Need advice for certification and career path please

Abamn

Hello all, I have a bachelor degree in telecommunications engineering and Diploma in ICT Systems Support Level 2. But after I graduated in 2013 I start working as a web developer. I want to work in IT/Network field. I'm interesting in networking, security, Linux and analysis. What certifications I need to take? Thanks in advance!

Nafe92014

I would recommend the CompTIA A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications as a starting point. From there, there are multiple paths you can take, it all depends on what specifically you want to specialize in.

chronos42

Considering that you sort of have a background in networking, I'd say maybe start with a CompTIA cert or two (A+ and/or Network+) to get your feet wet in the certification world, and then move onto something more networking-specific. CompTIA certs will help you get your bearings; vendor-specific certs will get you a job. For networking, you'll probably want to look at Cisco certs (CCENT, CCNA, etc.), though Juniper and Brocade are also possibilities, depending on what the job you're looking for requires.

aftereffector

Networking, security, Linux, and analysis covers a lot of different jobs and specialities within IT. In the long term, do you want to be a network engineer (Cisco, Brocade, Juniper)? Or would you rather work in the security field as a penetration tester or security engineer? Do you want to administer Linux as a primary function or use it in support of your day-to-day work? Questions like these will help shape what certifications would best prepare you for the job that most interests you.

For networking, Cisco has the biggest range of tests to go along with their market share dominance. CCENT / CCNA and CCNP route/switch, voice, wireless, security, and many other tracks will keep you busy for years and will position you very well to be a network engineer working with configurations and topologies. For security, GIAC and a few others have excellent penetration testing and forensics certifications, while (ISC)2 offers the CISSP which is almost a prerequisite for most security manager and some security engineer jobs. For Linux, the CompTIA Linux+ is a good introduction and at least one vendor that I know of (Red Hat) offers a Certified System Administrator and Certified Engineer certification path to prove your skill with that enterprise distribution. So, there are a lot of different paths available.

I have taken CompTIA's Network+ and Security+, and while they helped give me a basic foundation in the terms and concepts of networking and security, I am not sure that you would benefit as much from them as you already have a degree in telecom engineering. If anything, pick up a study book and read through it, but the tests themselves are expensive and may not give you a great return on your investment.