Letting a cert expire

dave330idave330i Member Posts: 2,091 ■■■■■■■■■■
Gonna let my CCNA exipre in June. Came to the conclusion that the time & effort I need to spend to renew it will be better spent on VCAP-DTD or prepping for VCDX. Feel bad about letting expire since CCNA was my first IT cert (technically it was CCENT, but no one cares of about CCENT), but have to do what makes more sense in the long term.
2018 Certification Goals: Maybe VMware Sales Cert
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Comments

  • NotHackingYouNotHackingYou Member Posts: 1,460 ■■■■■■■■□□
    I have been debating this same thing myself. If you had an expired CCNA, would you still put that on your resume?
    When you go the extra mile, there's no traffic.
  • networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    I wouldn't put it on the resume if it's expired. If you do make certain that is very explicit. Wouldn't want them to go trying to verify it and see you as lying on your resume.
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  • meadITmeadIT Member Posts: 581 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I just had to renew mine for partner requirements. I only spent about 2 weeks freshening up on it enough to pass. I'm hoping to start on the CCNP track before the next one comes up, then lead that into the Cisco UCS certifications.

    Are you going to submit for the VCDX defense at VMworld this fall?
    CERTS: VCDX #110 / VCAP-DCA #500 (v5 & 4) / VCAP-DCD #10(v5 & 4) / VCP 5 & 4 / EMCISA / MCSE 2003 / MCTS: Vista / CCNA / CCENT / Security+ / Network+ / Project+ / CIW Database Design Specialist, Professional, Associate
  • N2ITN2IT Inactive Imported Users Posts: 7,483 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Honestly I am going to let my PMI certifications expire and my Security + expire when they are up.

    RMP 2015
    CAPM 2017
    Security + 2014

    All of these will not be renewed. (Honestly I am glad to take them off my resume I have way too many certs as is)
  • blargoeblargoe Member Posts: 4,174 ■■■■■■■■■□
    I let my CCNA expire. It was a hard decision at the time, but I always figured I'd pick it back up at some point. I have done fine without it.

    When I do list it on a profile or resume, I list the dates for which it was valid and call attention that while i did earn the CCNA, I am no longer holding the certification.
    IT guy since 12/00

    Recent: 11/2019 - RHCSA (RHEL 7); 2/2019 - Updated VCP to 6.5 (just a few days before VMware discontinued the re-cert policy...)
    Working on: RHCE/Ansible
    Future: Probably continued Red Hat Immersion, Possibly VCAP Design, or maybe a completely different path. Depends on job demands...
  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 2,091 ■■■■■■■■■■
    meadIT wrote: »
    Are you going to submit for the VCDX defense at VMworld this fall?

    Seriously thinking about it. I just spent couple months updating an environment from 4.1 to 5.0 and updating the architecture documentation. There's a VCDX bootcamp book coming out in May. I'll figure out if I want to attempt in Aug or Feb after reading the VCDX book.
    2018 Certification Goals: Maybe VMware Sales Cert
    "Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman
  • meadITmeadIT Member Posts: 581 ■■■■□□□□□□
    The book is available on SafariBooks as a rough cut now. Are you still with a VMware partner? Going to PEX?
    CERTS: VCDX #110 / VCAP-DCA #500 (v5 & 4) / VCAP-DCD #10(v5 & 4) / VCP 5 & 4 / EMCISA / MCSE 2003 / MCTS: Vista / CCNA / CCENT / Security+ / Network+ / Project+ / CIW Database Design Specialist, Professional, Associate
  • SlowhandSlowhand Mod Posts: 5,161 Mod
    If you have a choice, then keep the CCNA current. It may not seem all that important right now, but you never know when having it on your resume's going to make the difference between getting a job and being passed by, or when you might need it as a stepping-stone to another cert.

    Since you're going for the VMWare certs, which are definitely more datacenter-focused, you could always check out one of the electives for the Cisco associates level: Cisco Associate Certifiations

    Heck, there might even be some overlap, concept-wise. Many require only that you have a current CCNA and that you take one additional test.

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  • QordQord Member Posts: 632 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I'm battling this decision myself. My CCNA expires in May, and I'm thinking about letting it go. I started studying the Security track last year, but haven't been motivated to keep at it. I don't do much networking stuff in my job, and what little I do is limited to Aruba and Dell gear, not Cisco. At this point, I'm just not sure if I value it as much as I used to.
  • ChooseLifeChooseLife Member Posts: 941 ■■■■■■■□□□
    If the effort is the concern, why not go for one of CCNA concentrations or a single CCNP-level exam that can be either easier to obtain or more aligned with your current work?
    “You don’t become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something, and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process.” (c) xkcd #896

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  • dave330idave330i Member Posts: 2,091 ■■■■■■■■■■
    meadIT wrote: »
    The book is available on SafariBooks as a rough cut now. Are you still with a VMware partner? Going to PEX?

    Thanks for the heads up. Started reading it.
    2018 Certification Goals: Maybe VMware Sales Cert
    "Simplify, then add lightness" -Colin Chapman
  • Mrock4Mrock4 Banned Posts: 2,359 ■■■■■■■■□□
    dave- I think you have a very legit reason for letting it expire, but have you given any thought to possibly taking a CCNA DC cert to renew your CCNA? I've run into a fair share of colleagues/customers who regret letting their CCNA expire. I only mention the DC track since it's pretty relevant to someone who works in a VMWare environment.

    Again, it sounds like you got a plan, but just food for thought.
  • mikedisd2mikedisd2 Member Posts: 1,096 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Mine will expired next year and I currently intend to sit the Security extension. Of course, I haven't checked the intensity of the exam yet. I think it's a good item to keep on the resume but there are other things out there as well.
  • beadsbeads Member Posts: 1,531 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Depends if the CCNA is still relevant to position you may or may not be seeking as well. After awhile there are only so many plates you can keep spinning and how many revolutions of the hamster wheel to run. I let mine expire years ago with no regrets. Though I have four other plates (cert requirements and CPEs and CPUs) to keep me busy.

    - beads
  • N2ITN2IT Inactive Imported Users Posts: 7,483 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Great point beads and analogy.

    I think less is more a lot of times and trying to keep everything current will drive you crazy.
  • the_hutchthe_hutch Banned Posts: 827
    No intention of letting any of my certs expire. But at the same time, I don't have any certs that require me to retest like CCNA does. All of mine are just a combination of continuing education credits and yearly dues.

    ***

    Actually not true. I will let my CFOI (Certified Fiber Optic Installer) expire in 2015 when its up. Sometimes I forget I even have that one. My job does not consist of pulling, laying or splicing fiber...and I have no intention of going in that direction. So I'd say, if the cert is not applicable to what you are doing or the direction you are heading...let it go.
  • teemanteeman Member Posts: 6 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I can see guys you are talking about letting CCNA go , me I think I will let go these ones in June CCNP,CCNA,CCNA Voice, I haven't really used them for the past 3 years, I have been into Servers side mainly.I might may be do the CCNA security because am more in security, but dont see my self configuring firewalls
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