Do any of you maintain your lower certifications once you pass higher level certs?

robotdelivery · December 2018

I now find myself paying annual fees to (ISC)2, ISACA, EC-Council, and CompTIA. I plan to maintain my CRISC, CISSP and my CEH, but I am considering dropping my CompTIA certs (e.g. Sec+, Net+, Linux+, Project+) and my (ISC)2 SSCP.

Is there really any use to maintaining lower level certs once higher level certs have been attained?

Skyliinez92 · December 2018

No employer has ever asked if my certs are still valid. If they are on my CV, then it's good enough for them and me. I understand wanting to keep high-level certs valid, but I wouldn't worry about CompTIA too much.

cyberguypr · December 2018

I usually let my lower certs expire but now that I am adjuncting I may need to retake some exams that I let expire. Other than this, I have no reason to keep them alive.

robotdelivery · December 2018

Skyliinez92 said:

No employer has ever asked if my certs are still valid. If they are on my CV, then it's good enough for them and me. I understand wanting to keep high-level certs valid, but I wouldn't worry about CompTIA too much.

This makes sense to me and I think this is how a lot of IT guys handle their certs. I know many who casually throw A+ at the end of their cert list but I know there is no way they are maintaining that. I appreciate the insight.

SteveLavoie · December 2018

If you maintain CISSP, you are almost sure to retain SSCP depending on the training followed. There is a lot of overlap between those. You will have both annual fee to pay, but usually it can put on your expense report.

Skyliinez92 · December 2018

robotdelivery said:

Skyliinez92 said:

No employer has ever asked if my certs are still valid. If they are on my CV, then it's good enough for them and me. I understand wanting to keep high-level certs valid, but I wouldn't worry about CompTIA too much.

This makes sense to me and I think this is how a lot of IT guys handle their certs. I know many who casually throw A+ at the end of their cert list but I know there is no way they are maintaining that. I appreciate the insight.

I think if people tried to keep all their certs up to date (and CompTIA is only valid for 3 years) then you're just going to stress yourself out. Only keep what is relevant to your current working role.

stryder144 · December 2018

Honestly, yes I do. Since my higher level certs usually update my lower ones, I just make sure that I share my certs (Cisco with CompTIA, for instance). Not all that hard to do for me. If I had CISSP, I would share it with CompTIA and it would help renew my CASP>CySA+>Security+>Network+>A+.

UnixGuy · December 2018

I never renew anything..I move on to the next cert...no one asks if my certs are active or up to date...

E Double U · December 2018

I've been keeping everything up to date that only requires CPEs and annual maintenance fees which I can expense to my employer. Any cert which requires taking more exams has expired.

thomas_ · December 2018

If I ever let them expire, I’ll probably just put an “Expired Certs” section on my resume.

promethuschow · December 2018

I have maintained some and let go off some to heavens.

soooowutnow · December 2018

I let my A+, Security+, and CCNA expire. I figure if I need to fall back on them I am going backwards. I will guard Cloud+ and CRISC with my life for now lol.

ansionnachcliste · December 2018

I worked damn hard for the "lower level" security certificates that I have achieved, so I will keep them for as long as possible.

What's also important for me is to inspire new comers into the industry.
If a newbie sees a CISSP who maintains their Security+, I want to show them that there is still value in the certificate and achievement and that I can still talk to them at that level and am not beyond that.

I'm very proud of who I was and the ambitions I had when I started off in the security realm.

JDMurray · December 2018

I eventually let my SSCP expire years after I got my CISSP. I realized that the only cert I had that was beneficial for me to maintain for my career was my CISSP. I wish there was a maintenance requirement to re-take the CISSP exam every ten years (at a generous alumni discount, of course).

Clm · December 2018

Im now trying to keep all my certs. I want to eventually teach technology starting small at a community college and most colleges in my area require there instructors to teach basic level cert exams. Also not to hate or piss anyone off but if your cert is expired you should take it off your CV/Resume it can potentially bite you in the bum. My current position checked all of my certs. And i know if I would have lied i wouldn't have gotten the job.
Also I let my Security+ expire after I got CISSP and i kinda miss it lol

c5rookie · December 2018

As an instructor, I have to maintain the cert in order to meet the requirements to teach the class. I had to create a spreadsheet to help me keep track of everything. Thankfully the continuing education credits seem to cascade through CompTIA, so the credits I earn for CISSP and SANS are all I worry about. The pain is keeping track of all the fees. I think spend about $400 a year on renewal fees. I'm still on the fence if I like Cisco's philosphy of requiring people to take an exam every three years. You don't have to submit CPEs, but you get to study and cram for a couple months so you have enough knowledge to pass the portions of the exam you don't touch on a daily basis.

IIIMaster · February 7

For compTia they can be renew by higher certs. Just pay the renewal fee. There is no need to retake them.

SteveLavoie · February 7

I like to renew my certs using CPE... it prove that you study and keep current. Also it enable to spread your study/renewal on a longer term.

I was lucky enough to get my A+, Network+, Linux+ during the time it was lifetime. I am not 100% sure that I would have maintained them.

Since 2008, I renewed my VCP almost every 2 years. Until 2014 (or so), you had 6 month after the new release to redo the exam if you didnt want to have to pay for the course, then they changed for renewal every 2 years. Now VMware changed its mind again so now no need to renew.. you do it at your leasure. So, since 2008, I did the exam 6 times, for version 3.5, 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5.

kaiju · February 7

Lower level Comptia certs will stay active if you associate your Comptia account with ISACA, ISC, Microsoft, Cisco and other accounts that have higher level certs. All you have to do is pay the maintenance fees.

Do any of you maintain your lower certifications once you pass higher level certs?

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