What kind of jobs and salary a freshly minted CCIE (security) can expect to find?

luking

Lets say I don't have any real world experience so far as InfoSec field is concerned. I do have Networking and Tier 3 helpesk experience.
What kind of jobs and salary a freshly minted CCIE (security) can expect to find in California or in Toronto area?

gorebrush

Will be tough to even find a job, let alone tell you how much to expect.

As a freshly minted CCIE with no experience I would expect to be taken on cheaper in order to prove yourself.

(In my opinion)

networker050184

With no experience you are basically looking at the same low level jobs and pay as someone without a CCIE. Assuming you actually know what's up you are likely to move up faster though.

Personaly I'd be even less likely to hire someone in that situation. I know they'll be jumping ship the second something better comes along.

BlackBeret

Considering CCIE is supposed to be an expert level certification, no one usually hires someone without the experience to back it up. While I understand there are no mandatory preq's, it's advisable to have 3-5 years experience and to have worked your way up there.

That being said, you'll find there's a big difference in entry level certifications and expert level certifications. Plenty of companies will hire someone for an entry level spot just because they have CCNA. No one is hiring a CCIE without years of experience to back it up. While the CCIE certification may prove that you know more than a guy with CCNA and you would likely be better as an entry level candidate, no one is looking for it as an entry level cert. The problem is if they want an entry level worker, they look for people with CCNA, not CCIE. Without experience you're a lot more likely to find a job with CCNA than with CCIE.

There are always exceptions to the rule, you might find a contract company that has a customer who wants someone with a CCIE, and the contract company will hire you solely because of that cert but that's rare, the companies are cheap and under pay, and you'll be gone in a few months.

Out of curiosity, why are you going after an expert level cert when you have no experience? I understand that no one wants to start at the bottom, and if you feel that you can learn it on your own and do it, you should get paid for it. Once you start getting experience you'll learn that there's a massive gap between book knowledge and experience. Think of it like an iceberg, the very tip is what can be covered in a test, the rest of what's above the water is what can be covered in books and courses, the 2000% extra below the surface is what happens in the real world that you have to see to understand. That's why no one hires "experts" without experience.

Dieg0M

First off, congrats on passing the CCIE Security. This is a great accomplishment and you should be proud in achieving such a hard certification!

Some people tend to think that the CCIE will translate into a certain amount of money or that the CCIE will get them X role once they achieve it. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Most of the time, the CCIE will only help you accelerate your career or break your potential career ceiling. Based on experience, it will take years of experience in a certain role to climb up the pay scale regardless of what education/certifications you have. Depending of your knowledge and certifications/degree, you might be able to climb faster and higher up that ladder. Expert certifications like the CCIE are going to help you climb that ladder faster and make sure you can get into a higher position.
So to answer your question, without any real world experience, on the job market you are basically as worthy as a CCNA. Once you get into a role and prove that you can apply and translate that knowledge that you acquired through the CCIE into business value, then you will most likely get into a better position faster than everyone else.

gorebrush

It would probably have meant $$$$$ back in 2000, but the industry has moved on... quite a lot since then.

Also - Congratulations on passing the CCIE - it is not easy, as I well know.

davenull

Cisco Gold Partners have to have 4 CCIEs on the payroll, I believe. For this reason, CCIE with no experience (is that even possible? anyone done it?) should have an easier time finding a job than a CCNA with no experience I think.

However, I doubt the salary would be on the same level as other CCIEs, with experience.

NOC-Ninja

luking wrote: »

Lets say I don't have any real world experience so far as InfoSec field is concerned. I do have Networking and Tier 3 helpesk experience.
What kind of jobs and salary a freshly minted CCIE (security) can expect to find in California or in Toronto area?

Did you pass the CCIE security?

stryder144

Maybe I read your post wrong, luking, do you already have CCIE R/S and are just looking for info regarding going into an infosec role with the CCIE/Sec without infosec experience?

luking

Thanks everyone for replying.
The congratulations are a bit too early, I am still pre-ccnp.
I am thinking of skipping ccnp and go straight for ccie, Probably mission impossible but worth a challenge.

luking

BlackBeret
Yours is an excellent reply.
I wan to go after the ccie as seems a solid challage and hopefully will help m launch my infosec career at almost same salary that I make now in different field

BlackBeret wrote: »

Considering CCIE is supposed to be an expert level certification, no one usually hires someone without the experience to back it up. While I understand there are no mandatory preq's, it's advisable to have 3-5 years experience and to have worked your way up there.

That being said, you'll find there's a big difference in entry level certifications and expert level certifications. Plenty of companies will hire someone for an entry level spot just because they have CCNA. No one is hiring a CCIE without years of experience to back it up. While the CCIE certification may prove that you know more than a guy with CCNA and you would likely be better as an entry level candidate, no one is looking for it as an entry level cert. The problem is if they want an entry level worker, they look for people with CCNA, not CCIE. Without experience you're a lot more likely to find a job with CCNA than with CCIE.

There are always exceptions to the rule, you might find a contract company that has a customer who wants someone with a CCIE, and the contract company will hire you solely because of that cert but that's rare, the companies are cheap and under pay, and you'll be gone in a few months.

Out of curiosity, why are you going after an expert level cert when you have no experience? I understand that no one wants to start at the bottom, and if you feel that you can learn it on your own and do it, you should get paid for it. Once you start getting experience you'll learn that there's a massive gap between book knowledge and experience. Think of it like an iceberg, the very tip is what can be covered in a test, the rest of what's above the water is what can be covered in books and courses, the 2000% extra below the surface is what happens in the real world that you have to see to understand. That's why no one hires "experts" without experience.

Dieg0M

By the title topic I thought you were a "freshly minted CCIE". Get experience, and study for the CCIE. Good luck.

NOC-Ninja

Freshly minted CCIE that I know have years of experience. Usually, 4-10 years of networking experience.
I cant tell you the pay without experience. Here is a link that will help you.

2014 Q1 CCIE Job Statistics / Average CCIE Starting Salaries by Track