EdTheLad wrote: » Experience means using your knowledge on the job, the problem with having a ccnp and no experience is that, whether you like it or not the market demands a certain pay scale for having that cert. I wouldn't employ you fresh from uni with a CCNP because i know once you get 1 or 2 years experience on my time, i'd have to give you a large pay rise to keep you.Also it's too easy to **** certs these days and i wouldn't invest my time trying to work out weather your genuine or not. My advise to anybody starting out is to get a good foundation of everything and don't specialize too much. After your ccna look at microsoft server 2012, learn about active directory, build a web server, play with security certificates, play with dns. Create a lab mixing servers and routers/switches. Look at linux, try some basic scripting bash/perl/TCL, maybe try some simple automation on cisco with the TCL you learned. So many things to learn starting out, don't fall down the restrictive cert trap. I know alot of people that don't want to learn something unless it's related to a cert, and then when the cert track is modified they ***** about the new technology added.
rowelld wrote: » WORD. This is good advice. If you have no experience don't for the CCNP just yet. Start with CCNA, find a job in help desk, schmooze with the network guys, and work your way up.
