Advice on Degrees and Certs

zdx

If you are going for a degree please make sure it is an IT program not a CS degree. Computer science is focused on lots of code to build software, OS, and develop web pages. If you want an IT degree most will never touch code to make software. IT is being out in the field hooking everything up and making sure it works. We let the code monkeys do the software then we learn it and hook it up to hardware and cables to make it work for businesses.

Here are some of the certifications I would focus on from entry level to pro level:

Entry:

A+ - Everyone is expected to know this material in IT
MCSA/MCTS 70-680 - Windows 7 exam from Microsoft is the basis for further Windows 7 exams, harder exam than A+
Microsoft Office MOS - It is expected to know this suite but if you don't have MOS cert as long as you know Office you should be fine
ITIL - Know the foundation of this and get the cert

CCENT - Dont bother get CCNA or at least Network+
IC3 - Dont bother

Entry/Mid
Linux+ - Even if you will not use Linux/Unix everyday know it
Network+ - If you are getting CCNA/CCNP dont bother for the exam but know the material
Security+ - Get it period

Mid/advanced
CCNA - get it asap!
MCITP - Server stuff like administration, infrastructure, active directory
VCP - VMware cert nice


Pro
CCNP - get the cert and the money and the respect
MCITP - Enterprise side nice
CCDP/CCDA - design pro!
CISSP - you will boss everyone around!
PMP - BOSS


I will also note that even with a pro certificate you will STILL NEED a bachelors degree to get into heavy organizations that demand everything because they pay extremely well. Some companies will not even consider you if you don't have at least an associates and CCNP or Bachelors and CCNA for Cisco networking.

If you know networking and someones knows that as well plus a bit of security they will get the job not you. You don't have to have a CISSP but if you have sec+ that is better than no security at all. If you someone knows networking/security and another knows network/security/ AND server side stuff they will get that job.

Network stuff - CCNA/CCDA/CCNP etc
Server - MCITP Server stuff or at least server+
Security - Sec+ ccna security cissp ceh

100k salary if you know all 3.

Hope this helps people out that are looking for work. Maybe some old timers can share their knowledge as well.

redz

DissonantData wrote: »

But in what situations would you be inclined to hire someone with a business or finance background

I operate primarily in risk analysis for several clients. A business or finance degree is as effective (or more, provided the same technical experience) within information assurance as a technical degree when assessing the high level IA business processes of a client.

It's why companies like FishNet Security require either a technical or a business degree for their GRC consultants - one, situationally dependent (of course), can be far more useful than the other (EDIT: when putting a team together)... Provided the same experience.

EDIT: It's all in marketing - a law degree with a CCFP? Insanely valuable. Some degrees just can't be marketed as an advantage in IT, in which case they're still better than no degree, but not going to beat out relevant experience.