Any Cisco or IT engineers here? (Career advice)

[Paul]

Hi,

I have a Microsoft MCP (70-271) and Comptia A+ (220-601 and 220-602) but have been having trouble finding employment within IT with them as I lack experience.

I did do some study for the 70-272 for the desktop support technician exam, but didnt really feel like I would like the helpdesk side of things, I did really like the networking side of it though.

I have seen the CBT nuggets videos for the TCP/IP section and have practiced enough to become "proficient", and also I can work through the qestions thet Panchotraining have put up on youtube. Although it was I bit dry learning that was as I couldnt ask questions, I enjoyed the experience.

My quetions to any Cisco engineers (Or anyone in a relevent IT psition) are...

1-Considering my lack of experience, if I did put myself through the CCENT or CCNA do you think then an employer would consider me?

2-Is there any way of getting experience without being employed?

3-Does it make much difference to your career where you got your qualification? For example, if it was dome by home study or if you attended a Cisco Academy?

Thanks for any advice, Paul.

Link to Panchotraining on youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/panchotraining

I only include the link so experience cisco people can asses my level of understanding, I am nothing to do wth that company (although I do think the free vids are good!)

 

[TJJ]

Hello Paul,

Been an MS and Cisco eng for 16 years.

Some pointers that may help...

1 The more exams you pass the better to make you stand out from other candidates. Go for the CCENT first as the latest CCNA exam will be much easier with some real world experience.

2 Apply to the big resellers like Computacenter et al, you get treated like a dogs body but you do get some really good broad experience. There are jobs out there at the moment, just need persisitence!

3 Doesn't matter where you go for your training, you won't get asked normally for courses that lead to exams but the NVQs, diplomas, degrees you might get asked where you did them.

It's more about how you get on with the rest of the team members, no-one's going to expect you do everything on your own.
How you get on with other people is more important than what you can do on your own.

Just my opinion

 

[OutLore]

Hi Paul,

I work for a Cisco Technology Development partner specialising in VoIP, and as such am considered a "Cisco employee" - in my experience, unfortunately for you examinations simply prove you know the details - it's real world experience that really counts. Up to about CCNP/VP/SP, the qualification will get you into the interview, and it's up to you from there - most technology jobs these days will have a technical interview at some point. Any qualifications above that is almost impossible to acheive without on the job training.

I don't know where you are in life, but as with most things, unless you get lucky you're probably going to have to start at the bottom and work your way up - so a helpdesk type role to start with.

IT is not the place it was 10 years ago. Unless you're in a specialist market, there are so many people who have qualifications out there at the moment that most opportunites are offering less than they were a few years ago.

Having said that, don't be disheartened - if you can bear not earning "big bucks" (which obviously depends on what you're earning now) for a few years, you can get experience, and may be able to get your employer to fund some of the training.

Self study/academy study is not really relevent in my opinion as all the examinations are handled by a separate company, so if you pass an exam it's a good indication of the training level you've received.

Good luck.

 

[neil_g]

honestly, be prepared to start at the very bottom to gain experience. like you have found you can have all the certs in the world but have no real world experience.

again honestly, im sorry to say it IT general desktop support is never going to rake you in the money anyway (its certainly not a £37k average like some adverts suggest). im looking for a way out to be honest, if i could support myself on my photography i would and bin the IT.