thier in develpoment so surley one of the MS certs that deal with development would be better?

All this shows is that in IT certs dont matter if the guy hiring hasnt a clue about them in the first place, however, if you had the experience then they would know exactly what you can do and whether you'd fit the role they have.

For me, i have plenty of support role experience, but no MCDST (keep working on it and putting it off). I want to get out of this role into something else so need teh certs, i feel, to help get me that new role. Problem is i'm not sure wqhat new role i want to move into. Latley i've been looing at trainer roles as i do some of this now,and looking at qualifications in this area.