Certifications and Mean Pay

Hello Everyone,

Just thought that I would check in and make a rather interesting post. From time to time, I've been posting here about my job search. Background: I just recently escaped Call Center Hell.

Here is an update on how certifications affected my job search:

2007: Several years of IT Call Center Experience but no certifications. Applied for jobs and was offered a job for $6.50 an hour at a call Center.

Late 2007: Got a help desk job for $10.00 an hour. I don't know how my wife and I made it except to say that she supported me. As I was finally about to give up IT, I started pursuing jobs in IT.

Late 2007: Got A+ Certification.. Got an absolutely horrible, abusive help desk job for 14.00 an hour.

Late, Late, Late 2007: Got A+ and NET+. Got $16 an hour at a call center, plus some very nice benefits.

Early 2008: MCSA: started getting offers in the mean range of 40-45K.

Mid-2008: MCAD: Mean shifted to 50-55K

I just accepted a job for $28 an hour as an entry level network job as a government contractor. I was able to get the experience requirement waived based on certifications, and the job is very, very, very cushy. Most of the days of the week, I remote in from home to work on the network. I only need to come in on serious problems.

I just wanted to post this as motivation for anyone just starting out, especially those who've truly had to experience the poverty and hell of the call center world. Don't let other's discourage you. Keep on busting your butt on the certifications and the money will come.

Certification Trail and mean pay job offers for me: A+ == $14, Net+==$16, MCSA==$20-$22, MCAD==$25-$30 -- in a very poor, low cost of living state.

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Comments

mamono

very nice. good to see something progressive.

Daniel333

Nice to see someone get ahead of the curve.

Any degree ?

moss12

brother tell us , if you have degree or diploma ? congrats

MCPWannabe

Hello guys,

Thanks for the comments. To answer the questions, I haven an undergraduate in Philosophy (which got me laughed at) and an MBA. However, I have emphasize something: I had the undergraduate in philosophy when I was offered $6.50 an hour.

For my latest job, I had a chance to speak with the IT recruiter, and she told me that the best way to become a government contractor or work for the federal government is to have a Bachelor's degree in a computer related field.

These are the 'keywords' that most IT recruiters scan for when reviewing resumes. When you add certifications on top of that, you get some pretty good offers.

In my case, my contracting company had to petition the federal government because I didn't have an IT degree and get them to waive the requirement in lieu of the certs.

Aldur

congrats and thanks for the story, we all need good pick-me-ups like that

jamesp1983

MCPWannabe wrote:

Hello guys,

Thanks for the comments. To answer the questions, I haven an undergraduate in Philosophy (which got me laughed at) and an MBA. However, I have emphasize something: I had the undergraduate in philosophy when I was offered $6.50 an hour.

The director of IT at my last job had that same degree. He was one of the smartest people I've ever met.

famosbrown

It's good to hear success stories from those who didn't have to have 10 year sof experience as a Sys. Admin to make over 55K per year. Someone has given you the opportunity because you just can't get the experience working Help Desk at a call center...no matter how many years you do it. You only get the experience when someone gives you the opportunity to get it (take a chance on you without experience).

Government contracting is good and I work with a bunch of them. They are for the most part more paid than the regualr federal Government employees depending on the position. Some WAY more than others like those on the Network/Platform Engineering side.

Good luck and thanks again for sharing your road (so far) to continued and progressive success.

jetfan

thats awesome man, i hope to be there someday.

jamesp1983

Thanks for this information. I worked in the private sector making 45k as a Sys Admin in a wealthy part of PA, and now I work for the state in a depressed area of Delaware. I make 20k more a year here with the same creds I started with minus 1.5 years experience.

ChronusMaximus

That's awesome. You should be proud of yourself for making such an incredible progression in under a few years!

I am curious about your MBA. Did that get you any recognition in your interviews? I only ask because I was thinking about going for my MBA in a few years.

Congrats again! I hope you continue to progress as rapidly as you have in the last year and a half.

UnixGuy

famosbrown wrote:

... You only get the experience when someone gives you the opportunity to get it (take a chance on you without experience).

loxleynew

Congrats on the progression! I too know the call center and how depressing it is. What tier support did you do in the call center?

I guess I was lucky I got out after 6 months of it after getting my MCDST and jumped from $12 to $17. Now i'm studying for MCSA but it's taking me so much longer than I planned.

Andretii

So how old are you MCPWannabe?

gojericho0

Congrats! Great to hear of your success and that your hard work and determination is paying off.

JockVSJock

***BUMP***

Should have a sticky because this is inspiring.

alan2308

I agree. Very inspiring for someone like me on the job hunt right now.

rogue2shadow

I agree! Feels good to see this.

phantasm

Good to hear. I've been trying to get back into government work since I got active duty in '02. lol. Oh well.

Michael.J.Palmer

This is close to a year and half old, so how about an update on this? How are you doing today?

This is kind of what I'm hoping will happen with me in the long run so I'd love to get an update on how it went with you.

JockVSJock

Awhile back, I remember seeing this thread and for some reason I tried to go back and find it, lost it, and now found it again.

JockVSJock

MCPWannabe wrote: »

Hello guys,

Thanks for the comments. To answer the questions, I haven an undergraduate in Philosophy (which got me laughed at) and an MBA. However, I have emphasize something: I had the undergraduate in philosophy when I was offered $6.50 an hour.

This is what KILLS me, you have a BS and a MBA. I gonna take a wild guess and say you probably went to some state college, where the degree isn't even worth the paper it is printed on.

I totally respect your undergrad, mine is in History/English. Colleges really don't care what you major in, they just want to get you in the door and then out.

On top of that, your wife puts up with this insanity. More power to you.

hex_omega

Some mean ass pay...

Dr IT

Well thats a good inspirational post - in short

more certification + more money

burner27

I concur. This is a very inspriational story. One that i can relate to as certs made a world of difference for me as well.

ipconfig.all

Tell us about the update.

alan2308

Michael.J.Palmer wrote: »

This is close to a year and half old, so how about an update on this? How are you doing today?

This is kind of what I'm hoping will happen with me in the long run so I'd love to get an update on how it went with you.

I was thinking the same thing, but the OP hasn't been around in a while.

Last Activity: 04-11-2009 10:32 PM

keeranbri

Hi MCPWannabe,

Great story, it makes me more motivated. I would love to have anyone feedback as well. I currently have a BA degree in Technical management, with a concentration in computer networking, however I have not even utilized my degree even once at a job during the time I was at school because I already had a full time job and it was hard to leave since so many factors came into play..such as paying bills, taking lower pay, ect...

now that I have graduated, i have know experience under my belt except about almost 4 years of customer service skills doing collections. and I want to get out and get my foot into door of IT. I'm planning to take my A+ certification which is my first step, so I guess I have to go through the help desk experience like everyone does, but do you think the A+ certification along with my technical degree will help me land a entry level job, without no experience. I need some advice

zerglings

At least not in our company. They don't care if you get certified or not. You'll still get the same pay and/or raise. The only time you'll make more money is when you move to another company. *sighs*

phantasm

zerglings wrote: »

At least not in our company. They don't care if you get certified or not. You'll still get the same pay and/or raise. The only time you'll make more money is when you move to another company. *sighs*

Ding. My company is the same way. They don't promote from within either, instead they hire from outside for openings.

zerglings

phantasm wrote: »

Ding. My company is the same way. They don't promote from within either, from hire from outside for openings.

That sucks. Well, at least in our company they promote from within if they think you can handle it. Though, it is becoming a norm that they're hiring from outside because of the fact that the departments require experience now. Though, they still hire from within if you know how to play the game.