Minimum required for VoIP job

I can't imagine that an employer would require a CCVP before hiring a VoIP tech, considering how in demand VoIP techs are and the number of CCVPs there actually are running around out there. Does anyone know if any lesser qualifications would suffice for an entry-level VoIP individual? Do lesser-qualification-hires ever happen? Does having a CCNA get one consideration in this type of thing?

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keenon

i've seen just a listing for ccna. this is mainly for a intro tech besides the only requirement to start take the vp related classes are ccna.. then the normal progression that is recommended

networker050184

You don't need the certification. Experience is a lot more important than having a certification. I have worked with VoIP for a few years and its really something you have to get in there and work with. It is a technology that behaves totaly different in a lab than a live network. Especialy if you are trying to implement vioce into an existing network. Oh and to answer your question, I don't know of any lower level VoIP certs. Working on your CCVP would proably be a plus when applying for a position that requires VoIP support. I doubt you are going to get anything working specificaly with VoIP with no experience.

Crunchyhippo

networker050184 wrote:

I doubt you are going to get anything working specificaly with VoIP with no experience.

Yes, a well-known conundrum; no job without experience, but how to get experience without a job..... hmm.

Btw, I'm looking at these two classes in school - which would be more beneficial to me in learning VoIP or obtaining my CCVP? Anyone have any recommendations?

CET 2623 Deploying Quality of Service — 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: CET 2620 or CCNA certification. This course provides students with the knowledge and skills required to deploy, manage, configure and troubleshoot Quality of Service (QoS) features. Focus will be upon tuning the enterprise network through use of QoS tools that enable high profile, mission-critical traffic to perform at an optimal level. Four contact hours: three lecture hours; one laboratory hour.

CET 2628 Building Remote Access Networks — 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: CET 2620 or CCNA certification. This course is part of the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) track and an advanced Cisco router course that teaches remote-access such as ISDN and Frame Relay. Hands-on exercises are an integral part of the course. Four contact hours: three lecture hours, one laboratory hour.

mikej412

Crunchyhippo wrote:

Does anyone know if any lesser qualifications would suffice for an entry-level VoIP individual?

A+

It doesn't take that much knowledge or experience to plug in phones at desks (and maybe plug the computers into the phones).

Some companies use temps for large weekend installs.

Crunchyhippo

networker050184 wrote:

You don't need the certification. Experience is a lot more important than having a certification. I have worked with VoIP for a few years and its really something you have to get in there and work with. It is a technology that behaves totaly different in a lab than a live network. Especialy if you are trying to implement vioce into an existing network. Oh and to answer your question, I don't know of any lower level VoIP certs. Working on your CCVP would proably be a plus when applying for a position that requires VoIP support. I doubt you are going to get anything working specificaly with VoIP with no experience.

So how would you recommend breaking into the VoIP field with no VoIP experience? Even with a CCNA?

networker050184

So how would you recommend breaking into the VoIP field with no VoIP experience? Even with a CCNA?

I'd say find a job with a company that uses VoIP. Like mike said it doesn't take much knowledge to plug in a phone. Show some interest and try to get some exposure. Talk to the engineers or admins running the VoIP network and tell them you are interested and thinking of starting your study for the CCVP. Hoepfully they will let you get involved (even though it will probably be minimal). That is how you get your foot in the door. Then you get certifications that GO ALONG WITH your experience and eventually you will be a VoIP expert! There is really no fast track to anything.

hendychow

networker050184 wrote:

So how would you recommend breaking into the VoIP field with no VoIP experience? Even with a CCNA?

I'd say find a job with a company that uses VoIP. Like mike said it doesn't take much knowledge to plug in a phone. Show some interest and try to get some exposure. Talk to the engineers or admins running the VoIP network and tell them you are interested and thinking of starting your study for the CCVP. Hoepfully they will let you get involved (even though it will probably be minimal). That is how you get your foot in the door. Then you get certifications that GO ALONG WITH your experience and eventually you will be a VoIP expert! There is really no fast track to anything.

Hi, are you saying that If someone passes CCVP or some of CCVP exams,
still can't get a job even just a Voip basic administrator job ?

Thanks

mikej412

mariusac wrote:

Hi, are you saying that If someone passes CCVP or some of CCVP exams,
still can't get a job even just a Voip basic administrator job ?

If you can demonstrate the knowledge and skill, then you might get a shot a voice job -- with or without the certification. The hard part is getting your resume "pulled from the pile" -- which is where the CCVP Certification does help.

Since a lot of people take the "easy way" to pass the exams and get the Certification -- no Voice Experience will usually put your resume on the bottom of the "to call pile."

The end customer I'm contracting at now is going the "build your own CCVP" route by sending existing CCNPs to the CCVP classes and the current "Voice Guys" for their CCNAs and CCVPs. The quality of CCVPs we brought in for interviews was ridiculously low and several of them wouldn't have made it through the screening for a CCNA position.

Crunchyhippo

mikej412 wrote:

mariusac wrote:

Hi, are you saying that If someone passes CCVP or some of CCVP exams,
still can't get a job even just a Voip basic administrator job ?

If you can demonstrate the knowledge and skill, then you might get a shot a voice job -- with or without the certification. The hard part is getting your resume "pulled from the pile" -- which is where the CCVP Certification does help.

Since a lot of people take the "easy way" to pass the exams and get the Certification -- no Voice Experience will usually put your resume on the bottom of the "to call pile."

The end customer I'm contracting at now is going the "build your own CCVP" route by sending existing CCNPs to the CCVP classes and the current "Voice Guys" for their CCNAs and CCVPs. The quality of CCVPs we brought in for interviews was ridiculously low and several of them wouldn't have made it through the screening for a CCNA position.

Ok, I sure don't want to be the one who knows next-to-nothing come interview time. It also looks like I'm going to have to volunteer somewhere in order to get some experience. I don't mind - I just need to find someone willing to give a lowly CCNA a chance for some hands-on for a few hours a week. Would you make any general recommendations for where to look or who to ask?

Cucumber

Crunchyhippo wrote:

I can't imagine that an employer would require a CCVP before hiring a VoIP tech, considering how in demand VoIP techs are and the number of CCVPs there actually are running around out there. Does anyone know if any lesser qualifications would suffice for an entry-level VoIP individual? Do lesser-qualification-hires ever happen? Does having a CCNA get one consideration in this type of thing?

Sorry to jump in so late into the discussion, I want to add my 2 cents.

As other have said, a "theory only" CCVP is not fit for a VoIP job. Why? CCVP falls short on some subjects as it does not even touch CRS nor Unity.

Now, what do you need to get an entry level VoIP job? It depends on what IP telephony applications a company is running. Are they using Unity? are they Using IPCC? It also depends on how many support engineers they already have.

Nevertheless the most basic requirements would be theoricaly having at least a CCNA, know the basics of Call Manager/Unity/CRS and have lots of LAB hours using IP Phones. That sounds nice, but let me tell you in real life the most basic requirements would be those activities that are repetitive and that NOBODY wants to do, as they become highly annoying, like:

- Be able to connect IP phones and a PC to them, know a bit of switch configuration should you need to configure the switch port.

- Know the operation of an IP phone and be able to explain it to endusers. Like, how to change the ring tone, configure the speed dial buttons, use the soft buttons for transfers, conferences, pickup calls, meetme conferences etc. This may sound like an easy task to do, but there are some tricky features users usually ask for, like "how do I listen to my voice mail from a different phone than mine?", or "how do I pick up that call if the phone that is ringing is not in my pick up group?" or "I have two calls, how do I join them up to create a conference?" This is where lab time helps, remember, users are nasty beings who await for you to hesitate when answering their questions to jump on your throat, never show them fear.

- Be able to add phones into callmanager, assign extension numbers, reassign extension numbers.

- If using a contact center, be able to generate agents and explain them how to use CAD. Be able to explain supervisors how to use CSD and CHR.

- If using extension mobility, be able to assign passwords and reset passwords.

- If using Unity, be able to add new subscribers and reset passwords.

Thats all the basics chores I can think of. Some other stuff should be handled by more experienced people IMHO.

So I would suggest you getting a lab with at least CM+Unity (rent or get it at school), play with IP phones, read the "Getting Started" guides for CallManager, Unity, and CRS. Read "User guides" for IP phones and other Cisco applications(CAD,CSD,CHR). Read the book "Configuring CallManager and Unity" and forget about gatekeepers.

Good luck.

Lamini

lot of factors into getting a VoIP job. here's one... we recently hired network/voip person with no certs. no degrees. but oh boy does he fly circles around a lot of people in the network/voip realm. 100% experience. doesnt use the same lingo as all the other engineers, but he'll get to the endpoint and has results much faster. boss has no regrets hiring him. though he will have problems getting a raise because of bad at testing and no certs/degrees, hes already making 70k+ and is content

mikej412

Cucumber wrote:

Sorry to jump in so late into the discussion, I want to add my 2 cents.

You're not that late -- and this has got to be at least a buck and a quarters worth.

Lamini wrote:

and is content

And that's the only thing that matters -- hopefully the boss can keep him happy in the future. Sounds like a WIN-WIN situation right now.

Ultimately it comes down to skills, and getting the job done that needs to be done.

Crunchyhippo

Lamini wrote:

lot of factors into getting a VoIP job. here's one... we recently hired network/voip person with no certs. no degrees. but oh boy does he fly circles around a lot of people in the network/voip realm. 100% experience. doesnt use the same lingo as all the other engineers, but he'll get to the endpoint and has results much faster. boss has no regrets hiring him. though he will have problems getting a raise because of bad at testing and no certs/degrees, hes already making 70k+ and is content

I agree with you 100%. I think that experience is King up to a point; then the certs/degrees will carry you much further, including into management, far more quickly and efficiently.