Certification choises. . . 1

[10onrussel]

Hi Guys/Girls. . .

I am currently studying for my A+ and N+ exams. I will try and do Security+ as well before the end of the year.

What would be the better rout to follow for further courses?
I am a systems administrator/project co-ordinator and work in various African Countries. We usualy manage every aspect of our systems which include the server environments, front end clients, printer facilities etc, etc. We use different systems/technologies in the variuos counrties, which makes it difficult to pinpoint a specific area of expertise to develop. . .

Is MCSE still a good bet?

 

[tfg13]

If Microsoft products are something that is used "somewhere", then yes. Depending on your future goals, meaning, are you planning on staying with your current company? That will really determine which direction to go. Which other areas of IT do YOU want to be involved in? Not knowing what your own personal goals are, it is difficult to advise you on how to attain those goals.

You can never go wrong with at least MCSA, or CCNA, which are widely accepted certifications.

 

[10onrussel]

Thanx for the reply. . .

My innitial planning was to do MCSE with N+ and Security+ as electives and at least CCNA. . .then I will focus more on taking my Project Management studies further, which is ultimately where I am heading. . .

 

[Janazar]

My own opinion on it the subject is . . . well . . . it depends.
In a competative market place with 10,000 MCSE's out there, you're not going to get a large pay raise by holding the certification. You may need it to keep your job, but there are so many out there that it won't be enough by itself to land the job.
More specific certifications, like Red Hat, might land you a job, but there aren't as many of those out there.
I see all certifications as supplimental to your resume. They show you have an interest in the subject and were at least willing to shell out some money to pass the exam. They don't tell me you actually have the ability to do the job.
When I am hiring IT people, I typically look at their experience to decide who gets an interview. Once I actually sit down with a candidate, it's all about attitude. I can teach technology. I can't teach attitude. After that, I look for motivation. That's where certifications come in. I may never know whether the person slaved for days prepping for the exam or paid $50 for a cheat-sheet somewhere. But I do consider any effort to get the certification a good tie breaker over those that have not. The same holds true when deciding who gets the promotion.
So, if you're looking for work, consider what you want to do and get a relevant certification. If you're happy where you are, get the one that will most help you either do the job you're in or step up to that next level of responsibility.

A bit off-topic? Perhaps. But this is usually the train of thought I use when deciding what to pursue, or what advice to give someone.

 

[10onrussel]

Hi Janazar,

Thanks. . .very informative reply. . .makes alotofsence!

I do not see myself leaving my current job very soon. . .and as I mentioned above I am more interested in the Project Management side. I thoroughly enjoy what I am doing BUT I do need to attain more knowledge with regards to information technology. . .( I have only been in this field "IT" for a couple of months)

We mainly use windows(hence the MCSE, maybe something like MSC). . .with Linux here and there and the rest is our own tailor made software applications.
What I'm looking for is a course/qualification that will really build on my skills. It's important for me to be able to help myself seeing that I work in African countries and we do not always have the necessary resources available.

So. . .my main focus = Project Management in the field of Information Technologies. . .?? In this light. . .will I benefit from doing the MCSE??

Regards