Could getting CCNP be a bad idea for me?

Title sounds crazy I know but hear me out. I am currently studying for my CCNP but I have been thinking recently that since my current company doesn't run any Cisco gear what so ever, could it actually hurt future employment opportunities when they see that I haven't configured any Cisco equipment in a production environment since 2012, but yet I am a CCNP? I fear companies may think I dumped the exams even though honestly I study probably 1 1/2 - 2 hours every weeknight between gns3, CbtNuggets and a live lab in my garage. Would I be better off going with the HP ASE certification since I am in an all HP network?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Matt

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Comments

cyberguypr

I've made my career certifying in stuff that will get me my next job. When I was doing desktop support I was doing my MCITP:EA. When I was doing server admin I was doing security certs. Always looking for stuff to bring me closer to the next stop in my roadmap. Remember that you have no control of what others may or may not think. That is their problem. If they think you dumped and you master the material, you should be able to prove them wrong during an interview or technical assessment.

Given your lack of experience with Cisco, just having the cert may NOT land you a tier 3 engineering job, but will get you noticed for some positions.

Jon_Cisco

Certifications serve more then one purpose. Some people use them as a way to prove they know skills. Others use them as a way to gather skills they desire to have. Still others do them for no reason at all etc.....

What is your purpose for taking the CCNP? Answering that question will help determine an appropriate response to a question like this.

Good Luck

duffman668

Cyberguypr, it makes sense about getting certs for your next job and thanks for the response. It's not so much that I have a total lack of experience with Cisco, I worked with 2600/6500 series Routers, 3500/3700 series Switches, 4400 WLC and ASA 5510's (primarily setting up site to site vpn's) all the time at my previous job for about 3 years, which is when I got my CCNA R&S and Wireless. I just haven't been in a Cisco environment for about 2 years now because my new director of IT has a real hard on for 3Com/HP and seems to hate Cisco with a passion.

duffman668

Jon_Cisco - I will be graduating from college in 2 years with a Computer Science degree and I am planning on moving to the Indianapolis area so my wife can be closer to her family afterwards and I am wanting to beef up the résumé before hand. I was evaluating where I was and where I wanted to go with my career and CCNP seemed like the next logical step certification and skills wise. I am currently A+, Net+, Sec+, Server+, MCP, MCTS(2008 Networking), MCSE(2012), CWNA, CCNA (R&S + Wireless), & CIW Web Design Specialist. The CCNP seemed like the next logical step in furthering my skills and abilities. However, when it comes to Cisco I plan on stopping there, as the CCIE just plain scares me

JeanM

I agree that everybody gets certified for different reasons, and you can't really control what others may think looking at your resume etc.

But, I also want to say that there is not ONE career path in growing or advancing your career. So having said that, I don't 100% think that just taking CCNP might be a logical step for someone who is trying to advance their career in let's say in programming or server admin or web design or being exchange or sql admin/dba.

Just saying

Heero

Definitely not a bad idea. It is very likely you could switch to a Cisco environment at some point. Even if not, there is a ton of excellent vendor neutral content on the CCNP, hell most of it is vendor neutral.

Plus, you don't have to put it on your resume if you don't want to.

RouteMyPacket

duffman668 wrote: »

Title sounds crazy I know but hear me out. I am currently studying for my CCNP but I have been thinking recently that since my current company doesn't run any Cisco gear what so ever, could it actually hurt future employment opportunities when they see that I haven't configured any Cisco equipment in a production environment since 2012, but yet I am a CCNP? I fear companies may think I dumped the exams even though honestly I study probably 1 1/2 - 2 hours every weeknight between gns3, CbtNuggets and a live lab in my garage. Would I be better off going with the HP ASE certification since I am in an all HP network?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Matt

I know I would never hire anyone who had no practical knowledge in a production environment. What is it exactly that you want to do? I see you have Microsoft certs so are you not a system administrator?

duffman668

Currently I do everything at my job from basic PC tech repair, Laptop repair, Printer repair, Help desk, Network Administration, Firewall Administrator, Wireless Network Administrator, Server Administration, & Website Administration. Needless to say instead of giving me all of those titles they just call me an IT Specialist and keep stretching me as thin as possible

. But my overall goal in my next job is to do strictly Network Administration.