after CCNA... 1

[Marquee]

Hi,

Just wondering, for most of the people who take and pass the CCNA, what comes next? My situation is I'm a college grad who couldnt find a job, so I passed the CCNA to improve my credentials, but I've found that CCNA doesn't quite carry as much weight as it used to. Or it could just be the bad economy.

I guess my question is are the people in this forum who take the CCNA already employed and looking to get promotions? Or are most people taking this as the first step to landing their first job?

And for those people who have recently gotten their CCNA's, have you noticed an impact the certification has had on your career/job search?

 

[dogbert2]

Well, I just passed my 20th year of working in the
I.T. field and now hold 8 certifications (got my
first certification in Fall of 2000). I can tell
you that the soft I.T. market will probably remain
so for at least the next 12-18 months.

The reason for this was two-fold, the dot-com
explosion (should have never happened), and everyone
thinking (incorrectly) that there was a ton of money
to be made in I.T. (from all the dot-com ads, etc).

In the I.T. business, people who expect to be
employed a long period of time, must go through
continuing education (often at their own expense)
just to stay current in the field. I have probably
shelled out close to $8,000 in the last 20 months
for equipment, tests, classes, etc.

Just having a CCNA doesn't mean you will get that first
job, I know when we adverstised for a position some
months ago, we got more than 100 resumes for that single
position, and most of the people that applied had MANY
years of experience (5+ or better). The end result is
that people who have been become unemployed are now
looking at entry level work to get back in, or changing
fields (I know several people who worked in dot-com's,
who went back to their original line of work).

Good luck, I know it doesn't look bright, but it's not
your fault that every person in the world thought they
could make $$$$ in dot-com, when in reality, most of
the people hired for dot-com shouldn't have been working
in the I.T. field in the first place.

 

[hawkeye71]

Thats understandable dogbert, but how about CCNP? Does it has some weight for a fresh graduate or a person in IT field but not networking? Thanks,
Indiana

 

[dogbert2]

CCNP is much harder than CCNA, as the exam material covers
multiple subject areas. If you really want the CCNP, do
you have a cisco network academy in your area? If so,
that's where I would go to get my classroom and lab
training.

Remember, it's not just the cert, but how you market
yourself that gets you a interview or perhaps a job.

Another way is to start working at a company, but in
a position unrelated to your field, then if a position
opens up in the IT dept, apply for it (you have the
edge, if you are already employed by the company)