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Nov 14th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

Hello,

I am not a hiring manager, just an IT guy that is 8 years out of college.

Certifications go nicely to complement experience. But if you look at a fresh-out-of-school guy with some certs vs. someone who has worked with the technology for several years without them, I am willing to bet they will hire the seasoned guy.

Ideally, you have a balance of experience, and certs. Don't try to cert in something you have no experience with.

Christian

(3 for 3 on cert exams)
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Posting Virtuoso
kc0arf is offline Offline
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Nov 15th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

You have to get an interview to get the job. I don't know about a lot of areas. But around here. If you don't have atleast one certification you don't get the interview.
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Lightninghawk is offline Offline
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Nov 16th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

Quote originally posted by Lightninghawk ...
Check out http://actualtests.com --> one of the best and cheapest site available.

$99 gets you access to all test questions and study material for hundreds of Certs
Great,Great sit Lhawk, it will help me out tremendously.
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reezin14 is offline Offline
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Nov 16th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

Quote originally posted by kc0arf ...
Hello,

I am not a hiring manager, just an IT guy that is 8 years out of college.

Certifications go nicely to complement experience. But if you look at a fresh-out-of-school guy with some certs vs. someone who has worked with the technology for several years without them, I am willing to bet they will hire the seasoned guy.

Ideally, you have a balance of experience, and certs. Don't try to cert in something you have no experience with.

Christian

(3 for 3 on cert exams)
Sounds like a double edge sword, THANKS for the insight. :-|
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reezin14 is offline Offline
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Nov 17th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

Quote originally posted by Lightninghawk ...
You have to get an interview to get the job. I don't know about a lot of areas. But around here. If you don't have atleast one certification you don't get the interview.
Trust me. Christian's advice sticks more in my area than anything. The market's so slim in our area, we've got people with 8 years administration experience going out for entry-level "cable monkey" jobs.

...That was 2 years ago, at least. I'm celebrating my 2nd year with my company. I have no certs, but I've made it all the way to a coach in the technical support division. I'd say that having certs might help push your foot a little further into that door, but they're certainly not going to be what keeps you there. I've met so many "paper" CCNA's, MCSE's and CompTIA certified folks that it makes me sick. What else makes me really sick is that those same people might get more job opportunities than me, simply because "they've got certs".

I have certs, too-- it's just mine have Retsin!
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alc6379 is offline Offline
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Nov 25th, 2005
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Re: Certification or Not

Certs no longer get you a job, there are so many useless ones that they're no longer a sign of excellence.
What SOME certs will do is get you a foot in the door, get your CV past that first screening in which all the obvious crap is thrown in the paper shredder.

After I got my SCJP 1.4 cert earlier this year (and started working on SCJD) and updated my online CV I noticed a marked increase in headhunters cold calling me.
This may well have been chance though as the economy started to slowly thaw out of the deep freeze of the last 4 years at around the same time, but it can't have hurt.
Now those are relatively rare certs (especially SCJD) around here.

The same doesn't hold for MCSE and MCSD, those are so common and useless that there are companies (and I used to work for one) who won't even invite anyone who has them unless they also have 5+ years' experience (of course I now have 10 years' experience with my SCJP so that helps a lot as well).
There are so many MCSE holders out there who don't know an RJ45 connector from a DIMM that the cert has lost all value.
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jwenting is offline Offline
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Jan 4th, 2006
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Re: Certification or Not

Quote originally posted by jwenting ...
Certs no longer get you a job, there are so many useless ones that they're no longer a sign of excellence.
What SOME certs will do is get you a foot in the door, get your CV past that first screening in which all the obvious crap is thrown in the paper shredder.

After I got my SCJP 1.4 cert earlier this year (and started working on SCJD) and updated my online CV I noticed a marked increase in headhunters cold calling me.
This may well have been chance though as the economy started to slowly thaw out of the deep freeze of the last 4 years at around the same time, but it can't have hurt.
Now those are relatively rare certs (especially SCJD) around here.

The same doesn't hold for MCSE and MCSD, those are so common and useless that there are companies (and I used to work for one) who won't even invite anyone who has them unless they also have 5+ years' experience (of course I now have 10 years' experience with my SCJP so that helps a lot as well).
There are so many MCSE holders out there who don't know an RJ45 connector from a DIMM that the cert has lost all value.

reading this is depressing, i have a b.s. in Information Systems that i got in '03 and I haven't had one job in IT. May of 2006 will make 3 yrs out of school w/o a job in the IT Field. I did have an Intership as a Tech Support/Mainframe Op. but that's it. I don't have any Certifications, but I am reading the A+ and Net+ book. WHAT DO I DO???
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Fasola is offline Offline
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Jan 5th, 2006
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Re: Certification or Not

Quote originally posted by Fasola ...
reading this is depressing, i have a b.s. in Information Systems that i got in '03 and I haven't had one job in IT. May of 2006 will make 3 yrs out of school w/o a job in the IT Field. I did have an Intership as a Tech Support/Mainframe Op. but that's it. I don't have any Certifications, but I am reading the A+ and Net+ book. WHAT DO I DO???
No reading that is depressing.

Look. I'm not even out of my Technical College and I've already been offered 3 jobs. I also live in the middle of no-where.
I'm no genious either. I actually know just the basics of computers. But I love to learn and I love to work.

One thing you might try out. Monster.com or whatever it is. They send me an email everyday with different jobs that I can apply for. Another thing is try to do some freelance work.. Go fix a friends computer a few times and get a reputation, BUT don't do it for free. You have about 6yrs of schooling behind you. You've earned the pay
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Posting Whiz in Training
Lightninghawk is offline Offline
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Jan 5th, 2006
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Re: Certification or Not

That's good that you have job offers already. I am waiting to go to tech school to get my MCSA/MCSE for free. The agency (a government agency for people that qualify for training to help them re-enter the work force) that is paying for it is going over my application. Its a good chance that my app. will be denied because I lack experience. Successful applicants are normally those that 1) have been laid off, like me, 2) Have the education, like me, and 3) have the experience. The main thing they look at is the experience, because they know IT is such a competative and congested industry right now, only experienced people are getting hired. Sucks right? I'm reading the A+ and Net+ book on my own though.

I stay in Atlanta and trust me, the IT Market is VERY competative out here. I use to use monster all the time. I rarely got call backs. When I did, I would normally get screened out because I can't compete with these laid off experts with 7 to 15 yrs of IT experience will to take the same job

You sound exactly like me when you said:

Quote originally posted by Lightninghawk ...
I'm no genious either. I actually know just the basics of computers. But I love to learn and I love to work.
On top of that, I am good at this stuff, I have always picked it up much faster than my peers in class, especially programming classes. Not 'cause I'm smarter, but because I love this stuff, so I know where you're coming from.
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Fasola is offline Offline
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Jan 5th, 2006
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Re: Certification or Not

A-town huh...? Well. Most of my job finds are in that area.

I live about 4 hours south of you in Douglas. My job offers are at a couple of smaller businesses.

Though one that I would like to try for if I move to Atlanta will be at Comnexia. I'm not sure I would get one, but it's worth a shot. I hear a lot of good things about them.

Honestly if you want a good IT job in Atlanta or the surrounding area. What you are going to want to do is:

1. Make up an unbelievable but true resume.
----They want experience, and even if you don't have any in IT make you you put it down.. i don't care if it was a burger joint. It shows that you've had a job.. a big plus

2. Be persistant. Keep calling and checking on possible potitions. Don't make them think that they're your only option, but don't over do it.

3. Go to http://actualtests.com and study for your exams.

4. If you have networking, desktop support, or just regular PC troubleshooting knowledge. Try one of the Many hospitals up there

----

First impression in an interview is everything too. Don't overdress but don't show up like a GeeK. I'm the only one that can pull that off. Because I know how to make them laugh about it and feel comfortable. LoL
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