Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries - Resume strategy! Need help!

Author

Resume strategy! Need help!

xiahb

2003-09-08, 11:17 pm

I have 5 years experience in IT field with BS.& MS. degree in EE engineering. Before I immigrated to Canada in Nov. 2002, I worked in a big IT company in China for many years. Due to my strong background and working ability, I didn't need to have certs for my career.

After my immigration, I was surprised that I cannot get an interview in serveral months. So in 2003, I started to have as many tests as possible and passed CCNP/CCNA, MCSE2000, MCDBA, A+, 3com solution expert, CCIE written. I am now preparing my ccie lab test.

The problem is whether the potential employers suspect my certs which are got in one year. Another problem is that unemployed time is a bit longer(about 10 months). How can I explain the things in my cover letter and resume.

Thank you!

onoski

2003-09-09, 6:36 am

Just be honest as it's the best policy it's not all about certs. Try hard to land an IT role and the only way you can do this is by applying yourself to as many openings as possible even if you are qualified or unqualified for the role. It's about not giving up. I would be a little suspicious about your certs accomplisment in one year though. Best wishes

bloodshotx

2003-09-09, 3:29 pm

Yea thats alot of certs within one year. But, you weren't working for 10 months so thats alot of free time

Kasor

2003-09-10, 8:20 pm

I agree, applied all the jobs that you can find and fit you well...

Also, write a very very good cover letter to sell yourself and some explaination on how good you are to obtain those certs within 10 months. OK

You are just good on exams, but have to see how good you are on hand-on... (most HR or recruiter think like that)

Sometime - we all need "luck"

TJLeeland

2003-09-25, 4:20 pm

I think you did just fine explaining your situation just now. You moved to a new country that held certs in a different light, so you did some studying and took the tests. The only problem I see is selling that story with just five years of experince. Database, hardware, Microsoft networking, and high-level Cisco experince is hard to get in just 5 years. That would be a year of dedicated work in each subject. Jobs with concurrent exposure as a DBA, hardware tech, and Cisco routers are rare. Heck, in most companies you'd be restricted from touching the routers for the first three years anyhow.

But other than the MCDBA your certs are all in one basic subject (networks and routers), especially if your MCSE is heavy on networking exams.

One thing to think about is dropping the MCDBA and A+ from your resume if the job isn't going to need those technologies. If you're heading into an interview for a job heavy on Cisco then throw them the CCIE, the CCNP, and the MCSE. The A+ and MCDBA aren't required and don't help; in fact they could hurt. DON'T lie about them, but don't ask, don't tell.

That's my thought. I'd be a little suspicous of so many technologies in such a short time. You run the risk of appearing to be a Jack-of-all-Trades, Master of None. If you want to work for a small company as the sole IT guy (Like I have) that's not bad. If you want to be the lead in the Router Department of a Fortune 500, maybe not.

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