I've asked this in a differnet forum, but this is my favorite one. Has anyone landed or known anyone who's received a Networking Admin job without having any certifications. My certs. expired (MCP,CNA) but I like networking and installations. I have exp with Windows 2000/NT/98 MS Office 2000/97 ..... but no certs. I'm going for the CCNA but I'm trying to get out of this Help Desk position because I like technical and networking issues. I know certs are important now days. Should I study and wait it our when I obtain a cert or keep looking for an opportunity? Thanks in advance for the advice.

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i know many people with exceptional tech abilities who have no certs.
and trust me they are doing well.
todays headhunters have made the cert the rule.
in todays world u need a piece of paper to prove u are worth being considered for an interview.
what happens to the "paper" cert holders there is a diff story.
so keep looking. but know that the major "intelligent (sic !)" job sites scan resumes based on key words like CCNA CCNP CISCO CCIE MCSE etc etc....
regards
mongol

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I was on a help desk for a big company with a lot of Corp. rules like don't touch this, you can't have access to that. I recently switched jobs to another company(still big but not micro managed) that has only 8 people in the IT department that deal with hardware and lots of networking issues. I have access to anything. We're going to be doing cross traing for each person in the department b/c each person specialized at a specific duty. I'll be a Jr. Network Admin and only hold the certs of N+ with a CCNA soon to follow. This is the kind of position that people always say they started from the bottom and it paid off because in the next 6months we're going to be switching from Bay equip to Cisco. Back on the subject, if your company is micro managed then consider a different company.

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I have my CCNA and have a new job working as a network tech. My CCNA shows that I understand the theory, but the people I work with can put that into action!! In my opinion, experience is so important as I watch some of my co-workers whip through routing/switching problems without thinking twice. I've learned a ton in the last couple of weeks and am looking forward to a whole lot more. Cisco equipment is just one part of my responsibilities, so all the other knowledge is icing on the cake If I was hiring for my make believe company, I would take a person with experience first

Cheers,

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Yeah Aktribes,
but as you know, how are us newbies supposed to get the experience if no one will give us a break?
I think that is the question facing many CCNA's these days.


CCNA will work for peanuts....

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I am very upset b/c no one want to give me a job because i have no experience!!! so i will just wait there and forget everything that i have learned....

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Everyones situation is different so its kinda of right place right time. You are in the place it sounds like, depending how much experance you have and if this is the field your going to be in for awhile I would get all the certs I could to move up and to show you initiative and interest in the field. I beleave that employers look at certs as a way to see you know your stuff but also to see your desire for the job. If you put your self through the rigers of getting your certs that shows that you are committed to the perfession. Just my point of view hope it helps.

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