IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Ice_MF_Mike]

Thanks for the clarification!
I'll definitely look in OCSP. I was thinking CEH would open me up to more security related gig's but since you broke it down like that, I'll research other options.

At the end of the day, look at the jobs in your area and see what they are asking for. Let that dictate the order in which you get your certs. If that means getting CEH do that.

 

[StretfordRed]

Thanks for the clarification!
I'll definitely look in OCSP. I was thinking CEH would open me up to more security related gig's but since you broke it down like that, I'll research other options.

I work in security, so I know most of the good ways in. Although my current field is very niche (Intrusion Analyst/malware Analyst)

Let me know if you need more help!

 

[Nomadum]

At the end of the day, look at the jobs in your area and see what they are asking for. Let that dictate the order in which you get your certs. If that means getting CEH do that.

I'm willing to relocate.

 

[Nomadum]

I work in security, so I know most of the good ways in. Although my current field is very niche (Intrusion Analyst/malware Analyst)

Let me know if you need more help!

I'll definitely contact you once I get my A+ and my Cloud+ certs finished.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

@acri1 i've been thinking about getting into this. tired of bio related stuff, and I dont wanna go to grad school for life sciences / med school.

Should I get a degree or certs. I can afford the former quite comfortably (saved up a lot )

 

[Nomadum]

@acri1 i've been thinking about getting into this. tired of bio related stuff, and I dont wanna go to grad school for life sciences / med school.

Should I get a degree or certs. I can afford the former quite comfortably (saved up a lot )

I know you directed your question to @acri1 but I figured I can answer this with some level of accuracy (if I'm wrong then correct me @acri1 )

You will need a degree to help you move up as far as job position (Manager, supervisor, etc.)
what really counts in the IT field is the certifications, as they give a more 'up-to-date' idea of your knowledge set and skills.
most certs giving through CompTIA require a 2-3 year retesting (if I am not mistaken), so this means that every cert you hold is usually up-to-date and you have proven (through certification) that you are proficient in those different areas of technology.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

I know you directed your question to @acri1 but I figured I can answer this with some level of accuracy (if I'm wrong then correct me @acri1 )

You will need a degree to help you move up as far as job position (Manager, supervisor, etc.)
what really counts in the IT field is the certifications, as they give a more 'up-to-date' idea of your knowledge set and skills.
most certs giving through CompTIA require a 2-3 year retesting (if I am not mistaken), so this means that every cert you hold is usually up-to-date and you have proven (through certification) that you are proficient in those different areas of technology.

Thanks. Yeah i'm gonna turn 25 in a few months and I basically want to allow some upward movement when I do switch over. Guess it's back to school for the time being as i thought

 

[acri1]

@acri1 i've been thinking about getting into this. tired of bio related stuff, and I dont wanna go to grad school for life sciences / med school.

Should I get a degree or certs. I can afford the former quite comfortably (saved up a lot )

It's pretty much what @Nomadum said.

You DON'T have to have a degree to work in IT and there are a good number of people in my department that don't have one. So it's not a requirement. But I'd still recommend getting a degree because

1. It'll make it easier to get your foot in the door and land that first job
2. You might hit that glass ceiling pretty early on without one. When a promotion or management job opens up, all other things equal HR will usually want to give it to the person with a degree. So if you don't have one then you might end up seeing people younger/newer than you getting promoted over you.


So if you don't already have a degree and have the means, I'd say get one, even if it's just an associates. But if you have a degree in something else, then you probably don't need to go back and get one in IT. There are lots of people working in IT who have degrees in unrelated fields.

 

[Nomadum]

It's pretty much what @Nomadum said.

You DON'T have to have a degree to work in IT and there are a good number of people in my department that don't have one. So it's not a requirement. But I'd still recommend getting a degree because

1. It'll make it easier to get your foot in the door and land that first job
2. You might hit that glass ceiling pretty early on without one. When a promotion or management job opens up, all other things equal HR will usually want to give it to the person with a degree. So if you don't have one then you might end up seeing people younger/newer than you getting promoted over you.


So if you don't already have a degree and have the means, I'd say get one, even if it's just an associates. But if you have a degree in something else, then you probably don't need to go back and get one in IT. There are lots of people working in IT who have degrees in unrelated fields.

Very true, especially the portion I highlighted. my current professor has a degree in Business Management (not at all IT related) and he's been in the field for like 10+ years. he has stressed to the class how important certifications are to your career within IT and how a degree helps with promotions.

 

[Ice_MF_Mike]

Very true, especially the portion I highlighted. my current professor has a degree in Business Management (not at all IT related) and he's been in the field for like 10+ years. he has stressed to the class how important certifications are to your career within IT and how a degree helps with promotions.

Basically a degree will give you more return on investment later in your career while certs will give you more return on investment early on. Either way, throughout your IT career you will always want to be looking at ways to differentiate your skillset and certs are a good way to do that as well as get your resume looked at quicker.

 

[Nomadum]

Thanks. Yeah i'm gonna turn 25 in a few months and I basically want to allow some upward movement when I do switch over. Guess it's back to school for the time being as i thought

It's going to be tough bro, but stick with it. I'm on my third school. tried a traditional 4 year university my first go around and majored in Psychology, I flunked out of it. went to DeVry my second go around and flunked out of that as well. it's not because I'm an idiot or a dummy, I just didn't apply myself. but I know better now. as @acri1 said, without a degree you can very well hit the glass ceiling (meaning you will be stuck at a certain position/title/rank and pay salary). a Degree is a key which helps open's more doors, but the certifications are the knowledge and know-how which helps push you way above your peers with a degree to back you up.

 

[Nomadum]

Basically a degree will give you more return on investment later in your career while certs will give you more return on investment early on. Either way, throughout your IT career you will always want to be looking at ways to differentiate your skillset and certs are a good way to do that as well as get your resume looked at quicker.

Agreed.

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

It's going to be tough bro, but stick with it. I'm on my third school. tried a traditional 4 year university my first go around and majored in Psychology, I flunked out of it. went to DeVry my second go around and flunked out of that as well. it's not because I'm an idiot or a dummy, I just didn't apply myself. but I know better now. as @acri1 said, without a degree you can very well hit the glass ceiling (meaning you will be stuck at a certain position/title/rank and pay salary). a Degree is a key which helps open's more doors, but the certifications are the knowledge and know-how which helps push you way above your peers with a degree to back you up.

So I have a degree (BA political science, BS biology) , it won't impede me if I just go for certs ?



I think I might just go the four year route anyway, got tons of transfer credits from my previous degrees

 

[acri1]

So I have a degree (BA political science, BS biology) , it won't impede me if I just go for certs ?



I think I might just go the four year route anyway, got tons of transfer credits from my previous degrees

If you already got two degrees, it's probably not worth going back for a third, at least if you want to work in IT. What you already have should be enough to keep HR departments from throwing your resume in the bushes.

Most important thing in your case will be to get some experience. So my suggestion would be to get a few certs and then try to land an entry-level IT job somewhere and work your way up.

 

[Nomadum]

So I have a degree (BA political science, BS biology) , it won't impede me if I just go for certs ?



I think I might just go the four year route anyway, got tons of transfer credits from my previous degrees

No Sir!

You just having a degree shows potential employers that you are educated. in today's market, you even need degree's to run fast-food joints as managers lol. they want someone who is intelligent to be at the helm of an operation, what you got a degree in doesn't really matter (depending upon the employer). it will definitely not impede you going for certs. think about it like this, a Degree is nothing but a piece of paper saying "Broletariat finished an higher education institution and has succeeded in meeting the requirements to graduate" <--- that show's you are teachable and you are some what intelligent. Certifications say "Broletariat know's his shyt in the following fields...".