certificate without experience

Samo3411

I have a Comptia N+ and i am half way My CCNA but a lot of people advice me to get an IT job before going for the CCNA because it will look bad on my CV, i am trying to get an IT job but i don't know what jobs should i apply for with just N+ . any advice ..? or do you think i will get a better chance with CCNA .?

krjay

CCNA will not hurt your chances of finding a job. If you are truly half way through, buckle down and finish it.

Also, I would consider looking at IT related jobs such as help desk/call center type stuff and not strictly networking. No company with any sense is going to let some guy that only has N+ touch their network infrastructure. But if you get your foot in the door and keep learning one day you will be working with that network equipment. Also take a look at job postings by companies in your area. Are the majority of them looking for network, Microsoft, linux etc. related skills? Maybe network specialized individuals are not in high demand where you are.

Slowhand

I don't think it's going to hurt your chances, having the CCNA on your resume. You'll just have to make sure you do lots of labbing for it, then explain the situation during job interviews. True, you probably won't get the same type of pay as someone who has experience and the CCNA, but it'll set off a lot more flags for recruiters and hiring managers on those job-boards as they search through candidates. It may also make the difference between you and someone with similar experience who doesn't have the cert, going for the same job.

sol-badguy

I believe you have a way better chance with the CCNA certification, why not finish up studying and apply for jobs? What are you looking for in the IT job? NOC? Help Desk?

N2IT

I don't think it will look bad if you get your CCNA before your first job. However I would caution on going beyond that before getting an IT job. If you get N+ and the CCNA you should be set for several years, especially since you are just starting off.

HTH

NetworkVeteran

> a lot of people advice me to get an IT job before going for the CCNA because it will look bad on my CV

A CCNA is an entry-level certification and looks great if you're hunting for jobs where you may touch routers, switches, or firewalls.

> I would caution on going beyond that before getting an IT job.

Right. "Too little experience to justify it' only comes into play for intermediate- and expert-level certifications.