If you had to do it all over again, which Certs would you get?

So I'm trying to find out which are the best certs to get to be marketable in the near future and secure a good job.
If you have to do it over again, which certs are the ones you would get and which are a total waste of time and money?

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Comments

UnixGuy

Wondering if I should've moved to presales when I had the chance to do so. who knows...

JustFred

Aren't these type of questions something you ask when you are about to die? Even at 80 you can still get certs. Most on average take 3 months if you do not have a family and about 4-7 if you do. All depending on your motivation of course.

techfiend

I regret not getting in earlier than 33 but one advantage late bloomers have I is the potential to quickly move up.

No need to feel bad about 80k, majority of americans never make that.

E Double U

ITSpectre wrote: »

The party never stops!

Never!

Party on Wayne

TheFORCE

I went 9 years without taking a certificate. Have taken 3 within 2 years since. Wishing i had kept going after my A+ in my early days.

v1ral

I would skip A+ and Net+. And go get the CCNA and MCSA and then Sec+

mackenzae

techfiend wrote: »

I regret not getting in earlier than 33 but one advantage late bloomers have I is the potential to quickly move up.

No need to feel bad about 80k, majority of americans never make that.

The median HOUSEHOLD income is like 53k.. think about that - that could be with 2 people working. (This is in the US of A)

Techytach

ITSpectre wrote: »

And im 30.... about to be 31 next month and working at Help Desk roles..... SMH like they always say "Better late then never".

Right there with you. 31 just getting into it. Its funny too cause when I was 21 and in college I remember considering CS and thinking NO WAY! how horrible. How my perception has changed.

ITSpectre

Techytach wrote: »

Right there with you. 31 just getting into it. Its funny too cause when I was 21 and in college I remember considering CS and thinking NO WAY! how horrible. How my perception has changed.

When I was a kid I was always around computers.... I used to break them and fix them, and lock my sister off the network because I got tired of her doing it to me... then I got grounded.

blatini

Don't regret certs, just wish I spent more time using Linux.

DatabaseHead

UnixGuy wrote: »

Wondering if I should've moved to presales when I had the chance to do so. who knows...

Ha! My good friend went from software development to architect to pre sales and makes a killing now. I am somewhat envious truth be told. Without his permission I'll list out his pay. Went from making 88,000 with a 10% bonus to 155,000 with a 55% bonus and the last two years has doubled his bonus 110%!

He is socking away over 65,000 net USD the last two years. 130,000 just in investments and savings and guess what he's on track to do it again, another 110%. I know that's never going to be me, I am okay with that, but it's crazy to see someone you have known for 20+ years hit the jackpot. Of course we know sales has huge cycles so he caught on at the right time but still.......

Funny part is he has 0 certifications and only a bachelors in CS, which helped get him a start in software development out of college.

D1renegade

I wish I would've gotten a Bachelors in something IT related instead of the trash I settled with.

UnixGuy

@DatabaseHead: yeah presales was actually easier! I think it still is by the way, and it can be you! No certs needed, just some common sense and people skills and bit of technical knowledge.

DatabaseHead

UnixGuy wrote: »

@DatabaseHead: yeah presales was actually easier! I think it still is by the way, and it can be you! No certs needed, just some common sense and people skills and bit of technical knowledge.

Sounds right up my alley!

OctalDump

Hmmm, not sure I regret the certifications, maybe should have got more earlier. I do regret staying in one job longer than I should have.

But if I were just starting out now, then I'd jump on one of the 'so hot right now' areas, which is probably cloud/virtualisation. You could probably start with MCSA Office 365 or Google Apps Administrator, then go for AWS and Azure. You could probably get to 'expert' in a couple of years.

kohr-ah

Not a thing.
I would have got my Bachelors at a younger age is the only difference I've done.
Otherwise I feel the certs and path I did were correct.

RockinRobin

1. A+ to break into the field
2.CCNA
3.CCNP
4.CCIE

varelg

I'd not stop at LPIC-1 and would pursue higher-level Novell engineer cert for which the exam is hands-on. I'd go for the current cert that I got after Novel engineer cert.
At the time, there was no split between RHCSA and RHCE and it was still one giant 6+ hour long exam. Something like a trial for Lance Armstrong's teammate.