it seem your current job is one-man show. and it sounds you have both programming and technical skills. to evaluate your situation,

1. you hold a degree of CS. just a basic qualification which everyone does.
2. you worked as programmer for 3 months. now you working as technical support for x months. just a basic skills which everyone does.
3. you have no specialty in any IT areas. may be you have. please name it.
4. you have no IT professional certificates. put you in extreme disadvantage in job hunting and career development.

conclusion = basic computer degree + little experience and skill in programming + x experience and skill in technical support + x number of IT specialties + no IT professional certificate(s) = average worker.

nowadays, employers looking for knowledge workers.

so you either get some IT professional certificates or working in Vendor industry starting from fresh again.

which Professional Certificate should i invest in? should i start from mcse -->ccna --> oca or oca->ocp-->mcdba

if you want to build your career in networking infrastructure, then you can opt for Microsoft and Cisco technologies. MCSA>MCSE or MCITP>MCTS + CCNA>CCNP.

for career in database, then you can opt for Microsoft and Oracle technologies. MCDBA or MCITP>MCTS + OCA>OCP.

my advice, do not combine both networking skills and database skills. you only can secure one job. both career have its own specialty. in large organizations, database developer/administrator and network/technical engineer are in two different teams. job scopes and functionalities also not the same.

both career, each can earn up to RM10k and above if the person holds MCA or MCM or CCIE or OCM or OCE.

Thanks for your great help!

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Added on July 10, 2008, 1:31 pmone more question , if i decided to take oca now, which version should i take? 9i or 10g?

This post has been edited by vincentmoo: Jul 10 2008, 01:31 PM

Hi Guys,

I see you all are talking and sharing about the certification in IT security field.
I get to know there is one event coming up which targeted for IT professional ppl where they offer a good price for the course and conference sign-up.

http://www.eccouncilapac.org/index/


or check on the the main website


http://eccouncilacademy.org/main/

I am interested in to networking field and now i am studying Diploma in IT.

I planned to take CCNA soon. but anyone can guide me, shall I continue Diploma > Degree > CCNA > CCNP

or

Diploma > CCNA > CCNP

or

CCNA > CCNP?

Diploma > Degree > CCNA > CCNP sure is the best. make sure that company using Cisco product. If not CCNP = 0.

yes........ 100% correct. if the company use Dlink product then u can keep the CCNP in museum. haha.........

can tell us which MNC/Financial/Technology Service Provider/Oil & Gas/Telecommunication/etc not using Cisco product ???

Hi Clngu and others expert out there, I really need your help and advice here.
I joined a MNC on Dec 2005 as a 1st level support (work on shift) and was sent to U.S. for training on their systems (manufacturing systems like MES, SFC, etc.). I was then promoted to 2nd Level Support (also a administrator of their manufacturing systems) in May 2007. But then I am still under 1st Level because my manager said I only can change to normal hours after he hired a replacement for me. Until now I'm still in this situation, holding 2 responsibilities since the promotion :-(
When hired a new 1st Level then he was arranged to replace others who resigned. Now 1st Level still short of 1 member so I guess I still need to wait.
Few days back my manager said management freeze the employment coz cut cost and he said they are going to revise our salary coz we are under pay. It's been 1 year and 3 months I've been in this situation. Now I have no motivation :-(
Now I decided to find another job but no confident after reading all the requirements in jobstreet because their requirement is quit high.
My salary is around 3300 now but doing support kinda job, no speciality.
I have OCA certification, no experience/begineer experience in oracle, hyperion, sql experience. I am not sure what is the market price and how much I should put in my resume (scare too high ppl don't want, if too low I can't survive).

Can you please advice me on the amount/range for my expected salary?

my own opinion: To all fresh grades, if possible do not work as a support, dont wast your time and straight away find a job which can allow you to experience and learn more and in dept. you can't learn more from support job.

This post has been edited by heeheelim: Jul 29 2008, 08:49 AM

Hi clngu,

After reading from the forum on MCSE, MCAD, MCSD...CCNA, CCNP, discuss...dicuss. I am absolutely very impress with your vass experience and knowledge Therefore from it, I would like to seeks some wise from you. Currently I am working as a IT Business System Analyst for like 3 years. But now I'm begining to have interest in Computer Forensic. Being having to be a compueter Analyst due to I have interest in analysing, finding rootcause of the problem and investigation. Although I am a System Analyst, by my current job scope is not what I expected. So would like to seek you advice whether have you heard this job Computer Forensic before. Is it the same as IT Security? What would be the cert I should start taking first in order for me to work as computer forensic. Is the cert I require to take the same as you mention in the forum below? Sorry that I ask so many question. Is just that after reading all your posting, I feel that there's a new bright future for me. Hope to hear from you soon.

Security
- ISC2 SSCP, CISSP
- SCP-SCNS, SCNP, SCNA
- EC-Council CEH, CHFI, LPT

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Added on August 1, 2008, 2:37 pm

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Added on August 1, 2008, 2:40 pmTry going down to Asia City. Look for Rits technology International. This place offers Ccna, Mcse and all those trainings and moreover all the trainers are professionals. For futher details try e-mailing info@ritsinternational.com.


This post has been edited by hantukubur: Aug 1 2008, 02:40 PM

I'm living in Penang.

I wonder is there any alternative to register for Microsoft exam (MCTS)
by paying not by credit card but other alternative?

You can pay cash.

Anyway, what you guys think about the new CCNA Voice, Wireless & Security concentration exams? Anyone taken it already? I'm interested in CCNA Security. Will be taking the CCNA exam next week.

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Added on September 20, 2008, 5:02 pmIs self-studying for the CCSP exam using only Cisco Press books without attending any training an achievable target? I would rather not spend on the training if it's possible to self-study. Please advise.

Also, has the Cisco Firewall Specialist exam been retired? What other certification is it being replaced with?

Hope you guys won't mind answering these questions. Thank you.

This post has been edited by NicholasG5: Sep 20 2008, 05:03 PM

Thanks... however, the center (MCSB) told me they don't accept cash and advised me to register online.

Can I pay by debit card if I register the exam using Prometric online? I appreciate very much.

When I registered, the person at the testing center used her credit card to pay for me. I then paid to her.

Hi all..

I would like to know if MCSE 2003 is a course that is still 'hot' in the current market. I thought of taking:

-Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist Window Server 2008 Networking Infrastructure Configuration

-Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist .Net Framework 2.0 Web Applications

Is it still advisable to take MCSE?

MCSE has been replaced by MCTS. MCTS will concentrate on windows server 2008 technologies onwards. Unless if ur work related is still relying on windows server 2003, then check the training centers to see if they still offer MCSE. But anyhow, taking MCTS isnt that harmful.

Hi Clngu ,

Need your advice because I am lost.

Since graduated from Bac Degree, I already worked in my current company for 6 years. During these 6 years, I worked as Java Programmer, 3rd party product engineer and now doing .NET and crystal report. My programming skill is so so. I have no pro. certificate on hand but only Bac. Degree.
Recently doing a project which required skill on SQL server (create stored procedure and trigger)and found interest in this area.
I received an offer(RM5K) from bank which the job scope will more on SQL server database and support bank customer.

Now I am 29. My target is to get salary RM10K/mth when I am 35.

Can database career achieve my purpose if I in technical position?

Is data staging/database migration demand in the market?

I prefer to travel oversea to work but bank won't have this opportunity(correct me if i am wrong).

What kind of the certificate(s) I should aimed for ? For this bank job, I will work on SQL server. Should I aimed for Oracle too?

If I want to move on to management, what kind of certificate(s) I should look for?

(Question from my friend: is PMP demand in Malaysia? His friend(30 years old) is doing well and now earning RM10K/mth).

Thanks a lot.

i have a diploma in EE..i was thinking of juping into networking/database stuff..

it is advisable to jump straight from diploma -> mcse -> ccna & etc...what ever route it is..shud i?? please pm me and give me some advise.