the-10-best-it-certifications-2012

drkat

Yummy alphabet soup

teck923

I semi agree with the article, however I feel that CCNA should be just a step higher, I'v seen people's salaries increase by nice numbers by obtaining it.

antielvis

Why would Security + be on the list? Ask an IT manager if security is important and he will say yes. Work for that manager and chances are you'll find security is very low on their list. Their version of security is instituting regular password changes.

As for A+/N+, why wouldn't it be on there. ALL support people should have at least a basic understanding of computer hardware & how a network works. Not understanding hardware is why there are so many organization that either spend too much or too little on poorly suitable hardware. Not understanding Networking is why you see guys pounding their head on why users can't print, never once considering it might be a VLAN issue.

As for Apple certs, yes, at the Desktop level why wouldn't they be valuable? I've noticed a huge increase in the number of Apple computers running in networks I work with. The Apple Cert isn't going to get you a job on it's own. When it helps is when it's combined with A+ N+ and say a MCTS in Windows 7. 100 guys will apply for that desktop job, but only a tiny portion will be able to add a Mac in a Windows AD/Server environment and make it work.

pwjohnston

erpadmin wrote: »

Empty certs are just as bad as having no certs at all. You will not have a leg up on someone who has experience.

I never said experience doesn't trump everything, experience always wins. I'm just saying that you got to get the experience somehow and the cert is better than nothing at all.

brownwrap

>Why would Security + be on the list?

Look up DOD 8570. I have been working Solaris since black and white Sun 2s, yet it was a requirement I get both Security+, which had mainly Windows questions, and Oracle's Solaris 10 System Administration cert in order to keep my job.

eansdad

antielvis wrote: »

As for Apple certs, yes, at the Desktop level why wouldn't they be valuable? I've noticed a huge increase in the number of Apple computers running in networks I work with. The Apple Cert isn't going to get you a job on it's own. When it helps is when it's combined with A+ N+ and say a MCTS in Windows 7. 100 guys will apply for that desktop job, but only a tiny portion will be able to add a Mac in a Windows AD/Server environment and make it work.

I don't know many desktop jobs that would require setting up a Mac in AD. If AD isn't already setup for use with Macs binding the Mac isn't that hard.

darkplayer

N2IT wrote: »

higherho

I feel like sharing a story

I use to smoke cigars almost daily. I would network with a group of guys from cooks to directors of fortune 500 companies. Some of them I was close to others not so much. Well one day a gentlemen up there who I was friendly with mentioned my background in IT. At the time I was on helpdesk. No certs and none related IT degree was all I had. He said his boss was looking for two network support guys. I said I would be interested. Then the dream came to a scretching halt. He said I would either need to have Linux or Networking experience. I had some but it was light. No configuration just troubleshooting. So he said that was great, but did I have my CCNA. Of course I didn't at the time nor do I have it now.

I still go in for the occasional smoke and he tells me how the new guys are doing etc. Even though it worked out for the best at least I tell myself that, I lost out on a job that paid 65,000 a year. Keep in mind I was making 38,000

WoW!!! Perfect opportunity but bad timing. I'm surprised they didn't at least hired you on and allow you 6 months to get your CCNA cert.

brownwrap wrote: »

>Why would Security + be on the list?

Look up DOD 8570. I have been working Solaris since black and white Sun 2s, yet it was a requirement I get both Security+, which had mainly Windows questions, and Oracle's Solaris 10 System Administration cert in order to keep my job.

+1

I currently work at the help desk, I took and passed all of my cert's that I have right now. I was the only one in my entire dept, including the server/network side of the house, that had Security+. Once the IA manager heard what I had, he appointed me as the (alternate) IA security officer.