Can someone please enlighten me on how to get my feet wet in this industry? Just did a major career change so I'm very new to the IT world (6 months old). I've been fortunate to have my passed my CCNA, CCDA, and Net+ all with outstanding scores but can't seem to get anyone to bite because I have absolutely no(ZERO) experience except for on my home lab. Also, what certification should I pursue next? I originally planned on continuing with Cisco and get my CCNP but almost every interview (mostly tech support)I've had asked me if I had any NT or 2K background and even A+. I guess what I'm asking is, should I veer off the beaten path and study for an MCP or even the A+? Any insight would greatly be appreciated.

-RA

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To get a job in support. You would need at a minimum A+ and MCSE , because most support positions involves solving operating system , application software issues, hardware issues etc.

MCSE teaches you all the in and outs of the Window NT and 2000 series of OS system. Whilst A+ gives you the hardware and software troubleshooting knowledge. CCNA teach you networking and also Cisco routers equipment. All these certs teaches different things, and they all have their merits.

The reason you getting knock back is because the CCNA curriculum focuses on OSI layer 1 -3 , whilst most tech support is about issues in layer 7. You just dont have the 'package' yet to be in tech support ( not in OS side of things anyway).

If you want to do tech support, I think CCNP is too soon, do MCSE first or go for the Unix platform certificationd. However , if I were you , I would enrol in a technical college and get some plain old education down , whilst doing MCSE. Don't rush it , 6 months is too quick , you still have much to learn.

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Hello jchlim,

Just wanted to thank you for the insightful info. I guess I went into this career change rather ill prepared. Just jumped into it without a good strategy and went for what I assumed was a 'hot' cert. at that time. So now I'm in a bind, I need to look for work asap since I left my old career to pursue this one and now time is running out, or shall I say, my funds are rather than time. I guess I was absolutely clueless about which field matches what cert. So, what line of work should I look for instead of support? Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Angel ,

My advice would be for you to go back to your old job. Study nightschool in computing whilst working, buy some MCSE prep books and give yourself another 6 months or a year to have a go at MCSE. Then have a go again.

I don't know the market for CCNA certificate holders - but I would suggest that there would nearly nil if you only have one cert and no experience whatsoever, from what I have seen. Employer seems to want a combination of certs for the reasons I pointed out. Your LAN / WAN software/hardware skills (CCNA) need to be complemented by OS/Application software skills (MCSE).

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I would have to agree with the above. If you don't have any experience, get an A+ cert and at least an MCP and look for a support job where you can gain experience and some real-world exposure to networking. All of our networking guys (engineers) started out in either helpdesk or, if they were lucky, LAN support and moved on to what they are doing now. I, myself, would like to eventually move on into our networking group, but right now I'm helping admin our LAN/WAN, which is great experience. Anyway, good luck on whatever you decide to do!

Dude

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Thanks guys...I appreciate it...you both have given me some direction and know where to focus on...Btw, I hold 3 certs. (CCNA, CCDA, and Net+) but even with those do you think I should still consider A+ or should I go for an MCP instead? I was thinking of MCP for server...any better ideas...I'm willing to do whatever it takes except to return to my old job because when I decided to do this I promised myself to never look back even if it means mopping floors in a NOC or what have you...Thanks again fellows.

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RevenantAngel,

You've already started down the Cisco track, I'd stick with it. If routers and WANs are what you want to do, try to look for a NOC position. Granted the Telcom sector probably got hit the worst this year, you might be able to find a 3rd shift NOC position.

There are probably more entry level NT/LAN support jobs out there right now. Unless you work for a small company you probably will never touch a router doing NT support. You may have to "do your time" in the LAN world until the market picks back up, or you get a break, in which case I think a MCP in 2k Server will do you better than an A+.

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Angel...I started in the industry 4 years ago after spemding 35 years in the photographic industry...my entire working life...I'm 58 years old now...got downsized at age 52...and while "it ain't easy"...it can be done...

However, the biggest problem is the state of the economy right now...IT jobs are declining and that is the biggest hurdle you will have...

When you're older, and went thru college some 25-30 years ago, getting back into school can be real tough...

I went to Jr college (St Louis, MO) and started their Network Management program 4 years ago...finishing this semester...about 35 hrs of college credit...did get an MCP in NT4.0 and working on CCNA now...

I went thru the phone book yellow pages under "computer consultants" and found out that in St Louis there are about 130 companies that supply short-tern, contract, permenant placement, long term etc etc people into the IT industry...

Over the next couple of years I was able to get registered with about 50 of them...I constantly updated my resume...made sure I talked to each and every recruiter on the phone at least once a month...and some of them every week or so...You have to keep them thinking about you...These guys get sometimes 100 resume's a week, or more...

I made personal visits to the recruiters, took some of them out to lunch...(the ones I thought would work the hardest for me)...
In short I sold myself to the recruiters in the various contract firms...

In a little over 3 years of contracting I got a wide range of valuable experience...lot's of rollouts, and desktop support, some networking...

And I worked constantly...in the course of a year there were probably 2-3 weeks total that I did not work...I took whatever job anyone offered me UNLESS I felt totally unqualified to do it...

Now I have a perm job at a University...desktop support...and I love it!!!

It can be done...but it will take even more persistance in todays market that even I had a few years ago...

Good Luck
Steve

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I think that the A+ Cert would be great to get, and one MS cert possibly. Alot of the CCNA has to do with Telco type stuff, and is good, but you gotta be able to troubleshoot at the desktop level. The A+ is good because you learn hardware. I am an MCSE, and an IBM Server certified specialist, and as soon as I get a couple of other things knocked out, I am going to get the A+. I have seen many jobs that have A+ required, and good salaries as well. I work with an MCSE who didn't know what RAM was, and I about fell over when I found that bit if information, but he is doing much better now.
I hope this helps, I know this post has helped me too!

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Getting a permanent job is definately a big issue in this Industry, more so Today..
I think employers have lost trust in cert holders without enough exprience.
I would personaly blame this trend on the vendors of these certs who promise employers alot, for the holders of their Certs, and ofcourse the braindumps and Test softwares which can help you pass these certs without helping you learn the actual stuff!

When MS introduced MCSE 2000 and MCSA as opposed to MSCE NT ,I would like think they had this in mind, so we are most likely to see confidance return to the employers, because these latest certs tend to be more practical and without knowing the stuff you probably will not pass them, which was not the case with the NT version.
As for the CCNA I think it still has its credibility, though Dumpers could end up doing our industry a deservice. Ofcourse CCNP and CCIE requie you to know your stuff!

If one gets an entry level job, I think should go for it despite the pay, just to get hands on!!

There are guys out there who have these certs and know their stuff, but these certs are "diluted" by cert holders who cannot even "know what RAM is". What use is a certified Engineer if he cannot even "engineer" a crossover cable.!
!
All we should endeovour to do is learn our stuff for our own good and for the good of the industry.


Cheers!
Bbosa

__________________
"No Work is done in vain!
The only place where Reward comes before
Work is in the Dictionary"

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