If you had $1000 for certifications..which would you do ?

Just as the title said. A bit more detail though, just looking for some personal feedback from those who have certs and such. Just assume you have access to training through work / school / youtube or whatever and you dont have to pay for the books / vids / etc to get the training. You have $1000 and zero current certifications. Which ones do you spend the money on and why ?

I'm more or less trying to see what certs people put value in and which ones people feel are better for someone just starting out empty handed. Do you go the MCSE track ? Work on Cisco ? Maybe a handful of CompTIA certs ? I'm not looking for a "right" answer, just trying to satiate my curiosity.

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cyberguypr

Depends on what the end goal is. I'm partial to Infosec so I would go with a SANS Work Study class for $900 and spend the other $100 on beer once I pass the test.

E Double U

Back when I had zero certs, A/N+ were the first certs that I learned of so I went the CompTIA route. Then I heard about MCDST so I went Microsoft and afterwards landed a NOC gig so I went Cisco.

If I had to start all over still knowing what I know now, I would go straight into Cisco without spending any money on CompTIA and Microsoft certs.

GreaterNinja

I would do CCNA R/S, CCNA Security, MCSA OR CISSP + CCNA
$300 + $250 + $383 = $932 OR $600 + $300 = $900

The CCNA and CISSP seem to have highest ROI.
The MCSA would probably be the easiest to pass considering I have years of related experience. Thus it would have the fastest ROI.

N2IT

If I could do a training camp I would go for the SQL MCSA 2012 possibly.

H3||scr3am

Since I currently lack anything from the Microsoft track, and have Cisco CCNA and CCNA:Sec covered by my WGU degree, I'd probably take advantage of this insane deal and go for an MCSA/MCSE on Sever 2012

6 Discounted VUE Microsoft Exam Voucher! Expires: 5/31/2015

$600, you get all the required exams with double shot, leaving you $400 for training and materials... but you only have 18 days to do it in... it'd be a stretch, but you might be able to get your MCSA, and a part of your MCSE, and two shots at each exam... so I mean you'd get some valuable feedback at a minimum... It'd be great if you were already studying for it...

d4nz1g

Get $500 to schedule CCIE DC Lab lol

JasminLandry

cyberguypr wrote: »

Depends on what the end goal is. I'm partial to Infosec so I would go with a SANS Work Study class for $900 and spend the other $100 on beer once I pass the test.

That's a lot of beer!

DoubleNNs

OP specified if I had no current certifications - I'm assuming you mean what would my 1st certs be if I could start over again for my first or second entry-level position?

1st - A+ ( ~$350)
2nd - MCSA Windows 7 (~$300)
3rd - CCNA (~$300)

If anything, maybe swap out the MCSA for RHCSA (~$400).

However, the above plan doesn't include book costs or other study materials. ( Certs are expensive

)

JubeiYagaru

DoubleNNs wrote: »

OP specified if I had no current certifications - I'm assuming you mean what would my 1st certs be if I could start over again for my first or second entry-level position?

1st - A+ ( ~$350)
2nd - MCSA Windows 7 (~$300)
3rd - CCNA (~$300)

If anything, maybe swap out the MCSA for RHCSA (~$400).

However, the above plan doesn't include book costs or other study materials. ( Certs are expensive )

Would you consider swapping the A+ for the RHCSA instead , or do you feel A+ is is more valuable in some way ?

DoubleNNs

I couldn't get my 1st IT job until I get my A+. I already had my Network+ and Security+, and hardware experience building and repairing desktops, but no one really cared about that. When I got my A+, HR and recruiters finally felt that I was marketable.

If I had to go back again, I'd get the A+ and skip the Network+ and Security+, get the first job, and build up to higher level certs. For someone else, if they already had IT experience, then swapping out the A+ for the RHCSA would be much more beneficial.

techfiend

Funny how that works with the A+, I've noticed Network+ and Server+ on some desktop positions lately. Maybe they're starting to get some exposure, still not enough to recommend but I can see it going that way.

Would you get MCSA 7 if you had a job already? Seems like a great cert to gain a job but once you're in it seems like an 'only if you get a raise/promotion' type of cert.

kurosaki00

Would buy some nice equipment, maybe an ASA. Go for CCNP

NetworkNewb

techfiend wrote: »

Would you get MCSA 7 if you had a job already? Seems like a great cert to gain a job but once you're in it seems like an 'only if you get a raise/promotion' type of cert.

Unless your company wants you to get it and you'll get a raise/promotion for it, otherwise I'd say skip that and focus on a cert that will advance you to the next step in your career. Whether that be MCSA Server 2012, CCNA, or whatever other area you want to go into.

As for the OP, I would follow behind cyberguy and do a SANS work study program.

Kinet1c

If the $1000 only covered the exam fees then CCNA, Linux+/LPIC1 and RHCSA (not sure if budget is slightly blown

)

JoJoCal19

I'd go with the OSCP.

JubeiYagaru

JoJoCal19 wrote: »

I'd go with the OSCP.

I dont know much about Offensive Security's "stuff". Is it resume reputable ?

beads

Most folks have figured out how to simply modify the existing scripts to pass the test. So it started off pretty hot but out in the field of pentesting I am still hearing more about GPEN and related certs than OSCP. Even then there is so much more to the field available those certs still look pretty light compared to a knowledgeable veteran of the industry. I know a few. They passed me many years ago.

- b/eads

beads

Was looking for a quick class on 'R' and statistical programming yesterday which would be my current druthers, atm. I have cool ideas and lots of unstructured data that needs to be refined into information that will be turned into real world business decisions. Haute stuff.

- b/eads

Claymoore

Anything cloud, as much as you could get for $1000. I would focus on AWS because that's my interest now, but you can't go wrong with any cloud training.

JubeiYagaru

Claymoore wrote: »

Anything cloud, as much as you could get for $1000. I would focus on AWS because that's my interest now, but you can't go wrong with any cloud training.

What else is out there besides AWS ? I've not done any focus on cloud studies myself. Perhaps I should peek at a Cloud+ or just skip it to something vendor specific ?

DoubleNNs

techfiend wrote: »

Would you get MCSA 7 if you had a job already?

I have almost no Microsoft enterprise experience. But, no. Personally, I'd go for MCSA Server instead.

If I had 1000 for certifications moving FORWARD, not at prior to my 1st job, I'd use it for RHCSA/RHCE and then the AWS SysOps cert. I think that's a beautiful combo, and is actually what I'm hoping to complete within about a year.

JubeiYagaru

DoubleNNs wrote: »

I have almost no Microsoft enterprise experience. But, no. Personally, I'd go for MCSA Server instead.

If I had 1000 for certifications moving FORWARD, not at prior to my 1st job, I'd use it for RHCSA/RHCE and then the AWS SysOps cert. I think that's a beautiful combo, and is actually what I'm hoping to complete within about a year.

For someone with no Linux experience, would you recommend the RHCSA ? Or perhaps the Linux+/LPIC-1 certs first ?

techfiend

Good to know about the MCSA 7, never saw it as much more than a get in certificate but maybe I was missing something.

TechGuru80

Depends on goal, experience, point in life.

Early on in a career MCSA and MCSE seem to be popular to get one into a help desk position. Of course the CompTIA trio is always popular. CCENT and CCNA is good but not really a first certification.

Muhammed H

RHCSA first and then probably march towards MCSE 2012 Server Infra (MCSA 2012 already done by the way).

Pupil

Easily OSCP. That will have the greatest impact on my employability.