IT Certifications?

[Spacedye69]

Are certifications worth getting if you have no work experience in the field? Can people get jobs with just certs? Which ones are the best?

[Topcat]

Re: IT Certifications?

Avoid programming like the plague. I've got a lot of hungry programmer friends that have tons of experience and are excellent at what they do, but can't get jobs. A young programmer fresh out of school, you might as well forget about getting a good job. Thank the US economy for this, 90% of programming is outsourced. Stay in networking/hardware. They can't outsource the repair of a cluster array or a busted server, they need a tech on hand!! That's the area you want to persue if you want a profitable career in IT these days.

[willawake]

Re: IT Certifications?

there has been a few threads on employment here. it is a good place to ask
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/admins

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,14725542

MCSE, RHCE are impressive but cost $$$ if you need classroom training. and watch out for boot camps selling it cheap and the courses are short. A+ etc i would not bother with although you could easily just get a book and pass so it would be a cheap route.

better to examine your options and ask people before you spend money. it really depends on the work you would be doing. if you have specific companies you are looking at in your area then try to get in contact with them to see what they are looking for.

if you have no experience then you will probably have to start at the bottom anyway and once you get your foot in the door you can figure out from there.

you could also look at starting out doing contract work to get experience. or just make your own company instead.

[CaysE]

Re: IT Certifications?

I wouldn't glance past the A+ so easily. It is an excellent starter certification because it is cheap, and will get you in the door for PC repair jobs; a good place to start.

[Topcat]

Re: IT Certifications?

I wouldn't glance past the A+ so easily. It is an excellent starter certification because it is cheap, and will get you in the door for PC repair jobs; a good place to start.

I agree. It won't get you a big paying job, but it is an excellent starting place, and its cheap and easy to get.

[stretch0069]

Re: IT Certifications?

The FAA just dropped the requirement for A+ and NET+. A good move as far as I'm concerned. Any tech cert that doesn't have a re-cert is worthless...in my opinion. HW moves so fast that what you got certified on last year, is out-dated.

I'll look for someone with Token-Ring experience before any cert.

[japlytic]

Re: IT Certifications?

I think A+ is the most likely certification to be falsified, because it is the most widely supported.

[tylerlough]

Re: IT Certifications?

I got a funny story about an IT training center by me.
It's called signal learning and they had these radio commercials about a free one hour career training seminar.
After the seminar they give you a $25 gift card.
My friend signed him and I up on their website because he was planning to use the gift card to buy something on-line.
So I meet him there, but it took us awhile to find the place, and we were the only white people out 20 people. They asked some people what their jobs were and if they were happy with them, and guys says "I don't gota job, I jist got otta prison."
After the free pizza, Mike says, did mean to put your life at risk.

[willawake]

Re: IT Certifications?

we were the only white people out 20 people

sounds like Road Trip.

it is good to look into state/government sponsored training/discounts. they had one scheme in uk which became very popular might save a few bucks

I wouldn't glance past the A+ so easily. It is an excellent starter certification

yes it would be a good place to start and will bring confidence once you pass it. rather than starting with something big in the first place and getting too stressed out.