Looking to get back into IT after a 4 year hiatus

Hi everyone!!! Long time lurker, first time poster...

Here's my dilema...

I worked in IT for 4 years from 2005 - 2009... JOAT position; I did everything from SA to desktop support, Cisco R&S work, to migrating 5 different sites from PBX to VoIP (Cisco)...

It was my second job out of tech school (the first was break/fix work at a local CPU repair shop), and this job offered me ALL the knowledge that I could handle... My supervisor is a guy whom I have IMMENSE respect for to this day... If he said it, I did it... If he said the world was flat, I believed it because HE said it... I would have followed that man to hell blindfolded... He has all the knowledge in the world, and didn't mind sharing it... He gave me autonomy, but wouldn't let me jump off a cliff without a parachute... GREAT guy...

During that job, I got Net+, Sec+, and MCSA 2003 certified (all of which are gone now)... I attempted the CCNA under his tutelage, but hosed it twice...

Anyway, this company is a tier-1 auto supplier for the Big-3 (I live in Detroit, MI), so when the aotu industry tanked, I (the NKOTB) was laid off... Man, did that hurt...

Because, like a lot of IT people, I defined myself by my job title, I hated myself and was on unen-joy-ment for almost 2 years because no one was hiring, and the jobs I could find were paying minimum wage...

Bills kept coming in, but the $ was running out, so I took the only thing I had left (a CDL), and started driving a semi over the road... 18 months later, it dawned on me that I HATE driving a truck, so I quit the job, and here I sit, trying to get back into IT...

ALL of this is my long-winded was of asking: with my experience (4 years exper. almost 4 years ago), my former certs, how do you guys (and girls) think I should handle getting back into IT?

I know that 4 years in IT may as well be a millenia, and that I'm basically starting over from square 1, but is there any hope of reattaining my former glory in IT??

I figured I'd start with the IT Trifecta (A+, Net+, Sec+), but I don't think I really need A+, and the other two, I'm confident that I can just sit for them and pass with minimal, if any, studying (although, I admit, I'd have to refamiliarize myself with the material)...

Or do you guys think, with my background, I should swing for the fences (go for MCSE 2008/2012 and CCNA)??

Try as I might, the Cisco cert has been my "Elenor", and frankly, she's kicked me in the face twice before, so I suppose I should take her out to dinner first (that is to say, study, study, study)...

Anyway, I'm sorry for the long-winded introduction, and I thank you in advance for even sitting still long enough to read ALL of this, and for offering your suggestions...

Toni

Find more posts tagged with

Comments

ptilsen

Welcome.

First, If you took Net+ and Sec+ in 2009, they never expire. MCSA 2003 never expires. Your certifications are not gone unless you've changed your identity.

Between your certs and your experience, you have a decent change of getting back in without starting from scratch, but you'll need to update your skills and knowledge. That doesn't mean you have to be an expert on current products, but if you've forgotten everything you knew, you're in trouble. If you still know computer hardware, basic network, the OSI model, and so on, you're going to be okay. The four-year gap is definitely going to hurt, but it still puts you way above someone with no experience.

As far as certification, pursuing something current sure won't hurt. MCSA 2008 or CCNA are the obvious picks, if you want to get back into a similar type of generalist role. MCSA 2003 is still very relevant, so CCNA makes more sense to me unless you want to go more heavily into Windows administration.

At the end of the day, don't get too discouraged. It's about what you know and what you can do more than anything. The trick, aside from actually having knowledge and being able to apply it, is showing employers that you have it. A good resume and good interviewing skills can get you far.

nevanerviss

ptilsen wrote: »

Welcome.

First, If you took Net+ and Sec+ in 2009, they never expire. MCSA 2003 never expires. Your certifications are not gone unless you've changed your identity.

I suppose I should clairify... I took the compTIA tests in 2006, so the physical proof of them is gone... When I tried to get replacements, I was told that I would to re-take Sec+, and Net+ would "validate" with it... (I never had an A+, I just felt I never needed it)

As far as MS certs are concerned, I know they don't expire, however, MS will not support 2K3 technology next year (I think), and I don't wanna get jammed up with a "legacy" cert expecially since I'm trying to get a job...

I'm more interested in Networking, rather than being a JOAT, so I guess CCNA will be the way to go, so I think I'll do that for sure...

I haven't forgotten EVERYTHING I know, as recently, I had to take (and pass) 4 different (HR requested) tests to prove proficiency for a job I was interviewing for last month... Passed all the proficiency tests (raging from AD to R&S) and then the in-person interview was set up, but the job was given to someone else... I didn't "screw the pooch" at the interview; my 4-year hiatus was the culprit...

I know I need to refresh, but I was wondering how you guys think I should do that and get back into IT...

The brilliant minds at TE; what say you??

WafflesAndRootbeer

Might as well go for it and get some fresh certs. Pick up some short-term contract work to get your feet wet and don't even think about looking for a permanent job for a while.

ptilsen

There has to be a way to get proof of Comptia. I don't have any physical proof, but I have my Comptia ID number, and I can login and see them. They had Comptia ID numbers in 2006. That's when I got mine as well. I would not re-take them even if you can't find the proof.

MCSA 2003 is just as valuable as 2008 IMO. Windows server 2003 still has larger market share than any other server operating system in the world. I'm thinking 2012 SP1 will be out before 2008 tops server 2003 for production corporate server market share. I, for one, will leave mine on my resume forever.

It sounds like CCNA is the right path for you either way. Study hard.

discount81

As another option for CCNA.

Juniper has a 'Fast track' program, the exams are $50.

While it may not have the name that Cisco does if you can get a few Juniper certs and find a company running Juniper equipment you may find yourself in luck.

blargoe

You should be able to go to comptia's site and get your transcript. If you passed those test in 2006, you're still certified.

A lot of times, companies do tend to filter out people with large gaps in employment. But I think Detroit is going to be a different situation from what I've seen in NC over the past few years... unemployment has been much higher up there.

The last company I worked for was owned by a company in the Detroit metro area, and the story I heard was that IT was coming back in such a way that our parent company had started losing their better IT employees to the auto companies, which hadn't happened in almost a decade. So with your credentials and experience, I think you should have a decent chance. You might have a hard time finding a perm position, but a lot of us are having a hard time finding a perm position these days.

Good luck to you.