Trying to branch into networking, leave CISSP and other certs off resume?

I just finished a short contract overseas (DoD) and am going to be moving back to the U.S. soon (Seattle area) and need to find a job.

My previous salary was about 71k, but I was an Admin for SCCM/Hyper-V and other Windows Server technologies. I'm looking to go into networking and I would like to work at a NOC/Cisco TAC/colocation/Cisco Partner--pretty much anywhere that I can get a lot of experience. I KNOW I'm going to take a salary hit because I need to start at almost an entry level--this isn't a problem. However, I have a degree and a lot of certifications (see to the left), including CISSP, which people seem to think demands a high paying salary.

My question is, should I leave off all of my certs except CCNA, CCENT, and Network+ when applying? What kind of Salary should I be asking for? I have some money saved up so experience is much more important to me right now than salary. I don't want to deter future employers by asking too much, or making them think I will jump ship because i have CISSP

. Any thoughts on how to go about this?

And bonus questions:
Is it weird if I try to contact companies directly and offer to volunteer to do work that nobody wants to do in order to get my foot in the door?
Any advice on finding a job in networking besides mass applications on indeed/monster etc?

Thank you for reading, I really appreciate it.

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Comments

anhtran35

You have a CISSP. That should net you 6 figures here in the DC/VA/MD area.

joshmadakor

anhtran35 wrote: »

You have a CISSP. That should net you 6 figures here in the DC/VA/MD area.

Doing an entry level job in networking? Neat!

OctalDump

I think that you shouldn't necessarily leave out certifications. In your cover letter, phone screen, interview make it clear that you are looking for a transition and are happy to take a more junior role to make that transition. A good employer will understand that, and hopefully also be able to make use of your other skills. It also helps explain the difference in your experience and qualification/skill level. 5+ years in IT and all you have is a CCNA, might raise concerns about competency which really aren't there. And the general work experience is still relevant - working on a team, dealing with issues, politics, projects, budgets, cubicle etiquette and all that generic stuff.

I wouldn't give away my labour for free - it sets up an expectation that your skills aren't valuable (and more broadly, that IT skills are cheap). If you do want to volunteer, then do it through a charity or not for profit. Techsoup is a good option for real volunteer work.

Another option is to transition into networking through a combined role, like system/network administrator, or through network security. Smaller organisations often offer more flexibility in actual duties, so that you could get a combined role to boost up your network chops before going into a network exclusive role.

TheFORCE

Don't leave out any certification.

mbarrett

CISSP is still very relevant to the networking field, even if your focus isn't going to be security. It will show (on paper, at least) that you have been around the block, at least in the security world, and it will separate you (in that regard) from other job-hunters. This makes you a much more well-rounded candidate & shows that you are capable of wearing different hats, which is a big PLUS to 99% of companies.

networker050184

I wouldn't leave it off. I'd leverage it to your advantage. Showing you are technically competent at a high level, even not directly related, is a good thing. I'd definitely prefer to hire someone with proven technical aptitude.

kiki162

Leave the CISSP on there. In order to position yourself right, you may have to take a job outside of networking for a bit. Take a look at the jobs in the area your looking at, and see what their requirements are. Maybe getting your CCNP, or another Cisco cert will help you out. I think you'll be able to get more than $70K with no problem.

You can also look at companies where you'd be able to move internally, or have education benefits to achieve additional certs.

chrisone

If you lack experience in networking but still have overall IT experience along with your current certs. For a networking position I think you should easily net 75-80k easily especially in Seattle.

Do not leave out certs, except the A+ cert. I never add that to my list lol. Also add a goals section on your resume. Managers are impressed with goal driven individuals. State you are working on CCNP and state the specific exam you are working on.

two cents

joshmadakor

Thank you everyone for the advice, it's much appreciated.

The Goals section on the resume is an excellent idea, I don't know why I didn't think of that!

RoyalRaven

I still leave my Office 2000 Master certification on there

Below the CISSP, of course. I wouldn't take the CISSP out for any reason other than if you let it lapse. Shows you put in the effort to get there, plus it's significant for almost everything in DOD 8570.