Linux Plus doesn't have a ROI?

cowill

I've seen this in a few posts......Is there anything proven? Why do people say this?

[Deleted User]

I haven't seen a huge ROI on Linux+. Linux+ is mostly entry level. CCNA is entry level/intermediate level cert. Mainly because of more advance certs like RedHat has more wieght then Linux+. Linux+ isn't horrible still learn about basic Linux commands and about the filesystem and OS as a whole. However, the wow factor of Linux+ is minimal. I personally believe you would be better off spending the money towards the CCNA or maybe A+,Network+ or Security+ (trio). Those are the certs that have more weight in the industry for starting out imo. Also, CompTIA is changing the Linux+ exam to newer domains. Keep that in mind also. Most of the material is the same however, some concepts change and they add new material.

TechGuru80

Part of the problem is that system admins routinely get experience primarily with windows in a normal environment where Linux seems to be concentrated in heavy job processing type environments. Look at the national average of pay of Windows vs Linux...Linux is higher...but more jobs for windows. That fact right there impacts the overall return on Linux. Basically it is good to learn but unless you have something specific in your sights...windows is more likely to get you into a role.

cowill

I'm not sure if this is right but my train of thought is that Linux is everywhere, but nobody wants to learn it. Windows seems to be over saturated and competitive because that's the most popular gateway into IT. Linux isn't just Sys Admin, its in Security, Cross Platform....Web Dev......DBA.....etc....I see the Linux + as helping in landing roles that involve Linux, not just linux sys ad.......

orlandofl

I recently made a post where I indicated Linux+/ LPIC-1 might not have the highest ROI in the last day or so. I wanted to clarify my stance on this exam. While this exam may not have the highest monetary ROI, I think it yields one the highest informative ROI’s of any exam in the industry. So much is built off of LPIC-1. Generally speaking people do the LPIC-1 in preparation for Red hat certifications such as the RHCSA, myself included.

I agree that Network+ and Security+ are valuable as entry level certifications, I did them myself before embarking on my Linux journey. What I cannot agree on is that the CCNA path is more respected or lucrative than Linux admin skills. In pure speculation I would venture to say there are a lot more CCNA’s in the industry than Linux professionals. In my neck of the woods (Orlando) CCNA’s bring around $20 an hour which isn’t bad, but I've seen Linux/Unix Jr. Admins demand a better premium (once again, this is just in my neck of the woods, I haven’t evaluated other locations) Lastly, CCNA is a proprietary credential. Don’t get me wrong I realize Red Hat certifications are proprietary as well, but the Linux+/LPI certifications are agnostic and seem to be able to appeal to a wider employer base. I don’t mean to say that a career as a CCNA or in Cisco is bad, or that it can’t yield a good living. Only that there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of individuals becoming CCNA certified over the last few years and the potential impact that might have on employment prospects in the coming years. Getting Linux certifications and becoming proficient in Bash, Python, and maybe even C could potentially yield its self as a better alternative if new people in the industry stay the course and continue flocking to Cisco.

Good Luck,

-Travis

techfiend

Any idea when the new Linux+ is coming out? Plan on taking it soon for wgu but may wait.

I think knowing linux raises the ceiling significantly in the enterprise market, linux+ is the first step. I think most people see CompTIA certs as being entry level/foot in the door certs thus no real ROI while already in the market.

Jon_Cisco

I think the problem is probably related to the number of openings. It seems like people get experience starting out with Microsoft and then move on to Linux. Look around at what kind of jobs are asking for only Linux experience. I don't have time to do the job searches right now but I bet they ask for a few other things as well.

If your interested in it by all mean pursue it. You will do better if you follow a path you enjoy.

Good Luck!

orlandofl

I think knowing linux raises the ceiling significantly in the enterprise market, linux+ is the first step. I think most people see CompTIA certs as being entry level/foot in the door certs thus no real ROI while already in the market.

I agree with you, knowing Linux very well might 'raise the ceiling' in the enterprise market. I also agree with you that most people see the CompTIA certs as being entry level. It's for this reason I've decided to do the LPIC-1 and not Linux+. I'm sure you're aware they are the same exam. It seems to me that hiring managers for Linux positions would be privy to this as well. I'm all for gaining the SUSE Certified Linux Admin certification from LPIC-1 because at the very least, the name is recognizable in the world of enterprise Linux. I think CompTIA and I along with their '+' exams have had our last tango.

-Travis

DoubleNNs

The Linux+ topics have high ROI. The cert itself doesn't.

It isn't a cert that recruiters are actively looking for. Neither is it going to be posted as a requirement or preferred prereq for employment in job ads.

The Linux+'s low ROI is simply because of low recognition. Slapping it on your resume probably won't get you more calls for positions than the day prior to you having it - other than having the keyword "Linux" appear 1 more time on your cert for the resume crawlers. The ROI comes from the fact that the calls you DO get will most likely lead to more interviews and most job offers based solely on the increase in knowledge and your ability to mention the cert during interviews to show you are serious about the technology.

In all honesty, the Linux+ probably holds more weight than the Network+ and the Security+ (outside of the DoD) - those 2 certs haven't really helped bolster my resume much at all. However, I know as soon as I got my CCNA the amount of people willing to contact me about positions doubled. Specifically, I had one recruiter who I knew while I was studying for the CCENT. He never followed up with me and rarely ever mentioned specific opportunities when we spoke - just saying he'll look out and call me if he saw anything that fit my background. But it was a struggle to get him on the phone or to respond to my e-mails.
Since passing my CCNA that same recruiter damn near harasses me - contacting me about all types of positions, and spamming my voicemail and e-mail inbox even when I hardly reply to him. The CCNA IS a cert recruiters actively search for in resumes and IS listed as a requirement for many, many jobs.

It seems like the vendor-specific certs in general are like that, as opposed to the CompTIA exams (outside of the A+). The RHCSA's objectives are mapped very closely to the Linux+ exams and I've spoken to multiple recruiters already who knew about RHEL and the associated certs but had no idea what the LPIC-1/Linux+ was. Therefore, get the CompTIA exams solely for knowledge/confidence sake (or schools, such as WGU). But for a hard-hitting cert to help your resume, you're likely going to have to look elsewhere.

Edit: and even w/ this opinion, note from my signature that I'm currently finishing up the Linux+ myself and in the process of looking for my 1st Linux Admin role.

ssnyderu2

If you are a Linux noob, such as myself, I think it would be a good way to get foundation knowledge. But if you are already good with Linux, the Red Hat certs would be a better option.

fuz1on

Linux+ is like "the A+ of sysadmin/devops" certifications. ROI = you aren't a total n00b and that's all you can ask for nowadays.

Want an IT job? Brush up on your Linux skills - TechRepublic

techfiend

I wasn't aware the LPIC was the same as Linux+, this is the first time I've heard of LPIC. Unless you can attach a name to LPIC I'm not sure it carries as much recognition as Linux+, which isn't much. I have a feeling the LPIC will warrant a lot of questions.

I'm stuck doing the Linux+ for WGU, otherwise I probably wouldn't take it. I'd jump into redhat certs if I was real serious about linux, which I'm not and I'm afraid it's losing market share to 2012. 2008 started 'using some great ideas' from linux and 2012 greatly expanded it. Who knows what 2016 will bring but windows 10 'borrowed' multiple desktops from linux.

tmcg

I don't know why so many are stating that Linux+ has little ROI. Personally where I live there is huge amounts of money paid to individuals with Linux expertise, much more than CCNA or Windows. This maybe due to a large gap in the market in Northern Ireland of people that have in depth knowledge of the Linux OS.

JockVSJock

We all know that CompTIA certs are worthless and overpriced. For some reason, this debate continues to happen on this forum.

I have Linux+ and the only calls that I get are working help desk jobs that deal in Linux, which are jobs that I am so overqualified for. And in my experience, there is no way to work your way up out of the help desk, you are going to die there or have to quit to get your next promotion.

Yes the Linux+ did help me land my current Linux Sys Admin job with the DoD, however since I wasn't ever able to use the Linux+ to land some sort of Linux Sys Admin job back in 2009, it did not prepare me for the position. I've had to spend alot of late nights and weekends trying to troubleshoot and experiment and reading and labbing at home. And, my worst days as a Linux Sys Admin beat my best days working any help desk job, period!!!

All of my fellow DoD co-workers have complained that CompTIA hasn't helped their careers, its just going thru the motions.

Stay away from CompTIA and stick with the Vendor's Certs (VMWare, Cisco, Microsoft and Redhat).

Expect

hi,

if you are looking for a good ROI in the Linux field, as one with both RHCE and LPIC-3, I would definitely suggest go for the Red Hat path.

not only Red Hat is the leader in the Linux domain, their cert is hard and you will learn plenty on your way to RHCE.

it is also a hands on exam unlike LPIC-X/Linux+. which is harder.

brownwrap

If Linux+ landed you your DOD job, I think that is a pretty good ROI. I have Linux+ for the same reason. If you think its worthless, don't list it, I don't.

NetworkNewb

How much harder do you guys think the RHCSA is than the Linux+? To someone with very limited Linux experience. I can't imagine it would take that much longer to study for RHCSA right?

Here is some job board results of Linux certs

JockVSJock

I don't know anything about the LPI exam? Is that hands on like Redhat?

You can do a real world test of Linux skills with True Ability, all for free.

Xavor

I just tried out the True Ability site and found it surprisingly well put together. Never heard of it before, but the Linux tests were challenging.

The_Expert

I personally believe the Linux+ is a great investment. Why?

1. You get two real certs for the price of one. CompTIA Linux+ and the LPIC-1 Certification. Granted, no one has heard of the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) before... but listing, two Linux certs on a resume can help. It certainly got me noticed!

2. If you take the learning process seriously - you can learn a ton of great stuff about Linux. Plenty to get you started on using Linux more on a daily basis.

3. The Linux+ currently does not expire. The LPIC-1 expires after 5 years.

4. Differentiate yourself from all the other job candidates who don't have a Linux cert listed on their resume.


Now, I agree with others that the RedHat Certification track would be the way to go for the serious Linux admin - however, why not take the Linux+ as a first step to see if you like it?

DoubleNNs

NetworkNewb - Isn't the SUSE CLA the free cert you get after completing the LPIC-1? I can't figure out why it has more results than the LPIC/Linux+ on Dice, and gets almost as many results on other sites.

[Deleted User]

Congrats on passing Linux+! The Suse Certified linux administrator is the free cert that is part of the 3 in 1 bundle with CompTIA.

brownwrap

DoubleNNs wrote: »

NetworkNewb - Isn't the SUSE CLA the free cert you get after completing the LPIC-1? I can't figure out why it has more results than the LPIC/Linux+ on Dice, and gets almost as many results on other sites.

As I have pointed out before, we have a Cray XE6m, it uses SUSE. Anyone who knows a Cray well, will command a large salary.

http://www.cray.com/sites/default/files/resources/CrayXE6mBrochure.pdf

varelg

I am not so sure if Linux+ isn't expiring. It is closely tied to LPIC-1 so I think the expiration is similar.
NetworkNewb, it might be that Linux+ is easier of the two, but you mentioned the factor "limited Linux exposure". Having that in mind, go over topics of Linux Essentials and see how do you feel about studying and passing that exam first and then deciding if you want to take Linux+ or RHCSA. Just saying, maybe you'd be better following a syllabus of a guide or few books, or online videos.
RHCSA may be the easier of two, if you grok man pages. At exam time, you have a live system in front of you and that includes man pages, so you might have something very close to open- book exam. It is also specific to Red Hat distro, so you can focus on one single distro, see how things are set up there, lab with it, etc. With Linux+ you will have to learn how to do same things in multiple distros. And you won't have live system in front of you, so you'll have to really pay attention to the nitpicking questions of exam no.1 (was it capital "C" that makes tune2fs count the number of mounts before forcing a filesystem check, or small "c"?).

aderon

Applied to a job that wanted networking/linux experience. Got an interview. Failed miserably.

Got my Linux+ and reapplied. Passed the interview and was hired. So for me I feel like it was worth it.

Now could I have gotten the job without the cert? Yeah, absolutely. But you could say that with about almost any certification. As long as you're learning from the cert rather than just getting it to tack onto your resume, then I think there will always be some sort of ROI.

As far as the cert having some sort of intrinsic value in and of itself? No, not really. I don't think any employer sees the Linux+ and just instantly thinks "This guy is a must have!" And unless the company specifically asks in the posting for people who are Linux+ certified, then I don't think it has much bargaining value either. But, the knowledge you get from the cert can definitely help you answer interview questions that could potentially land you an entry level Linux role.

aderon

Also to answer expiring questions. The Linux+ doesn't expire. The LPIC-1 does expire after 5 years if you don't renew it.

N2IT

Certifications without alignment, experience, market needs, marketing generally have low ROI. Not saying this is the case with Linux +, but I feel if you are lacking those core components the certification has low return.

Swift6

Vendor/proprietary certs are more recognised and respected in the industry e.g. Cisco, Microsoft, VMware to name a few.
Recruiters are looking for folk who have experience and certified on the technologies they have.

Vendor neutral certs on the other hand are valuable but probably not be as highly praised/recognised. Hence ROI may not be as high.

cowill

aderon wrote: »

Also to answer expiring questions. The Linux+ doesn't expire. The LPIC-1 does expire after 5 years if you don't renew it.

I contacted Comptia directly, they stated the cert is lifetime even though the current exams are expiring.

cowill

aderon wrote: »

Applied to a job that wanted networking/linux experience. Got an interview. Failed miserably.

Got my Linux+ and reapplied. Passed the interview and was hired. So for me I feel like it was worth it.

Now could I have gotten the job without the cert? Yeah, absolutely. But you could say that with about almost any certification. As long as you're learning from the cert rather than just getting it to tack onto your resume, then I think there will always be some sort of ROI.

As far as the cert having some sort of intrinsic value in and of itself? No, not really. I don't think any employer sees the Linux+ and just instantly thinks "This guy is a must have!" And unless the company specifically asks in the posting for people who are Linux+ certified, then I don't think it has much bargaining value either. But, the knowledge you get from the cert can definitely help you answer interview questions that could potentially land you an entry level Linux role.

I guess this is my point.....You can get the cert and apply for a job that may not be directly related to Linux administration. Linux is all over the place.....you may not even be a sys admin........you may apply for a InfoSec role and the Linux+ may put you over the top..or Web Dev.....or in aderon's case, networking/linux.....

cowill

NetworkNewb wrote: »

How much harder do you guys think the RHCSA is than the Linux+? To someone with very limited Linux experience. I can't imagine it would take that much longer to study for RHCSA right?

Here is some job board results of Linux certs

Good post.......thanks....