Cert/Career Advice

I posted this in the General Cert forum a week ago but never got a response:

So I'm in the last leg of my BS Security degree at WGU (should finish within 5-6 months) and I'm deciding where to branch off in my cert path. As you can see now, my certs are geared toward Networking and Network Security but I work at a remote help desk currently. I'll have a Linux+ cert here pretty soon which should finish up my certs at WGU.

The next promotion would likely be from my Level 1.5 role (I take escalations from entry-level guys, write up processes for them and help manage/train them too) would be a Level 2 role here. Pay would go from around 45k to about 60-65k. But I'd need at least an MCSA and a good amount of experience working on servers. A virtualization cert may work too. I don't have the ability to do that type of work at my current position, but my role may expand or I may jump over to a different set of clients that do allow me to get more experience after I graduate.

I don't want to be a jack of all trades type guy, but at the same time, I only have around a year of IT experience and I'm not sure where I want to specialize. Considering the environment, I think it may be a good idea going after some Microsoft certs. I am really on the fence about going towards Networking or Systems, but think I may go the latter due to the opportunities here. Virtualization in particular may be something I want to go towards eventually.

Thoughts on the next cert? MCSA 2012 maybe? My job reimburses for certs if I pass. One of my bosses said Server+ but thought I'd do better off going after an actual Microsoft cert.

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Comments

markulous

Guessing the problem is on me for wording it poorly (or something else on my part) with no responses to either thread. I'll clarify if it's not clear. Ultimately, I'm trying to decide between MCSA 2012 or a Virtualization cert. Either one would likely fill the requirement for the next position but I don't have much experience in either area. Or maybe another if someone has any suggestions. I'm not sure which field to really head into either.

jamthat

This may not be the response you're looking for, but which are you most interested in?? You can start the basics of each and from that determine which path you'd rather go down.

markulous

Honestly, I'm not 100% sure as I haven't been exposed to either. It seems like it may be wise to have a general understanding of both, but I think both would be interesting fields to get into.

srabiee

markulous wrote: »

I don't want to be a jack of all trades type guy, but at the same time, I only have around a year of IT experience and I'm not sure where I want to specialize.

This is the problem. You stated you don't want to be a JOAT, but you don't yet know what it is you are interested in. You need to figure that out. You are currently working helpdesk, which is great to get your feet wet and help to figure out what IT path you want to head down. Windows Server and/or Linux go hand-in-hand with virtualization, depending on the environment and your position/duties. Then there's the network engineer path, which may not really even touch Windows Server or Linux, again depending on the job role. There's also storage. A of course the security path which your degree is aligned with.

What do you enjoy most? There's money to be made with any of the aforementioned career paths.

snunez889

I would say go for the mcsa cert next. It will give you good exposure to servers, which will benefit you no matter what direction you take. If you go VM, I do believe their cert expires after only two years.

At the end of the day you need to figure out where you see yourself heading.

markulous

I honestly think I may want to lean away from Networking. I'm already in a Microsoft environment and I do enjoy working with systems. Maybe I lean towards Microsoft at the moment then branch out when I get more exposure. Basically the next promotion would have be at a remote help desk still, but it would be sys admin type work and they get their hands into a lot of technology especially with so many clients.

It's just hard figuring it out with a year experience. I'm a pretty quick learner and ambitious so that helps.

snunez889

I always wanted to end up in networking and right now I work with Microsoft. I try and keep my networking knowledge up to date and go over my ccna and lab when ever I have a chance. But since I am mostly working with server now I am trying to learn as much as I can down that road. I am in the process of going for my mcsa.