Which certs to take for career in network security

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Having read many posts by people on this board I definetely have a much clearer idea as to what it takes to do decently well in IT and as to what certs to do.

Im new to IT (although Im not a complete novice). I want to go into network security and have been thinking about the ccna alot and have a gy from computeach visiting me on Friday.

Im really thinking of doing the A + (inorder to build up my hardware knowledge) and the CCNA. Do you guys think that the A+ cert is really valuable and that alone can get your foot in the door and will stand you in good stead regarding all round computer knowledge and also if i want to do the ccna should i do the n+ first or is the ccna good enough and will give me foundation knowledge also?

I know that I shouldnt jump into the mscse and should wait a while but these days even helpdesk jobs want an mcse?

Yes I know EXPERIENCE is almost a must. Presuming I get my A+ and ccna what initial jobs should I apply for to get my experience. Possible help desk jobs? Will A+ be a good cert to really be good at a job like hardware support etc?

many thanks

 

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Yes, it really will. There are lots of roads to developing a career in networking and network security but you really need to lay a foundation first. You won't be able to get qualified in all of these areas too quickly so while it's good to have a long term plan, also try focusing on one step at a time. Start with the A+. You can do some research on the CCNA and other certs but one thing at a time.

Having said all that, you might want to take a look at Comptia's Security+ cert here:

http://www.comptia.org/certification/security/default.aspx

Just a suggestion.

 

trip I cant thank you enough for your advice. My friend you have been so helpful. This forum is awesome!

 

Good advice, trip. Security is my ultimate goal too, but I figure it's quite a ways out there yet. It takes a very good skill set to qualify a person for a job in security and I don't think anyone with less than a few years experience in several aspects of computing is qualified to do it. It's true security people are in demand, but the qualifications being sought for those jobs are very high.