Anyone Here have their CCNA/CCNP/etc?

[GenericMind]

Cross-posted from Science & Technology


So after 8 years of working for a company I've decided to make a minor career switch to focus on the parts of my old job I liked the most: Networking. My first step is to study for and then pass the CCNA(Cisco Certified Network Associate) exam. I've seen there various programs and classes you can take to prepare for it, but they range from weeks-long, months-long, and even over a year. They also cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars to take. If I make studying for this exam my JOB, and spend 4-5 hours a day preparing I think I can learn it teaching myself in under a month. So far so good. A few days in and I'm already halfway through the material for the first part of the exam and am grasping everything fine. Since you can take the exam in either one overall exam or two separate ones, I'll decide which to do when I get into the 2nd part materials and see if it's all too much to retain at once.

Does anyone where have a CCNA or CCNP? Anyone attempted but failed to get one, or even flirted with the idea? I'd be interested to hear feedback from anyone that has any kind of experience with getting/trying to get those certs and their experiences during that process.

 

[Moreaux]

I don't have any Cisco certs, but I have other IT certs on the development side. I am currently working on my MCSA. I'm not certain what specifically you're asking so I'll contribute a few broad recommendations. Study the material, make notes, and take the practice exams several times, keeping track of questions you get wrong. Go back and retread those sections, again taking notes. Rinse repeat until you are consistently doing well on the exam. Also, Google the exam and try other practice exams online. Also query what people who have the cert say about the process, as they give good insight as well. Good luck!

 

[Lysis]

Do you have a college degree? No no no, don't put a cert on a development resume. College degree...yes. Certs are not good in development. Operations? Yes, they are good.

 

[Moreaux]

Do you have a college degree? No no no, don't put a cert on a development resume. College degree...yes. Certs are not good in development. Operations? Yes, they are good.

Please explain your logic? I have a degree and know for a fact that by listing my certifications, particularly Micrsoft and Lean Six Sigma, has been the deciding factor for employers to choose me over another candidate. How would listing certs on a resume hinder somebody? Being able to pass those exams shows to the potential employer that you have specific skill sets.

ETA: I'm a software developer who has over 10 years in the industry and speak from experience.

 

[Lysis]

Keep the college degree on the resume, but keep the certs off... for development.

Plenty of managers pitch resumes with certs on them. "paper MCSEs" or "paper MCSAs" are the terms. They will also ride you harder in interviews just to make fun of you. Engineers can be a bit condescending. Managers often have a degree and usually either an MBA or some type of higher level education. I've worked for PhDs who aren't too impressed when someone sends a resume full of certs. Remember, you're trying to impress someone who spent years in school only to say that you are an "expert" from a few tests in a however many months. It's just the psychology of it.


The Microsoft ones probably have the worst reputations. Cisco is still good. Oracle is good. The CEH still holds some rep. Network+, A+, Security+ don't have much value.
Any cert where you can read a book and get answers online is probably not worth your time because it doesn't hold much value to the employer.

Again, I'll just specify that this is only in software engineering... Operations and infrastructure are different animals.

 

[Moreaux]

Keep the college degree on the resume, but keep the certs off... for development.

Plenty of managers pitch resumes with certs on them. "paper MCSEs" or "paper MCSAs" are the terms. They will also ride you harder in interviews just to make fun of you. Engineers can be a bit condescending. Managers often have a degree and usually either an MBA or some type of higher level education. I've worked for PhDs who aren't too impressed when someone sends a resume full of certs. Remember, you're trying to impress someone who spent years in school only to say that you are an "expert" from a few tests in a however many months. It's just the psychology of it.


The Microsoft ones probably have the worst reputations. Cisco is still good. Oracle is good. The CEH still holds some rep. Network+, A+, Security+ don't have much value.
Any cert where you can read a book and get answers online is probably not worth your time because it doesn't hold much value to the employer.

Again, I'll just specify that this is only in software engineering... Operations and infrastructure are different animals.

Wow - I have never encountered that but it makes sense. I do certs to stay current on my knowledge, but have stated that when interviewing. I've always viewed certs as the direction a particular technology in the industry is going, so I try to stay current for future conversions. I appreciate the insight - will definately keep that it mind.

 

[Lysis]

Well, if you ever want to get into DevOps, they are good.

I did get the MCSE and A+ to get my foot in the door many moons ago. I was new and had no real-world experience. I had one terrible interview where they were laughing at me because of the MCSE. I later understood as I became senior level and worked with managers to hire people. I don't laugh at the cert people, because I think it shows that someone is trying. It's good for maybe junior level people but not senior level. As you know, people care more about what' you've done at that level. I feel for junior developers because the competition is fierce now. Not so fierce at the senior contracting level.

I recommend to anyone who has 10+ years experience to ride the development industry at contract level. Everyone goes for the full time stuff, but you can bank hard if you do contracting in short sprints. No one wants those jobs because they don't come with benefits and they have families to support. But there are so many places that need a developer for a short time without the full-time commitment. Cash in for 6 months and take a couple months off!