Member Avatar for wingmark

Hi Al;

I am undergraduate and planning to do Cisco CCNA and CCNP.But i am worried about job market. Is it really hard to get a job without any degree or prior experience?

Regards
WIngmark

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For an undergrad like planning CCNA/CCNP, the most practical approach is to turn study into visible, repeatable skill. Certifications help get past HR filters, but hiring decisions are driven by demonstrable hands‑on ability and clear examples of troubleshooting. The competitive point raised by and the emphasis on basic knowledge from point in the same direction: build something real and show it.

Start with a lab + portfolio. Use Packet Tracer or GNS3/EVE‑NG for virtual labs and, if possible, add inexpensive used switches/routers. Practice VLANs, inter‑VLAN routing, basic OSPF, ACLs, NAT, and packet captures with Wireshark. Document each exercise: short lab description, topology diagram, core configs, the failure introduced, and how it was fixed. Keep these artifacts in a GitHub repo or a single PDF portfolio so hiring managers can quickly verify hands‑on work. Example resume bullet (adapt to actual work done):

Built home lab (Packet Tracer/GNS3): configured VLANs, OSPF, ACLs and NAT; documented configs, packet captures, and step‑by‑step troubleshooting in GitHub.

Convert that portfolio into experience: campus IT, help desk, community center, volunteer for a small business, or short contract/field‑tech roles. Target titles that hire for demonstrated skill rather than degrees: Help Desk Technician, Field Technician, NOC Technician, Network Support Technician, Junior Network Engineer. Local MSPs and staffing agencies often provide on‑the‑job training that leads into pure networking roles.

Prepare to show, not just tell, in interviews: subnet by hand, read and explain a live config, walk through a captured packet showing the problem and fix, and tell a concise troubleshooting story (problem, diagnostic steps, root cause, resolution). Documenting ticketing and communication with nontechnical users is as valuable as protocol knowledge. Focused work on these steps typically makes entry‑level candidates noticeably more competitive within several months.

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Member Avatar for techsheaven

It is hard to get a job WITH a degree, certifications, and experience.

Good Luck

Member Avatar for royng

It is hard if you do not have any experience. If you know some intermediate computer skills you might stand a higher chance. If you know a lot, you might get a ccna certificate. Without any basic knowledge, i won't recommend you to try for a ccna cert

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