CCNA Security or CCNP R&S ?

I have Boson practice exams and access to the Boson practice labs for CCNA Security. Unfortunately, I don't know what path I'm going to take in IT at this point. Networking interests me the most, but of course we can't always go where our interests lie. As of right now, I'm unemployed so I'll likely take whatever job I can get, even if it's just pulling weeds in someone's yard.

On one hand, I have training materials for CCNA Security. But on the other hand, I still have to pay $650 out of pocket for the exams (assuming 1 fail, 1 pass). Would it be better to just press forward on CCNP R&S?

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joelsfood

Do you have your CCENT? If not, you need that before you can get your CCNA security anyway. I'd probably lean towards R&S

packetphilter

joelsfood wrote: »

Do you have your CCENT? If not, you need that before you can get your CCNA security anyway. I'd probably lean towards R&S

Yeah, I have CCENT and CCNA R&S. That was where I left off before I went the security route. Got a few security certs and worked for a security start-up for a while before realizing it was all wrong for me.

EANx

What's the demand for in your area? For someone unemployed, adding two more exams, even assuming passing on the first try, is a significant expense.

yoba222

If you already have a CCNA R&S and you're unemployed, I have strong doubts that adding a CCNA security will make the difference in gaining a job. CCNP might--but that's three exams and several months of commitment.

I think instead of either, better to get a job first and then work out your next cert. Plus that way you can take advantage of the job's work environment and any cert reimbursement plans to shape that cert study decision.

packetphilter

yoba222 wrote: »

I think instead of either, better to get a job first and then work out your next cert.

Yeah, but I need something to study while I'm looking. I don't necessarily have to take the exams while unemployed, but I want to be working toward something. I feel like I have a lot more power over learning than I do over whether or not I have a job.

packetphilter

EANx wrote: »

What's the demand for in your area? For someone unemployed, adding two more exams, even assuming passing on the first try, is a significant expense.

I live in a major tech hub, so pretty much everything is in demand around here. I just suck at getting jobs.

EANx

packetphilter wrote: »

I live in a major tech hub, so pretty much everything is in demand around here. I just suck at getting jobs.

I've known several people in that situation, it's not that they didn't have skills or experience; the people they had previously worked for loved them. Rather the problem was marketing and presentation. If you're in a hub with lots of jobs, I'd suggest you take a solid look at your resume style instead of raking up more certs that will be ignored. Are you trying to be fancy? Is your resume more than two pages (more than one with less than seven years experience)? Are you listing what you think makes you impressive instead of what the manager would be looking for? (and honestly, that last line makes me rethink a certain part of my own resume so thank you.)