Your Advice On Career Path...

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Hi All,

Something that's been bothering me a touch..

I am currently working in telecoms looking to start a career in IT a.s.a.p.

I know enough about the different fields of IT that exist and am confident that network engineering/admin is the department I am going to work towards.

I have passed the N+, I am currently studying for a MCDST and work self employed part time as a mobile pc engineer (fixing peoples pc's in their homes).

2 things I'm unsure of:

1. What certs would you recommened next and in what order?

2. What suitable low level job roles could you suggest I look for to get into this field?

Obviously I am studying desktop support and realise 1st line helpdesk roles are a common starting point. I am not against the idea of starting here but would like to get some more ideas on other "starting" roles for networking.

Thanks

 

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Hmm that's tricky one!

Depends on the employer if you look incomputer weekly or on Monster you will see some ask for CISCO some ask for MCSE!

Some firms (mostly UK) you require you to have ITIL or they won't touch you with a barge pole

Here's a link from MONSTER that shows IT jobs in Wales click here

 

I would recommend you also getting the A+ aside from having the N+ and MCDST. Its a basic certification with lots of information that will greatly help you even in network admin job.

Usually when you start out in IT you start with level 1 help desk support and work your way up from there. Its never really certain as to what job you will or will not get, its more like what makes you happy doing, whether its starting as a level 1 help desk support or as a junior system admin. The bottom line is getting the necessary experience in order to do what you love but to get the experience you need to start somewhere.

Also if you are having some problems finding a job consider an internship if its within your reach. If you can afford to do that financially maybe part time.

 

I'd echo the same as the others - A+ as well as MCDST - and try and look for some sort of commercial experience. Look for jobs as entry level, 1st line support, telephone support - something like that.

 

Cisco and/or Juniper certification paths would probably the the logical course for someone wanting to be a network admin.

 

...but will only be helpful after you've gotten a bit of real-world experience. Like the others, I'd suggest the A+.

 

This is of course, true. You can't jump the gun and dive into those areas without covering the basics and getting your hands dirty, first.

 

Well I have done the A+ course but not the exams. This is what has enabled me to work fixing pc's.

Do you think it's just as important to have the cert as well?

 

The cert proves, both to you as well as to others, that you do indeed understand the material. Without the test you have no way of knowing that you in fact covered all the bases!

Harry.

 

Employers won't care that you did a course... they WILL care if you've got the certification or not. Certification enables a potential employer to see that you meet the baseline level of skill and can pass an exam related to those skills. Without it... they have to rely on your word that you can do the job.

 

Is it best to do A+ or MCDST first?

 

I'd do the A+ first. It is vendor neutral and covers a very wide field (but not very deep).

Harry.

 

What he said.

 

Yeah I agree, but what I was getting at was wheather or not employers "look" for A+ and wheather or not it would make a huge difference to a job application if say you already have an N+ and MCDST to show off?

Thanks

 

Any advantage you can get will be helpful. Not to mention, when studying for the A+, you just might learn something you didn't already know.

 

I've heard the 270 is a good one to do next. Any idea how tough it is? I have read through the objectives and it looks ok, a bit like the MCDST is it?

Thanks

 

I'm going to go ahead and break the chain here
I DONT think you really have to take the A+ exam

as stated above you have worked fixing PCs, that experience alone usually counts as equal to an A+
an A+, whilst brilliantly thorough is really considered the entry level of entry level certs, having additional certs and practical experience means your unlikely to benefit from sitting the exam
you obviously already have the skills

I'd look at upgrading your N+ skills to get some vendor exposure (Cisco/Juniper as trip says) or upgrading your MCDST to an MCSA and eventually an MCSE

as mentioned, things like ITIL are useful, but hardly a requirement anywhere yet, and often if a company needs it they will train you in it

 

...but without the A+, a potential employer can't verify the fact that you have the skills.

Look at it this way - if you already have the skills, the A+ should be a breeze. If you don't already have the skills, then the A+ was worth doing anyway, right?

 

not really
your experience verifies your skills, your reference verifies your experience
a cert verifies nothing other than your ability to pass a computer based test, its verifying skills that your experience has already verified

the experience counts for MORE in this instance, without it the cert would count for substantially more


JMHO