Options
What was "the big cert" that got you a huge bump in salary?
olaHalo
Member Posts: 748 ■■■■□□□□□□
Just wondering what specific certification that you high level guys earned that helped you get out of the mid level range and get a nice bump in pay.
Obviously I realize there are many other factors, but just from a certification standpoint I'm wondering what made the difference?
People that I know personally always tell me the same two certs helped them greatly; CCNP or CISSP.
Obviously I realize there are many other factors, but just from a certification standpoint I'm wondering what made the difference?
People that I know personally always tell me the same two certs helped them greatly; CCNP or CISSP.
Comments
-
Options
JoJoCal19
Mod Posts: 2,835 Mod
CISSP is the one that gets me the phone calls. I had no luck until obtaining it and all of a sudden the floodgates opened. Made two job changes within a year afterwards and increased my salary 44.5% over where it was prior to obtaining it. To be clear, they cert was the key to the HR gates, and not a magic bullet for getting the jobs.Have: CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, eJPT, GCIA, GSEC, CCSP, CCSK, AWS CSAA, AWS CCP, OCI Foundations Associate, ITIL-F, MS Cyber Security - USF, BSBA - UF, MSISA - WGU
Currently Working On: Python, OSCP Prep
Next Up: OSCP
Studying: Code Academy (Python), Bash Scripting, Virtual Hacking Lab Coursework -
Options
gespenstern
Member Posts: 1,243 ■■■■■■■■□□
GSE is probably the biggest cert I can think of. But it's pricey and many exams leading to it are open book, so I won't bother, unless employer pays. -
Options
phantasm
Member Posts: 995
The CCNP has gotten me some calls from some big tech companies... but no huge bump in salary anywhere."No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." -Heraclitus -
Options
The_Expert
Member Posts: 136
CCENT... probably, because folks see that I have started down the Cisco track.
Of course, that is probably not the only factor in my recent bump (70% increase).Masters, Public Administration (MPA), Bachelor of Science, 20+ years of technical experience.
Studying on again, off again... -
Options
TLeTourneau
Member Posts: 616 ■■■■■■■■□□
At the time I got it the MCITP:EA probably generated the most contacts and definitely had an impact in receiving interviews. The CCNA didn't hurt either but I work mostly in systems not networks.Thanks, Tom
M.S. - Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
B.S: IT - Network Design & Management -
Options
Dakinggamer87
Member Posts: 4,016 ■■■■■■■■□□
Mostly experience in combination with some virtualization certs: VCP, VCP-Cloud helped double my salary!!
*Associate's of Applied Sciences degree in Information Technology-Network Systems Administration
*Bachelor's of Science: Information Technology - Security, Master's of Science: Information Technology - Management
Matthew 6:33 - "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."
Certs/Business Licenses In Progress: AWS Solutions Architect, Series 6, Series 63 -
Options
emerald_octane
Member Posts: 613
cissp.
The best part about it is that there are so many people hoping to become CISSPs but want to hit that keyword so they're like "CISSP course taken" or "CISSP Books purchased" right on the resume. I'm certain this is the case for any job req that asks for CISSP (1%-5% actual attainment). Because the CISSPs at other organizations are usually payed well enough at their current employer so they have no need to leave (from what I can tell).
So when one a legitimate one is found it gets people's attention. -
Options
OfWolfAndMan
Member Posts: 923 ■■■■□□□□□□
The HCSN (Human certified salary negotiator) was the cert that got me a bump in my pay
:study:Reading: Lab Books, Ansible Documentation, Python Cookbook 2018 Goals: More Ansible/Python work for Automation, IPSpace Automation Course [X], Build Jenkins Framework for Network Automation [] -
Options
E Double U
Member Posts: 2,232 ■■■■■■■■■■
No huge pay bump yet, but recruiters contact me daily since adding CISSP to my online profile.Alphabet soup from (ISC)2, ISACA, GIAC, EC-Council, Microsoft, ITIL, Cisco, Scrum, CompTIA, AWS -
Options
Blackout
Member Posts: 512 ■■■■□□□□□□
I don't have one, but I believe CCIE is one of those that would generate a pretty darn big jumpCurrent Certification Path: CCNA, CCNP Security, CCDA, CCIE Security
"Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect"
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi -
Optionsrjon17469
Member Posts: 52 ■■■□□□□□□□
I got my CCNA, CCNP, and CCDA, all of which netted me about a 5% bump in salary. Then got my CCIE, at which point I got much, much more.
Just passed the CISSP exam but haven't completed the endorsement process yet, so I can't comment on that one yet. -
Optionsbpenn
Member Posts: 499
In the government world, most of my buddies got big salary increases when they completed their degree(s). When I finish mine, I will get a nice bump."If your dreams dont scare you - they ain't big enough" - Life of Dillon
-
Options
beads
Member Posts: 1,531 ■■■■■■■■■□
Experience over certifications have been far more consistent in the pay department than any certification has been. I can walk the walk but have meet most cert owners only to talk the talk - and not much else.
- b/eads -
Optionsgoatama
Member Posts: 181
My degree. I realize this is not what most people want to hear, but I have lots of certs, however for the most part I wasn't getting anywhere with my career until I finished my degree. Don't get me wrong, I was getting good experience, but it wasn't what I wanted to be doing. It wasn't until I got my Bachelor's that I got several hits almost immediately, all of them offering substantially more than I was making, and in security which is where I wanted to be.
Of course this is just my $0.02 and YMMV, et cetera.WGU - MSISA - Done!!
Next up: eCPPT, eWDP, eWPT, eMAPT -
OptionsGoodBishop
Member Posts: 359 ■■■■□□□□□□
CISSP/CRISC/CGEIT combo.
100% increase in salary. But of course I had the experience as well. -
Options
kohr-ah
Member Posts: 1,277
My degree.
No argument there. That is why I want to get my bachelors but need to wait until next year. I am fortunate enough that the associates has helped me get this far. -
Optionstechfiend
Member Posts: 1,481 ■■■■□□□□□□
I hope a BS degree is what does it for me too. Having the CCNA only for a few business days I've been pursued for some interesting sys admin positions. MCP\MCSA before I graduate might help too. I'm a SMB sys admin currently, almost every recruiter pursuing me for the past few months has been for tier 1 help desk.2018 AWS Solutions Architect - Associate (Apr) 2017 VCAP6-DCV Deploy (Oct) 2016 Storage+ (Jan)
2015 Start WGU (Feb) Net+ (Feb) Sec+ (Mar) Project+ (Apr) Other WGU (Jun) CCENT (Jul) CCNA (Aug) CCNA Security (Aug) MCP 2012 (Sep) MCSA 2012 (Oct) Linux+ (Nov) Capstone/BS (Nov) VCP6-DCV (Dec) ITILF (Dec) -
Options
Essendon
Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
70% bump with the VCAP5-DCD and I also switched jobs. -
Optionschanakyajupudi
Member Posts: 712
50% bump after passing the two AWS Associate Level Certifications.Work In Progress - RHCA [ ] Certified Cloud Security Professional [ ] GMON/GWAPT if Work Study is accepted [ ]
http://adarsh.amazonwebservices.ninja -
Options
jdancer
Member Posts: 482 ■■■■□□□□□□
CCNA Security for the network security bits but I mostly do VMware/Red Hat administration. I deal a lot securing network protocols and PKI. -
Options
pevangel
Member Posts: 342
CCNP helped me get into my first networking role and has served me well. My salary has gone up 200+% since then. -
Options
zxbane
Member Posts: 740 ■■■■□□□□□□
As many others have said the CISSP was the real game changer for me. I'm assuming finishing up my MBA has helped some as well. -
OptionsolaHalo
Member Posts: 748 ■■■■□□□□□□
70% bump with the VCAP5-DCD and I also switched jobs.
All my buddies who have this make a lot more than I do. -
Options
DoubleNNs
Member Posts: 2,015 ■■■■■□□□□□
chanakyajupudi wrote: »50% bump after passing the two AWS Associate Level Certifications.
Glad to see AWS on this list, as it's a technology I'm currently interested in learning.
I'm hoping someone had a good experience w/ one of the Red Hat certs giving a big pay bump as well...Goals for 2018:
Certs: RHCSA, LFCS: Ubuntu, CNCF CKA, CNCF CKAD | AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, AWS Solutions Architect Pro, AWS Certified Security Specialist, GCP Professional Cloud Architect
Learn: Terraform, Kubernetes, Prometheus & Golang | Improve: Docker, Python Programming
To-do | In Progress | Completed -
Optionsccie14023
Member Posts: 183
CCIE, but that was back before everyone and their grandmother had one...
-
Options
jibbajabba
Member Posts: 4,317 ■■■■■■■■□□
None. Never got a raise. Always had to change jobs to earn more. I find it amazing how many companies think it is taken for granted to ask for my credentials in order to earn competencies, whether they supported me in getting those certs or not.My own knowledge base made public: http://open902.com
-
Options
Xavor
Member Posts: 161
Finished my BS and VCP within 6 months which allowed me to apply internally for a "cloud" related position which netted a 35% pay increase in the same area.
I rarely touch VMware now, but deal with Linux. If I job hopped I could get another 10% easy, but location is decent for me atm. -
OptionsEssendon
Member Posts: 4,546 ■■■■■■■■■■
Good thread, but generally, and I'm sure you know it, it's not just the cert, it's the knowledge gained and experience earned during the process that nets the cash.All my buddies who have this make a lot more than I do.
