To renew or not to renew?

Arod95

This is my question. Seriously though before I start I just want to thank everyone in these forums from helping when I first started years ago. Currently I'm working for an IT company that handles small business services calls from things as small as setting up email in outlook to setting up VPN's and entire server setups. The other equipment I work with are Macs/Windows workstations, IP cameras, firewalls, merchant services, audio/video, and anything network related. My current job do not really care about certifications so my question is going to be based off advancement to a new job in the future (2 years time). My CompTIA certs (the trio) are going to expire in February next year, but I don't know if I should go through the trouble of renewing them or just go for something better. Only other active cert I have is MCSA:2008 but at this point I only deal with 2012R2 or higher with servers. So in short should I keep my trio active, or if you think I should let them go and move on what would you recommend? (Also for reference I'm trying to stay in the system admin path)

Thank you for any advice ahead of time you guys have been great!

636-555-3226

If you're going to be using certs to put in a resume or convince people to hire you, it's always good to have fresh certs relating to the technology they're using and the skills they're looking for. 2008 is old, i'd get newer. comptia is good for entry-level spots, but might not be as valuable if you're looking for a non-entry level position

scaredoftests

Plus, CompTIA lets you have Continuing Education Units so that you can renew without having to take another cert test. 40 hours for the security +. I am renewed until 2018.

TechGromit

While I can understand the logic, I have a job and they don't care about certs, why do I need to keep paying to keep them current? One of the main advantages of having certifications is it make you more marketable when looking for a job. It kind like saying, My ship the "Titanic" is cruising along at top speed, the sky's are clear and the future looks bright. (IE I have a great job that pays well and is secure) Why should we waste deck space with these life boats and life jackets. (IE certifications). It's only after the ship unexpectedly hits an iceberg, and sinks you think, gee with I had more lifeboats and life jackets.

I certainly wouldn't keep outdated certs current, like Server 2003, but I would think long and hard before giving up hard earned certifications, when often keeping them current is minimal cost and effort.

NetworkNewb

I'd probably go for the Microsoft 70-744 exam. Which would renew all of your Comptia certs and knock out one of the test for the MSCE: Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. Since it sounds like going for an MSCE would be your next step.

https://certification.comptia.org/continuing-education/renewothers/renewing-security

yoba222

You went through the trouble of studying for and earning them. Might as well keep them around for insurance until you get better ones.

joegrane

Have you spoken to coworkers and even some people above you where you currently work?

Wouldn't it be a better use of your time to study MS Server 2016, VM or storage technologies? What do you want to be doing five years from now?

Many years ago I earned A+, Security+, Cisco CCNA, MCSA Server 2000, INet+, etc. My most recent employer did not require certs but I occasionally took a Brainbench.com cert just to show I was still studying. I also had a major health setback for a number of years, but thankfully that is now behind me.

Now I am unemployed and my resume's cert section definitely looks dated. I'm planning to add the Comptia Server+ in the coming days to help patch up that section of the resume. It covers some of the material from A+ N+ Security+. It includes some material from their former Storage+ cert and some Linux and cloud concepts. It is for low-level server support techs. I'm hoping it is a way for me to show that I've not forgotten the meat of the certs I passed years ago and show that I'm still intelligent enough to pass a cert test! I'm not a young guy.

I'll proceed to a MS test next, probably a Server 2012 test.