Renewing older certifications

I think we can all agree that certifications definitely serve a purpose. Over the years I have pushed myself to study in order to build up the credentials to help close the gap between where I was and where the next step in my career was. I'm relatively young but I have shifted from non-IT to helpdesk, made my way up to networking and finally found myself in security. I view each of my certifications in a nostalgic way. Every single certification I obtained was carefully planned to help me move up.

For the first time, I have allowed certifications to expire. Both my CCNA :R&S and my JNCIS-SEC have expired recently. I've always kept the two up but I came to a realization: I am spending money for credentials that don't have the impact on my career they once did. The CCNA helped me move from the help-desk at an ISP to an engineering position for an MSSP. The JNCIS helped me move up in seniority. At the time, they made sense. I've shifted out of networking and my focus is security now. Over the last year I struggled with my desire to get the CCNP, trying to find different ways to justify the cost to my spouse. Now I look back and feel like a fool caught in the trap. No doubt networking experience is important in security. The knowledge is relevant but the paper is not. My years of engineering experience outweigh the value the those certifications would bring to my resume. I'm not looking for engineering roles but the background comes in handy. I've removed them from my resume and Linkedin. I even went through and remove all my older irrelevant certifications (SonicWALL, Adtran, etc); Where I once had over 14 certifications,. I am down to 5 relevant ones.

How does everyone help aging certifications? If they are current (renewed through CE, etc), do you even list them on your resume? Do you renew them just to keep them?

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Comments

PCTechLinc

As of yet, I have not allowed any of my certs to expire. However, I am reaching that point where it will be a waste of money (in my opinion) to keep some of them alive. Since getting CISSP, I think my Security+ce, CEH, and CHFI are fairly useless. My CCNA R&S and Security expires next year, and I will be going for CCNP R&S to renew those. My plan is to only keep older certs alive if it can be done by passing a better one, or if my employer requires/pays for/reimburses.

LionelTeo

That's actually a really good question. I think it is a matter of if the certification will be useful in your next career steps. If keeping the certification will not help in the next career goal, then it is definitely a waste of money to renew it. While the definite answer is subjective, I usually give a rule of a thumb that keeping a certification for about 8 years will be more than ideal to build a career that defines the person. However, for your best decision, I think its better if you would to ask yourself if keeping the certification defines correctly what you are doing so far and what you intend to do. If it doesn't, then it is probably okay if you want to drop it.

LordQarlyn

It really depends on one's personal situation. If you are still going for DoD positions, then, for example it may make sense to renew Sec+ if you have a higher level cert, since many of the IA job2 list one or more categories of cert requirements, and a cert can only satisfy one category.
In other cases, like for my CCNA, I will renew by taking a higher level Cisco exam, possibly CCNA Security, or, maybe one of the CCNP exams.

If you've moved up enough, then it makes little sense to renew lower level certs unless jobs you are after specifically mention them as a requirement and do not specify higher level certs satisfy the requirement.

Interesting perspective, PCTechLinc, I always considered certs such as CEH and CHFI complementary to the CISSP, rather than supplanted by CISSP. To me, that add , granularity for a lack of a better term, to the knowledge gained from preparing for the CISSP. I never thought as the CISSP superseding CEH or CHFI or other similarly aligned certs.

cochi78

If you got CISSP, you don't need to renew Security+ ce much, except for paying the yearly fee (I guess that's your issue @PCTechLinc) and passing them proof of your CISSP and it's renewals. I am just stating that because renewing CompTIA with 3rd party certs seems to be often overlooked. Search for "Renew CompTIA Security+ with other IT industry certifications" to get their page with the connections between CompTIA certs and others'.

On the "let certifications expire" topic - I mapped out my cert path to include as little active recertification and as much "trickling down" effects of CEU or cross-vendor renewal as possible. Currently I have just 4 renewals per year at 40 active certifications, two of which are due to the AWS certifications I need. I did not specifically use certifications for career progression though (ok, for one application 3 years ago) but am a self-confessing collector

Info_Sec_Wannabe

PCTechLinc. So long as my employer is willing to pay for the fees and exam cost that will renew some certifications, why not?

I did, however, let one certification expire as it is no longer relevant in my current field - I used to be a certified public accountant in my country.

mbarrett

EC Council renewed my CEH without charging me anything, so why not? It can't hurt.

PCTechLinc

LordQarlyn wrote: »

Interesting perspective, PCTechLinc, I always considered certs such as CEH and CHFI complementary to the CISSP, rather than supplanted by CISSP. To me, that add , granularity for a lack of a better term, to the knowledge gained from preparing for the CISSP. I never thought as the CISSP superseding CEH or CHFI or other similarly aligned certs.

My only consideration with this is how negatively viewed OUTSIDE of DoD the CEH is, and yes the annual fees definitely suck. For DoD 8570, I only need CEH for anything in the CSSP area, which I don't see myself doing. I'm focused on IAT, IAM, and IASAE, of which CISSP and its concentrations cover. Right now money is not a very good friend of mine, since living in the Monterey area. If I had a ton of disposable income, I wouldn't hesitate to keep all my certs alive. :-/

Dakinggamer87

I personally stopped renewing mine a long time ago lol.. although many are still valid/lifetime fortunately. However, for example my VCP expired and I don't see the value to justify the money of upkeeping/renewing those certs unless absolutely necessary. I rather put that money into building investments/businesses personally.

Also, I am moving more into just learning on the job instead of chasing the paper or needing the paper if that makes sense hehe.... once I have my MCSE and ITIL in hand!!

blargoe

I will renew my VCP again this time around (Feb '19). After that, I will revisit.

I recently refreshed my Windows certs since I hadn't updated them since Server 2003 (11+ year gap), and I am unfortunately still tied down professionally to Windows. But I will not be doing that again unless I have a job requirement to do so in the future.

Everything else I have I let expire, if they do expire on their own (Most of my CompTIA is so old that they are grandfathered in to "Good for Life")

LordQarlyn

blargoe wrote: »

I will renew my VCP again this time around (Feb '19). After that, I will revisit.

I recently refreshed my Windows certs since I hadn't updated them since Server 2003 (11+ year gap), and I am unfortunately still tied down professionally to Windows. But I will not be doing that again unless I have a job requirement to do so in the future.

Everything else I have I let expire, if they do expire on their own (Most of my CompTIA is so old that they are grandfathered in to "Good for Life")

Yeah I need to get updated version of my MSCA too. I have some old good for life CompTIA certs too, but of course governments won't consider them for requirements if they are over 3 years old. Found that out a few years back and had to retake the Sec+.

E Double U

I've collected a number of certs during my 10+ years in IT and I don't deal with them all the same.

- The only certs I keep on CV are the ones that I think are relevant to the next position that I am applying for. I got my CompTIA certs at the time when they don't expire, but I am far from the days of going for jobs that request A+.

- I do not renew technology specific certs that require me to retest (Cisco) when I no longer work with these technologies. They were useful at some point, but not now.

- I renew my security certs that require CPEs and annual maintenance fees (ISC2, ISACA) because my employer covers the cost. But I will not renew the GIAC certs because I don't think its worth the renewal cost (unless my employer also wants to pay for that as well).

JoJoCal19

E Double U wrote: »

I've collected a number of certs during my 10+ years in IT and I don't deal with them all the same.

- The only certs I keep on CV are the ones that I think are relevant to the next position that I am applying for. I got my CompTIA certs at the time when they don't expire, but I am far from the days of going for jobs that request A+.

- I do not renew technology specific certs that require me to retest (Cisco) when I no longer work with these technologies. They were useful at some point, but not now.

- I renew my security certs that require CPEs and annual maintenance fees (ISC2, ISACA) because my employer covers the cost. But I will not renew the GIAC certs because I don't think its worth the renewal cost (unless my employer also wants to pay for that as well).

This is exactly my viewpoint. I still have my grandfathered Net+ but had let my Sec+ expire since I was in a AVP InfoSec Risk Mgmt job at the time. So far I’ve stayed away from technology specific certs that require retests but I’ve decided to pursue AWS so we’ll see. I want that security specialty cert. I also just renew my CPE security certs, and thankfully my employers have paid for them. I’m also at that same crossroads with the GIAC certs. I’m leaning towards keeping them but we’ll see next year.

DatabaseHead

I usually let them expire, when I first got on the cert train I was reckless, wasteful and unguided.

Now that I actually have a discipline, I have more of a focus.....

The only certifications I renew / go after are ones that align tightly with what I am currently doing.....

I don subscribe to the theory of getting a certification to learn something that I don't have experience in. I use them to validate what I already know and with that don't mind putting a target on myself in doing so.... Besides the experience is organic and enjoyable since most of the material I already know from real world experience.

Trying to become someone else through certifications isn't my THANG....

UnixGuy

I have not renewed any certification at all (see my list, none of them were renewed). I just put the date that I passed the cert on my CV. No one seemed to care if the cert is renewed or not, I rarely get asked about them. Almost always get asked about my experience....

I see it this way, Passing an exam proved my knowledge at the time..I don't see a point in retaking the exam again 3 years later..I just do something different instead.

Info_Sec_Wannabe

I know a colleague who let his GPEN expire recently because of the cost. When I asked why, he told me he plans on renewing it in the near future if the need arises or if his employer shoulders the cost. Despite this, he still uses the knowledge he gained though not as often since he's moved to a management position.