Where Am I Standing?

I am in school right now studying for my A+ os exam. At the end of the year I will have passed my A+ hardware and software, my mcse, windows server 2003, and maybe my n+ or ccna. Would I qualify for more than an entry level job although it would be my first real IT job? I will also be doing internships in various places. Could someone also list some possible jobs i could do with these certs?

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bighornsheep

c_luv wrote:

I am in school right now studying for my A+ os exam. At the end of the year I will have passed my A+ hardware and software, my mcse, windows server 2003, and maybe my n+ or ccna.

How do you plan to find time for your school, 2 exams for A+, 7 exams for mcse, 2,3 exams for N+ and ccna?

And you want to do this in 2 months?

I'm still in school also, and I'm finding it very difficult to balance part-time work, full time school, and hoping to get 2 exams done by christmas for mcsa....

I dont know man, that sounds like a little too much for such a short time.

c_luv

i didn't mean by the end of 2006, i meant by the end of the school year. I also accidentally put mcse. Im only taking 2 microsoft tests, i forgot the names.

wizarddeath

c_luv wrote:

I am in school right now studying for my A+ os exam. At the end of the year I will have passed my A+ hardware and software, my mcse, windows server 2003, and maybe my n+ or ccna. Would I qualify for more than an entry level job although it would be my first real IT job? I will also be doing internships in various places. Could someone also list some possible jobs i could do with these certs?

I have my CCNA, and now working on some Microsoft exams. As my teacher who told us about our CCNA. It looks good, but you wont use it for a year or 2, unless you get EXTREMELY lucky.

Example(I just like his analogy), a teenage just got his license, so he a license to operate your 200,000$ Porsche, but would you let him? Kind of how a company would feel letting a fresh CCNA or MCSE operate there network/AD and things.

c_luv

I should also mention that i go to a tech class, and im here for 8 hours a day.

mikej412

Probably the same jobs you could do without the certifications.

If you're getting that many certifications in that short of a time from a "school" without having had a real IT job -- something isn't quite right.

Education, experience, and certifications can all be important to getting that first real IT job -- and the certifications may get your resume pulled from a stack -- but "cramming" to pass exams doesn't really count as education or experience.

You did talk to "graduates" of this school before you signed up, right? Preferably someone not being paid to pretend to be a graduate.

Good Luck -- but if it sound too good to be true, it probably is.

There was a "scam school" that cost big $$$ in California -- those guys "studied" 12-14 hours a day.

bighornsheep

c_luv wrote:

I should also mention that i go to a tech class, and im here for 8 hours a day.

Where are you at in terms of schooling? You got a long way to go? Or are you finishing up?

Knowing that CCNA is probably the hardest in your list of exams, and the fact that it expires, I would do that last.

Any reason why you wish to pursue A+ when it seems you wish to go into networks?

If your classes are related to Microsoft technologies, I would probably focus on MS exams, and perhaps your network+.

Good luck.

c_luv

I thought that from the beginning that 8 certs in 9 months would be kinda rough and maybe a few too many, but i did talk to some graduates of this class and they seem pretty well off. With only one still working help desk. Anyway, I need all the advice i can get right now because i dont want to start off my IT career in a bad way.

Smallguy

you will problaby get an entry levle job donig helpdesk in all honesty if your lucky yuo mgiht land a junior position but ths isn't likely with out much real world exp

your certs might be doable I di the following
A+
Net+
270
290 from september 05 - july 05
honues diploma from a tech school

that being I knew most of the A+ stuff, knew basic Net+ stuff .. supported XP for a year the only thing really 100% new to me was the server 2003 (290) and even some of those concepts carried over.

if I were you I'd do exactly what I did get your A+ then your Net + then your 270 .. then your 290... if you complete all of those then look at either finishing your MCSA (what I'm doing) or get your CCNA. the reason I say hold offon your CCNA is if you get it but do not touch any cisco gear for 2-3 years you'll forgt most of it.... plus you will have to re-cert any ways. Although Cisco is great equipment it is also expensive so not alot of smaller companies can afford it.

IMO you should wait till your in an environment that uses cisco gear then get certified unless you have a connection to get into one and being a CCNA will get you there.

a cert you will not use is expensive especially with Cisco and forcing you to recertify

also consider the MCDST track as it is goo for troubleshooting XP, IE and outlook express issues and the methods can be use or anything really.

c_luv

christmas will be my halfway mark for 1 year of school. I have passed A+ hardware. the software i will take in two weeks, and then the two microsoft tests should be done by christmas. The second semester will be my server 2003 and probably N+.

mikej412

c_luv wrote:

i didn't mean by the end of 2006, i meant by the end of the school year. I also accidentally put mcse. Im only taking 2 microsoft tests, i forgot the names.

April? May?

Oh -- in that case, if you are doing this school full time, and studying at night -- then it just sounds like one of those schools that costs lots of money and exists to make money.

You might learn something.

And you still might only qualify for an entry level position at an electronic/computer superstore fixing/selling PCs. And you could have just done that with a self-study A+ probably a lot cheaper. Even taking A+ classes at a Community College would probably only be $$$ <-- in the hundreds of dollars.

How much are you paying for this school? $$$$ or $$$$$

Have you talked to previous students, kids in the classes "ahead of you?" Did they get internships?

Plantwiz

mikej412 wrote:

Probably the same jobs you could do without the certifications.

If you're getting that many certifications in that short of a time from a "school" without having had a real IT job -- something isn't quite right.

Education, experience, and certifications can all be important to getting that first real IT job -- and the certifications may get your resume pulled from a stack -- but "cramming" to pass exams doesn't really count as education or experience. .....

Agreed. You are likely not much more employable after all this then just prior to. Just depends on the market you are in, but an MSCE without experience is pretty useless in a corporate job unless they can be brought in as an apprentice...or perhaps you start your own business. I've not spoken with many Enterprise level companies who are willing to take a shot one a person fresh from school to run the show. They are willing to hire and 'train' you but not to be the lead.

You may find differently, but even for us, people start and learn the atmosphere as well as work closely with more senior people. Losing client data is not good, neither is sending a tech to a location and they are unable to resolve the clients connection problem, printer issue, data recovery, etc... the first time they get there. You have to know what you are doing and people need to trust your work so....you will likely be proving yourself at an entry-level position.

NOW, you may not stay in that entry-level position for long (depends on your attitude and knowledge), so keep an open mind and show them what you CAN do!

c_luv

I want to thank everyone for their advice today. It really put things into perspective for me.

sharptech

I really get disapointed when people rush through the certs etc..

I am glad you are taking classes - however you need to know what you are studying and not memorizing because this will do you no good in the "real world" environment.

You need experience and that is going to be more valuable then certs.

Good luck

blargoe

c_luv wrote:

Would I qualify for more than an entry level job although it would be my first real IT job?

No.