Job advice

alliasneo

Hey guys,


so I passed my CCNA back in April and I've been looking for a networking job for the past few months but nothing has come up yet. I guess the only thing Ivan do istokeep applying and looking but it seems that every job advert wants so much experience and a whole load of certifications. I feel like I've spent thelast year with my head in a book getting my net + and CCNA but every job I look at want Microsoft Certs or juniper or the CCNP as well as other security stuff.


What do you think the next area should be? Go on to the CCNP or keep looking for work? I'm reluctant to start another certification as I'm not interested in active directory and I want to focus on Cisco. I feel like my knowledge is slipping without looking at the Cisco stuff each day though.


Even if I start studying for the CCNP I'm not going to be on CCNP money or go after a job like that without the experience.

m3zilla

Do you have a job now? Is it possible to move into a different department or transition into something more network related? The CCNA is an entry level certs, and in my experience, most job posting for CCNA are also looking for MCITP as an all around guy. Purely networking jobs usually requires CCNP

If you have time, looking into getting some MS certs. Even if you go into a network job, you'll still need to know DNS/DHCP/Active Directory. For instance, at my current job, external DNS and DHCP falls under the scope of our team. We also do a lot of things that requires AD integration, such as TACACS for authentication, AD groups for proxy exception/network access.

NetworkVeteran

alliasneo wrote: »

I've spent thelast year with my head in a book getting my net + and CCNA but every job I look at want Microsoft Certs or juniper or the CCNP as well as other security stuff.

What city do you live in? What job do you have now?

alliasneo wrote:

Even if I start studying for the CCNP..

That's not going to help you much with zero experience.

alliasneo wrote:

I feel like my knowledge is slipping without looking at the Cisco stuff each day though.

You still have the materials you used to study for the CCNA, right? Set aside 15 minutes/day to review. That way you won't lose what you know, and can ace any interviews you get!

alliasneo wrote:

I'm reluctant to start another certification as I'm not interested in active directory and I want to focus on Cisco.

Cisco has several other entry-level certifications including CCNA Voice, CCNA Wireless, and CCNA Security. These may increase your chances of landing an entry-level pure networking-focused job, assuming such jobs are available in your area as they are in mine. Even if you pursue these, I'd still strongly recommend reviewing what you already know so you don't forget it.

astrogeek

Are you currently working? What type of work? If you're not working or don't have IT experience internships are a great way to get your foot in the door. You might have to start out in helpdesk first though before getting into a networking job, but if you can find a networking internship do that. I got an internship at a local college and it turned into a full time job in networking, though I would have been ready to work helpdesk if that was all that was available. Just do whatever gets your foot in the door. I wouldn't recommend getting into CCNP without networking experience, at this point you should be gaining work experience to prove what you've already learned. Experience is by far more valuable than any certifications.

YFZblu

If you want to stick to routing and switching exclusively, then learning CCNP-level topics should help. Like NetworkVeteran said a CCNP probably won't help much if you have zero experience; however that shouldn't stop you from increasing your knowledge.

You can also try Wireless, security, or voice at the CCNA level. At the company I work for the field engineers handle the R&S, and the security engineers handle the ASA appliances. Specializing at the CCNA level still keeps expectations reasonable but may help you cover more real estate with the HR people.

synseq

Have you tried going through IT staffing companies like SkillStorm, Robert Half Technology, etc.?

Vik210

Doing CCNP should be a long term goal but I were you, I will start studying for CCNP. Dont do it as if you are going to give any exam, just go though stuff to get the understanding.. Do some labs if you have access to equipments.
Use the time as you will never have it again when you get a job!

YuckTheFankees

If I were you, I would take a look at the JNCIA (Juniper entry level cert) and then move onto the CCNP. Having knowledge of both Cisco and Juniper couldn't hurt, plus more and more employers are asking for Juniper skills.

Roguetadhg

As I've seen it on my short time on these forums:

Focus on entry-level certifications. Study for, but don't list, higher-level certifications. There's a lot of IT directions - Linux, Security, Infrastructure,... and each of those groups have more sub groups, and so on. It's pretty awesome. I'd get a lot of Entry Certifications, money permitting. I know it's extremely hard to study for exams without a steady paycheck, and those bills never stop coming.

As far as finding work - Try to get an internship, offer to work for free. This is harder than it sounds. Mostly because of liability as I've been told.
I've done the hunt for "Hire me, I'll work for free" and turned up empty - This was with my A+ and Net+. Schools, Churches, Banks, local computer stores. Experience required when you can't find Experience is BS - I just ended up in this job. Right time, Right place. Someone decided to take a chance on me.

Otherwise, I'd still be trying to peddle my warez trying to get something-experience. With that in mind, it makes me feel lucky and I shouldn't let any experience goto waste - and I try not to

I'm not saying this advice is the best. I'm sure as heck not a hiring manager, but this is what I would do. It's how I'm thinking about my certifications:



Get your security+. It'll open doors for government, military jobs. I'll probably sit the test - Better to prove that I have the knowledge than not.

I agree that you should get JNCIA, as an entry-level certification that follows with cisco - It can't hurt. It's definitely on my list of "Get".

I would definitely study for the CCNP. I would not list the certification on my resume without experience.
- You can have it, nothing wrong with it, just be aware that listing "CCNP" means you have experience and can backup being a leader, instead of an entry-level. People seem to be suspicious about those with the certification without the experience.
- I've been studying the Route Exam, it's quite an eye opener. It makes CCNA look so so.. small. But then again, I like whips and chains.

alliasneo

Thanks everyone for the responses, really feels like a community with such a large response and I really appreciate it.


I should have stated in my original post, I'm from the uk, about an hour from Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff area. Sort of 2 hours from London but I guess a move to London could be the thing if I found something.


I am working at the moment in a Helpdesk role so I am on the border of the IT world, just not on the networking side. Maybe I could look to do some internships? I managed to get some work experience earlier in the year but just a week and a tiny bit at where i work but nothing consistent.


It's hard to know what to do really. If I listed the following what would you say my best track might be:


CCNA security, wireless or voice
Security + (I have the books for this)
Juniper (I know nothing about this)
Microsoft - the course I was looking at is sever 2008 network infrastructure (70-642)


Thanks again