Do I really need cisco cert??

tikotiko

Hi there:

I'm actually in my third year electrical engineering ( Telecommunication option ) .I learned about cisco cert and I'm really thinking to start preparing for CCNA and may be (CCNP or even CCIE I konw it will take probably years but I'm not in rush ),do you guys think this will help me to get a good job after graduation or should I take some others certification. I also would like to know how to prepare for it and how long it might take to finish one certificate.any help from you would be much appreciated.

BTW: I'm 32 years old married with kids.

networker050184

Do you need a Cisco cert? No, but it will help if that is the direction you want to go with your career. If you do not plan on working in a related environment then it won't do you any good.

As far as how long it will take depends on your prior knowledge and how much time you put into studying. Obviously it will take someone starting from scratch longer then someone with a background in Cisco technologies.

Good luck in what ever path you choose!

tikotiko

As for me I will be starting from scratch..(I have no knowledge about cisco equipments ) , and as I said before I'm willing to spend few years doing that....I will really be happy to finish a CCNA before my graduation ( summer 2010 ) and include that on my CV.....do you think it can take more than that knowing that I'm a full time student ( with family )....another thing is CCNA considered a big asset when looking for a job ( for new graduate )...thank you.

27

I studied Electronic, Telecommunications and Computer Engineering in the UK.
I've just passed the CCENT and am currently preparing for the CCNA exam.

At University, we covered the OSI layers but not routing, switching or subnetting.
Because I work in IT (Networks) it's important for me to know this stuff. Hence I am learning it.

My degree course was not really geared towards working in IT but it's broad enough for me to move into a few different fields.

Please let me know if you have any questions I can help with.

LBC90805

I know of a few chaps that weren't Cisco Certified who got to keep their jobs after the IT Bust after Y2K! Everybody else in their shop who were Cisco Certified, and getting paid more money because of it, got the AXE.

CCIEWANNABE

depends. for me, i see a certification as an achievement, a goal. i'm not saying you can't have goals in the IT field without trying to acheive a certification, but they do hold value with many employers. there is so much study material out today to help get certified. just look at how much a ccie makes on average and it is over 100k. thats doctor money without having to pay malpractice insurance if that doesn't inspire you to get motivated i don't know what will.

27

CC?PWANNABE wrote:

depends. for me, i see a certification as an achievement, a goal. i'm not saying you can't have goals in the IT field without trying to acheive a certification, but they do hold value with many employers. there is so much study material out today to help get certified. just look at how much a ccie makes on average and it is over 100k. thats doctor money without having to pay malpractice insurance if that doesn't inspire you to get motivated i don't know what will.

Kaminsky

The Cisco Cert will help teach the practical and application as opposed to any dry networking theory you may get on your course. Networking theory at that level can be pretty dry. Mine were usually first thing in a Monday morning and last thing on a Friday afternoon so staying awake was a real issue. Didn't help the lecturer was very quiet and monotone as well which made it even worse. For instance, CCNA OSI layers goes nowhere near as deep as a degree level networking theory on the same topic. If you were studying networking, the CCNA would actually help support your theoretical studies as well.

The one thing I think you are not considering is that you are going to be in a deep sudy state for a few years so going through the CCNA won't really impact you that much if you take it in reasonable chunks.

Also, working as a Comms guy myself, I would suggest after the CCNA, going for CCDA instead of CCNP. I find that design is quite relevent to the role of a telecomms engineer. Not so much in the role of the local telco like installation engineer but more in the role of a comms manager bringing in different types of circuits across different mediums on a weekly basis. CCDA would really help there.

famosbrown

If you are really gung ho, just skip the associate and professional certs and go straight for the CCIE . Unless the requirements have changed in the last few months, there is no prerequisite certifications required for it.

kryolla

If you are getting a Bachelors in EE then you don't need a CCNA level cert to get your foot in the door your degree should be good enough if not more for an entry level job then work on the certs or grad school. College degree will pay more than certs in my opinion especially if you want to move into manangement.

CCIEWANNABE

kryolla wrote:

If you are getting a Bachelors in EE then you don't need a CCNA level cert to get your foot in the door your degree should be good enough if not more for an entry level job then work on the certs or grad school. College degree will pay more than certs in my opinion especially if you want to move into manangement.

while i agree with your statement, one must weigh in the cost to obtain a degree. it will cost you more than 30 grand to get a good bachelor's degree in EE, so you must weigh in how long you will be paying this loan back and the interest you will acquire. now, for instance say you get your ccnp, which will cost a lot less money to obtain (at the most 2 grand). and lets say "joe" gets his bachelors degree in EE. say you both apply for the same NOC position and both have no other experience. I guarantee you the hiring manager will pick the CCNP 9 times out of 10. I'm not trying to knock people with degrees, because i have one, but i'm just saying the industry in my opinion favors certs over degrees, unless you are applying for a management position, then you will need a degree. but every "technical" IT position sees certs as being more valuable, that's the whole purpose for them and why they hold so much weight in IT.

Again, I'm not trying to bash people pursuing degrees, so please don't take it that way. I think having a degree is a great foundation. I think your best bet is to have both

good luck with your studies.

famosbrown

One question....

Why would a EE major want to go work for a NOC or do CCNA/P work?

Shouldn't they be out with the computer engineers building, sesigning, and improving the router/switch hardware themselves or building better computers for automobiles...you know...that engineering type stuff??

Just something to think about when those go for a degree. If your purpose in getting a degree is for management, get a degree in a Business related field or a General I.T. related field with some Business emphasis if it's I.T. management you are looking for .