Just Renewed GSEC

TechGromit

I just renewed my GSEC to the tune of $445, I also ordered the updated Framed certification plaque for another $25, I figure after spending thousands on the course and certification what's another $25 for impressive looking wall decoration.   

cyberguypr

Go big or go home, I like it. Coincidentally, I just renewed my GCFE, like 20 seconds ago. I'm too poor to pay the $25 for the frame. HA!!!

cyberguypr

Afraid to ask because it may be too late, but did you know there's a $40 "discount" active for renewals?

NetworkNewb

cyberguypr said:

Afraid to ask because it may be too late, but did you know there's a $40 "discount" active for renewals?

I don't know about this!   Is there some code you need to enter in at checkout? 

JDMurray

What value do people find in renewing their GIAC certs? Is it because you might be going for the GSE one day and having non-expired certs is required? Are there any other reasons?

Several years ago I considered asking my employer to renew my GSEC and I couldn't come up with a good reason to renew. Having an expired GSEC didn't seem to penalize me in any way. Nobody (except for SANS/GIAC) seemed to care that my GSEC was expired or not.

NetworkNewb

I was actually debating making another thread asking that...   I did some Google searching and seemed like there was a bunch people think that if a certification is expired they act like it doesn't even exist and shouldn't be put on resume.    And some went on to say that putting them on a resume looks like the person is trying to deceive them into making it look like they actually have it.    I would hate to not get a future position over something so trivial.   I do think this cost is a little crazy.

MrsWilliams

cyberguypr said:

Afraid to ask because it may be too late, but did you know there's a $40 "discount" active for renewals?

I guess I am not the only one in the 2 year window. I thought I was the only one who received the email. I don't feel special anymore :

Dear Mrs. Williams,

Did you know your GIAC certification is now up for renewal? Since you're a valued member of the GIAC family, we're giving you the chance to renew now at a special discounted price! For a limited time only, you'll save US$40. yada yada yada

MrsWilliams

JDMurray said:

What value do people find in renewing their GIAC certs? Is it because you might be going for the GSE one day and having non-expired certs is required? Are there any other reasons?

Several years ago I considered asking my employer to renew my GSEC and I couldn't come up with a good reason to renew. Having an expired GSEC didn't seem to penalize me in any way. Nobody (except for SANS/GIAC) seemed to care that my GSEC was expired or not.

Truth be told, one day GIAC certs are going to be 10K+ for training and certification attempt combined (remember I said this). They go up every year. So I figured that I'll get them and renew them...forever?. A few hundred dollars is nothing. A Work Study will cost you way more than that. In my eyes the few hundred dollar renewal fee is like getting/keeping the certification. In the grand scheme of things it's not a lot of money..compared to the person who has to pay 7K for training or 3k or whatever for self-study.. I don't have a problem paying the renewal fees.  I was with a company previously who only had a little less than 6k for training budget annually. The company I am with now has more. I said that to say, that not all big companies are willing to pay 7-8k for training. That is pushing the limit for some. ..especially when it's multiple people in an organization who want to take SANS training. Some companies have a limit per year, that limit for some forces the employee to come out of the pocket. Either way, I personally don't mind. Large organizations (with a budget) usually don't mind paying a good portion of the training, if not all. Large organizations (with a budget) don't mind paying renewal fees. If I request training and I can doctor up the request to make it a job related training that'll help me and benefit the organization it won't be disapproved. The catch is if a company pays 7k for training and you leave 60 days later they want that 7k back. So, it's pros and cons to accepting company provided training. ..which is why sometimes and I mean sometimes I prefer work study. 

I don't want to let something drop that I might potentially need one day. If you are in a competitive market, I suggest keeping the GIAC cert going. If you are not...letting it go can be a thought. 

JDMurray

NetworkNewb said:

I did some Google searching and seemed like there was a bunch people think that if a certification is expired they act like it doesn't even exist and shouldn't be put on resume.

You should get credit for having passed a cert exam at some time in your life just like you do for getting a degree. However, you should note on your resume which of your certs are current or expired. That is only fair to prospective employers who do care about such things.

One precedent in the world of (re-)certification is the DoD implicitly stating (in DoDD 8570) that it only cares about its IA personnel passing the CISSP exam and not getting the full CISSP certification. This also seems to imply that the DoD is not concerned about certification renewal either (or their personnel maintaining Associate of (ISC)2 status) but it probably varies between individual departments.

Moreover, a college degree does not require that you periodically take refresher courses to stay up-to-date on your field(s) of study. However, the concept of periodic re-certification has been around since the first health & safety certs were created in the USA back in the 1950's. Certs are meant to certify current knowledge and skills competency rather than expertise in high-knowledge and history that academic degrees cover. Certs and degrees are functionally very complementary in their academic/workforce pairing. I'm therefore in favor of re-certification as long as the recertification process requires the updating of skills and the learning of new information.

JDMurray

MrsWilliams said:

I don't want to let something drop that I might potentially need one day.

So one day you may encounter a career opportunity that requires you to have certifications that the cert vendor considers to be "current" or "in good standing" and the time and money is worth the effort to you. I can see that.

JoJoCal19

Funny timing of this thread, I just renewed my GSEC a week ago. I opted for the retest as I missed the GIAC Advisory Board by 2% and I've been miffed about it ever since. I'm going to use CPEs for my GCIA as I really am not wanting to retest for that one. Thankfully work picked up the tab. Part of the reason I opt to renew them rather than let them go is because for so long I had dreamed of taking a SANS course and after getting accepted into Work Study, I absolutely loved the experience of attending a SANS course. I also know that with their pricing today, not a chance in hell I'll ever self pay, and Work Study is hard for me to do with my current job. So I'd rather keep what I've got than let them go.

JDMurray

Choosing to retest as a way to get on the GIAC Advisory Board is something that I've never noticed mentioned before. Bravo!

advanex1

I have a hard time justifying SANS course prices. I could sign up to try and do a work study on my off time (I work 3 months on and 2 months off) to pay less, but the whole thing seems like a racket. No doubt their training is great and they have some good recognition with certifications but at some point.. even they have to feel like the pricing is overboard? I mean, they can continue to go up with it because of how they lock down their materials I suppose.

Anyways, congrats on the fancy new plaque. I'm sure it will look good.

iBrokeIT

My employer is willing to pay for "maintaining professional certifications and licensures".  Active professional credentials and our professional development budget are tracked as part our cyber security maturity assessments required by our holding company.

TechGromit

cyberguypr said:

Afraid to ask because it may be too late, but did you know there's a $40 "discount" active for renewals?

Nope, i didn't know about the discount, I didn't know they had discounts for renewals, I'll look for them before renewing my next GAIC

TechGromit

JDMurray said:

What value do people find in renewing their GIAC certs? Is it because you might be going for the GSE one day and having non-expired certs is required? Are there any other reasons?

Pretty much the same reason I took the course and certification test in the first place. Insurance. There was a requirement at one time at my Company that one person at each company location had to have a GIAC related certification for cybersecurity. But they have since dropped this requirement, I believe they were able to get about the government legal / rules requirements by changing there cyber security plan were the Corporate staff at headquarters held GIAC / Security related certifications. Thus my company no longer reimburses for passing certification exams or pay for certification renewals, it's also very difficult to get approved for SANS related training as well now.

Did I have to keep my GIAC certifications current to keep my position? No, I could probably easily become one of those people that never learn another thing at work and skate under the radar for another 15 years till retirement, get my gold watch and pension. Than again the company could reorganize next year, **** the dead weight, "LET THE LAYOFFS BEGIN!". Is it painful to part with $445, I could have used for Drugs and Hookers? (joking) Yes. But remaining relative in my field is far more valuable to me. I'm not looking at maybe looking for another job, but when. If your current on your skills and certifications, look at a Layoff as an opportunity, not something bad.              

LonerVamp

JoJoCal19 said:

Funny timing of this thread, I just renewed my GSEC a week ago. I opted for the retest as I missed the GIAC Advisory Board by 2% and I've been miffed about it ever since.

I was just telling a colleague, getting on the AB is definitely worth it. Always lots of good discussion going on there. And archives to search.