IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[acri1]

You may make it pass the resume filters with an few certifications on your resume but if your going up against someone with way more experience you won't get the job anyway unless you know the hiring manager personally.

Yeah, but not everybody has a lot of experience.

Guys that have been in IT for a long time may look down on people that just try to get a bunch of certs, but what else can you do if you don't have much experience? Doesn't seem like there's any way in besides either getting certs (and hoping somebody gives you a chance) or knowing the hiring manager.

Getting experience at something besides helpdesk/desktop support is WAY harder than yall make it seem.

 

[JT-Money]

You may make it pass the resume filters with an few certifications on your resume but if your going up against someone with way more experience you won't get the job anyway unless you know the hiring manager personally.

Yeah, but not everybody has a lot of experience.

Guys that have been in IT for a long time may look down on people that just try to get a bunch of certs, but what else can you do if you don't have much experience? Doesn't seem like there's any way in besides either getting certs (and hoping somebody gives you a chance) or knowing the hiring manager.

Getting experience at something besides helpdesk/desktop support is WAY harder than yall make it seem.

Believe me we know how hard it is because we've all been there. Except maybe the people who started there careers during an mini boom in IT hiring.

I just don't want dudes thinking all they've got to do is pass an few certifications exams and that will be enough to get you an IT job. You'll need the same things that any other job seeker needs facing tons of competition in this market. Great references are an must and top notch interviewing skills can sometimes trump experience in some cases. Even if you look better on paper to an hiring manager if another applicant really nails the interview they'll get the job. IT Departments tend to be very cliquish and they'll usually pick someone everyone in the Department likes over the more qualified person who does his own thing.

Remember most IT Managers aren't technical and they usually have the last word when it comes to hiring decisions. Especially if it's an female IT Manager she'll hire based on the applicants personality over technical skills 9 times out of 10. Some of the worse IT hires I've seen have all been done by female IT Managers.

 

[Chris.B]

I built a voice lab similar to this with a couple of buddies of mine going for the same cert.

I should be a CCNP voice by the end of the year.

I'm practicing a lot so that I can survive when I get a Cisco voice job

and I'm studying my butt of for the cert so that my resume can get past the filter.

 

[JT-Money]

Cisco VOIP is definately an growing field but it wouldn't hurt to have some kind of old school Telephony knowledge to go along with it. There are still tons of Avaya or Nortel PBX's out there you might have to interface with at some point.

 

[Silkk]

Take a look at this deal and let me know if it look legit

Store | ITCareerPro

 

[se1f_made]

Currently studying for MCTS: Exchange 2010. I've created a test environment in fusion for mac. It's crazy that I've been putting off learning these skills for 3 years all because I was too scared to try
If you dont have a passion for learning new stuff, stay away from IT

 

[Silkk]

Sept.24th Ima Beat That A+ In The Head

 

[Hahahaha]

Just bought a new system with 32 gigs of ram/multiple SSD's. Going to be a beast of lab system.

 

[Chris.B]

Cisco VOIP is definately an growing field but it wouldn't hurt to have some kind of old school Telephony knowledge to go along with it. There are still tons of Avaya or Nortel PBX's out there you might have to interface with at some point.

The old school stuff is good but when I look at the job boards the money is in Cisco voice or at least the Cisco voice people seem to get paid more.

Everything is relative to experience of course

 

[acri1]

Check out this job posting I found...

IT Network Admin - Contract (Livingston County)
Date: 2012-08-27, 7:54PM EDT

Express Employment Professionals in Howell is assisting a Livingston County manufacturing company looking for an IT Admin. Candidates must have previous experience managing a technical staff providing support to company.
Qualified candidate will also have experience performing the following job responsibilities:
~Quoting and ordering of computer hardware and software.
~Setting up and staging of new computers/accounts.
~Assist in relocation of current operations to new facility.
~Nortel & Avaya phone coordination.
~Maintenance and upkeep of company servers.
~Set up of new programs.
~Set up of a backup Exec backup system.
~WiFi and Network Security
~Barcode Scanners- edit programs and printer maintenance
~Troubleshoot and repair of a variety of printers(Brother, Epson, Dell, & Canon)
~Troubleshoot and repair day to day issues.
~Develop and implement IT department plans and strategies.
~Train and develop additional staff.
~Involvement in planning of new facility computer system.
~Troubleshoot and repair day to day network/computer issues, including bar code makers, etc.
~Microsoft Office 2007 & 2010
~Knowledge of Blackberry phones and exchange.Education: Diploma and college
Reliable transportation, excellent attendance and work attitude necessary. Must perform skills evaluations, pass drug testing, background check and employment verifications. There are no fees for drug testing, applications or job placement.
Visit Staffing Agencies | Human Resources | Howell/Brighton, MI | Express Employment to submit an online application filling in all fields completely and apply for open positions.
Express Employment Professionals
4286 E. Grand River Avenue
Howell, MI 48843
P: 517 546-5627
F: 517 546-0799

Location: Livingston County
Compensation: $12-$14 hr
This is a contract job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

I know the job market is bad and everything but .

 

[se1f_made]

Check out this job posting I found...



I know the job market is bad and everything but .

Looks about right for an entry level job requiring entry level skills

 

[acri1]

Looks about right for an entry level job requiring entry level skills

~Quoting and ordering of computer hardware and software.
~Nortel & Avaya phone coordination.
~Maintenance and upkeep of company servers.
~Set up of new programs.
~Set up of a backup Exec backup system.
~WiFi and Network Security
~Barcode Scanners- edit programs and printer maintenance
~Troubleshoot and repair of a variety of printers(Brother, Epson, Dell, & Canon)
~Develop and implement IT department plans and strategies.
~Train and develop additional staff.
~Involvement in planning of new facility computer system.

This is entry level?

Cats at Comcast get paid more than that.

 

[Hahahaha]

The pay should be double what they are offering. Sounds like a staffing company trying to fukk you or a really cheap client. Both of which I'd avoid but I know employment in Detroit is tough.

 

[King Sun]

Check out this job posting I found...



I know the job market is bad and everything but .

man you need to leave MI

 

[JT-Money]

The old school stuff is good but when I look at the job boards the money is in Cisco voice or at least the Cisco voice people seem to get paid more.

Everything is relative to experience of course

Cisco VOIP experience pays really well the jobs that I've seen. But unless your company is doing SIP trunking you'll need to know that old school TDM circuitry eventually. That stuff is everywhere and you never know when you might be forced to interface with it. I worked on Avaya systems where you did both VOIP and regular digital or analog phone sets. I've seen some Cisco VOIP guys forced into supporting both VOIP and TDM systems after merging with another company until the new company could be migrated over.