Entry level Network Engineer, what cert is more valuable?

Ciscopimpenator · April 2007

I starting looking for jobs with a CCNA and it's very hard to land one with just a CCNA.

My dilemma is I need a job right now, or at least in the next month, because times are getting tougher.

To be honest, I don't really want to be a Systems Admin(I have 5 years experience for a small business) because I want to be a Network Engineer which is what I enjoy.

I know the MCSE is marketable and with the combination of CCNA I can probably land a job somewhere. Or should I get the CCNP and hope to God that somebody hires me as an entry level network engineer, which is what I really want to do but have little experience. In all honesty I want both certifications, but I know my time is running short and I need to market myself with the best possible cert for being a network engineer.

I know the MCSE will take me about as long to get or longer as the CCNP so I'm at a crossroad.

Should I get the MCSE, which might allow me to crossover to helpdesk/sys admin duties if the times get tough, or should I go directly for the CCNP and hope to God I land an elusive network engineer position.

MCSE vs. CCNP, which is better to have for a Network Engineer(assuming you have CCNA).

-Ciscopimpenator

Ricka182 · April 2007

Cisco certs are better for being a Network Engineer, and M$ certs are better for Systems Admin. The reason it's hard with just CCNA is there is no such thing as an entry level network engineer. You have work for a few years doing the little stuff, and then you get to play with the big boys.....

Ciscopimpenator · April 2007

If I get a CCNP should I land a job relatively easy?

shednik · April 2007

the problem with continuing on with your certifcations is that if you dont have experience in the field the CCNP won't be as valuble without that hands on experince. if you love networking and don't want to deal with systems you may be able to find a company that will hire you to do both systems and network...then later just do what you decide. It's tough to land a job sometimes, just takes time you can always take a job to get by and continue to look. Good Luck with the job search!

Ciscopimpenator · April 2007

Shednik, exactly what I'm thinking.

I have experience with Cisco routers. I have worked with 2500/2600/4500 routers and even something called an AGS(which I owned). Does anybody even know what an AGS router is?? hahahaha Its an old school router.

I know I could completely do any job I'm assinged involving Cisco but it seems like recruiters and employers don't know whats going on half the time.

The only solution I have is to get my CCIE and start my own consulting company. I know the difference between good and bad techs , regardless of CCNA or CCNP.

-Ciscopimpenator

Aquabat [banned] · April 2007

well, if you are ccnp certified then you have hand-on experience with cisco routers and switches. Mabye it's just your area, because you have 5 years of production network experience.

it's kinda like what going on with me right now, except i don't have that much experience. I tihnk you will be ok even without the ccnp

Kasor · April 2007

Just tell them that you are planning for CCNP to enhance your skill.

buulam · April 2007

You might want to look at tier 1 jobs with an ISP or at a colo or some sort of noc.

Thats the only entry level networking job I can think of that you might have a chance of walking straight into

i got my break after working a few months on a help desk at a large company right out of college. i had my ccna out of my program at school and so when the network guys needed some extra hands, i was able to help with grunt work and in doing so, gained experience in a decent sized enterprise cisco environment and moved on from there..... they key was working in a company with lots of opportunities

EdTheLad · April 2007

Ciscopimpenator wrote:

I know I could completely do any job I'm assinged involving Cisco but it seems like recruiters and employers don't know whats going on half the time.

The only solution I have is to get my CCIE and start my own consulting company. I know the difference between good and bad techs , regardless of CCNA or CCNP.

-Ciscopimpenator

I can completely relate to you as i've had these problems for the last 2/3 months.I have seven years WAN experience but no commercial Cisco experience to date.Agencies were creating a barrier between me and the employer so it was impossible to show my skills.
I had my ccnp/ccip but the agents were only interested in was Cisco experience, they wouldn't even put me forward for an entry level position.
The fact is there are so many people dumping these exams, going for job interviews and getting blown out of the water.Companies are now requesting a couple of years experience as a minimum and agents are not clued in enough to know who is a real guru and who isn't.
I finally got a job but this was down to previous experience plus certs.If i had no previous experience i would still be searching.
If you have ccnp it means you should get a higher salary while at the same time you're unproven in the field, if the employer pays low he knows you will take the experience and run and on the other side he doesn't want to pay a newbie big cash.My advise it broaden your scope, do some Microsoft exams that will open more doors, if you want to stick with cisco do the ccda.Your goal is to land an entry level position and to be honest ccnp can do more harm than good, .Once you get any tech job, be it admin or network engineer it will make you more marketable.
CCIE is the only thing that will truely get you past the agents without experience.
A little sad for be to tell you not to go higher with your Cisco studies but this is just what i experienced.Good Luck!

moss12 · April 2007

what cert is gold well degree/diploma

sprkymrk · April 2007

moss12 wrote:

what cert is gold well degree/diploma

There is no such a thing. Not even a degree/diploma, ask those who have them and are unemployed due to lack of experience. The best you can do is, well, your best. Closest cert to gold is probably CCIE. Your best bet is to have the certs (more is usually better), a degree (at least a Bach, Master's preffered, PhD best) and lots of experience.

These are not requirements for starting in the field though, just answering your question on "what's gold".

Kaminsky · April 2007

Ciscopimpenator wrote:

If I get a CCNP should I land a job relatively easy?

Without exp your starting from the bottom no matter what. Yes the better the cert, thoretically the quicker you will rise up but the only "Gold" thing in this business is experience of doing the job many, many times on the ground in real life situations.

BTW, your avatar takes me back... Sho' Nuff right? I can't believe I remember that movie's baddie character name after so long. Great film.

sprkymrk · April 2007

Kaminsky wrote:

BTW, your avatar takes me back... Sho' Nuff right? I can't believe I remember that movie's baddie character name after so long. Great film.

Was that from The Last Dragon?

royal · April 2007

sprkymrk wrote:

Kaminsky wrote:

BTW, your avatar takes me back... Sho' Nuff right? I can't believe I remember that movie's baddie character name after so long. Great film.

Was that from The Last Dragon?

Yep

milliamp · April 2007

EdTheLad wrote:

If you have ccnp it means you should get a higher salary while at the same time you're unproven in the field, if the employer pays low he knows you will take the experience and run and on the other side he doesn't want to pay a newbie big cash......Your goal is to land an entry level position and to be honest ccnp can do more harm than good...

I read this expecting most of the replies but that is actually a pretty good point I didn't think of.

Entry level Network Engineer, what cert is more valuable?

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