IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[D1renegade]

I've never heard of anyone going straight into cyber security before. Usually you start out doing either Networking or Systems Administration first. You won't understand how to secure anything if you haven't maintained these systems before and understand how they work internally.

Yeah I figured I wouldn't be able to jump into cyber security right away.. But that is my end goal currently. I'm just trying to figure out how to take my first steps towards an entry level position. The community college I'm looking at has A+ and Net+ prep courses, so I'm leaning towards that right now.

 

[JT-Money]

Yeah I figured I wouldn't be able to jump into cyber security right away.. But that is my end goal currently. I'm just trying to figure out how to take my first steps towards an entry level position. The community college I'm looking at has A+ and Net+ prep courses, so I'm leaning towards that right now.

How much are the courses and how long would they take to complete? I wouldn't go deep into debt for those certifications because entry level jobs don't pay squat. You can probably get both of those certifications through a few months of self-study.

 

[Saint1]

How much are the courses and how long would they take to complete? I wouldn't go deep into debt for those certifications because entry level jobs don't pay squat. You can probably get both of those certifications through a few months of self-study.

QFT

 

[D1renegade]

How much are the courses and how long would they take to complete? I wouldn't go deep into debt for those certifications because entry level jobs don't pay squat. You can probably get both of those certifications through a few months of self-study.

The program I was looking at is 36 hours.. Since I'm about to start working full time it would take me about 2 years to finish it.

But you and @Saint1 are saying I can get these certs in under 1 year!? That sounds much better than going through this program and taking classes I don't really need. What kind of resources do you brehs recommend?

Saint, you mentioned building a test lab.. I have access to 2 macs but I think Windows is where a lot of this IT stuff goes down? Should I look for a cheap laptop and use that for my lab?

 

[Saint1]

The program I was looking at is 36 hours.. Since I'm about to start working full time it would take me about 2 years to finish it.

But you and @Saint1 are saying I can get these certs in under 1 year!? That sounds much better than going through this program and taking classes I don't really need. What kind of resources do you brehs recommend?

Saint, you mentioned building a test lab.. I have access to 2 macs but I think Windows is where a lot of this IT stuff goes down? Should I look for a cheap laptop and use that for my lab?

Yes and no.

There's two A+ tests you have to take. I ONLY used this book. . It's cheap explains things quick and has two tests in the back plus a cram sheet.

A+ is the basics of computers. It helps a lot if you've had experience obviously and it clarifies a lot of things.

If you know the answers to these questions you're good to get this book and can pass the test:

Do you know the difference between memory and hard disk space? (a lot of people interchange the two and if you do, I'd question your commitment)
Do you know what an IP is?
What are USB, PCI, PCI-E, network card, LAN, ethernet, router, modem, PSU,motherboard, GB, MB, DSL, dial-up,broadband?
What is HTTP? (not what it stands for but what is it used for?)
Have you looked at the inside of a computer?
Can you spend at least an hour or two a day just reading this book?
Do you spend your free time using a computer?

I hit the book hard for like 2 months and passed. But I've built my own computer and generally have a love of computers and technology. I can't recite everything in the book but I have a general overview of computers and windows.

A cheap laptop may hold you back on creating a virtual lab. Understand that a virtual lab is going to run other full computers in your laptop. How well do you think a laptop will hold up running itself, a browser, and at least two virtual computers both running windows inside of it, all at the same time? I recommend building a decent desktop with a good processor and a lot of memory (about 16 GB). The desktop will be cheaper and you'll be able to upgrade it and continue running virtual servers later when you go for other certs.

 

[D1renegade]

Yes and no.

There's two A+ tests you have to take. I ONLY used this book. . It's cheap explains things quick and has two tests in the back plus a cram sheet.

A+ is the basics of computers. It helps a lot if you've had experience obviously and it clarifies a lot of things.

If you know the answers to these questions you're good to get this book and can pass the test:

Do you know the difference between memory and hard disk space? (a lot of people interchange the two and if you do, I'd question your commitment)
Do you know what an IP is?
What are USB, PCI, PCI-E, network card, LAN, ethernet, router, modem, PSU,motherboard, GB, MB, DSL, dial-up,broadband?
What is HTTP? (not what it stands for but what is it used for?)
Have you looked at the inside of a computer?
Can you spend at least an hour or two a day just reading this book?
Do you spend your free time using a computer?

I hit the book hard for like 2 months and passed. But I've built my own computer and generally have a love of computers and technology. I can't recite everything in the book but I have a general overview of computers and windows.

A cheap laptop may hold you back on creating a virtual lab. Understand that a virtual lab is going to run other full computers in your laptop. How well do you think a laptop will hold up running itself, a browser, and at least two virtual computers both running windows inside of it, all at the same time? I recommend building a decent desktop with a good processor and a lot of memory (about 16 GB). The desktop will be cheaper and you'll be able to upgrade it and continue running virtual servers later when you go for other certs.

I appreciate this breh. I have a decent understanding of computers so I don't think I'll have an issue with the test.

I've always been when I hear people say they've built PC's. I don't even know what that process looks like but I'm going to start researching it. The most I've done is replace the hdd and upgrade the ram on my MacBook pro. I think I'll slowly begin to look for pieces for a desktop. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on knocking out the A+ cert. Hopefully I'll have it by the end of April.

 

[Saint1]

I appreciate this breh. I have a decent understanding of computers so I don't think I'll have an issue with the test.

I've always been when I hear people say they've built PC's. I don't even know what that process looks like but I'm going to start researching it. The most I've done is replace the hdd and upgrade the ram on my MacBook pro. I think I'll slowly begin to look for pieces for a desktop. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on knocking out the A+ cert. Hopefully I'll have it by the end of April.

that's probably harder than building a PC. I swear to J-Hova I built my first PC at like 25 and thinking "wow Lego's were way harder than this." April seems like a good timeline. Post in here when you nail that test, Breh. Good luck.

 

[Mook]

Fellas. I been hearing that the A+ and Network+ cert is garbage, but that the security+ is still good.

Criticize my plan:

I just got fired from my jobs not one hour ago brehs Thinking of putting an ad on craiglist to help fix computers for non profits and build my experience and resume that way. Get the security+ cert and try the windows server cert too. What you guys think?

 

[TRFG]

Does it matter where you get your Degree in Information Technology. I go to the University of Baltimore, so what are the job prospects for me? Im also on a student visa.

http://www.ubalt.edu/cas/undergradu...nformation-technology/degree-requirements.cfm

 

[Romell]

Does it matter where you get your Degree in Information Technology. I go to the University of Baltimore, so what are the job prospects for me? Im also on a student visa.

http://www.ubalt.edu/cas/undergradu...nformation-technology/degree-requirements.cfm

Not really. My tech-lead at my first job out of college went to University of Phoenix and he was a CCIE Voice. Being in Baltimore you are in a good enough location to have plenty of job prospects from Bmore down to Richmond.

How many years in are you? Start working towards a cert in your desired area so you'll have that on your resume with your degree. They'll be like "did you get that as part of your school program or in your free-time", and you can hit them with getting it done in your free-time and that'll get you extra points.

 

[FreshFromATL]

Fellas. I been hearing that the A+ and Network+ cert is garbage, but that the security+ is still good.

Criticize my plan:

I just got fired from my jobs not one hour ago brehs Thinking of putting an ad on craiglist to help fix computers for non profits and build my experience and resume that way. Get the security+ cert and try the windows server cert too. What you guys think?

Why you get fired?

 

[Mook]

Why you get fired?

I cursed

 

[Bernie Madoff]

I cursed

What the fukk were you thinking breh?

 

[FreshFromATL]

I cursed

?

 

[TRFG]

Not really. My tech-lead at my first job out of college went to University of Phoenix and he was a CCIE Voice. Being in Baltimore you are in a good enough location to have plenty of job prospects from Bmore down to Richmond.

How many years in are you? Start working towards a cert in your desired area so you'll have that on your resume with your degree. They'll be like "did you get that as part of your school program or in your free-time", and you can hit them with getting it done in your free-time and that'll get you extra points.

Just started this semester. I'll probably finish the program in 2017. The thing is I don't know which certs to get, should I get the basic stuff everyone has like A+ or go for the harder stuff? (I want to be a Network Engineer btw). I obviously don't want to get a cert while I'm in school and have it expire before I graduate.