Value of CCNA in market

ms_visio

Hey folks

I am a guy from sydney, australia and i passed CCNA almost 2 months ago and also doing a bachelor's degree in IT(final year) with my submajor internetworking (of course!).

I would like ask for some expert comments from you guys about the value of CCNA in the market. I certainly know that i will get a slight advantage over my fellow class mates who dont have it (thats obvious) apart from that i would appreciate any expert comments.I have no previous IT experience so what effect do you guys think CCNA will have on my starting job and job search etc.

The other day i was speaking to a guy who worked in a call centre somewhere( and i dont think if he has got any good qualifications or any certificate even) and i was talking abt CCNA .. and i got a reply -> "CCNA huh that 1 month certificate, any one can pass it in one month" . Personally i think that response was really unexpected but may be he said that coz he got NO clue what CCNA is about and is totally idiot or i am misinterpriting things. But overall i worked very hard to achieve this certificate and i felt really annoyed after hearing this stupid comment!

what do u folks say... ??

EdTheLad

To be honest i see where the guys is coming from.The CCNA cert doesnt hold much respect in industry.It's good as a starting point though.I myself wont put CCNA on my resume.The CCNP however is respected as you must think and understand more in these exams.
I think the main problem with the CCNA is before all the simulation stuff came in you could get this exam by studying and learning off by heart within 3 to 4 weeks.It's become a more difficult exam now but it still has a
bad rap from the earlier exams.

darkuser

the ccna says "network support" "network operator" or "helpdesk.
It is you and your skills that set you apart from this.... designation.
or leaves you there.

I had my ccnp 7 moths after getting ccna because i wanted to move on.

milliamp

I know a few bad CCNA's (not as man as MCSE's tho), but it is a good cert to have out the door.

I know people that work with Cisco gear every day that probably couldn't pass the exam in 2 months time, and I know several people who have failed the exam.

It does not cover a great deal of stuff, but since you can fail with an 83%, you have to know the stuff covered pretty well.

CCNA is a one month cert, but even that is well out of reach for many of the lazy bottom feeders in the world.

Also that guy has a distaste for paper certifications becasue he works tech support (I had the same opinion when I worked in tech support).

After about the 10th time someone says at the start of a phone call "I am an EM-CEE-ESS-EEE!" (MCSE), is totally arrogant, then gets schooled, you lose alot of respect for the certification.

I am sure I talked to MCSE's who were not arrogant, but probably wouldn't notice as they never said they were MCSE.

The people who identified themselves as A+ (usually NT4) I usually had to walk through how to find their IP address or ping/tracert etc.

Almost all the people who I worked help desk with had the same experiences with them.

I am getting side tracked here, but the point is, the certification is great for getting your resume past HR to the hiring manager for the interview, but it doesn't mean you know your stuff.

determinedgerman

I have to agree with everybody here but here is something to think about. I am working for a big Telecommunications company and experience or not the CCNA is required to evern get a job here. So yes it might be not be as much of a value as a lot of people think but its a starting point.

silver_225

I live in the Bay Area and had been unemployed for 10 months. I took advantage of the time to get my MCP and CCNA status. I agree and disagree with some of the comments. I have been in the IT field over 15 years and never bothered to get my Microsoft or Cisco certs. As someone mentioned, some of the paper MCSE people were useless and arrogant. When I was first laidoff, I went into panic mode and sent my resume to anyone and everyone, with very little response. Even though I had all of this experience, I was competing against people with the same amount of experience, but were certified.

I took some time off to relax and travel and then hit the books. I think it took me a month to complete my MCP and 2 months to complete my CCNA end of Sept. After updating my resume and sending it out again, I got so many replies and was recently hired in November doing network security and assessment. I really believe the CCNA provided me the opportunity to at least get people looking at my resume. Yes, the CCNA is not CCNP, but it tells prospective employers you have an excellent network foundation, and also gives you an upperhand on candidates that are not certified. Don't get me wrong, the CCNA is not carte blanche to a job, as you will still need the experience, but it is definitely a more regarded cert. In the Bay Area, even entry level Network Engineer positions are requiring CCNA certification regardless of your experience.

johnnynodough

hehe, this is really funny. (my story, not yours)

I just got my CCNA not to long ago, was getting ready to take the CCDA test and the BSCI exam, and then...........pooof! My job flipped upside down on me again!

Im a manager again! Yay! (total sarcasim, hate management) I was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the right credentials and the right experience. Damn you fate!!!!

So an MCSE, MCP, HP MASE, CCNA, and countless others landed me back in the political aspects of technology. I dont even get to deal with the technology, just the people pushing and the ass kissing. Smooch (just practicing)

Pay is excellent though.

garv221

It is as good as a car with no wheels. Need experience to go along with it.

silver_225

johnnynodough wrote:

2 games againts San Fran coming up, oh yeah baby, why even play? just put then in the win category and call it good
.

Sure, kick us Niner fans while we're down. :P

farisb

If your serious about an IT career and actually want to learn about networking and the associated technologies, then I would say the CCNA is worth it. If you are looking to make a quick buck, then move along. I think that certifications are good in the fact the it shows your employer that your motivated the try and better yourself. It also forces you to keep up with new technology changes. Some people make the most of CCNA and succeed, and some people try to use it as magic dust. Bottom line is, CCNA is a tool, you can use it the wrong way (magic dust) which will end up in failure or the right way (personal growth) to insure your success.

johnnynodough

silver_225 wrote:

johnnynodough wrote:

2 games againts San Fran coming up, oh yeah baby, why even play? just put then in the win category and call it good
.

Sure, kick us Niner fans while we're down. :P

OK, (kicks 49ers fans)

ms_visio

thanks to everyone for their comments

To farisb thanks for the suggestion i will keep that in mind

rsrhyne

I dont want to say that a CCNA is useless. I am studying to get it. But I am a Network Controller in Illinois. One of my coworkers started one month after I did with his CCNA already in hand. I make a little over 10k more than him. Granted he has no negotiation skills, but still. What does this say for the value :

mikeyoung

CCNA is great start and a requirement almost anywhere you would work on cisco gear. Especially if you have some Cisco experience to along with it. If you and someone else apply for a job and YOU have the cert and he doesn't, but everything else is equal, who do you think will get the job?

Do not rest on your laureals, though, mate. Don't ever stop learning and keep a good balacne of pertinent certifications for your field balnced with experience.

Now get out there and tweak that Pix!

Mike

davefred

I agree that CCNA is a valuable tool, but without hard work, a good attitude, and some experience, any certification is of limited value.

I know as a person who periodically hires, I look for those who seem to have had some good experience, but also have certifications. This provides some evidence that the person is continually learning - which is a must in the IT field.

I also know from my own experience that certifications can open doors that would have been closed otherwise. A number of years ago, I worked towards and achieved the MCSE on NT 4.0 - later upgraded it to Windows 2000. At the time, I already had a job and didn't really need the certification to keep the job.

However, I ended up with some consulting jobs and experience that I wouldn't have gotten if it weren't for the MCSE certification. So, the hard work definitely paid off both for the education factor and for the opportunities it opened up.

I'm now in an IT Masters program and will be taking a network technology course, which focuses on CCNA material. I figure I might as well take the CCNA exam after I'm done - you never know when it might be useful later.

All that to say... CCNA and other certifications are valuable if you view them from the right perspective. They do not make you an expert - you have to add real world experience to be viewed as and market yourself as an expert - and are no guarantee of a job; however, they can open up doors that might not have been available otherwise.

David

ms_visio

Thanks to everyone for their valuable suggestions. When i return to Sydney after my holidays i will concentrate on MCSE

Cheers

shuffles62

i was in the telecom industry for 4 years in an ops tech role. i was laid off last year and had a hard time finding work for a while, so i focused on ccna in my time off. my previous work revolved around communications, but didn't really give me hands on cisco router/switch experience.

i found that the quality (& quantity) of callbacks got 10x better as soon as i added ccna to the resume. within 4 weeks i accepted an offer as an entry level engineer with a much better salary than i had ever seen. so i guess take that for what its worth....i wasn't completely new to the industry but it allowed me to make the jump to a network engineering role.

most resumes never make it past a recruiters desk. i don't think the ccna alone got me this job, but it probably helped get my resume into the hands of the actual technical managers who were then able to recognize the value of my background. in that sense, i'd say it was extremely valuable, for me.

mwgood

I suppose the value of a CCNA depends on your goals. If you are happy with a low to mid-level IT job - a CCNA can suffice quite nicely. I find a great deal of regard for ANY Cisco cert.

Having said that - it would be a mistake to think that a CCNA cert is a ticket to your dream job. It takes experience, practice, and study to advance. After all, you can't get your CCNP or other upper level Cisco certs without getting the CCNA. Just that fact alone makes it a valuable certification.

I also think the fact that many people fail the CCNA exam 1 or more times before obtaining their certification increases it's value. I know people who have worked in networking for a few years, that work with Cisco routers daily, that have failed the CCNA exam.

Sure, from the CCNP, CCSP, CCIE vantage - the CCNA may seem like small stuff - then again - it depends on your perspective.

darkuser

shouldn't your goal to be to end up at the top in any career ????

no matter how long it takes. ?
otherwise you're just settling.

Every CCIE had to learn what tcp/ip was/is at some point in their life.

keep learning and you'll keep moving ....

dolphin_m70

Im also preparing for CCNA, from the above posts i can c that there is a lot of mentioning abt experience. to b frank i have got no exp in networking so far, but as said this is my first stepping stone to a networking career and im working hard towards it . cud anyone tell me how to find this exp , i have got a home lab can i count tht as an exp and add it to the resumes

dcyphr80

Hi,
I am a floater on this forum, and I thought that this thread was kind of interesting. I think that some people are misinterpreting ms_visio's initial post. He wants to know what you guys think about the effect CCNA would have on getting a starting job.

We may know that CCNA alone won't land you that 6 figure salary, but it seems to me that some may be attempting to discredit CCNA somewhat because having the actual experience in the field is better which is true. However, I live in the DC Metro Area, and most of the employers I have come across won't even allow you to get the experience you want if you are brand new to the industry because they look for already experienced professionals or ones with some sort of foundation. So how is one to get the foundation they need to land a job that will get them the experience? Thats where I see CCNA coming in or any other certification. You may not be a genius, but it shows that you at least have some familiarity with the networking concepts and it may not take as long to get you "ramped up" in the environment as opposed to one with no experience and no certifications. And with that I feel you would have a much better chance to get into the field.

People talk about CCNP being the much more respected certification which is true, but I would suggest getting the CCNA first and starting on the foundation. Start with the basics, then land youself a job while working on CCNP if you desire then move on to a bigger and better job. After that keep working from there!


It may not be much but thats just my 2 cents.

forbesl

dcyphr80 wrote:

People talk about CCNP being the much more respected certification which is true, but I would suggest getting the CCNA first and starting on the foundation.

Good point, but you must have a CCNA first before you can get a CCNP anyway.

dcyphr80

forbesl wrote:

Good point, but you must have a CCNA first before you can get a CCNP anyway.

Thats right, good follow up. The point of my post was basically to say why go for the complicated certs first without knowing the basics. Just like how lots of people think A+ is a waste of time. I think having A+ would be better than not having A+ just as I think that someone that has completed A+ would have be able to learn something a little more advanced faster than someone without any knowledge.

cisco_trouble

I second germangiant, when you work for a big company, they usually looking at company outputs rather than individual outputs. So thye dont really care wether you are skilled or not. A smaller company gives you more experience and your CCNA will hold more water than one without experience. But dont stop with CCNA, u got to have it to progress within the cisco scope.

kadshah

I studied hard for all of my certifications and I really don't care when people say my certification is useless or worthless cause all my certifications have value to me.

skully93

kadshah wrote:

I studied hard for all of my certifications and I really don't care when people say my certification is useless or worthless cause all my certifications have value to me.

That's what is important. That you learned from it, worked hard for it, exercised your brain for it.

Gogousa

Certifications are a way of measure what you know, Is a way to present your knowledge to people that doesn’t have the time to take you a test about a subject.
There are people that take certifications to learn, others to measure knowledge and others (like my self) a little bit of both.
I would say, go for it. It’s never going to hurt you.

Sandwiches

Hey guys,

Yep the CCNA used to be very easy to obtain - multiple choice of 50 questions, 90 minutes and a pass of 750. I did it in 2000, studied for a week and passed. Sure I worked in the industry but I was new to it and the cisco way of thinking.
So I didn't recert and now am stuck with this CCNA mountain. I work with Cisco routers, switches and firewalls everyday. I have studying on again off again for about 6 months, and now am ready to give it everything. Sure I find most of the concepts simple, but it's the amount of minor detail that you have to remember that seems to make it hard, mixed in with knowing a whole stack of cisco IOS features and configuring them. This is a completely different cert now, no easy pass - you have to know everything and have true understanding of concepts - not just remembering fact. I have a new respect for the CCNA cert, and to get it you have to know what you're on about.
I too am in Sydney, and it is a very competitive job market. Companies aren't parting with much money to employ a CCNP/MCSE type anymore. Guys, just try and specialize in something - knowledge is power, and the more you know than others, the better off you'll be.

Jiggsaww

trust me what i did a fews aback was no cram a book cert or memorize a brain **** cert.....the ccna was real knowledge and configuring stuff not pick any answer

leigh

davefred wrote:

All that to say... CCNA and other certifications are valuable if you view them from the right perspective. They do not make you an expert - you have to add real world experience to be viewed as and market yourself as an expert - and are no guarantee of a job; however, they can open up doors that might not have been available otherwise.

David

Good point. I have the same feeling.
I worked in network field at Telecom company for over 5 yrs, the company didn't care about the ceritfication that time.
After moving to a new place, it's hard for me to find an IT job. An agent sent me an email for Network Administrator after getting my online info, and I replied without any hesitation. But when doing follow up, I was told to need CCNA certification for the position. Clearly, I lost the opportunity even though I had more work experience.
So after 2 years' try, to make sure I still have the knowledge, this year I started to get some certifications, just finished A+, now working on CCNA.

ms_visio

kadshah wrote:

I studied hard for all of my certifications and I really don't care when people say my certification is useless or worthless cause all my certifications have value to me.

well said

Actually i am finishing my Bachelor's Degree in June 2006 After which i have 2 options

1) i am planning to land into some entry level job for atleast a year or 2.

2) Straightaway move to MBA.

According to my knowledge without 1 or 2 years experience if i try and do MBA it wouldn't land me anywhere (for sure within Australia) but i have heard that in the US people prefer more and more degrees (while recruting) as to experience..

i.e. BSc IT + MBA + without experience is better than BSc IT + experience

So if i do my bachelor's + Straight away MBA then where is it going to land me in the US? Any suggestion folks