Need Advice

A year ago I completed my A+, Network+, Security+, MCP, MCSA certifications. With no professional IT background to be used as a reference on my resume I started working thru various temp job agencies by doing migration / refresh projects. I did this after finding out by trial and error with interviews and email responses to my resume that I should at the very least have one year of IT experience, but they would prefer three.

Well now here I am and I am faced with how to sell myself to companies for full time employment. I would like to obtain more Certs. But then again I also think I need to pursue education. Two years ago I was laid off at a factory and I wanted to go to college, but was advised by state (Career Center) that getting Certifications get me a job faster in a entry level (that proved to be a lie, all companies stated I would have to be in a accredited school or college to be eligible).

So my dilemma is what to do next. Get more certifications, or go to school.

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Comments

ibcritn

Well I would strongly urge you to seek education, but only if you have means to do so. I would think with your level of certification it would be easy to find a Tier 1 full time help desk job, but maybe I am wrong.

Priston

Won't school give you the education needed to pass certs?

NinjaBoy

harkle3 wrote: »

A year ago I completed my A+, Network+, Security+, MCP, MCSA certifications. With no professional IT background to be used as a reference on my resume I started working thru various temp job agencies by doing migration / refresh projects. I did this after finding out by trial and error with interviews and email responses to my resume that I should at the very least have one year of IT experience, but they would prefer three.

Well now here I am and I am faced with how to sell myself to companies for full time employment. I would like to obtain more Certs. But then again I also think I need to pursue education. Two years ago I was laid off at a factory and I wanted to go to college, but was advised by state (Career Center) that getting Certifications get me a job faster in a entry level (that proved to be a lie, all companies stated I would have to be in a accredited school or college to be eligible).

So my dilemma is what to do next. Get more certifications, or go to school.

OK, your dilemma, get more certs or go to college...

In my opinion, you've already done more than enough certs for your level of experience in IT, you've stated that you've got none. Besides:

Microsoft wrote:

MCSA - Level: One to twelve months of experience in working with a desktop operating system, a network operating system, and an existing network infrastructure

You've already had answers back from interviews stating that you lack experience, with this in mind, I believe that it is time to change your tactics. Put cert studying to one side and go to college part-time or via distance learning and continue to apply for IT jobs. That way you demostrate that you've already got the entry level certs, you're bettering yourself/gaining the academic qualifications that employers require and if you get offered a job you can start straight away due to your studies being part-time/distance learning (no clash of schedule).

-Ken

Repo Man

A year of experience and those certs should get you a full time job. Sounds like you might be having issues with either the technical or customer service type questions during the interview.

Hypntick

I really do not understand the emphasis of college in the workplace. Especially in the IT field as most of your college knowledge is outdated by the time you graduate or soon thereafter. Can anyone explain that to me? Is it a commitment thing? Is it a "this person owes 30k in student loans so needs the job more" thing? I'm baffled.