New player in IT

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Jeez Zeb! 33?!

Wow. I think I'd have a mid life crisis when I realise I'm 33. I guess I've got that Peter Pan complex and want to stay young-ish forever.

 

It takes more than "a couple of years", my friend. I've been doing this stuff officially for almost a decade, and unofficially for almost two, and I'm not making anywhere close to £60K.

You're not too old - you've got plenty of time. Get a stable entry-level job, build experience, use the experience to move forward in your current job or find a new one, and repeat. If you plan to advance in IT, you'll never stop learning. If you do, you'll become as obsolete as the technologies you know how to support. An IT career is like a road... stop moving forward, and you become roadkill, run over by those behind you. Thus, if you have a "party it up" attitude, like most people in their early 20s have, you'll need to lose it. That is, unless you want to be like all those other people... personally, I'd rather give myself every advantage I can get.

Finding a job is ALWAYS up to you in the end. Don't believe guarantees that an education provider will ensure your employment unless they're the ones who are going to hire you when you're done (and that doesn't happen, I assure you). What's to stop them from getting you a crappy job at £5 per hour working 10 hours a week and say that they've fulfilled their responsibility to you? YOU are responsible for you... nobody else. Get employed, get certified, and continue learning as you go.

By the way, I'm turning 37 in three days. And even though I'm not making £40K, my career is certainly not a failure. On the contrary, I'm pretty successful. I make enough so that my wife can stay at home and nurture our two children. Besides, how old I am isn't what is important... what I can *do* is what is important.

 

Wow.

Ok so it's been a year of getting my life sorted out and I'm only now in a position to study. It's been a fun ride so far.

Ok... So I've signed up with London College now starting my A+ in January. It's 5 weeks part time study, 10:00 - 17:00 every saturday. initially I was going to do the N+ but I was told that the guy who teaches the MCSE at the college recommends the A+ over the N+. The consultant I dealt with says I can change after my 1st lesson if I'm not happy doing the A+ but if the teacher recommends it, then I guess I should do it, right?

Once I've got the grips with the basics I'm then doing my MCSE from 22 March. Also part time on Saturdays 10:00 - 17:00 for 10 weeks. After I've done about 4 of the exams, the consultant said he's try call some contacts about a job too which is very nice of him. Obviously he made no guarantee which is good as at least I'm not being made empty promises.

The college had a special package deal of A+ and MCSE together but he threw in the CCNA for me too at no additional cost. I did not want to do this course just yet, but I figured I could do it this year and save a lil money in study fees along the lines by doing it now. Plus it may help me get a better job sooner than I though.

I think I'm pretty good on computers so I think I should be able to handle the courses. Taking them one at a time and pretty much have all year to do them so I don't have to rush until I'm ready to move on.

I guess it's make or break time.

 

Handling the courses isn't the problem... getting overcertified for your experience level, and trying to use advanced certifications to get you a job in IT is the problem.

 

Oh I'm out to use the CCNA to get a job now. I'm realy just out to get the A+ and MCSE for the meantime and use that for an entry level job. Hopefully I'll be working in my 1st IT job by the time I start my CCNA and will have a good few months of experience by the time I've qualified in CCNA and only then start to look for something else.

 

Sweet!

Can't wait to get started.

 

The MCSE isn't for entry-level techs. Microsoft recommends that you have a year of experience administering multi-site, multi-server networks with 250+ users... not just a year in IT, but a year doing that particular job. Check it out for yourself on their Web site.

The A+ is well-suited to entry-level jobs.

Hopefully you'll be working quite a while in IT before pursuing the CCNA... it's not an entry-level certification either.

 

I see.

Ok so I know A+ teaches networking fundamentals and basics, but what does the MCSE offer?

I've always been under the impression that the A+ (or N+) was more about the computer itself such as it's components and how they all fit and work together with the OS etc and that the A+ was an introduction to networking and that the MCSE knowledge is used for networking proper.

I'm probably sounding really thick here.

I mean A+ courses are not expensive and don't look too complicated on paper but I'll just have to wait to start to see for myself. Should I assume that the A+ will make me proficient enough to manage small networks (0 - 250 users) and the MCSE is for more larger networks of 250+ users?

 

Keep in mind that MCSE Average Salary is 34K, companies would not expect you to have less than 1 or 2 years experience. Some companies that i phoned (when i was looking for work) would only talk to me if i had done the MCSE and had 2 years of experience.

Go for the A+ and network+ to give you that solid foundation, then you could look at the MCDST. Then you should be thinking about the MCSA / MCSE (really MCSA should be before the MCSE)

A+ = all about the computer, what bit does what, where they fit and how to take it apart / put it together.
N+ = More on the networking side of life, what types, protocols, how they talk to each other etc...

These 2 are the most basic qualifications you should have IMO

 

Thanks.

It's my understanding that the A+ and N+ cover the same stuff however the A+ is more Windows orientated in terms of functionality. Would doing both the A+ and N+ be redundant? But seeing the point raised by ManicMonkey that the A+ is more function and the N+ is more network I may do both then.

Can't remember who I spoke to at London College but they told me that after the first couple of exams into the MCSE, you're qualified as MCSA. I did want to do an MCSA and MCSE but was told to do the MCSE and I would automatically have a MCSA half way through? That correct? If so then I should have an A+ and MCSA by End of April or Early May 2008. That's a good starting point for entry level jobs?

What exactly is a MCDST? Gaaah. So many CAPITAL LETTERS being thrown my way I'm getting all worried. haha

 

As has been said, the A+ covers the hardware, ie CPUs, socket types, IRQs, memory and then current Operating systems, such as Windows 2000 and XP etc. The N+ covers networking, such things as the OSI model, protocols, network topology etc all from a vendor neutral perspective.

Whether you become MCSA on your way to MCSE, depends on the exams you chose along the way.

Typically the MCSA is four Microsoft exams, though the CompTIA A+ and N+ can count towards the MCSA as one exam.

The MCSE is seven exams and the extra 3 exams are usually quiet tough.

The MCDST is Microsoft Desktop Support Technician, and covers such things as Windows, Microsoft Office, from a user support perspective. Typically a good qualification that isnt too deep, for people that support "end users".

Pete

 

Ok then. This changes my plans a little but hopefully the best.

I'm going to do (in order):
A+
N+
MCSE 2003
CCNA

Apparently the CCNA is easier than the MCSE. I got the course free as part of my couse deal so I'm not really concerned if I plug it or not. My priotiy is the good foundation of A+ and N+, getting an entry level job and while working and gaining experience will be studying the MCSE.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Thanks for all the helpful advice.