What is your reason for pursuing certifications?

I'm curious to know why each of you are puruing the certifications currently. I realize for most of us it's a little bit of each, but what is the major driving force for you?

Edit: I didn't comment on my current reason for pursuing certifications. I do have a long term plan/strategy.

MCITP:EA --> Linux Certifications --> Security Certifications

I enjoy SysAdmin stuff and I want to move into a Systems Administration role. I also have an interest in security but not the glamorous Ethical Hacking stuff. Long term I would be interested in Security Administration, and Security Auditing.

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networker050184

I use them to get me where I want to be in my career. I'm constantly learning more and upgrading my qualifications as I move up in the world.

Monkerz

I'd have to say, I wasted the 4 years of high school in which I could have used to get a scholarship. Drugs were my life. I was told I wouldn't amount to much and I should do everyone a favor and end my life. Took it really hard at first, but ultimately it helped me see the light. I fell in love with technology. Soon after talking with a CCIE, I knew networking was what I wanted to do. I'm pursing certifications as a means to accomplish lifetime goals I set for myself.

brad-

chicks

Mojo_666

Until the beginning of last year I had only done 3 exams (which were done in 2006) I was earning great money and had no issues, my MCP ID was in the low 3 millions.

Last year I was facing redundancy, I was getting no calls about jobs where as the other guys I was working with and who were my juniors were getting calls, and lots of them. When I dug into it a little it turned out that as the most senior engineer in the company I was in fact the least qualified, everyone else it seemed had been doing certs left and right and most were MCSE already, I also discovered that all the projects I had done they were putting on their CV's

Another worry was that since the inception of the MCP program until 2006 when I sat my first exam a little over 3 million people had passed 1 or more exams (based on my MCP ID), in the 3 years since the MCP ID numbers of my colleagues were into the mid 8 millions.

I had a mild panic attack and started playing "catch up", that's why I got most of my certs, now I am simply playing "stay ahead".

veritas_libertas

brad- wrote: »

chicks

LOL, I was going to make that one of the choices: Awesomeness: Fame, Fortune, and the Women. I knew if I did I wouldn't get any serious answers.

Besides, come on really? I mean really?

RobertKaucher

I use them for the following reasons and in order of importance:

1. As a part of my career plan.
2. To help me get a job. Related to number one.
3. So that I can learn new technologies.

tpatt100

Keywords for recruiters using online job sites.

Mojo_666

tpatt100 wrote: »

Keywords for recruiters using online job sites.

+1
Haha

Devilsbane

Several of these apply to me, but I went with plan. Obviously part of that plan is to also increase my technical knowledge, find a (better job), and passion also apply.

Going along with what Monkerz said, I also wish I got started down this path sooner. I could have easily got my A+ and some xp certifications while in highschoool. I just didn't know about them. Oh well, you live and learn, and if I meet a youngster who is interested in IT, you know what my advice will be.

veritas_libertas

Devilsbane wrote: »

Going along with what Monkerz said, I also wish I got started down this path sooner. I could have easily got my A+ and some xp certifications while in highschoool. I just didn't know about them. Oh well, you live and learn, and if I meet a youngster who is interested in IT, you know what my advice will be.

I have to agree. If I had done this about five years ago I would be much farther along in my career.

You live, you learn...

Megadeth4168

I have to be honest.... It's really a combination of Plan and Education, but I chose education since I didn't really have a "plan" when I first started taking the certifications. I don't think it was until I started down the road to my MCSE that I realized the value of obtaining the knowledge that these certifications had to offer.

earweed

It started out being because of WGU but now I have more of a plan. Wish I had more time right now to devote to more certs but I'm playing catchup with a lot different circumstances from the younger people on here.
I'm currently working (contract) as a field tech doing warranty repairs on Dell comps and Vizio HDTV's (more TV's than comps) have a non IT regular job and doing a side business of PC Repair which the 3 have been keeping me busy.
In my side business I've just completed my second small office set-up which came about due to my first offices manager telling someone he knew. I'm still trying to actually break into IT with an actual "real" job. If my independent work expands I may just stay independent but I have a need to learn more about the technology to better educate myself so as to better serve my clients. I would prefer to work in an enterprise environment but I see a definite need in my area for independent workers such as myself.

Bl8ckr0uter

I have a goal so I choose because of a plan but my plan is sort of a moving target. My goal isn't however ($$$$$$).

chrisone

Although i could only chose one, i would have picked three options listed above.

I would have choose:

1. Passion for a vendor.
2. Goals in life 5-10 yrs
3. Education

1. I like and will stick with cisco certification. Any other brands will come from work related experience and my exposure to those other vendors, but it will be hard for me to go full force and certify myself in anything other than cisco.

2. My goal within another 1 and a half yrs, would be to complete my CCDP by the end of 2010 and my CCSP or CCNP Security by the end of 2011 and be done with certifications.

3. The certs and goals to achieve them will help me strongly improve the areas of design and security where i feel i need more experience and technical advancement.

rogue2shadow

For me its plan and passion; though I see myself doing InfoSec work predominantly I still like having Cisco certs as I have fallen in love with networking.

In another respect, I even dare say I get certs as a result of patriotism. The whole cyber warfront agenda is something that has been around for years but has gone unnamed until today's media. Having the chance to defend the country is a great honor in my op and I plan to do this the best way I know how: through computers.

On another note though...money is a beautiful thing haha.

Zartanasaurus

I'd say passion, plan and education.

Zartanasaurus

brad- wrote: »

chicks

Wow, I've never seen a router that big before!

NetworkingStudent

earweed wrote: »

It started out being because of WGU but now I have more of a plan. Wish I had more time right now to devote to more certs but I'm playing catchup with a lot different circumstances from the younger people on here.
I'm currently working (contract) as a field tech doing warranty repairs on Dell comps and Vizio HDTV's (more TV's than comps) have a non IT regular job and doing a side business of PC Repair which the 3 have been keeping me busy.
In my side business I've just completed my second small office set-up which came about due to my first offices manager telling someone he knew. I'm still trying to actually break into IT with an actual "real" job. If my independent work expands I may just stay independent but I have a need to learn more about the technology to better educate myself so as to better serve my clients. I would prefer to work in an enterprise environment but I see a definite need in my area for independent workers such as myself.

This sounds like me, but I don’t currently attend WGU, maybe next year. Currently, I attend a career college or for profit college and I will have my Associates degree in March 2011. I want to get out of my current job I currently work at a printing plant, and the job is boring and non challenging.There is pretty much no room for advancement, and most of the people I work with never advance beyond an high school education. I’m really trying to break into IT and certifications definitely help make you stand out from other candidates. Especially since a lot of students in the IT program at my school that I have met don’t pursue certs.
• Where Certs Helped me: Right now I’m volunteering with FreeGeek on the weekends. We take apart computers and rebuild them and install Ubuntu Linux for organizations and for people that can’t afford a computer. It does help to see the hardware and touch it when preparing for the A+ exam. Also, I feel alittle more confident taking apart computers, because I’m studying for my A+ exam.
• I have had my teacher recommend me for jobs because of my certification studies.
• Downfall of certs: I’m studying for the A+ 702, and it’s hard to explain the cost to anyone that doesn’t work in IT. End users or people in the general public just want to know why their Windows XP computer won’t boot or power. They don’t care about how many certs you’re going for or when you will take your exam. In fact, some that do work in IT don’t understand why you are pursuing a specific cert. They say “I don’t have any certs and I have “x” or”y” job without obtaining any certs.
Cost: Exams are NOT cheap!!
just on vouchers alone I spent
A+ 601: $150 I failed this exam
701 passed, 702 failed
702 Hopefully pass scheduled for August 2 2010 So far spent $600 just on vouchers.
My plan is to try to get the A+, Network+, and Security+ before January 2011. My biggest motivator is constantly learning new things, because IT is always changing. I think dynamic said it best…I forgot his signature tag but he had a good quote…. That and companies in this economy are always looking people that are willing to go that extra mile, be it getting certified or staying late. I definitely want to do whatever it takes to make myself stand out.

Devilsbane

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Wow, I've never seen a router that big before!

Wait until you see the switch that it is attached to.

jovan88

For me it started out as a way to get a job, now its more like a hobby.

Michael.J.Palmer

I'm cert hunting so I can change careers. I've always loved computers and really probably should have done this about 8 years ago but better late than never.

rfult001

I'm a technology whore...so I naturally chose passion. But I suppose all of these apply to each of us to an extent, eh?

I am working on a Masters in Telecom and Networking, employed as a Sys Admin, develop custom applications and system integrations, and spend a lot of my time trying to sell process frameworks like ITIL to our Division of IT. That being said my certifications are all over the place and I never seem to stop working on them; they seem to be one of the best side-effects of learning technology for me (other than $$$, which I have yet to see).

Essendon

Just for the heck of it. Or maybe boasting rights?

Seriously though, I get a serious kick out of passing an exam. Apart from that, career progression and the learning makes me study for them. After I pass an exam, I do tend to slack off for a month before starting out for the next one.

kidfry

Matt27[lt]

My BS is Public administration (kinda of a biurocrat), didn't finished my MS (Software engineering) and was working in IT section for two years. Not counting amature experience from school time. Reasons:
1. Get certified, so I could show my company (present or future) I know my stuff.
2. To get more knowledge during study process.
3. I liked the warm feeling inside after passing my first exam

msteinhilber

No option for "the voices tell me I have to"?

For me it's mostly a career choice to help move up the ladder as well as help keep current and employable. It's also something I do because I find studying for and passing a certification exam for a particular technology or area I would like to learn more about serves as a good framework to work through the material and also earn a bit of satisfaction at the end assuming I sit and pass the exam.

I suppose it's also because I enjoy beer, and I try to have a "reason" to enjoy beer often so you can't call me an alcoholic

ColbyG

My reason is mostly more money. Loving the technology helps make it interesting/bearable though.

it_consultant

Occasionally one finds something that you didn't actually know before one studied for certification. Knowing things is valuable in this line of work. People complain about certs because they are tedious and time consuming but it you keep your brain open you might find yourself becoming a better professional.

Thats why I do it.

yezani

hi guys my name is yezani , i dont have a technical experience in computers, but i want to start to learn now, not just for money but for the love of technology, i wanted to start with a A+, but i read some articles that is of no value, my aim and career goal is to be a network specialist.i want to know because i want to do self studying for ccna and i dont have any experience, is the book by todd lammle or chris bryant is good for the self starter like me do they teach network from the start or is for people already experienced, or do you recommend something better or where i should start. thank you in advance, looking foward to hear from you.Email: medicine.mgolozeli@yahoo.com

Psoasman

I really enjoy learning, it keeps my mind active.
Keeps me employable.
I like challenges, some certs take a lot of work to earn.