What was "the big cert" that got you a huge bump in salary?

Just wondering what specific certification that you high level guys earned that helped you get out of the mid level range and get a nice bump in pay.
Obviously I realize there are many other factors, but just from a certification standpoint I'm wondering what made the difference?

People that I know personally always tell me the same two certs helped them greatly; CCNP or CISSP.

Find more posts tagged with

Free for TechExams community: Cybersecurity salary guide

Compare cert salaries and plan your next career move

Button

Comments

GreaterNinja

To be more informative I believe its better to talk about finite currency amounts rather than %. As % can be misleading for example $8/hour to $16/hour or 100% increase.

Network+ and Associates degree in 2005 got me a 26K bump to 43k/yr + benefits. It also bumped me from helpdesk to Tier 1/2 desktop.

Now, 10+ years later...
VMware VCP-DCV; I am receiving offers constantly $100k to 160k/yr in San Francisco bay area.

Not a huge increase at all due to the experience I have accumulated. However, it is a stepping stone to move onto bigger jobs.

bubble2005

My biggest cert was from the vendor My Life with Experience+:D. In several years I made 100% more of my salary.

Zartanasaurus

Ccie.

To be fair, studying for my MCITP and CCNA helped a lot initially as well.

apr911

None.

Not a single one of my certs has directly resulted in or was a distinctive contributing factor in a pay increase. Each certificate I've earned has gotten me additional phone calls from recruiters that at first glance offered significant increases in salary but I dont consider 100k/yr in San Francisco, CA to be a 50k increase from 50k/yr in San Antonio, TX. In fact, in most regards that would be a pay decrease given taxes and the exorbitant cost of living.

To be fair, I havent job hopped after obtaining any one of my certs and as it seems to be the case, its usually not the position immediately following the cert that pays off. That being said, I have entertained offers and generally speaking usually came away unimpressed.

apr911

I've given it some more thought and while my position still generally stands where no cert has directly resulted in a pay increase, saying that it did not have a distinctive contributing factor is not entirely true but not entirely inaccurate either.

Some of my certificates have opened doors for me that otherwise would not have been available but there was no defining certificate that made me feel like I'd "arrived" at some higher level.

Here's a breakdown of my Certs and the "real" or "perceived" impact they've had on my career:

Security+ - Never really been seriously discussed in any interview. Given my higher level certs it has come up a few times lately because I keep it on my resume. As the first certificate I earned, it holds a certain nostalgic and sentimental value for me and while I probably could not sit in an interview with a straight-face and extol the value and opportunity that cert has granted me or pretend to know anything about what is currently on the exam (or even when I took it almost 8 years ago) I keep it around for those reasons. It's raised an eyebrow or 2 in more recent interviews and a few odd questions about why I'd list it (especially since I elected not to convert it to a CE cert) but I usually dont have to say anything other than "it was my first cert" before the interviewer understands and moves on (or even goes nostalgic themselves and reminisces about their first cert because everyone remembers their first)

MCSE 2003 - Likely opened the door to levels of employment that were previously unavailable to me but aside from checking the box from the recruiters point-of-view, it has only briefly been mentioned or discussed in interviews with more technical interviewers. In fact, I was later informed by the HR recruiter that the team and hiring manager I originally talked to was so impressed with me that they tried to get a rec opened up on their team so they could hire me and when they couldn't get it done, they told the recruiter to make sure I ended up somewhere... Whether the recruiter was blowing smoke or not, I couldnt tell but the recruiter did keep me in the pipeline for 3 months before finding a good spot for me, didnt tell me this until after I was already hired and had started work and we became pretty good friends so I dont think they were. In addition, I ran into the hiring manager a month or 2 after I started (6-7 months after I initially interviewed with him) and he not only recognized me but commented on how badly he had wanted to hire me. The reason he was so impressed? I was able to discuss how to install PHP on Windows, some of the pitfalls I ran into, the fixes, etc (I still like PHP more than ASP and still run PHP on Windows in addition to Linux)... Obviously not something I learned during my MCSE. He also stated he didnt care about the MCSE because its value had been so diluted by 2009.

CISSP - no positive impact, in fact, it hurt me more than it helped me due to the unexpected billing of $600 to the department budget (caused by an org change, a difference in policy/procedure between the 2 business units and an unclear management communication structure).

MCSE:Security 2003 - Wasnt expecting any impact, this was tacked on after passing my CISSP because I only needed to pass 1 exam (oddly enough though I passed the CISSP I failed that exam on my first try and barely passed on the 2nd... then again I didnt take it all that seriously and the "design" exams for the MCSE2003 were notoriously vague and difficult) and studying was a welcome distraction to waiting for news about my CISSP, so why not? No apparent impact to career.

MCITP:SA/EA - Added a few months later after my MCSE:Security but wasnt expecting much impact as I was already in the role. In the end it was not referenced as a reason for any raise or bonus payout; in fact, I completed it only 3 weeks before the last raise/promotion round I was a part of as a windows admin.

CCNA - Like my MCSE 2003, this made a difference in opening the door and allowing the company to offer me the role but very little difference in salary or other factors. I was working and well established in my role at the company as a windows admin when one of my buddies convinced me to give networking a try. I had gone to a CCNA class and was preparing to take ICND-1 followed by ICND-2 a week later when I met with the team and the team manager to discuss it originally and though I offered up the fact I was about to sit the CCNA but they weren't too concerned about when I planned to take it, let alone even have it when the agreed to take me on though I still had to go interview with the senior manager for his approval.

I met with him 2-3 weeks later by which point I had my CCNA. Though he asked me CCNA level questions, he again didnt seem too concerned with my CCNA status as it didnt come up until I brought it up. When I told him I had it his response was "thats good. Otherwise, you'd have to get it within 6 months of starting the position."

My move in to networking was a lateral move though so while the CCNA did not contribute to a pay increase and barely contributed to the title change at all (though Im not saying it was impossible, it was unlikely I would find myself fired if I didnt have my CCNA at the end of the 6 months as I was performing at a much higher level by that point... Even if it were an issue, I probably would have been sent back to a Windows SysAd role rather than release me entirely since we were in a constant need of competent Windows, Linux and Network Admins).

CCNP:Sec - From my CCNA on, the correlation between certificate and pay increase/promotion breaks down even further and becomes more encumbered by policy as in order to become an higher level admin you had to show progress towards the CCNP:security (2 exams per level).

By the time I met the other requirements the company had for a mid-level admin and had gone through the promotion interview and all the other details, I had my CCNP:Security, which was 3 full exams more than required for the mid-level admin and a full 2 promotions early. It may have contributed to an outsized raise for that promotion to mid-level admin but I suspected my payscale was at the low end for the position and later had this confirmed for me that the amount granted was only marginally more than the minimum required to keep me from being too far below mid-point for the position.

I left the company before making a role that actually would have required a full CCNP:Security though I guess technically part of my CCNP:Security contributed to my eligibility for a promotion/raise at 2 prior levels but the certificate itself did not have any bearing on the promotion/raise and even when going for Senior Engineer, it was a check box to be checked, not something that was a contributing factor in the promotion since everyone looking to be promoted to any level had to have the same checkboxes. I suppose it could be argued that already having my CCNP:Sec when going for mid/senior admin roles would give me the edge over someone who didnt, both at the lower levels and the higher level by virtual of having it longer but as there were several others promoted at the same time with only the base requirements for those roles, so I doubt it was really relevant. I suppose it also could be argued that my CCNP:Sec would give me preference over a Voice/R&S candidate going for Engineer but there were very few that went that route and my peers who did go that route were promoted with the same batch of admins I would have been in had I not left.

BS:IT Security - Completed the year following my CCNP:Security. No discernible impact.

Project+ - Completed during my BS (and a bunch of certs that I dont bother listing as part of the program at WGU who's vendor name eludes me at the moment) all of which were non-entities in any promotion or raise.

MCSE:Server Infrastructure on 2012 - 6 months after completing my degree mostly to keep my Windows skills up-to-date. No impact

RHCE - added a year after Server 2012 mostly to validate my growing Linux skills. No impact

CCNP:R&S most recently, a year after my RHCE, I added my CCNP:R&S which served the purpose of renewing my CCNP:Sec and validating Switch & TShoot skills (ROUTE I had to do some heavy reading/learning for and barely passed). No Impact.

Current Status: I suppose all of my certs contributed to me landing my current position and the 6-figure salary that comes with it but the initial offer received was barely above the compensation I was receiving in Texas before considering I was on the short list for promotion again so I countered and negotiated a better offer during which time I cited my certifications once while citing my experiences and other aspects as reasons I should receive more before finally also making the case against cost of living (150k in San Francisco is not the same as 150k in San Antonio and vice versa).

I keep most of them active though Im not keeping the Comptia ones up-to-date. I do intend to go through refresh cycles on my RHCE and Microsoft certs when the next versions (RHEL7 and Server 2016) become relevant (still probably a few years away). I will renew my CCNPs as required (next renewal in January 201

and I just started the last year of my 2nd CISSP cycle this month (year 6 certified) which I am keeping up though and have 35 CPEs to complete between now and next August 31.

Current Considerations: Im toying with the idea of going back to school for a MS in Information Assurance/Security or maybe a MBA but although I clearly love learning and absorb information, I have never been a very good student. I also suspect I'll be footing the bill myself as my current employer doesnt appear to have a tuition reimbursement program and my manager has already expressed a very dim view of my going back to school for either degree feeling it doesnt benefit the company or my current role so he is unlikely to sign off on any tuition reimbursement if there is one to be had (though his approval may not be required).

Im also toying with the idea of getting off my butt and actually getting my CCIE either in R&S or in Security instead of saying Im going to do it and then finding reasons not to do it (I've been saying Im going to go for my CCIE since I got my CCNP 4 years ago, first it was Im going to finish my degree, then it was after upgrading my MCSE, then my RHCE and Im going to do the written for my renewal and then I dont have enough time to study before my renewal so I'll do it after R&S and now well Im out of excuses but Im sure something will come up, it always does).

Future: Beyond that though? Im certed out and maintaining my current certs requires sufficient effort to prevent new ones from being added really. Besides... What would I add? I suppose I could validate my F5 knowledge or VMware or look at some other program entirely but what value am I really adding at that point? Given past experience with my certificates, what benefit to me would that offer? In fact, I've already begun to question if my certifications have actually begun to hurt me based on the logic that there's no way I have the experience to back it all up which is true with certain parts when considered in direct vendor isolation (like I couldnt talk intelligently about configuring a Cisco IDS because its been 3+ years since I've touched one and even that was minimal but that's not to say I lack understanding of or ability on an IDS and I could definitely intelligently discuss configuring a Cisco ASA [though my 8.3+ nat is still weaker than I'd like] and how to work around some of the common issues experienced with that device)

techfiend

A+ is the only cert that's done anything for me, allowed me to get in the field. I'm certing up in 4 areas right now to move on. I treat certs mainly for climbing the ladder. Once you're where you want to be experience should be doing all the talking. After I get the certs in my sig plus maybe a mid-level security cert, I don't plan on going any further unless I'm working with it.

I really doubt I'll ever re-certify unless it's of benefit financially. I know some that find jobs with retired certs on their resume and I can't recall ever being asked if my certs are current. They are mainly for meeting hr requirements in my experience.

srabiee

None so far. Hasn't really even been brought up in interviews as of yet. Very discouraging actually.

Seems like the two big ones that I keep encountering during the job search process is MCSE and VCP. (sysadmin and sys engineering/virtualization roles)

UnixGuy

@apr911: solid certs and great knowledge that you have. What do you actually do? I don't really think you *need* a certification. Probably the only cert that would add considerable value to you would be CCIE

brianeaglesfan

I increased my salary 100% in 3 years after getting Epic certified and building some meaningful experience. This did involve a job hop as well. Long term I'm hoping to build on this range by increasing the number of projects I deliver and ultimately completing my PMP.

Deathmage

VCP5-DCV has been my biggest jump. Getting my CCNA is more for my own knowledge, but MCSE are asked often. Once MCSE/VCAP5-DCA is done easily make close to 100k.

I went from 45k to 78k with my VCP5-DCV alone plus my experience across all realms of networking with Dell, HP, Cisco; storage NAS and SAN based and Firewalls from Cisco and Sonicwalls coupled with 5+ years as an uncertified grade MCSE: SI administrator for 2003/2008 and 8+ years of geek squad help desk.

OctalDump

Interesting thread.

Seems like "Expert" level certs (VCAP, MCSE, CCIE, CISSP) are good. Entry level certs. 'new tech' certs (cloud, virtualisation). And degrees.

That middle ground seems to not be so good, though. Seems like you need to make the jump from Entry level to Expert for your next big bump.

Personally, the only thing so far that's made a difference is experience and proving myself. Certification for me has been a way to grow that experience. It gets you exposed to ideas, methods, thinking that maybe you won't get just from 'doing the job'.

But maybe that will change once I get a VCAP or CISSP or degree

brianeaglesfan

OctalDump wrote: »

That middle ground seems to not be so good, though. Seems like you need to make the jump from Entry level to Expert for your next big bump.

This is very true, and is a PITA to get done. I had to move to a strong tech area (Houston) and job hop just to get a foot in the door. But it's been worth it.

bpenn

Yeah, middle ground is extremely difficult. Making the jump from entry level to mid level is proving to be quite disparaging for me. I am not currently in a role (desktop support) where I have the ability to touch infrastructure, nor get promoted. Certifications mean little when you do not have the experience to back them.

v1ral

I have one cert so far (CCNA). It has helped me in securing a job and getting tons of calls/interviews for others, but my associate degree and internships have done significantly more than my cert at the moment.

markulous

There hasn't been one that really bumped up my salary, but then again I don't have any advanced certs. I ended up getting better positions after just getting a bunch of stuff.

Cyberscum

CISSP. Multiple offers from three letter agencies, but I have a lot of gov exp so maybe the combo of exp and the CISSP is what did it.

Fulcrum45

bpenn wrote: »

Yeah, middle ground is extremely difficult. Making the jump from entry level to mid level is proving to be quite disparaging for me. I am not currently in a role (desktop support) where I have the ability to touch infrastructure, nor get promoted. Certifications mean little when you do not have the experience to back them.

I feel you, brother; this is the same conundrum I'm in. I'm trying to get away from the Help Desk but it's proven to be very difficult without a ton of advanced experience. I'm hoping a combination or Sec+ & SSCP or CISSP is what gets me moving again.

Net+ is what got me my current job but nothing substantial in terms of pay.

gespenstern

apr911 wrote: »

I've given it some more thought and while my position still generally stands where no cert has directly resulted in a pay increase, saying that it did not have a distinctive contributing factor is not entirely true but not entirely inaccurate either.

Pretty grim picture.

RomBUS

No pay increase for any cert I have obtained.

Robertf969

Not sure about a jump is Salary as I am leaving the Military, when you factor in things like Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) I actually make about 90k in the Military. Most of my verbals have been between 60-80 which I think is fair for my first private sector position. But CISSP certainly gets talked about in every phone screen and interview.

kohr-ah

The cert itself never got me the bump at work.
It got me noticed which helped lead to the jobs that gave me that increase.

beads

Robertf969 wrote: »

Not sure about a jump is Salary as I am leaving the Military, when you factor in things like Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) I actually make about 90k in the Military. Most of my verbals have been between 60-80 which I think is fair for my first private sector position. But CISSP certainly gets talked about in every phone screen and interview.

But business doesn't exactly see the comparable from military experience as you will soon find. Its one thing for a business to be "pro-military"/hire a vet, etc its a completely different thing to apply in the civilian market.

Experience in the field is still worth more than the conversation about any certificate.

- b/eads

paul78

I often wonder about the cause-effect of certs. Was it really the cert that helps or the fact that any sufficiently motivated individual who happens to want a cert is someone that also is motivated to perform better at his/her job and will be noticed to get a higher paying job.

Me - never had a cert until recently and no cert ever helped me get a job or a bump in salary.

thomas_

beads wrote: »

But business doesn't exactly see the comparable from military experience as you will soon find. Its one thing for a business to be "pro-military"/hire a vet, etc its a completely different thing to apply in the civilian market.

Kind of off topic, but I don't think a lot of businesses "hire vets" as they claim. I think it's more of "we hire people that have the right skills and experience for the job who happen to also be vets."

Mike7

Reading CVs isn't really an exciting job, so certs can get you through HR's job filter and get you noticed.

For entry level positions, managers look for users with the basic knowledge and is willing to learn. So certs help.
In some cases, certs and qualifications are mandatory. Just look at DoD 8570.

Rest will depend on the hiring manager; the better ones look at work experience and ask questions to verify your knowledge, determine your disposition, and decide if you can fit into the company culture. Certs is just one part of the hiring and promotion process, the total package is more important.

McGintyDM

Unfortunately no salary increase for certs obtained since leaving the military, but was able to go from 60-70ish military to 100k Civilian pretty easily. Ill have to job hop to get the raise I'm looking for.

tbhouston

paul78 wrote: »

I often wonder about the cause-effect of certs. Was it really the cert that helps or the fact that any sufficiently motivated individual who happens to want a cert is someone that also is motivated to perform better at his/her job and will be noticed to get a higher paying job.

Me - never had a cert until recently and no cert ever helped me get a job or a bump in salary.

I can relate. I think strong managers that pushed me to do better really helped me along the way more than anything else. Sometimes more work for the same pay actually pays off, helps you stand out

TeKniques

Interesting thread. Unfortunately, I too have not yielded much of an increase with my certs. However, I know it is mostly because of area and not willing to relocate which does impact a lot of someone's earning potential. Anyways, for me:

MCSE 2003: Security - $5,000 increase. This was during my third year in IT and I was only making $30k a year before the bump. It was actually part of my offer letter, but later I realized it was to benefit the company more with MS Partner competencies.

CCNA - $5,000 increase. Incentive to get someone certified for Cisco partner benefits. As a Director, my current job involves very little of me configuring any Cisco equipment and therefore I don't even list it on my resume.

CISA - $5,000 increase. Required for my current role .. I enjoyed studying for this cert and I actually get to put a lot of it into practice now.

Other certs:

A+/Network+/Security+/Project+ - $0
SSCP - $0
CISSP - $0
MCSA 2008 - $0
And any I may have missed - $0

Unfortunately, I believe that most certifications don't really dictate earning potential. However, that being said there are some roles that definitely benefit from certification that can assist in finding a better paying job. In my opinion these roles are usually more technical focused; in comparison obtaining a higher education degree can help if seeking a management position.

aidan80

No one certification has gotten me anything on it's own pay wise. Well no that's not entirely true, the GISP does attract some attention. What has gotten me a healthy increase is a number of things. Attitude is the most critical. Having the basic certs, skills valued by the organisation recruiting and highly critical networking and reputation. My most recent position is an increase over my last one which was a good double digit (percent wise) increase over the job before that. Almost all of that was due to reputation and networking. That and being skilled in more than one discipline. Add to that being in an area that's got an acute skills shortage helps as does having a clean DL, being able to pass a criminal check and credit check. I've heard there's skilled and qualified people out there that can't get hired thanks to a DUI/criminal history of some sort and/or a horrible credit score.

Jasiono

emerald_octane wrote: »

cissp.
The best part about it is that there are so many people hoping to become CISSPs but want to hit that keyword so they're like "CISSP course taken" or "CISSP Books purchased" right on the resume. I'm certain this is the case for any job req that asks for CISSP (1%-5% actual attainment). Because the CISSPs at other organizations are usually payed well enough at their current employer so they have no need to leave (from what I can tell).
So when one a legitimate one is found it gets people's attention.

Oh my God. I'm dying inside at the "purchased CISSP book" lmao