Focus on degree or CCNP?

Currently, I have CCNA and 68 credits in computer science. I will be transferring schools hopefully to somewhere that will take my CCNA and security+ as some credits to finish my bachelor's in a networking field. I am in the process of interviewing for a few entry to intermediate networking jobs.

My question is should I be concentrating my efforts on obtaining a CCNP or a bachelor's first?

Thanks in advance!

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Comments

stryder144

My advice depends on one thing: experience. If you don't have, say, 2 to 3 years experience utilizing your CCNA, the CCNP might be seen by employers as a paper chase routine. Thus, I'd go the degree completion route. You could likely finish your degree while building your CCNA experience, then jump into full on study mode for the CCNP.

Just my thoughts. Good luck and keep us posted.

Scorp6

Thanks for the advice. I have 3.5 years of networking experience in the Army and was a net administration in Afghanistan for 9 months. Before that it was networking but not necessarily CCNA level. It wouldn't be strictly a paper chase but I definitely see your point. Hopefully, I get one of these jobs and can continue from there.

VAHokie56

Is it totally out of question to just do both? with that much experience I don't think passing the NP should be all that tough. Go ahead and apply for any job you feel you can do, we don't hire for certs we hire people who sound like they know what they are doing. The most dangerous person I have ever seen let lose on a production network had TONS of cert power but no real working knowledge and his ego was so big because of those certs that he was oblivious to reason. He did not last long....

Scorp6

No it isn't. That actually might be the best. It would do several things for me at once. I have never held a civilian networking job so if I get one, it will add to my CCNA practical knowledge, help me get ready for CCNP and knock out my degree as well. That is quite possibly the best option. Thank you for your help VAHokie

markulous

I'd ultimately go for both if I were you. If you think you have enough experience to get a CCNP and that will get you a pay increase, I may go that route first since it is quicker.

N2IT

I really am pro bachelors degree........

It really depends on your objectives though. I'm not really familiar with the networking world. Sounds like you have good experience, maybe bang out the CCNP and then roll into the degree?

DoubleNNs

You say you're in the process of interviewing. If you think you can make headway into your CCNP to assist you w/ the interviews, I'd recommend that. Studying for the CCNP now, even if you don't mention the fact that the cert is in progress during the interviews, will help you answering the technical questions. It will undoubtedly be a review of your CCNA and on-the-job knowledge, in addition to teaching you a few things you didn't already know.

If you think you could bang out the CCNP, or at the very least finish 1 of the exams, that might help you w/ the job interviews.

However, if you land the job first, I'd wait and play it by ear. If the CCNP would help you w/ your everyday job duties, do that first before the degree. If the CCNP wouldn't really help you too much, focus on the degree.

The way I see it, the CCNP would help you in the short run. But the degree would help you in the long run. Decide accordingly.

fredrikjj

If you have to pick, the degree obviously, all else being equal. Why obtain credentials that are only known in one narrow field (and that you can **** to get even!) when you can get something that's almost universally known and respected.

DoubleNNs

@fredrikjj - You can **** to get a degree.
Agree with the rest of your points however.

pevangel

It depends on the situation. I have 92 credits and I stopped. It was a tough decision since I'm so close, but right now it's more beneficial for me to study things that's relevant to my job. I will eventually go back and finish my bachelor's when the time is right. You have to weigh the benefits/consequences of each decision.

xnx

DoubleNNs wrote: »

@fredrikjj - You can **** to get a degree.
Agree with the rest of your points however.

Yes, cheating will always exist, especially on courses with a heavy assignment weighting

CyberfiSecurity

A college degree is a long term, while CCNP is a short term. I would recommend you to work on both as the same time but focusing on CCNP first. While doing your CCNP, take about 2 courses per semester because you have to balance out. I am currently doing my Doctorate, but I also try to complete 2 to 3 certifications per year. While I am taking 2 courses per semester, because I am allowed 8 more years to complete, which I don't really need a Doctorate at this point.

Ismaeljrp

I'd say do both. The CCNP will take time to complete, the sooner you start the better. Treat it like it's another college course, put in an hour or two everyday, when you feel you're ready for an exam take it. Just like you'd study an entire semester and take mid-terms and finals. I'd say don't take too many college credits while tackling the CCNP and working. Just take the minimum credits for the full GIBILL and other tuition benefits you've earned. Have a healthy balance between personal life, work and study. Otherwise you'll be lacking severely in one of those areas.

6502

Definitely both. I had an interview for a network position months ago. Studying for the CCNP helped immensely in how I was able to converse with the employer about technical subjects related to his environment. I felt really confident. Unfortunately I didn't get the job. While researching the company prior to the interview, I found an article where the owner boasted that he only hired college graduates. So the CCNP helped but the lack of a college degree might have lost the battle for me.

her.yang

I was in the same situation that you're in. I was able to get a decent civilian job with just my CCNA, 3 years of networking experience (at the CCNP level though, working in a multi-layer switch environment) and an occupational endorsement certificate from a college that I went to while I was active duty Army. So you can definitely land a job with what you have. I would say go ahead and get your CCNP. If anyone's going to hire you, it's going to be for your experience in the field. Plus it really isn't much going from CCNA to CCNP. I'm pursuing it right now (finished CCNP ROUTE, going to take CCNP SWITCH in a few days here). The hardest part is studying all of these features that most organizations will never use.

VAHokie56

Ether way ...there is more than one way to get a "senior" level position in the field it just depends on who you ask which is more valuable. I have no degree in a IT related field,just certs and experience and it never stopped me from getting jobs EVER.

Zartanasaurus

If you can only do one, do CCNP. Faster, cheaper, better RoI.