CCNP used as 5 year experience

Is this the normal thing in the IT industry? To use a CCNP in place of 5 year experience for people who already have their CCNA?

I suppose really the question is whether its possible to use a more advanced certification in lieu of experience for people applying to positions typically intended for those where the lower certification is the requirement

grizzly.

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Comments

soletek

Its on the employer. A lot of times if they are looking for CCNP's and you have one except to get a call. At that point its on you to progress.

Danielm7

Yeah, every company is different, I haven't seen it but I also don't scan networking position openings that often either. Some companies have a hard requirement for a BS, some substitute a few years of experience for it. I don't think there is any real industry standard practice with requirements.

mbarrett

Some people are more "flexible" in that regard, you will never know unless you apply. In general, a certification is not considered to be "experience", in the way that an academic degree is used to reduce the experience required...I think it depends on HR's impression vs what they are looking for, as well as making an impression on the hiring manager.

kohr-ah

Many times unfortunately not but doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for it still.

Just because you have a higher standard of certification doesn't mean you have real life experience applying that knowledge to an environment that can utilize it.

When you do the exams there is something we always say "There is the right way and there is the Cisco way." For the exams you do it the Cisco way but doesn't mean that is what you'd do in the real world.

mbarrett

Also, I just noticed this this morning.

SeekBytes

mbarrett wrote: »

Also, I just noticed this this morning.

Excellent link, thank you for sharing it.

Danielm7

mbarrett wrote: »

Also, I just noticed this this morning.

Interesting, it shows you learned something but I still don't think it really equates to job experience. Obviously Cisco has a vested interest in saying their certs should be valuable and count for more than they might be on the surface. Even the idea that a study group is like being part of a team at a workplace is a stretch.

OctalDump

I think that it probably CCNP as a discount for experience for CCNA level jobs would work in some circumstances. I think that some level of experience in IT, preferably in networking, would still be needed if the job is asking for 5 years experience, but a CCNP should shorten that. I'm really not sure that there would be much difference between 3 years and 5 years experience, if it is at the CCNA level. It might be different if they are asking for a broader range of technologies - eg Checkpoint, f5, HP, Juniper, VoIP, Wireless etc, since it would take longer to get that depth.

The CCNP indicates a few thing (probably) - more knowledge, deeper technical understanding, drive (to get the certification), intelligence (to get the certification). If you add CCNP to limited experience, it amplifies that a bit, since it shows that you have been able to learn faster than others (probably).

However, there is also a downside. If the employer knows that they have a CCNA level job, and it will be CCNA level work, and they can't expand you past that, then they will start to be concerned "if I hire this person, will they leave and get a better job in 6 months?"

So, yeah, I think in *some* cases it *should* reduce the length of experience, but it's always going to be up to the individual employer to decide. For you as the potential recruit, then as always, there's rarely harm in applying anyway. Most job listings are just a wish list and the employer will just take the best they can get.