Planning a Well Deserved Break

Man, it has been grueling... I started at my current employer almost a year ago with some requirements for the first six months... CISSP and MCSE 2003 (was already MCSE 2000), and then once I finish those, they tell me they don't care about MCSE 2003 anymore and want MCITP: EA! And beyond that, I am about as competitive as they come, so I had to start pursuing a professional level Cisco cert and get my CEH! Well, I have passed 13 exams within this time frame and have three more planned through May. It is time for a break.

Come May 2011, I am taking a certification break for the Summer. I still have graduate school stuff going on in addition to work, so it isn't like I am just going to be lazy. That will give me some time to reflect on the value of what I have done and see what value there is in future certs. I plan on pursuing the CCIE Security at some point, and I wouldn't mind knocking out the PMP and perhaps the OSCP.

Anyhow, while I have not earned that break yet, I just wanted to let everyone know that this forum has been a great motivator. Thanks!

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Comments

Essendon

Damn man, it sure is high time for a break. 13 exams, holy moly!

cyberguypr

powerfool wrote: »

...once I finish those, they tell me they don't care about MCSE 2003 anymore and want MCITP: EA!

I don't know how is it that they are still alive.

Great job on those passes!

powerfool

cyberguypr wrote: »

I don't know how is it that they are still alive.

Great job on those passes!

Well, fortunately for all involved, I only had four exams to update from MCSE 2000 to 2003, although I added the security exams in there for the specialty, and then it was three exams to upgrade to MCITP: EA. I took a lot of exams, but really, I added CISSP, updated my Microsoft certs, moved to CCNA Security, and am half way done with CCSP. So, if I am to put the alphabet soup behind my name without listing the redundant lower level minutiae, it is really only...

CISSP, CCNA Security, MCITP Enterprise Administrator

It doesn't seem nearly as impressive when it is boiled down and reduced. Previosuly, I would have put:

MCSE, CCNA

I guess by May it will be:
CISSP, CCSP, CEH, MCITP Enterprise Administrator

That looks a little better.

EDIT: Also, those 13 exams don't include my misses... which were 3... so, I have sat 16 exams since May 30, 2010 (I started studying at the end of March 2010, when I started the new job).

mikedisd2

powerfool wrote: »

they tell me they don't care about MCSE 2003 anymore and want MCITP: EA!

Nooo, it's the beginning of the end.

Say it aint so.

Turgon

powerfool wrote: »

Man, it has been grueling... I started at my current employer almost a year ago with some requirements for the first six months... CISSP and MCSE 2003 (was already MCSE 2000), and then once I finish those, they tell me they don't care about MCSE 2003 anymore and want MCITP: EA! And beyond that, I am about as competitive as they come, so I had to start pursuing a professional level Cisco cert and get my CEH! Well, I have passed 13 exams within this time frame and have three more planned through May. It is time for a break.

Come May 2011, I am taking a certification break for the Summer. I still have graduate school stuff going on in addition to work, so it isn't like I am just going to be lazy. That will give me some time to reflect on the value of what I have done and see what value there is in future certs. I plan on pursuing the CCIE Security at some point, and I wouldn't mind knocking out the PMP and perhaps the OSCP.

Anyhow, while I have not earned that break yet, I just wanted to let everyone know that this forum has been a great motivator. Thanks!

Yeah. Get off the certification treadmill for a while. Divert the energy into your paid work, school and some lifestyle.

powerfool

Turgon wrote: »

Yeah. Get off the certification treadmill for a while. Divert the energy into your paid work, school and some lifestyle.

I am actually starting to put together some training for some non-profits on using the Cisco ASA 5505, so that will be a new activity for me. It is volunteer work, but it will give me some exposure in the event that some of these organizations would rather have me perform the work or some other work, typically at a reduced rate from what I would normally charge.

GoldenKnight

powerfool wrote: »

... I have sat 16 exams since May 30, 2010 (I started studying at the end of March 2010, when I started the new job).

Wow! That certainly is grueling. You definitely deserve a break. Not many people could handle that while working full time too.