How much of a break do you take between certifications?

I've taken breaks as long as 6 months and as short as 1 day between studying for the next cert.

I find that it is easy for myself to get out of the routine of studying and when I do it is hard to get back into it.

How long of a break do you guys take after passing a cert test before beginning studying for the next one?

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Comments

QHalo

I didn't do a certification until I was 7 years into IT. Then I did CCNA in 3 months and then waited 2 years before starting again. I just finished setting up my 4 switches and my Dynamips lab today to start into CCNP. We're purchasing two 7k Nexus, 2 5k Nexus, and 24 2248's in about 2 month for a migration of our server and core network infrastructure that I'm going to get to be a part of so my studying will probably come to an end while we work on that project. I'm really excited about it though.

creamy_stew

Psoasman wrote: »

I usually take the day of the test off.

Oh, come on!!!!!!!!!!

Psoasman

creamy_stew wrote: »

Oh, come on!!!!!!!!!!

It's true. I try to study a little each day, even if it's only 1/2 hour or so. I like IT, so it's fun for me. I work swing/grave, so I have plenty of time to study. IT changes so fast, you'll get left behind if you aren't careful.

N2IT

Honestly for me it depends on what time of the year it is. When American Football season starts I start wrapping up my studying till January. For me breaks are good and give me an opportunity to focus on other things that are important to me. I like watching my kids do sports and enjoy coming home from work smoking a fat cigar and drinking a cold one with nothing left on my plate till the next working day.

Dynamik brought up a really good point in another post. He mentioned something about why get a ton of certs if you are only going to forget a lot of the material from them. I believe the example he gave was getting your CCNA not using the information and then going onto another cert and another and another, then not being able to display or use the knowledge.

I agree with that 100%. All my certifications are specific to what I want to do. I am doing low level networking, but I am not ramping up for a CCNA or higher.

Paul Boz

It entirely depends on what else is going on in my life. If Things are smooth sailing and I'm established in my job for a while there's almost no gap. I usually study for multiple certs at a time anyway. On the other hand, if I'm at a new job, have some life event, or just feel burned out I may take several months off. I haven't done a cert attempt in almost four months and haven't really studied for any either. I just needed a breather.

jahsoul

For this year, I can honestly say the most I've taken has been 2 weeks (recently for this Project+).

Started this year studying Network+, said screw it, I want Cisco and went straight to CCNA. Stopped studying when I got my help desk position because they were a government contract and wanted Sec+. Started studying and felt that I wanted Cisco to be my main focus. After winging the CIW v5 Fund., I started studying for the CCNA again. Past the exam and went straight into Sec+. Passed and went straight into the 70-680 (blah). After barely making it through that, I started ready the Project+ book and decided to rest. I will start back tomorrow. And then go straight into whats in my signature. I'm also teaching myself Perl and Ruby while reading Counter Hack....Reloaded. I'm going for my C|EH, GCIH, and GCIA next year. (Lord willing).

I've already told my wife it will be worth it in the end. I love that woman!!!

NetworkingStudent

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

I've taken breaks as long as 6 months and as short as 1 day between studying for the next cert.

I find that it is easy for myself to get out of the routine of studying and when I do it is hard to get back into it.

How long of a break do you guys take after passing a cert test before beginning studying for the next one?

There has been no break, because it feels like there is always something new certification on the horizon that I must study for, and get certified in. I pretty much gave up playing video games, and I put that time into studying. When I was studying for the A+, I was thinking about studying for the Network+. Now I’m studying for the Network+, I’m dreaming about studying for the Security+. The new Comptia rule has definitely made me push myself to study harder.
One thing I found that was funny is that my teacher said I’m one of the few, if only students he knew that got A+ certified at our school. He pointed to one of the guys at my school that was in our class, and he said “he has been there for 4-5 years going for his bachelor’s degree and said he didn’t have one certification.” I told him well it takes a lot time and money. I think if I have some certs and degree, that employers will be more willing to give me an entry level IT job. Hopefully that will give me a better edge over a lot of other job candidates that just have degrees.

azjag

I usually start studying for my next cert within a week. Gives me time to research on here what books to use and order them. Right after my SSCP was completed I started the Masters program at WGU. That kept me sane through the waiting period for results.

Chris:/*

dynamik wrote: »

From passing the exam until I finish the drive home (sometimes I stop to eat)

^^
Right there!

Wife made me promise to someday be done with education. I negotiated her down to being done with formal education (PhD).