clngu, ur story made me feel that still hope for me thanks you very much & i already looking for books to study myself already thanks for sharing

So I guess its probably Microsoft or Linux...

I'm not sure which... one of my task rite now is monitoring the IDS for our company.. using Broadweb hardware and BEMS monitor...

depends on you working for Gold or Silver or Premier Cisco Partner.

i had gone for the Cisco Gold Partner Company interview,they just offer 1.8-2.0k...
but now i also work in financial company,not bank but doing financial planning..i doing IT Support,support IT infrastructure they have..
but seem not so professional..bcoz the main core business is not IT,for the things more professional,they outsource to vendor..

clngu and others,
do u know any places that provide microsoft(other than informatics) and ec-council training and exam?
normally how much the cost?

thanks a bunch!

you are fresh graduate, am I correct?

Cisco Gold Partner normally won't pay lot to CCNA as they already have many CCNA holders. unless you have something they looking for.

i guess you working in Insurance company. since you doing financial planning, no harm to take CFP and RFP and LOMA. those certificates definitely add values to your career development. normally company subsidizes 100% or 50% for their staff to take the course.

in Financial industry, you better take ITIL since most of them is implementing the processes now.

APIIT, InfoTrek. EC-Council training not cheap oh.

Oh. Are u suggesting me to study on my own and just take the test when I'm ready?
Is that possible? I mean, I dont know how the test looks like, similar to CCNA?

the 1st exam you need to take is CEH. a theoretical exam. you can buy official self-study kit or go to Kinokuniya/MPH to get alternate reading materials ie. Sybex, etc. but you really need to study hard. no more entertainment.

of course is better to attend CEH training ie. APIIT, whereby trainer give you 5-day intensive knowledge in order for you to be ready to sit for the exam.

CCNA is Cisco product exam. CEH is about hacking. quote "A Certified Ethical Hacker is a skilled professional who understands and knows how to look for the weaknesses and vulnerabilities in target systems and uses the same knowledge and tools as a malicious hacker."

few years ago, a candidate who holds CEH can demand RM10-12k with relevant experiences.

take me as example. when I graduated (BSc Computer Science from non-famous university) few years ago, I had hard time to find IT job with good pay. my 1st job was doing IT support with RM1.6k salary. after working for 2 years, I managed to get a new job with RM2.7k salary. after working for 1.5 years, I felt I lost my direction. I was standing in cross road. my career never improve and I was doing the routine works day-in day-out.

so I decided to pursue my study in order to develop my new career. at that time I had little savings to allow me to take Master Degree. the part-time programme would take 2 years to complete. so I done my research about what Master Degree I aim for and which college to study.

one day I talked to my friends. I found that they were taking ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CPA, etc. then I started asking them what was that. only at that moment I given to understand there was something called professional certificate, licensed/registered career. so I started doing research about IT professional certificate.

finally, I had 2 options in front of me to choose for my career development. one is taking Master Degree. another one is taking Professional Certification. say I have RM20k in hand.

option 1 - taking Master Degree. need 2 years part-time to complete it and get the certificate. then may be can find a higher position and get RM2k increment. so after 2 years, salary would be RM5k.

option 2 - taking professional certification. depends how many certificate i want to get. say as many as possible within RM20k. say need 1.5 years to change job. position and salary would be determined by the type and number of certification i hold at that moment.

at last I made decision to choose option 2. shorter route. Master degree can take later. within 6 months completed Cisco CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP. another 6 months completed Microsoft MCSA, MCSE, MCDBA and MCAD. another 6 months completed OCA, OCP and etc.

then I went to Headhunter to submit my resume and requested RM5k job. they very impressed about my qualification. within 1 week i received interview from MNC. during interview, I showed HR and interviewer my professional certifications. no question at all from them. within a week i got an offer of RM5k job. after working for 3 months, I saw from newspaper that a MNC hiring professionals with some certifications that I was holding at that time. so I just try to send my resume to them, request RM7.5k. within 1 week I received interview from them. after interview, HR called me on 3rd day to sign the offer letter stated RM7.5k. my story goes on. today my pay is 5 digits.

take me as example. when I graduated (BSc Computer Science from non-famous university) few years ago, I had hard time to find IT job with good pay. my 1st job was doing IT support with RM1.6k salary. after working for 2 years, I managed to get a new job with RM2.7k salary. after working for 1.5 years, I felt I lost my direction. I was standing in cross road. my career never improve and I was doing the routine works day-in day-out.

so I decided to pursue my study in order to develop my new career. at that time I had little savings to allow me to take Master Degree. the part-time programme would take 2 years to complete. so I done my research about what Master Degree I aim for and which college to study.

one day I talked to my friends. I found that they were taking ACCA, CIMA, CIM, CPA, etc. then I started asking them what was that. only at that moment I given to understand there was something called professional certificate, licensed/registered career. so I started doing research about IT professional certificate.

finally, I had 2 options in front of me to choose for my career development. one is taking Master Degree. another one is taking Professional Certification. say I have RM20k in hand.

option 1 - taking Master Degree. need 2 years part-time to complete it and get the certificate. then may be can find a higher position and get RM2k increment. so after 2 years, salary would be RM5k.

option 2 - taking professional certification. depends how many certificate i want to get. say as many as possible within RM20k. say need 1.5 years to change job. position and salary would be determined by the type and number of certification i hold at that moment.

at last I made decision to choose option 2. shorter route. Master degree can take later. within 6 months completed Cisco CCNA, CCDA, CCNP and CCDP. another 6 months completed Microsoft MCSA, MCSE, MCDBA and MCAD. another 6 months completed OCA, OCP and etc.

then I went to Headhunter to submit my resume and requested RM5k job. they very impressed about my qualification. within 1 week i received interview from MNC. during interview, I showed HR and interviewer my professional certifications. no question at all from them. within a week i got an offer of RM5k job. after working for 3 months, I saw from newspaper that a MNC hiring professionals with some certifications that I was holding at that time. so I just try to send my resume to them, request RM7.5k. within 1 week I received interview from them. after interview, HR called me on 3rd day to sign the offer letter stated RM7.5k. my story goes on. today my pay is 5 digits.

Hi Cingu,

How your made it ? in six month you can aim to finish CCNA and CCNP.Another six month you finish MCSA ,MCSE etc.This consider very hard and tough challenge .You have to work daily so each day you only sleep 3-4 hours.Huh any secret recipy to share to all of us here.First how you able to manage you time to grab a cert in this short time.

Thank

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Added on June 24, 2008, 9:36 pm

hi Cingu,

Thanks for sharing,you really make me feel that there is still a hope for me.I have a basic degree in Comp Sci work at IT support line as system engineer for 4 hours.Experience still very green coz all the while i am working in a end user company to provide support to end user means provide the first level support in server,email ,desktop,backup etc.....The next higher level of support is usually outsource to vendor.I have senior but he is very selfish in knowledge so everything have to self swim.I found that i no luck work in IT line.Everywhere i go i have to survive myself?which i mean my senior is not helpful or no senior at all.Currently i plan to take MCSE to take add my value.

I would like to check with you in case i want to move my line to Oracle next? how should i start the initial step? As i know for Oracle database the company very seldom will hire for fresh grad as this is the critical application.Beside where can i get the course for Oracle beside Oracle Malaysia which is expensive .Kindly advice to get the OCA and OCP.Do you do your self study anyway?

Hope the better will come... thanks

clngu,i now doing the IT Support,dun know whether choosing the right path or not..coz the job not touching into deep on the IT related thing..just support the normal server n network..if faces more advance problem the company wil look for vendor d..so is it good?