a little advice please...

Mike-Mike

I have my first cert, HDI Support Center Analsyt, I will be taking the ITIL V3 Foundations exam on 9/22. The following week I will have an intro to programming class in the morning, and and a A+/Network+ class in the afternoon. I got Darril's book and will be self studying Security+ on my downtime from classes. Due to financial constraints I had to cut my classes back so these are the only classes I will be having.

I like to have a plan. I sent out several e-mails this weekend to local and major companies trying to find a voluntary internship. I hope to start job hunting in Dec/Jan, and by then hopefully I will have HDI-SCA, ITIL V3 Foundations, A+, Network+, Security+ and my Associates in Business that I already have.

If things go well, I feel like I may be able to tack on another cert before the end of the year. I have some minor networking experience with AT&T when I was a service tech. What's a one test cert? CCENT? Some type of Microsoft?

I know, I know, no one can choose for me what's right for me except for me, and of course there is no one right answer.... but by opinion, what would look better on a person with little or no experience and what's more desireable by an employer at this point?

RobertKaucher

If you are looking to get a foot in the door quickly an MCP or MCTS might be the way to go. Those certs you listed + an MCP or MCTS would be an easy way to get noticed for some sort of support role.

Mike-Mike

thanks dude, what's typically the first MS test?

AlexMR

I took the Cisco route and, man, I love it but it's been incredibly tough to get started. I now the have the CCNA Voice and have studied extensively for the CCNP, both route and switch exams, and I havent been able to find even an internship, maybe because of my lack of experience or maybe because of the fact that the two biggest employers of IT and Cisco professionals in my country and city have not hired a single person for that department (Cisco networking) in almost 2 years.

I think Robert's advice is spot on. If you want to get started soon, Microsoft is the way to go. That's what several people told me long ago and I felt (still feel) more of a Cisco guy.

To answer your last question, there is no order in the exams, at least for the Windows server certifications. I did read and study the Sybext books for the AD and network infrastructure and started with AD, but it wasnt really required. I really liked the books and the content, maybe there's where you should start. The good thing about those is that every exam gives you an MCTS cert and the final gives you the MCITP.

Good luck!

P.D.: Follow your passion. I got my CCNA almost two years ago. If I didnt love networking and Cisco I wouldnt be here studying for the CCNA security and CCNP and thinking about doing the MCITP Server Admin some day... without ever havng got a job in all this time. You really need to think about the worse case scenario and then double it, and think about if you will have the resilience to keep pushing if it materialize it. The only thing that will make you keep going is passion for what you are doing.

RobertKaucher

Mike-Mike wrote: »

thanks dude, what's typically the first MS test?

As Alex mentioned it deppends on your passion. But I am going to make a few assumptions.

Assuming you want to go into a Microsoft IT generalist administrative role within the next 3 years, this is the path I would take if I were starting today:

MCTS: Windows 7 (one exam)
MCITP: EST 7 (one exam + Windows 7)
MCITP: EDA 7 (one exam + Windows 7)
MCP 70-290 (Server 2003)
MCITP: Server Administrator (4 exams)
You should be able to knock those out in a year if you really work hard. 8 exams in ayears is possible.

Once you get the Server Admin I would start on some high level application certs such as SharePoint, SQL Server, System Center, or Exchange. Once I had a couple of those I would complete the MCITP: Enterprise Admin, which would only be two more exams.

That would be my two year plan for certs. You should combine that with a 3 year career plan for how to get hired into the role you want, though. If you look at this as if you were overweight trying to get fit the certification component woiuld be like weightlifting and cardio. It's part that everyone really focuses on and expects to be the most important component. But in reality it is diet (this would be your professional development) that is 75% of the work and is really more important.

Mike-Mike

thanks a lot guys, a lot of info to take in, but much appreciated