Anyone ever feel guilty for taking too much time off from certs?

EANx

I look at my current education plans like planning for a Bachelors degree and even figure it'll take four years to do everything I want, with the majority in the CCIE and the masters degree. When you break it into chunks, each with a deliverable, it makes it a lot easier to see progress.

beads

I try to accomplish one larger cert a year and something small that makes sense like a python, or wireshark - nothing Earth shaking but good skill round out type skills. This while I allow old skills to retire and fall off. Otherwise, I'd be paying AMFs on certs I really couldn't care less about. Yes, I am looking at you EC Council.

There is a real difference between having a certification and having the knowledge to actually do something useful outside of passing a test. I can pass tests all day long but will quickly forget the material if I don't regularly use it as well. Part of the reason I am big on actual, provable skill sets rather than worrying about the color of ink on a piece of paper.

The question you should be asking is are your skills progressing at a satisfactory enough pace that the certs are a reflection or a crutch to your career? I have meet far to many people that try to crutch there way through careers with little to no actual skill. There is a difference.

- b/eads

josephandre

the important thing is to constantly tell people what you plan on doing, and also what you have done. that way even when you're slacking they will still be impressed by you and your burning drive

TreySong

yoba222 wrote: »

I once worked with a guy that took 14 years off between certs. He was comfortable with his job and salary. Then he got laid off (so he claimed). We were both in a jr. tech support role, which he had to accept because needed the money and nobody else would hire him. We were at the same salary. That was about when he realized an associate's in electronics from the late 90s and an MCSE from the same era no longer cut it. Doesn't compare to one year--but one year off leads to two years . . .

Yoba22. How are you finding the book you are reading "Head First python". I am thinking of buying it.

TreySong

I live in the UK and it seems we don't really give too much of a care for certs. Before last year, my last cert was in 2010. Then last year i did the Cyber Security Fundaments from ISACA and also sat for the CISSP. Two weeks ago I sat for CEHv9 and tomorrow I am sitting for CCSP. Next will be OSCP in May or early June and on to SLAE in July. I am hoping to get at least seven certifications by the end of the year. I am currently single. So I am grabbing them while I have the time.

NOC-Ninja

I feel guilty not studying like I used to do it on CCIE days. But family, FAMILY will eat your time.

Fulcrum45

My last cert was in Feb of 2016 so I'm right there with you. To make matters worse I'm currently working on a personal project (my first graphic novel) AND I'm trying to study for the 70-410. It's not going so well. When I do get time to work on either, my personal project is so much more fulfilling that it's hard to turn away and focus on my upcoming exam. I may limit my studying at work during lunch and get my drawing in at home.

JoJoCal19

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

But family, FAMILY will eat your time.

Absolutely. After finishing my BS in 2013 and started to focus on certs I decided I would not take time away from my family to study for them so I basically woke up early to study, on lunch breaks and during work when I could, and at night. It's been tough for sure but I wouldn't change it.

DatabaseHead

Eventually you get to a level where certifications don't mean much if anything anymore.

JoJoCal19

DatabaseHead wrote: »

Eventually you get to a level where certifications don't mean much if anything anymore.

I'm technically at that point with my current position, but I haven't obtained all of the certs that CAN still help if I decide to move on in the future (CISM, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, PMP, CCSK/CCSP) related to stuff that I do. And then there's still the aspect of pursuing stuff that doesn't have to do with my current position but is stuff that really interests me and I want to do for personal fulfillment (OSCP, GPEN, AWS). So I've still got a lot of work to do. I do know that after I obtain the ISACA certs, PMP, and CCSK or CCSP, I will be able to just casually work on the other stuff as I'm sure my motivation and drive will decrease.

DatabaseHead

That's a lot of certifications!

Do you list those all on your resume when you apply for positions or shave a few off?

ande0255

I have two bedrooms in my house, the room right at the top of my stairs is my home office / lab, and every night I don't study I see it looming in the dark like a reminder that I took a day off - it's messed up lol.

I will actually turn on my rack going to bed at like 1am thinking ok maybe I'll just get a start on the topic, and at 4am on a work night I am forcing myself to shut off my rack so I can get 3 hours of sleep before work.

So yes, I get terrible guilt in general because I feel I am letting my certifications / knowledge slip, but I have a one up on it because my CCNP Lab stares me right in the face as I drag my tired ass to bed. It is definitely motivation to study immediately after work, because I know otherwise I'll be up half the morning labbing x_x

knownhero

Personally for me now it's maintaining what I already have. I reached my goal of MCSE anything extra is to benefit my work and not me.

Certification seems more like a money grab to MS more than anything.

DatabaseHead

knownhero wrote: »

Personally for me now it's maintaining what I already have. I reached my goal of MCSE anything extra is to benefit my work and not me.

Certification seems more like a money grab to MS more than anything.

I tend to agree with you. I think what you did for instance is a great model for other younger / less experienced folks to follow. By all means go for the heavy hitter, but eventually you have to hit the breaks. I did the same thing and my career is now ASCENDING more than ever......

To each their own but this is how I feel.

UnixGuy

beads wrote: »

I try to accomplish one larger cert a year and something small that makes sense like a python, or wireshark - nothing Earth shaking but good skill round out type skills. This while I allow old skills to retire and fall off. Otherwise, I'd be paying AMFs on certs I really couldn't care less about. Yes, I am looking at you EC Council.

There is a real difference between having a certification and having the knowledge to actually do something useful outside of passing a test. I can pass tests all day long but will quickly forget the material if I don't regularly use it as well. Part of the reason I am big on actual, provable skill sets rather than worrying about the color of ink on a piece of paper.

The question you should be asking is are your skills progressing at a satisfactory enough pace that the certs are a reflection or a crutch to your career? I have meet far to many people that try to crutch there way through careers with little to no actual skill. There is a difference.

- b/eads

+1 you hit the nail on the head!

One big certificate per year that's relevant to your position or to whatever skill you're trying to master is the way to go.

DatabaseHead

One big per year? 20 year career 20 "big certs" sounds compulsive. If I saw that on a resume I would be extremely turned off...... There is no way you can be an expert level in all of those certifications.

I like an applicant who shows laser focus, who has direction and who resume shows progression in one direction. 20 certs kind of goes against that, of course there are exceptions.

E.G. Networking Engineer with 20 Cisco certs..... But let's be honest we aren't talking about that, we are talking about throwing $hit at the wall and seeing what sticks.

NetworkNewb

I dunno, usually people work with multiple technologies and each technology usually has a few "big" certs. I don't see it as being too crazy over 20 years. Not to mention your job and technology is always evolving and changing.

UnixGuy

not too crazy..if you had novel cert that's 15 yrs old you can always take it off your resume because it's no longer relevant.

To me it doesn't have to be a cert, you can say learn Python, do a training course online, and start using the language at work...that's a new valuable skill that you can add to your resume that takes one year to master (roughly speaking..)

ande0255

I should say I feel guilty not studying and broadening my skill set for work, more than I feel guilty about earning the certification itself, that is more just a bonus.

DatabaseHead

Agreed skills are great, continue on..... I personally like to deep dive in a few and stay there, but to each their own. My gripe as in regards to multiple "Deep" certifications, which brings me to a point. How "deep" can these certifications really be, if you are banging them out every year or in some cases even more....

beads

Not sure how "big" a cert the ongoing forensics GIAC certs are for anyone but they are expensive. Thing is like everything else in security forensics changes so fast I really need/want to learn the latest TTP (tools, techniques and procedures) on an annual basis. On the other hand because I don't do this skill set on a daily basis I get rusty learning the new stuff like comparing jellybean to marshmallow. There are serious differences there.

I can hardly wait to take a course on IoT forensics in relation to inbound traffic to my network. There is an area I foresee as having any number of legal, GRC, HR challenges not to mention the technology hurdles associated. I've already had one reported incident with an employee owned IoT device causing problems with a personal phone connected to my network.

So, yeah after a while your going to have to choose whether to stay in the technical arena with all the constant learning curve or be one of those "former technical" people who either never had the skill or couldn't keep up either moving out of the field or "moved up" into management now asking the same inane questions about why we do what we do - daily. Personally, I hate the later group with a passion.

There are doers and then there is management.

- b/eads

shimasensei

Yes I have, but it was mostly due to my crazy job schedule, increased responsibilities, high stress levels and not to mention the crazy commute. Last month I just started a new job with more stable hours, less stress, more pay, and is only 10 minutes away from home (what!? sounds crazy right?). I now have more time to pursue higher level certs and complete my BSIT. Just passed my final CCNP:RS exam yesterday, will be starting on my CISSP before the end of the month, and will be enrolled in WGU by Q3 this year.

JoJoCal19

Well after about 16 months since my last cert, I ended my lazy streak and took and passed the CISM exam today after two weeks of study! Now that I am in study mode I'm going to take advantage of it and go for my CISA at the end of May, PMP at the end of June, and CRISC first week of August. After that I'm sure I'll go back into lazy mode.

UnixGuy

@jojocal 2 weeks of study for CISM is very impressive! Congrats and well done

I'm struggling to get back to on track myself...but will be (hopefully) forced next week