Prospect of value with my experience and CCNA

Hello everyone,

Sorry if this is a question you all have read a millions times and responded.

Currently I'm CCENT certified and studying to get CCNA and planning to take test in March. Were I work I deal with all desktop support issues for the company, work with vendors, and IT inventory management, I self learned HTML/CSS(nothing huge) and made a company website that isn't live. I deal with networking issues but nothing with switches or routers although I was told id get to start working with our HP switches but that has yet to happen...

I was wondering will I have a hard time getting into the networking field or a job that does do Desktop Support along with touching switches/routers? once I get my CCNA.

I live in California about 1hr away for silicon valley. I do plan to move up to CCNP but I feel how can I get the CCNP with no experience? is there any credibility in CCNP with no Cisco equipment experience other then packet tracer and maybe a home lab?

I do see cloud being the future and I have plans to get Citrix certs/VMware certs and more Cisco but I feel I will over extending myself without gaining work experience in the field my cert(s) are in. Where I am at with have Citrix/VMware.

Anyone with advice or can give me insight on how to approach the task of getting certs but gaining no experience with them along with finding a new job to utilize them?

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Comments

thomas_

I would get your CCNA and start spplying for jobs that would put you in more of a networking role. If you think you're current company is stringing you along about being able to get experience with the HP switches, then I would apply for jobs while studying for the CCNA.

If you get your CCNA and still don't have a job in or related to networking, I would keep applying for jobs and start studying for CCNP. You might not have much hands on experience, but doing this would hopefully help you solidfy the concepts you learned in CCNA and keep that knowledge fresh.

People don't recommend getting the CCNP with little to no experience because it looks like you dumped the test. However, knowing CCNP concepts as a CCNA would put you in a very good light. Also, by if you do get a job in ketworking while studying for your CCNP, by the time you pass all the tests it's likely you would have enough related to experience to not draw unfounded accusations about being a dumper, paper tiger, or whatever else people call it.

valenlane85

thomas_ wrote: »

I would get your CCNA and start spplying for jobs that would put you in more of a networking role. If you think you're current company is stringing you along about being able to get experience with the HP switches, then I would apply for jobs while studying for the CCNA.

If you get your CCNA and still don't have a job in or related to networking, I would keep applying for jobs and start studying for CCNP. You might not have much hands on experience, but doing this would hopefully help you solidfy the concepts you learned in CCNA and keep that knowledge fresh.

People don't recommend getting the CCNP with little to no experience because it looks like you dumped the test. However, knowing CCNP concepts as a CCNA would put you in a very good light. Also, by if you do get a job in ketworking while studying for your CCNP, by the time you pass all the tests it's likely you would have enough related to experience to not draw unfounded accusations about being a dumper, paper tiger, or whatever else people call it.

Thank you thomas_ for the reply,

I have thought about looking for a new job with CCENT while going to CCNA but thought maybe I'd wait to get CCNA for better chances at a job.

I have read that reading CCNP helps you understand CCNA better and makes thing more clearer and understanding.

What sucks about dumper, paper tiger, etc... is I'm a better learning doing the work then I am reading/watching about it. Heck I failed CCENT by 1 question and had to retake! So I feel during an interview I will get nervous and seem like one of those types.

I really love where I work sadly my boss is very micromanagement to the T, and seeing as how I have been working here I don't see "working with the HP switches" to be freely done.