Clngu,

just a quesiton, how does ITIL Certification fits in the role of a Systems Engineer?

Currently holding MCSE/MCTS/CSSA(SonicWALL).

Where shall i go if i decided to take ITIL v2 or v3 Cert? What can i do with it?

Ok guys...have some questions here..

am interested to get a professional certificate in network or computer security...currently i have nothing in hand... only spm

so where to start? i saw many ppl in this thread has started from CCNA? is this a good choice?
how about the cost and training?

it's possible to self-study this certificate? how much the exam cost? and how much can i earn using this single certificate (if i've managed to pass the exam ofc...)



regards

A+ ---------> CCNA -----------> MCSA/MCSE

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Added on December 7, 2008, 3:34 amshould be around rm300 per paper, i took it few years back

This post has been edited by eviljonz: Dec 7 2008, 03:34 AM

Sry...but what's A+ ?

How much can i earn with A+ or A+ plus CCNA ?

Currently working as sys support...earning less than 2k



regards

Hi, this is my first post

Let me be frank to u.

CCNA = full = Cisco Product (which is more and in-deep of Network Skills)

Yup, now to take a CCNA Exam = it costs you = $USD 250 = which around RM 850 - RM 900
(Passing Rate is 829 / 1000 )

Before that, CCNA have few range now. And is new

1. CCNA
2. CCNA Security
3. CCNA Voice
4. CCNa Wireless
5. CCDA = to further CCDP (To obtain CCDA, u must have CCNA First)

Thereafter,

1. CCNP
2. CCSP
3. CCIP
4. CCVP
5. CCDP = U must have both (CCDA & CCNA)

Final

1. CCIE - The Most highest of all.

for more info, www.cisco.com

Ok,thanks for the details.

So it's good or not to 'jump' A+ and do directly CCNA? A+ is not related to cisco right?

One thing that's still bothering me is,how much CCNA-certified professional being paid? Does CCNA alone is enough to obtain a 'decent' work? (decent pay...about rm2k)


regards

The answer depends on whether you have any background in networking field. A+ is a vendor-neutral cert that cover basic knowledge of hardware, network, security and etc. This is more like a entry level cert, for people looking for their first jobs like IT technician, support and etc.

CCNA is a vendor-specific certification, that covers basic network theory and configuring cisco switch or router. Many company is using cisco device, so having CCNA shows that you have experience and knowledge working with these device.

A+ is not that famous among the employer in Malaysia. A search in jobstreet with the keyword "A+", come out with only one job by Dell, whereas "CCNA" shows 54 jobs, and "MCSE" shows 80 jobs. In US and Europe, where the job competition is much higher, the A+ cert is considered the "must have" cert for entry level IT staff.

Anyway, having a certfication like CCNA does not automatically set your salary to a level. There is no such thing that once you are certified as CCNA, the company must pay you certain amount of money. However it will definitely give you an edge when seeking job. Pay wise, I will say most important is work experience.

my honest advice for you. Get your self a degree or at least a Diploma. Be far sighted and look further. Papers such as CCNP and MCSE adds value to your profile. But a degree/diploma buys you the entrance ticket. Be realistic to your self, It's really hard to go far although you have 10 years working experience as a SPM holder. You can try to do part time course and obtain your degree slowly

Thanks to justin_nys & netcrusader

CCNA, MCSE is important but without Degree / Diploma = you wont be able to succeed in Management lever or even a Manager Tittle.

For example. I am a SPM Holder only. With no Cert.
the most i can reach is just an Engineer Position. I admit i have the Technical Skills but i dont have Management Skills.

So thats the difference of Technical Background and Management Background.

Cheers

bump, this is a good thread!

Hi clngu,

wish to consult u regarding my career path...

I have 3yrs++ experience as Java Programmer but don't have any Professional Certification yet. So need your advice on which certification should I take in order to advance in my career into management skills? Kinda feel like I am stagnant in current position.

I have read your previous post stating that we must have technical + management certs in order to excel. So maybe I should take SCJP, SCWCD, SCDJWS and SCBCD for technical cert but which cert should i take for management cert?

Thanks in advance.

Frankly, it would be easier to solve the age-old question “Which came first the chicken or the egg?” than to ever reach a consensus on the question of whether it’s better for an IT pro to have a technical degree or certifications.

There are no clear-cut answers. So I’m not going to throw out any concrete facts and I can’t hope to change anyone’s mind on the matter, but here are a few things to consider when weighing the benefits of a degree vs. a cert.

First of all, keep in mind that the degree/certification matter is only a part of what you should concern yourself with when you’re marketing yourself for a new job or a better position. Degrees and certifications may comprise the bulk of your “calling card,” but you should not depend on either to be the overall marketing strategy for what you’re selling to potential employers — yourself.

Once you get into a job, above anything else, your employer will want to see you as a person who can get the job done and do it in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. No one is going to temper your good results because you lack credentials.

However, this is IT, one of the most constantly changing industries there is. Keeping up with technology is important, and certifications demonstrate that.

Who’s going to see your resume?

Another variable in this equation is whether an HR person or an IT manager is the one looking at your resume. Unless specifically instructed otherwise, the chances are that an HR person is going to respond to the presence of a degree before a jumble of Microsoft acronyms. In this way, “Bachelor’s degree” is a universal language. Is that a reason against certs? Not at all, just something to keep in mind.

The flip side is that if you have an HR person who does a lot of tech hiring, you might get someone who knows all of the certifications and simply uses that as a criterion to filter candidates. For example, if you are applying for a job as a Windows administrator, you must have an MCSE to be seriously considered for the job.

If a technical person, however, is vetting the resumes, it helps if you have some certifications. It’s a language a technical person speaks.

And another possibility to consider is that if the person doing the hiring is an “academic” sort, he may be of the mindset that if he suffered through getting a degree, it’s the very least he would expect from you.

Like I said, there are really no hard-core facts here, just things to consider.

The perception

There are lots of good reasons to get a degree, both personal and professional. In the eyes of some employers, a completed four-year degree shows that you can finish what you start. It gives them an idea of your dedication and work ethic. And, as an article from DataStronghold.com says, “Through the courses covered in a four-year degree, students are given the opportunity to learn a variety of skills in different portions of the major they have chosen. Technical as well as analytical talents are developed and tested.”

On the other hand, degrees can become dated. Certifications have to be renewed as technology evolves. You may have earned a computer science degree 10 years ago, but that doesn’t ensure that you’ve demonstrated proficiency recently. A certification does.

The timeline

The timeline is a very important factor in the degree/cert question. Let’s say you’ve been in a job for five years and you haven’t been promoted because of a company policy requiring managers to have degrees. Then, by all means, you might want to explore the option of going back to school. But if there is no formal policy and you haven’t been promoted, it may be because of something that neither a degree nor certification would have any influence over. In other words, don’t waste money on a four-year degree if the problem is you’re a general pain in the butt or don’t show any initiative in other ways.

A solution may be to pursue a goal that could be achieved in a shorter time span to show your desire to better yourself. And that could take form in a certification.

The power of specificity

We’ve all heard stories like the guy who has a Masters degree in Computer Science but can’t figure out a simple problem that anyone with an A+ cert could. That could be an issue of specificity. Some IT shops only have the budget for a “Tech of all Trades” so to speak. But some have the luxury of being able to hire those with specialties and that’s where a cert does some talking.

I asked an experienced IT manager, what he looks for in a job candidate — a degree or certs, and he said it depends:

“If I am looking at a highly technical position (DBA, network engineer, etc.) then I lean more heavily toward certification. Someone with experience and a CCNA or CCIE for Cisco equipment or Oracle certifications for database admin goes further with me than someone with a generic IT degree. However, if I’m looking at a managerial, administrative, or analyst type position, the degree is more valuable.”
Renewable knowledge

As I said, degrees can become dated. Certifications have to be renewed as technology evolves. Degrees can prepare the foundation for dealing with technology, but you can’t generalize everything. Let’s use a car analogy: You may be a mechanical person who is used to taking apart muscle car engines with your eyes closed. But that may not help much if the electronic sensors fail in your new car.

The answer to the age-old question of degrees vs. certifications is “it depends.” Depends on the specifics of the job, on the person doing the hiring, and on your capabilities in general.

I need advices from u guyz

Currently finish my degree in IT and employed as IT helpdesk Level 1 and i think i cannot be in helpdesk filed for long time coz i need to get a job that secure and stable for long time.

Any ideas on this ?

Should i take CCNA or MCSE or Master in IT?

Any advices?

got some more?

Dear Lowyatians,

I myself have been in Lowyat.net for some years now, and am happy to be one of the Lowyatians here. Have personally gained a lot from this forum, so I hope my profession can also contribute a little to our Lowyat.net.

I recently joined my company, Redynamics Asia. Redynamics Asia is a Corporate I.C.T Training Provider. We work very very closely with Microsoft, and is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner.

A brief Introduction of my company:
Recently we are working with Microsoft on their latest System Manager, as one of us is the first in Malaysia and the first batch in the world to be certified as a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Operations Manager 2007 and Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Configuration Manager 2007, he is required to educate I.T. Professionals in Malaysia on this latest Technology.

What we focus:
I.T. Trainings for I.T. Professionals, but we do also conduct Soft-skill Trainings to prepare I.T. Professionals in the Management Level.

Feel free to contact me if you need advices or recommendation on I.T. Certifications.

Have a nice day!

Vincent
vincent@redynamics.com
www.redynamics.com

Guys,
I am a support engineer dealing mainly with AIX systems where the machines are mostly p5 or RS6000. Currently I dun have certifications. Only doing my MBA now. Newer systems using windows based servers from Dell. Hardly touches network.

I plan to go into
A: management level in IT company
B : join a counsultation company like BSG (preferable)

so if I do certifications like PRINCE2, surely will help me in option A, what about option B ?
Is there anymore options other than A and B i can consider ?



This post has been edited by wingcross: Feb 2 2009, 11:44 AM

You may wanna add ITIL to your list (for both options) :=)

Is ITIL useful for a network engineer?

My highest qualification in IT line is Higher Diploma in Computer Science. If I want to pursue any IT course, shld I proceed to Degree or take IT professional course, such as MCSE, Oracle or any computer programming course such as .Net, Java etc. I feel degree is quite common as nowadays, lots of degree holder out there. initially I want to take Degree but I never go for it. What do you think?

i think if possible should go for a degree. if you think having degree is common doesnt mean u dun have to do it.

for ur information higher diploma is quite common now as well, that does mean u could have stop at diploma or certificate.