After passing CCENT CCNA then what?

I have not passed or taken either exam yet. I didnt think I could pass the exams but I went after subnetting first and after a few weeks I get it so now Im just going to go for it.

I have a 2 year degree in buisness with some expierence in IT / troubleshooting but most of it is outside plant telephone lines related to DSL working for a major telephone company, the big V.

I wouldnt expect to be running a noc dept after passing ccent and ccna but was wondering what kind of jobs should I be going after realistically and in what pay range. Should I expect to take a job at i dunno $14 an hour and kinda work myself up the ladder. I would be a paycut but I'd definitly do it.

I keep hearing you can make over hundred grand a year. Im sure your not making that right out of the gate. That would be nice but I dont need a hundred grand a year. Its really not about the money. I just want some job security , career where I can work anywhere in the country and I like the idea of working on networks and computers and stuff.

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Comments

mikej412

Start reading Network Warrior. Get a Job. Get Experience. Learn more stuff and get more Certifications and/or Education. Get a better Job. Get more Education and rack up even more Experience. Get an even better Job. Learn even more stuff... etc.

If you maximize your combination of Education, Certifications, and Experience -- along with your people/networking skills and some luck -- then you maximize your opportunities for an IT Career.

Apply for any reasonable sounding job you can find that you think could start/advance your IT Career.

sthompson86

To the OP - I have been wondering about this myself. I already have an IT job so I was more concerened with which Certification path to push towards next.

I am probably going to get my MCITP/EA next so I have some Microsoft diversity. I honestly rather push towards CCNP, but I figure branching out will be a more sound option.

instant000

sthompson86 wrote: »

To the OP - I have been wondering about this myself. I already have an IT job so I was more concerened with which Certification path to push towards next.

I am probably going to get my MCITP/EA next so I have some Microsoft diversity. I honestly rather push towards CCNP, but I figure branching out will be a more sound option.

Diversity is okay, but you actually can make more money, sooner, by specializing.

Also, you will need networking skills, regardless of what OS you run in the future, or whatever network stack you may be a part of.

Also, even if Cisco one day went kaput, if you have great networking skills, you can just transition your skills to Juniper or someone else, and it wouldn't be such a challenge to you, as you already had the technology foundation.

I just mean to say: once you know how the protocols really work, the only thing left is learning the configuration commands.

MrRyte

neuregel wrote: »

I have not passed or taken either exam yet. I didnt think I could pass the exams but I went after subnetting first and after a few weeks I get it so now Im just going to go for it.

FYI: make sure that you have Packet Tracer down pat. The test sims caught me off guard and caused me to fail the first time I took the exam....

TesseracT

After the ccna there's no point mucking around. Go for the ccnp! It will open a lot of doors for you (ie interviews) and once you have experience it's pretty easy to get a decent job