Well I've burned out

Well after doing certifications for 6 years (started in 2012 with A+) I am starting to burn out from certifications and I am starting to no longer enjoy the process but find it as a chore than anything else! I feel like i've done the important certifications I need for my career and the other ones won't do my any good or they will look bad without proper experience. (Ex: CCNP with no networking experience as I work in security) or I have no interest in the other certification tracks. After 2018, I am going to only pursue 3 certifications and I need to focus more on the social aspect of life. I've been neglecting that part of my life which sucks but it is time for a healthy change! Looking forward to this year to be over and have these exams passed then I'm taking a break next year!!

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EANx

For me, it's a wave. I'll study for a year or three then the desire wanes and I go after something else. If you've been working on self-improvement for a while and are in a position to take a break, do so. Take a year off and do something non-tech related in your spare time.

shochan

yeah, duder...you have a buttload of certs...you should be making bank! $$$$$$$

mikey88

shochan wrote: »

yeah, duder...you have a buttload of certs...you should be making bank! $$$$$$$

Yeap, dude has a bunch of certs, but in my opinion it's better to specialize and go after one expert level cert. One CCIE is better than 20 low/mid level certs.

Dakinggamer87

kMastaFlash wrote: »

Well after doing certifications for 6 years (started in 2012 with A+) I am starting to burn out from certifications and I am starting to no longer enjoy the process but find it as a chore than anything else! I feel like i've done the important certifications I need for my career and the other ones won't do my any good or they will look bad without proper experience. (Ex: CCNP with no networking experience as I work in security) or I have no interest in the other certification tracks. After 2018, I am going to only pursue 3 certifications and I need to focus more on the social aspect of life. I've been neglecting that part of my life which sucks but it is time for a healthy change! Looking forward to this year to be over and have these exams passed then I'm taking a break next year!!

I’m right there with you dude after I finish the MCSE I’m focusing my energy outside of the IT realm a bit!! I’m beyond burned out... It is good to branch out and explore other areas of life outside the career. It can open up your perspective and give you a much needed rest.

E Double U

I haven't sacrificed my social life, but told myself I would slow down on certs to focus on other studies (Dutch, Python, machine learning). Even if I'm not working on a certification I'm in a continuous study mode. Whenever I feel cert burnout I end up reading for leisure, watching TED talks, and binge watching a series on Netflix at the request of the Mrs.

I got my first cert (A+) in 2005, but took huge breaks between pursuing other certs. After doing CCNA in 2010 I was on a cert hiatus for three years. During that time I got married and had our first son. But since 2013 I've just hit a stride and have been knocking them out starting with CCNA/P Security then moving on to the certs you see to the left. Currently working on GPEN with no other cert goals for 2018, but I'm sure I'll pursue more in 2019 if my employer is still footing the bill.

DatabaseHead

After a while it becomes sooooooooooo old.......

My focus is my son, he is really in to computing and it's time to pass some of this along......

TechGuru80

kMastaFlash wrote: »

I feel like i've done the important certifications I need for my career and the other ones won't do my any good or they will look bad without proper experience.

Once you reach a certain point, it is no longer about getting anything and everything under the sun. Depending on the position you are currently in and based on what you already have, the CISSP is the only certification I would say that you MUST get in the near future. At 6 years, you really should be starting to specialize if you haven't in 1-3 areas...compared to early in a career, most people want to be generalists to see what areas they like the most.

Even looking at your goals in your signature, you have 8 certifications listed for 2018, 5 for 2019, and 1+ for 2020......that is just insanity. Not only are you burning money in a generalist fashion, the topics are all over the spectrum. If anything I would strive for 1-2 per year at most, and then use the rest of the time to make sure you know those topics really well and to brush up on other related topics like automation. One last assumption based on your certifications you list, I would stop listing certifications like A+/Network+/etc. that are entry and hold little to no weight mid-career (I am hoping you don't have all of those on your resume)....strip it down to what is relevant. To the wrong person, having all of the certifications listed could come off as a "know-it-all."

[Deleted User]

Thanks guys for your support!! @TechGuru80, I've decided to specialize in Penetration testing/Red teaming!! I am doing some resume re-vamping now as I have 3 years of work experience in security (still young in career). The other certifications like A+ and Network+ are planning on being removed from my resume along with some other minor ones. The CISSP is really the last certification I have planned to balance out my security/networking certifications along with some of the other ones I have planned like GXPN, GWAPT etc.

Mike7

kMastaFlash wrote: »

I feel like i've done the important certifications I need for my career and the other ones won't do my any good or they will look bad without proper experience.

I've decided to specialize in Penetration testing/Red teaming!!.

Given that you have done the important certs, I suggest you focus on your end goal which is red teaming/pen testing. Get that OSCP!

kMastaFlash wrote: »

2018: E|CSP,CCNA-Security,CSA+,CAST 611,GWAPT,GNFA,CCNA Cyber Ops,GXPN
2019: CCSK,CISSP,GREM,GAWN,CWNA
2020: LPIC-2,eLearnSecurity Courses

To this end, you may want to focus on red teaming certs only; i.e. the GWAPT, GXPN... and eLS courses. I do not see how certs such as E|CSP, CCNA-Security, CSA+ helps when you should be polishing your pen testing skills.

As you know, OSCP is not a MCQ exam, and you need the practice. Try hacking VMs at VulnHub or HackTheBox, do the eLS pen testing labs or attend courses at Pentester Academy; you learn more spending nights hacking those boxes than reading an exam guide. If your interest is really in pen testing, you will find the time spend hacking VMs fun and rejuvenating.

Also join the Discord channel if you have not, the folks there will motivate you.

thedudeabides

2018: OSCP
2019: OSCE
2020: Learn foreign language, hang gliding, etc

There. FTFY.

JoJoCal19

As TE usually delivers, lots of great points made. I agree with Mike and thedudeabides. I personally would knock out the CISSP because resume filter/gatekeeper, but then focus on OSCP, OSCE and other pentesting stuff.

I feel you on being burned out, but like EANx mine also comes also comes in waves, although mine is more random. But I've noticed the periods in which my desire/motivation/drive to pursue certs is low or non-existent have been getting longer. It's probably a side effect of having been in school non-stop since 2002 (finishing my MS Cybersecurity next month), having obtained the certs that I do have, as well as having accomplished my salary targets. Like E Double U, I will always be studying something, even if it's just to stay current on technology, or learn something new. The one thing I can say is that I'm completely over multiple choice, remember random facts exams. Practical and hands on stuff (like OSCP) is what I'm after.

UnixGuy

mikey88 wrote: »

.... One CCIE is better than 20 low/mid level certs.

this 100%

gespenstern

The key for me is doing interesting certs. If the cert is boring (i.e. CCNA) it becomes a nightmare to prepare for it despite its relative simplicity, but if it's exciting (GREM) I breeze through it despite it being hard.

It's tough when you get paid for doing work that is boring. Same with certs.

It's a blessing when you work and study for something you are excited about.

JoJoCal19

gespenstern, that holds true for me too. I tried and tried and eventually gave up with the PMP. Way too boring. Same with CCSP (even though I'd still like to get it). Now the pentesting and hacking stuff, I can sit and do that all day.

malachi1612

Yep, I feel the same about ITIL. I have the cert now, after failing it twice years ago when my previous employer paid for it but I took it again with my current employer and passed last year. But I find it so boring.

I guess it helped because I was studying for my MCSA at the sametime so I used the same studying method to push through ITIL.

johndabomb44

*Looks at certifications of kMastaFlash*

0.0

Mike7

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

Now the pentesting and hacking stuff, I can sit and do that all day.

Well said...