study for a CCNA without work experience??

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Hi,

I have been looking at becoming CCNA qualified... however as yet I have no previous work experience in an IT environment ( at the moment). Would you guys recommend studying for a CCNA cold or do you honestly need experience before you start with this? Also, by being CCNA qualified is this a good way into getting a first job?

H

 

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You should definatley NOT go for the CCNA you should have about a years experience with CISCO kits in a real job before attempting this, the majority of employers will bin your application if you say you have CCNA but no experience.

You should start with compTIA A+ then N+ the MCDST and get real experience before getting any other certs.

 

Cheers thanks for this information. There is just so much info out there ist a little hard to know where to start.
Would you know how long it would take to become compTIA A+ then N+ certified?

Cheers

 

Even the CCENT shouldn't be attempted until you get some real-world IT experience. Just because it's Cisco's lowest-level cert, it should by no means be considered a certification for people just starting out in IT.

Start out with the A+ and Network+ while looking for an entry-level job. In time, you'll eventually work your way up to the point where you're ready for the CCENT and CCNA.

 

How long it takes is completely up to you. Some people don't need to study... some people need years to study. It depends on how well you learn new things, your previous experience with computers, the amount of free time you have to study, etc. Everyone is different.

 

Hi H,

I have lost count of how many people have used the CCNA to make a career change into IT (including myself from the police). Everyone tried to tell me that it wasn't allowed but whenever you try to do something worthwhile there will be a number of people telling you that you can't do it.

You certainly can use the CCNA to gain work so I would ignore the army of people who try to convince you otherwise. If you study hard and do lots of hands on to prepare you will be able to do basic configs on routers and switches plus disaster recovery and backing up router and switch configs.

There are a large number of employers looking for full time staff or freelancers who are self motivated to study and have a good attitude. I had a student a couple of months ago fly over from Africa, do a CCNA course and the next week he went for 5 interviews and got an IT support job with a firm of lawyers. He hadn't even passed the exam yet.

Do you really want to waste a year of your life doing A+, Net+ etc when you could be doing some sort of network support role as a CCNA? If you want a list of companies who do employ CCNA engineers then look at ISPs and telcos. I was at Tiscali the other day and they are looking for keen people who are willing to learn.

These forums are rife with people telling you what you can and can't do with your life and 99% of what they tell you is simply not correct. How would they know anyway? Most have been in the same job for years and haven't been out for interviews for quite some time. They sit in forums all day long repeating the same tired old advice to the poor souls who have come for a bit of support and inspiration.

No doubt there will be lots of people disagreeing with me but the truth is very simple. You can do the CCNA or CCENT and go and get a job or contract soon after. It will probably be basic network support and you won't be configuring live kit but there are pleny of support roles where you can get involved in network monitoring where you won't be allowed enough access to break anything.

Best of luck.

Paul

 

Amen to the above Paul, too often certain people on this forum come across with a negative feedback and how they know everything and anything related to IT. Please, let there be some balance as we all started from somewhere with regards to our IT careers. I know someone who worked hard to gain he's CCNA then CCNP and now works as a "network engineer".

Obviously, the certs helped as he also learnt the hands practical way through use of router simulation. He then landed a helpdesk role with telecoms firm and after 3 yrs he's the man with a role title of "network engineer". I am in no way advocating brain dumpers either, just the good hard working determined way.

Remember, we all were given the chance through learning to prove out worth and hence we're what we are in terms of ITer's. I get a bit concerned when most people on CF are quick to pounce on the issue of no experience and a person trying to get a cert.

Even without being a genious we all know a cert is just a tool to get you to the interview table. Nuff said

 

Because he has a web site that sells stuff related to Cisco certifications. That's why. IOW's he has an agenda that benefits himself.

 

When people who are in the business of selling certification related materials come here saying certs will get you a job without experience, well, I for one really tend to discount their stories. Take a look around this site and count the number of people who have gotten a cert and a job, simply because they got a cert, especially a higher level cert like a CCNA where they would have been placed in a position where they could possibly kill their employer's ability to do business with their mistakes.

Show me the number above, and then we'll look around at all the posts of people who have gotten certs, and then spent a long time finding a job. We'll see which group outnumbers the other by at least a margin of 20 or 30 to 1.

 

Freddy, I think we'd both agree as neither of us are in HR or directly involved in the decision making process. I did not advocate getting a high level cert such as the CCNA or CCNP would land anyone a job from the on set. I did however, say that it helps you land an interview and eventually a helpdesk type role where there would be potential to learn and move on.

 

To tell the truth, I'm not even sure certs will get a person to an interview. Soft skills, the ability to communicate well in writing, experience working with people, recommendations to the company from acquaintances, a resume showing stability and upward progress in another field, a cover letter showing an applicant did their homework about the company and showing a real desire to work, etc... all of these things will get a career changer/someone-just-out-of-school to an interview long before a certification will.

My years of job hunting showed me the value of certs, and the value of being able to show verifiable experience and soft skills. The first was non-existent. The latter two valuable, and the stuff I put in my first paragraph got me to a lot of interviews. I always got beaten out by experience in those interviews, but I know my cover letters, name dropping of common acquaintances, homework about the company itself, and emphasizing my desire to work got me much more interest than my certifications did. I know. I asked what sparked interest, and what I needed to work on, after many of my failed interviews. Not a single employer told me to get more certifications. A lot them had helpful hints, but getting certs was never mentioned.

 

What a complete crock of shite!

 

Another complete crock of shite too!

NUFF SAID I belief or is that believe??

 

LOL - concise, says exactly what you feel, no beating round the bush

 

Please, be warned I do not swear at anyone and would not tolerate being sworn at either. I really do not understand how what I have posted has resulted in me being sworn at. This is your last warning as you really do not want to start a flame you can't complete or win.

 

Makes my blood boil that the guy is STILL allowed to post! And it looks like he's succesfully brainwashing our more naive members too!!!

 

No more warnings please...bring it on!

nuff said

 

The unfortunate benefit of a free speech society.
Whilst I agree with you, his angle is his opinion, just as much as we may think differently he is allowed to express those - we just have to hope we make more sense to the naive/younger/inexperienced members than he does.