NEED CAREER/CERT ADVISE!

HI EVERYONE! I'D LOVE TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS, ON WHAT MY NEXT STEP SHOULD BE. I AM CURRENTLY STUDYING FOR NET + CERT, AND HOPE TO PASS THE TEST WITHIN 2-3 WEEKS. I AM NOT SURE WHAT SHOULD BE MY NEXT CERT STEP, SO I THOUGHT IF I TOLD U MY PREVIOUS/CURRENT EXPERIENCE, YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME VALUABLE INPUT.

I WAS A CERTIFIED NOVELL ADMIN-ALL VERSIONS THROUGH 4.1. I WORK AS AN IT COORDINATOR, WHERE I HELP TROUBLESHOOT OUTAGES, PROVIDE USER SUPPORT, AND COORDINATE PROJECT EXPANSIONS/UPGRADES. I ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCE IN ACCOUNTING, ALMOST DONE WITH MY AS IN ACCOUNTING. (I JUST NEED SOME GENERAL CREDITS IN MATH TO FINISH.) THE JOB I DO NOW IS MOSTLY DONE WITH CISCO SWITCHES, ROUTERS... I HAVE ACCESS TO CCNE/MCSE TO HELP TROUBLESHOOT PROBLEMS. SERVER ISSUES ARE HANDLED REMOTELY.

I AM INTERESTED IN PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, AND WOULD LOVE TO BE A PROJECT COORDINATOR FOR NETWORK INSTALLS. I HAVE BEEN SCANNING JOB ADS, AND DON'T REALLY SEE WHAT CERTS THEY WANT. I AM LIMITED BY BACK/NECK PROBLEMS TO PERFORM THE PHYSICAL INSTALLS.

ADVISE? THOUGHTS?

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Comments

ajs1976

First piece of advice, don't post in all caps. It is annoying and equal to shouting.

CompTIA has the Project+ which would be entry level project management. The more advanced cert is the PMP. Microsoft is working on a new series of certs that work with the MS Office Project application and server.

sthomas

Since you have experience with Cisco and Microsoft you could start off with CCNA and/or MCSA. Get your A+ first then if you decide to go the MCSA/MCSE route you can count A+/Net+ towards your MCSA 2003.

REID8968

I HAVE LOOKED AT THE COMPTIA PROJECT +. WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP TO MY TEACHER OF NET +, HE TOLD ME I WOULD BE BETTER OFF IN THE MICROSOFT PROJECT CERTIFICATION TRACK. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DETAILS ON THE COMPTIA PROJECT + CERT? JUST WONDER IF I WOULD BE WASTING MY TIME, IF IT'S NOT A WELL RECOGNIZED CERT.

REID8968

I know the caps thing can be annoying! Sorry! I'm just a lazy typist, not an angry or loud one!

ajs1976

There is a board here that discusses the cert: http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=31

With your Novell certs, and your experience with Novell, MS, Cisco and as an IT Coordinator, I agree with your instructor about the Net+.

I don't know how recognized the Project+ cert is, but like the other CompTIA cert, I think it will cover some good entry level material for the project management field and would be a good stepping stone to the PMP.

I'm not sure about the MS Project cert. To me it would seem that after passing that test, some one would know how to use at as a tool to manage a project, but might not know how to actually manage a project.

REID8968

Andy-

Thanks for the info. I found exactly the info I was hoping to find. Hey, I was looking at your certs. What is CCEA? Do you know anything about Comptia Sec +?

ajs1976

CCEA = Citrix Certified Enterprise Administor. I was forced to complete the XP track a few years ago for my companies partner status. I completed the CCA for 4.0 this year, and it looks like I will be doing the 4.5 and Access Gateway exams next year.

The Sec+ exam is also on my today list. I have the Sybex and exam cram books. I started studying before my daughters were born, but got side tracked.

REID8968

Andy-

Congrats on your daughters! I too was sidetracked due to my Son. We also use Citrix. How did you find that cert? Any general feedback on the Cisco or Comptia exams? I know to expect a lot of scenario type of questions, and to make sure I know cable specs, and OSI inside out and backwards. What I am not clear about is how they score the Net+. It's 85 questions, but I keep hearing scores like 499. Do you know what I need to pass, and what that # represents?

seuss_ssues

My biggest piece of advise would be to spend some time and explore this site and its forums.

It has information on most major certs. (general info and recommended study material)
Technotes and guides to help study.
Individual forums for the certs.

for example:

You seem interested in security+. Go read the info in the section about it and check out its forums. The majority of your questions have probably already been asked and answered some time in the past. And if you think of something new then post it and im sure someone will come by with an answer.

either way you have stumbled across a great site/forum

REID8968

Thanks for the advice on Sec. +. I have already found the tech notes to use for Net + studying, and you are absolutely correct, they are great! I have already found answers to questions I had. The instructor I had for Net + has his own road map to pass Net +. I am finding a bunch of questions on practice test, that he hasn't addressed, nor has he been able to answer tell. The answers seem to be in tech guide.

As far as Sec +, yes I'm interested. I think it is the area of IT that has the post potential for growth.

Regards!

L

nel

ive found project managers to be on ALOT more money that most professions in my area (UK). Once you have gained your technical certs .i.e ccna/mcse i would def start the projetc management stuff. if the project+ is like other comptia exams it will be over priced and not worth it. if i remem correctly pmp and prince2 both have foundation and advanced certs so i would probably start on their foundation ones. check out their websites. but i dont honetsly know whether prince2 is just in the UK or what.

so if i were you i would start on their foundations and skip the project+. this is probs not an accurate view as i have never done the project+ but if its like the a+ and network+ it will be another over priced cert from them. i wish i didnt waste my hard earned ggggggg's on them!

Aquabat [banned]

i HATE project managers, they do not do anything

JDMurray

Aquabat wrote:

i HATE project managers, they do not do anything

Maybe you should try being a project manager yourself and just see what it is that a PM isn't doing for his/her projects.