CCIE's with less than a year of experience

I'm no network guru at all. I was wondering if you could explain something to me. How are people getting the CCIE with less than a year of experience or just right at a year? I was doing some LinkedIn reviewing and I noticed a several CCIE with very few years of networking, in fact one person had less than a year documented, their last job was medical related, nothing to do with IT or networking.

Is it something you can power through if you are dedicated or have the resources ($) to pay for a course?

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Comments

gorebrush

Nothing is impossible - but I will say, being a Network Engineer full time since 2012 and started Cisco training in 2008 - they must have been going some to get it done with <1 year experience!

NOC-Ninja

N2IT wrote: »

I'm no network guru at all. I was wondering if you could explain something to me. How are people getting the CCIE with less than a year of experience or just right at a year? I was doing some LinkedIn reviewing and I noticed a several CCIE with very few years of networking, in fact one person had less than a year documented, their last job was medical related, nothing to do with IT or networking.

Is it something you can power through if you are dedicated or have the resources ($) to pay for a course?

IMO its impossible without experience UNLESS a CCIE is helping him every step of the way AND he does not have a full time job.
Anyhow, just because he passed does not mean he can find a network engineer/architect job. Who would trust him? Maybe they will start him as a technician.

On top of that, this guy will have a hard time on a CCIE level interview.

NOC-Ninja

dmarcisco wrote: »

From what I gather people from those 3 month CCIE boot camps you see overseas would send people to take and purposely fail the lab exam just to see the questions. I'm sure it was done countless times. Thats why if you really look they guarantee if you do there bootcamps you will pass on the first attempt.

Coming from a guy that failed. It will be very hard to pass it even if you saw the exam. Cisco changes little things and it will make you fail again.

N2IT

NOC I know you spent a whole lot of legit time on this so I really hope I didn't offend you. It ticks me off when I see scrubs sporting creds when you know they don't have the time or experience to back it up.

Just wanted to toss that out there.

NOC-Ninja

N2IT wrote: »

NOC I know you spent a whole lot of legit time on this so I really hope I didn't offend you. It ticks me off when I see scrubs sporting creds when you know they don't have the time or experience to back it up.

Just wanted to toss that out there.

no you didnt offend me. Never say sorry. I always welcome any criticism. Its the only way that we can grow but again you didnt offend me.
Dont worry about guys getting CCIE without experiences. They will not get a great job.

Oh your applying at my work, you have a ccie without years and years of network production experience? Guess what? I will ignore your resume. I wouldnt call you.

Legacy User

@NOC Yea man, I haven't seen what you've seen first hand so I can only go by the stuff I read. These dudes are finding ways to **** on the lab somehow.. But like I said before if anyone was dishonest or does not have the real world experience to back it up the technical interview will show your true colors real fast.

networker050184

The easiest way to **** the lab is likely by getting a crooked proctor to give you the info. Much easier than sending people in to memorize the exam as it does change. Most people have a price!

ccie14023

N2IT: Are you sure they are full CCIE's? Often I see people who have just passed the written put "CCIE" all over their resumes and LI profiles. Sometimes they put "written" in small print somewhere, sometimes it's just the lack of a number that makes it obvious. We had one guy apply who put CCIE in bold on his resume and then "written passed" in much smaller print down below. For the record, this is deceptive and I recommend against hiring people who do that. To have a CCIE, you need to pass both the written and lab. There is no half-way. With the JNCIE, however, the written exam is a certification in itself (JNCIP) and can be legitimately listed on a resume.

If they actually have verifiable numbers, I would say either they cheated or spent that year studying very hard. Regardless, I value experience more than certs and would always interview someone with a resume like that very hard to see what they have to back it up.

xnx

After the FIFA scandal anything is possible LOL

networker050184

ccie14023 wrote: »

If they actually have verifiable numbers, I would say either they cheated or spent that year studying very hard. Regardless, I value experience more than certs and would always interview someone with a resume like that very hard to see what they have to back it up.

Agreed. Someone with a CCIE and little to no experience would get grilled hard core in an interview with me. They are instantly raising the expectations on them 10 fold with that piece of paper.

Deathmage

networker050184 wrote: »

It's just like anything else. Practice makes perfect. Anyone (within reasonable intelligence of course) who puts the time in can likely pass the exam. Especially with all the vendor material these days. Besides it's not a real world exam so while experience helps, it's not like you're going in there to set up best practices etc. We have about 5 CCIEs on our support team that are no where near the level I would consider someone to be an expert.

Too me an expert is someone that has failed at everything in IT and managed to fix his mistakes with success.

UnixGuy

LinkedIn is not accurate, people don't put their full CVs there, I'd be wary of stuff listed there.

Essendon

I find LinkedIn's turning into professional Facebook of sorts. All I get these days is - endorse someone or someone endorsed you - wish someone happy anniversary/birthday - someone changed jobs or gone on a sabbatical - yep, this is Facebook.

cshkuru

So I went and looked at the Brad Reese site - I'm not sure where he is coming from saying that there is a huge lab dumping problem in Asia. His numbers do show a large rise in the number of R&S CCIEs between 2012 and 2013 but the country numbers don't break down past 2010 so you can't correlate that increase to Asia. Maybe he has another set of numbers somewhere but I didn't see them. Looking at a number of the other posts on that site it seems that Brad Reese may have a bit of an axe to grind with Cisco so I am not sure I would blindly go with his assertions.

MrPieMan82

srabiee wrote: »

Perhaps they are very smart but reclusive people who built a monster lab and sit at home studying 24/7? I'm just trying to think of how it would be possible. Doesn't that exam cost tens of thousands of dollars from start to finish? Does that amount even include hardware costs for a personal lab?

This would be akin to a Microsoft MCM or VMware VCDX holder with less than a year of experience. Unfathomable.

Well, don't forget. Work experience is only experience at work. If you've got an incredible set up at home, you are gaining experience. You mess with the stuff everyday, for 6 months, why can't you then cite that as 6 months of experience? You've got the knowledge to back it up.

deth1k

Guys, have some of you been living under a rock? Takes 2 seconds of goggling to find that you can buy actual lab of any sort. Even a monkey could pass CCIE if it knew all answers to a question (not to offend anyone).

JoJoCal19

Essendon wrote: »

I find LinkedIn's turning into professional Facebook of sorts. All I get these days is - endorse someone or someone endorsed you - wish someone happy anniversary/birthday - someone changed jobs or gone on a sabbatical - yep, this is Facebook.

Last time I checked Facebook doesn't get people jobs and advance their careers.....

I can thank LinkedIn for netting me two career jumps and a 44.5% increase in pay in 2014 alone. Were it not for the career oriented networking aspect of LinkedIn, I wouldn't have been contacted for the opportunities, one by a corporate recruiter for one of the nations largest financial firms, and another recruiter from a staffing firm.

Like I said in the Twitter thread, you're in full control of what you see on LinkedIn. Who you follow, connect with, and the pages you follow is what's driving your feed.

kohr-ah

UnixGuy wrote: »

LinkedIn is not accurate, people don't put their full CVs there, I'd be wary of stuff listed there.

Isn't that the truth . As I stated in a previous thread my coworker advertises himself as our lead network engineer but then can't figure out why he isn't landing any new jobs.

markulous

Essendon wrote: »

I find LinkedIn's turning into professional Facebook of sorts. All I get these days is - endorse someone or someone endorsed you - wish someone happy anniversary/birthday - someone changed jobs or gone on a sabbatical - yep, this is Facebook.

Do you see another website stepping up and being a better professional networking site? If it gets devalued too much, then there really won't be any point in using it anymore.

hurricane1091

philz1982 wrote: »

Anything can be studied for if you have a full year to focus on it. CCIE with a full year of focused study would be easy, especially with how many resources exist.

Go get the CCIE and report back.

xnx

hurricane1091 wrote: »

Go get the CCIE and report back.

True, I'd consider the CCIE as hard as getting 80% + on a computer science degree from a top university - way above my academic abilities..

I think Philz1982 should sit the CCNP TShoot exam and then imagine the same thing like 4 times more difficult..

ccie14023

deth1k wrote: »

Guys, have some of you been living under a rock? Takes 2 seconds of goggling to find that you can buy actual lab of any sort. Even a monkey could pass CCIE if it knew all answers to a question (not to offend anyone).

Yes, very true. And no offense taken. It wouldn't have taken me three attempts to pass security if I had the labs to study with.

--chris--

@N2IT, I too seen a "3rd" party member on my linked in that is working for Cisco and attending CiscoLIVE with a CCIE. He/She has as a BA in English, worked as an insurance underwrite from 2008-2012, Cisco instructor from 2013-2014 and now CCIE....?

Legacy User

ccie14023 wrote: »

It wouldn't have taken me three attempts to pass security if I had the labs to study with.

True but whats the fun in having the labs? I know some people look at the CCIE as a way to get big $$$ from employers but idk I see it as a pride and self satisfaction thing. I see it as a stamp that you know your stuff. I know I'd feel like the man if I go in the CCIE Lab and crush it. After I see that pass email I'd yell "yea i"m the f*n man!" coupled with a few fist pumps and self applause's.

N2IT

@ Chris multiple people, the one I am specifically thinking of worked in the medical field prior to a analyst position. Now a sales rep for an MSP (it looks like).

That one sounds sketchy as well.

NOC-Ninja

Just because you have a lab at home doesnt mean you will pass the test. I have a lab at home and I didnt pass my first or 2nd attempt.
Anybody think that CCIE is easy is being sarcastic or underestimating this test.

Feel free to spend $400 on the written/$1,600 on the lab, fly to SJ or RTP, get a hotel, get a rental car and take the test. Tell me if its easy.

N2IT

@ Chris hiliarous I just did some snooping and found that one out there. Nice catch.

I don't want to link anyone or else I would just start dropping links on this forum. lol

kurosaki00

I think CCIE without much experience is more than doable.
It's a vendor exam after all. If you powered through CCNP without experience, sure you can do the same with CCIE.

I'm not saying it's easy, but if you invest in your home lab, do the books and training you can definitely pass the test.

N2IT

Kurosaki while I respect your opinion we should probably default our opinions to people who actually taken the exams. It seems CCIE and NOC who have the CCIE have hinted / stated otherwise.

It sounds like in all probability they went to some extreme boot camp or some how found a way to **** the exam. At least that is my take right now.

kurosaki00

I still think it's more than doable the legit way.
What exactly in the exam objectives will you not be able to pass without real life experience?
Can someone answer in specifics?
Something you cant achieve with real equipment lab, books, videos, internet?
Again, I'm not talking about difficulty. There are people who complete a BSE in one year for gosh sake. Some people just find the way.

And I'm not even gonna start on what a human brain can **** in it's brain in one year. Specially people who have a lot of downtime/free time every day.