Advice request - need cert ideas

jdlush

Greetings to all.
I have a question or 2 but will give the condensed version of my background before asking.

I have been an IT professional for over 12 years, initially on a help desk, then as a Netware admin (obtained my CNE back in 96, A+ not long after). Even though I have no college degree, I went from network manager at a mid-sized shop to IT manager in a small shop after 3 years. Spent 4 years there, then 5 at another place, also small, also as the IT manager. While these were management positions, with budgeting, policies/procedures, audits, etc., they were also very hands on and I did 95% of the work myself. Everything from building PCs & installing software to AD design, server hardware/software config, email, and AS/400 hardware/software. All routers and firewall configs as well.

So here is the dilemma. I left my last job and moved to Pittsburgh with my girlfriend. I have not gotten any certs since the CNE and A+. Now, when looking for jobs I am getting discounted due to the lack of college and the lack of certs is probably not helping. So what do you all recommend? I have taken practice CISSP exams and gotten 70-80% without any studying so I feel I can pass that pretty easily with a study guide or 2. Does anyone else have a CISSP and no college and are they getting hired? Or do you all recommend anything else?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

RobertKaucher

Not being that far away from you, western Ohio, I can say that I know losts of IT pros with no college, just certs, who are employed in admin level positions.

While I believe the CISSP is a valuable cert, its requirements are not something you fulfill in just a few weeks. It is also a bit abstract from an employement perspective. If I were HR and had two resumes that were basically the same but one applicant had CISSP and the other applicant had MCSE I would recognize the MCSE and probably give him/her prefernce.

What I would suggest is that you work on CCENT/CCNA and a combo of Microsft certs like MCSA and MCITP Enterprise Messaging. These jsut seem more practical to me unless you are looking for a job as a security consultant or analyst.

In your position and in this environment I would go for the larger appeal.

Ashenwelt

If you qualify, PMP. That is what I would go for in your shoes. CISSP would be great, but PMP might be something to shoot for.

jdlush

Thanks guys. I was initially leaning towards cissp because I have a lot of experience in info security as the last 3 jobs I held were at banks and we were audited routinely, primarily dealing with customer information security, so I am pretty familiar with that. Well, that and I figured it would be nice to be on the other side of an audit for a change, lol. I will definitely look into pmp tho, I think that can be done online.