Have A+ and Network+. What's next?

TeeDoubleYa

Hello!

I've been working in IT Support/HelpDesk for a little over a couple years now. A couple of days ago I passed my Network+ exam and am already looking into what my next certification should be.

I really enjoyed studying for my Network+ exam and think working in networking is likely my next step up in the world of IT. I've done a lot of thinking and in the future I'd like to go the route of an IT educator and trainer because I really enjoy teaching others and learning new things.

I have a few thoughts and questions that maybe some more seasoned IT professionals could shed some light on.

1. Should I finish the CompTIA Trio? I have my A+ already and hear it's good to have all three for a solid foundation. IT Security is interesting to me, but am not certain it'll be a long term career goal.

2. Should I go for CCNA Routing and Switching next? A few of my coworkers recommend getting this if I'm serious about going into networking. Would this be the next best certification, or would Security+ have some concepts that would help with CCNA?

3. When should I go for technical trainer certifications? I've heard MCT and CompTIA CTT+ are good certifications for this field. Are there any others? Also, to me it seems it would be most beneficial to have many more years of experience under my belt before exploring the avenue of teaching others. Thoughts?

Thank you in advance for any input!

markulous

Sounds like going with the CCNA would be the best route here. S+ isn't a bad cert but unless there are tons of jobs requiring that cert where you are located, the CCNA is going to have a MUCH better ROI.

Dakinggamer87

I would go for the CCNA if your interested in networking and maybe down the road go more in the trainer/educator role once you have more exposure in the field and experience.

Mooseboost

I'll throw another vote in there for the CCNA.

srabiee

The sooner you move away from CompTIA, the better. Vendor-specific certs are what you need to concentrate on at this point.

GreaterNinja

I recommend you do one of the following:

a. MCSA - Windows 7 (2 exams)
b. MCSA - Windows Server 2012 R2 (3 exams)
c. MCSA - Windows 8
d. CCENT/CCNA - since you just passed Network+ it will be a lot easier now to transition
e. VMware VCA or VCP. VCA is super easy.
f. Linux+ CompTia -- I only recommend this because it gives 3+ linux certifications and a basic understanding of linux administration. It is worth something IMO because you Linux admins are a rare breed.

I would only do Security+ or CASP if you plan to work D.O.D. Typically they require Security+ as a baseline.
If you want to do System Administration or Security its good to have networking and systems knowledge.

Looking at all the options CCNA and VCP will have the highest ROI. MCSA is second to them. Personally from experience I've found CompTIA and Microsoft exams easy to take.

TechGuru80

1. Finish the CompTIA trio with Security+. Even if you do not have a strong interest in Security, all of your Networking configs need to be secure and Security impacts everything.

2. Security+, then probably do the two path CCENT and CCNA exam route. Cisco exams are more difficult than CompTIA, plus you will need to get familiar with the command line interface (CLI).

3. You are a ways off. Not only do you need some type of experience, you need to have passed certifications you would teach. Obviously teaching is a lot of theory but if you do not have the practical knowledge of the real world, what good are your words?

N2IT

If you really enjoy networking then continue down that path. Like others have mentioned Juniper or Cisco might be worth a look.

TeeDoubleYa

Thank you for all the quick feedback on this! I agree that going down the networking path if that's what truly interests me is the best way to go. Part of the reason I got my Network+ was because my A+ was going to expire. Perhaps in a couple years I could pick up S+ in order to extend my A+ and N+ while picking up another cert at the same time.

I think CCNA is what I'll ultimately go for next. I like the idea of going the CCENT route since I don't have a lot of experience with the Cisco IOS. We have a Network Security Specialist at my job that could show me some stuff with Cisco, but I always prefer self-learning along with hands-on training.

I'll put the training certificates on the back burner for awhile. I'm actually a History major, and when I graduated college I pretty much asked myself the same thing when I tried to decide if I wanted to teach right out of college. Will anybody really listen to me without having some experience under my belt? I think working in the field for awhile provides some excellent stories for students as well.

Thanks again!