Experience vs Certifications

Hey guys new to the forum, been reading for a long time but this is my first post.

Was just wondering how you guys feel about the Catch 22 of needing experience to find work yet needing work to get experience. I'm currently taking CCNA\MCSE through the local college here and not sure where I want to go. I'm also working part time for the local cable company supporting residential internet. This summer I have to choose whether to continue on to the CCNP diploma program or try and find work.

If you were the hiring manager would you hire someone with CCNA and 1 year relevant experience or a CCNP with a diploma and no experience? Would you consider 4 years of residental technical support for cable internet relevant experience? I'm really scared that if I continue on to get the CCNP without the work experience I put myself in a awkward position were I'm overqualified for entry level jobs to get the experience and underqualified for CCNP type jobs.

Any thoughts?

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Comments

sandman748

I just now realized that there is a job section of this forum that I didnt know existed. If a mod can move this or just delete it that would be awesome.

Mrock4

I would definitely put a strong effort into gaining any experience you gain, but I would (in your position) undoubtedly go for the CCNP anyways.

And if I had a choice of a CCNA with one year on the job experience versus a CCNP who never touched a live network, I would choose the CCNA. That being said, if you can get any kind of experience + CCNP, that puts you in a very good spot.

Talic

I'm in the same position as you are in. I'm planning on just doing the CCNA then working a little toward some MS and Linux certs. I probably won't go as far as a MCSE but maybe a MCDST level cert. I think doing that will also help with setting up a good CCNP lab, since it can get pretty expensive.

I don't think it'll hurt a whole lot no matter what cert you get, you'll still need to start from the bottom. Just having the degree and certification knowledge will help you progress faster and make it easier for you to know what is going on.

JohnDouglas

yeah, get the cert, just be realistic about the salary. you won't be getting a top level ccnp job. just like someone with a ccie cert won't get a top level ccie post without experience.

once you get the job if you can apply your ccnp knowledge in your role you'll move up quickly. you'll also find it easy moving within the company i'm sure given that 90% of achieving anything is knowing who to ask rather than whatever technical knowledge you have.

AlexMR

Mrock4 wrote:

I would definitely put a strong effort into gaining any experience you gain, but I would (in your position) undoubtedly go for the CCNP anyways.

And if I had a choice of a CCNA with one year on the job experience versus a CCNP who never touched a live network, I would choose the CCNA. That being said, if you can get any kind of experience + CCNP, that puts you in a very good spot.

Im pracically done with the Self Study guide for the BSCI exam, and only because of this, and because I have a lot of contact with very experienced CCNAs, I must say that I dont think the vast majority o the CCNAs with GOOD experience would be able to match the knowledge of a CCNP. MOst of them will certainly be above the CCNA material but not to the CCNP level.

This has only been my limited experience. I might be wrong, but my point is that the CCNP really takes you to another level, one that I just havent had the chance of meeting a CCNA that I consider is at it.

The definitive best way to go is to get the job and keep working on the CCNP.

Mrock4

AlexMR wrote:

I must say that I dont think the vast majority o the CCNAs with GOOD experience would be able to match the knowledge of a CCNP. MOst of them will certainly be above the CCNA material but not to the CCNP level.

I didn't mean to say that a CCNA with experience is going to do CCNP level tasks...but rather that an experienced CCNA will handle a live network better then a paper CCNP.