Best way to maximize future job options: certs or programming?

In addition to having IT work experience, what do you think is better for bigger jumps in career growth (different job title, higher salary, etc.): gaining certifications, learning programming, or doing both at the same time? In any of these options, are there any recommendations for which certs or programming languages?

I’m switching industries into IT from a psychology/education background (already have a BA in psychology) and am currently working a part-time helpdesk job. I’m hoping to pick up some certifications and was looking at entry level certs like A+, Network+, or CCENT, but was recommended by some IT experts to study programming languages such as Ruby, Python, and Java because it would lead to more job options and higher salary opportunities in the future. I wanted to be sure I could pick up relevant skills that could transfer to the most career opportunities since I’m open to several IT specialties such as Database Administrator or IT Security.

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NetworkVeteran

MXW wrote: »

In addition to having IT work experience, what do you think is better for bigger jumps in career growth (different job title, higher salary, etc.): gaining certifications, learning programming, or doing both at the same time?

What's best for "big jumps" is aiming for a type of job that you enjoy, so you won't mind putting in the time over the long haul necessary to become an expert in your field.

wanted to be sure I could pick up relevant skills that could transfer to the most career opportunities

Certifications tend to be specialized. If you go for a pure networking role, that A+, Network+, Ruby, Python, and Java know-how won't score many points, and the CCENT is light even at the entry-level. You'd really want a CCNA, so you don't end up posting one of those, "I've spent all sorts of time learning unrelated things. Why can't I get a well-paying job?!" threads. By the same token, a CCNA will be relatively useless for someone programming databases. But there are roles, for example development and QA, that can combine both programming and networking.

Do you have any idea what area of IT inspires you?

JayTheCracker

it's all up to u

u'll have to make choices by your own, cos, there're so many fields & trends.

database is not bad, their technologies won't change too much
pen testing is opposite, but the prize is big. u need to know everything (networking, programming, database)

programming? certificates are not that needed compared to network/security related jobs
3 types - Windows, Web, Mobile Application Developers (and, the new cloud app developer)
u can be coders/graphic designers/System Analysis/ Software Development Project Manager

networking & security? there are
vendor neutral certs - CompTIAs, InfoSec, CWNP, eccouncils, GIAC
popular vendor certs - Cisco, Microsoft
trend/niche certs - Juniper, Red Hat, Dell, HP, Huawei, Offensive Security etc.

just sharing that i know, correct me if i'm wrong, thx

JayTheCracker

A+ & CCENT are good startsif u're already a bit familiar with windows server, 70-642 is also a good start ( for MCSA:2008 )

kgb

My advice: Don't go/do/learn anything you aren't interested in. If you aren't interested in programming I can't imagine you will end up being a good programmer. But, that goes with any profession really.

You say you are switching, so it's really up to you and like others mentioned, what you find enjoyable. The job market changes, what is hot this year might be hotter next year, or cold... I wouldn't base my decision on what is popular today. Obviously, you are a on a tech forums and asking about tech jobs. So, it's not like you are contemplating going into business making carbon-fiber laundry baskets. Tech jobs aren't going away.

eserfeliz

In conjunction with the advice previous posters have offered, look at emerging trends in the field of Information Technology and start to gear your experience in that vein. I recently started a career as a software test engineer for a software company. While learning the role, I'm performing functionality testing in order to learn the product. As I become more experienced, I'll move to the scalability team. I have access to a large IaaS cloud in order to create and test fairly complex systems and environments. Moving to scalability will expose me to network and server equipment in a test environment that would make the production environments of most professionals jealous. I'm looking at my career path and I realize I have a lot more options now, as opposed to my last job, where I got to manage a BES server. Plus, the pay is not bad.

It took a lot of years and a lot of bad jobs to get to this new ground floor. My experience, however, makes me appreciate what I've attained. Anyway, I love to tell people, "Do what you love and the money will follow." Don't be one of those people with a lot of money, yet miserable.

Mrock4

The Cisco nexus platforms (at least the 5k/3k off the top of my head) support Python- so learning python could be hugely beneficial to someone who gets into networking.

NetworkVeteran

Mrock4 wrote: »

The Cisco nexus platforms (at least the 5k/3k off the top of my head) support Python- so learning python could be hugely beneficial to someone who gets into networking.

Interesting! Cisco IOS supports TCL. These are both popular scripting languages.

N2IT

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

What's best for "big jumps" is aiming for a type of job that you enjoy, so you won't mind putting in the time over the long haul necessary to become an expert in your field.

IMO this is the best way to gain "progress or jumps".

Lock on with a company that meets your needs as an employee/contractor. Once aligned with that type of work you like, work extremely hard, stay at it at all times while at work.

Mrock4

To piggyback off N2IT...a very fitting quote by Thomas Jefferson:

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it."

MXW

Thank you everyone for your insights and advice! I've been hearing how virtualization and cloud computing is the big thing in IT these days... I'll do some research about this career area soon. In the meantime, any career path suggestions or experiences related to this area?

@NetworkVeteran: I'm still trying to figure out what area of IT would inspire me. I was living in a developing country for a couple years as an ESL teacher and during that time I was doing some Google searching about securing data and precautions to take to prevent data theft. So I initially was looking into IT Security when I began my IT career quest and that led to discovering the entry level path of helpdesk to reach to a higher IT career.

I've spent at least 8-10 years with informal IT experience fixing my friends and my computers from viruses and blue screens of death and I enjoyed the whole process of it. I have some old computers and I enjoy playing with Linux on them to make them functional again. I also enjoy being creative and playing with mobile apps, but I remember taking a C++ class back in high school with a horrible teacher so I didn't enjoy programming as much.

@N2IT: That sounds like the strategy for getting into a psychology graduate program: aligning your interests with the interests of professors/researchers you want to work with. Haha.