CCNA Self-Study

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Thanks for the feedback folks.

I am taking a CCNA course very soon, it is all paid for and while I am now thinking that that going straight for my CCNA might not have been wise I am going to stick it out....

My next question is advice on my next step.... After reading a lot on this forum about real-world experience and the best way to get it, I have left myself with these options:

1. Study and take my CCNA exam as planned and try for a job with no experience, hoping to get VERY lucky.

2. Sit tight on taking my CCNA exam, build a lab and continue practicing at home but in the meantime, try and get an entry level job (with no experience)

3. Put my CCNA study on hiatus and study and take my N+ cert. I understand stating my CCNA cert on my CV might actually hurt my chances of getting a simple entry-level job, as opposed to the N+(?)

Basically, I want to get into the industry and am looking for any advise on the best way of getting this experience... If the N+ cert is going to help my chances of getting an entry-level/helpdesk job (as opposed to the CCNA) I will probably go ahead and do it and write off the cost of my CCNA boot-camp as experience..

Thanks again in advance.

On a side note, I have only just discovered this forum, I wish I had done so earlier as I may of taken a more sensible career path and saved some coin, the quality of the feedback here is fantastic and I appreciate all of the advise given by experts in the field.

 

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You could still do the exam and pass but it may be wise to hide the cert on your CV untill you have built up some experience, get the N+ and an entry level job once you are progressing career wise then put the CCNA back on your CV and look for a better position.

 

I did Network+ self study at home along with some other certs to attempt to get into IT job. It gave me a good understanding of the principles of networking and really helped when I signed up to the Cisco academy at a local college night classes.

I then got a job in IT but with very little networking, besides some patching and general client troubleshooting.. so I didnt think it wise to go for the full on CCNA and instead used what I had already covered in the academy plus some CBT's to pass CCENT (with a really good score).

The point I am getting to is that even for CCENT I needed the Network+ for the fundamentals and the academy course for the hands on cisco kit and IOS - it was only with this did I have a good understanding of it.

I also have no plans to do ICND2 to complete the CCNA until I have moved into a network based role.

So my suggestion based on my own experience is to take it in steps and apply for jobs as you go.

 

good advice