Where do you think i should start?

ammour86

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering if you guys can give me some advise.

I am actually a hotel management student, however, i am interested a lot in IT.

I have done my internship in the IT department of a hotel and went through a basic training on running an IT department managing a Windows 2003 Network of about 250 users. I am familiar with the big picture of how these systems work now.

So IT being one of my major interests, i thought I'll need some sort of certification if i ever needed to work in that field in the future, and some friends advised me to do the MCSE.

I have looked at the program and my plan is to self train myself throughout it.

What i need you help with is advise on where to start. Which exam i should do first and which exams i should do last so that i can slowly build up on my knowledge rather than starting at a point where i would get confused.

Can you help me?
Thank you,
Amro

sprkymrk

Welcome to the site ammour86.

I would suggest starting with some basics like Network+ and A+, which can then later be applied as an elective to the MCSA. That will give you a real good grounding for anywhere you decide to go from there. I would then suggest doing 70-270 for XP (unless you prefer working with Vista) followed by 70-290 for Server 2003. That should be a good start, as you'll only be one exam away from MCSA. Then MCSE is just around the corner!

Good luck.

NinjaBoy

Like sprkymrk said do your A+, N+, MCDST and maybe up to the MCSA. Once you get industry experience, then go for your MCSE. Remember:

Microsoft wrote:

MCSE candidates should also have at least one year of experience implementing and administering network operating systems and desktop operating systems.

And this doesn't mean helpdesk. Professional certification should reflect your job role and responibilities and not just gotten for a hobby. If you want to delve into IT/Computing without working in IT, try a part-time degree/diploma course they you can do either in the evenings or online.

I'm not trying to put you off, I just wanted to explain my opinion.

-ken

dstock7337

ammour86,

Welcome! The path to and through IT is different for everyone. What works for some may not work for others.

I personally took some college courses in CIS (Computer Information Systems- a hybrid between Comp Science and Business Admin). I ended up earning as Associates Degree in CIS (VB.NET programming of all things). The only work I could get was my break as an intern for a City Gov't's IT department. As an intern, I performed tasks of a full-time helpdesk/desktop support tech. I had to support everything from copiers, printers, Desktop PC hardware/software, cell phones, PDAs, laptops, anything the full-time people didn't want to do.

Although this experience sucked at times, it was experience nevertheless. That work helped me land a full-time analyst job and then to my current position as an network administrator (which I have many duties under). Working my way up, I worked on certification exams relevant to the job I wanted to earn.

I would really suggest taking some college classes and finding some kind of internship (paid preferred but anything really helps). Internships land you the worst work but the experience is most rewarding in the long haul. Now days, IT trends are for you to wear multiple hats.
The classes will help you gain knowledge, but any IT work will give you insight to how an IT/IS department operates. I've found that I learned more from hands-on day-to-day operations and work than I ever learned in school (which I'm still in school for my BA degree in CIS).

Sorry if this is long winded but get some exp and classes done to see if this is really what you'd like to do. Just remember, there are so many different technologies in IT. You can be a programmer, an analyst (and so many different flavors of analysts), a network engineer, network admin, systems admin, systems engineer, LAN admin, WAN admin, desktop support, etc....
Also check out Monster.com/other job listings to what Employers are asking for, it'll help guide to what skillsets you should work on.

Hope this helps!

ammour86

Thanks for the advise guys!

None of you put me off...you're honest opinion is exactly what i was asking for.

The thing is that i do not have time to go to college classes due to the fact that I'm starting my last year of my Bsc degree soon...so if i want to get anywhere...i will have to do it during my evenings by myself. Which is fine by me.

Now that i have taken a loot at the MCDST and MCSA, i realize that i would have been making a mistake going for an MCSE certification right away. I just went for it in the beginning because thats what my IT friends i worked with told me about.

I'm sure I'll be able to find something that will be suitable for a starting point now...

Thanks again for the advise...

Amro