If it's not too late to switch, go for the OSCP course instead, especially since your job is paying for it. The CEH really don't teach you shyt. You'll learn some tools and the pen testing methodology, but you won't learn how to actually compromise a target host.
I went through the CEH book in like 2 days, that shyt was week as hell. Now the OSCP?. To pass the exam you VPN into a lab and have to compromise some hosts on the test network.
already got my career as a network specialist.. job is payng for certs..
i used to be ccna
i'm going cert junkie
two of my ex co-worker who went cert junkie now makes 100k a year with bonus added up..
third tier tech.... i want that
Well, my employer wants a CEH on staff, are flying me to LA and paying for everything so I am not going to look that gift horse in the mouth.
I have looked into the OSCP and will do that on my own after this exam. It is relatively inexpensive for a certification course, but that test looks intense!
24 hours to move thru an environment and exploit varies systems.
Better have your shyt together for that test.
I disagree with your assessment of the CEH though. Can't base the entire curriculum off of one book. I have several books, come CBTs and will now take the course. It may not be as involved, from a purely hacking stand point, as the OSCP but there is some shyt to be learned in the CEH....
My point is you're not going to remember any of it. The cert is good, but when you're in a technical interview for a security engineer and they ask you what's the steps to configure failover clustering on an ASA you're gonna be in there like
shyt I used to work at AT&T configuring OC-768 links. I did that shyt every day for like 2 years. 2 years later I couldn't configure that shyt to save my life because I forgot.
Having a bunch of Cisco certs don't really mean anything unless you have experience deploying whatever it is your cert is about. If your heart is voice, then do the voice certs. A CCIE voice will get your further (and with less stress) than a multiple CCNP ever will.
I peak at 80k (not getting that)
and uc 500 series 
i get your point,
but here is mine..
i support a company where we do their voice/routing switching/security for them.
i am the prime for voice but if need be i do some routing.. i dont touch security because of lack of knowledge.
i am currently tier 2.. meaning i fix all problem.. but hey if i cant fix something (never happens) i open tier 3 tickets (which we do if it takes more then one hour)
job wise, i couldnt be happier because tier 2 or tier 3 can do the exact same fix..
but tier 3 gets 85k plus
now the CCDA or CCDP, this is just for a side hustle
building system on the side.. starting with uc320
eventually go on my own.
)
Real talk this thread keeps me motivated.
Bless this thread yall.
IT is such aindustry when i see other brothers doing good in the game keeps me motivated.
...if i get it the salary increase would put me near the 100K mark plus a signing bonus (my gf works at the same hospital and told me about the signing bonus part)..im just praying hard i get that callback interviewword as an IT professional this is one of my favorite threads on here...the other day i just interviewed for a Sr. systems analyst position by one of the top hospitals in the country brehs...shyt was no joke..whole thing was 3 hours...had to answer technical questions during the interview, had to do a written exam, and demonstrate skills at a terminal on access, sql server, and crystal reports....my brain was fried after this
I understand where you're coming from, but if your goal is to hit 6 figures, specialize breh. Pick a track and beast out in it. I have about 9 years of exp and about 6 of them are just security. The highest contract offer I've gotten was $115/hr on W2 (didn't get the job though
word as an IT professional this is one of my favorite threads on here...the other day i just interviewed for a Sr. systems analyst position by one of the top hospitals in the country brehs...shyt was no joke..whole thing was 3 hours...had to answer technical questions during the interview, had to do a written exam, and demonstrate skills at a terminal on access, sql server, and crystal reports....my brain was fried after this
movement after you hit the 100k mark. It's one of the requirements .
Make sure you join the
. shyt humbled the fukk outta the kid
At this level, the certs is pretty irrelevant breh. Unless you're dealing with a Cisco partner. It's more about making sure you have the exact experience dealing with whatever it is they're looking for. They wanted like 10+ years of straight security experience. I knew I wasn't gonna get it but I was like fukk it.
Usually large scale deployments, redesign, and migrations involving multiple vendors. In security Cisco is a major player, but there's tons of Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Checkpoint devices out there. Having a bunch of certs don't mean shyt if you've never had to work on routers and firewalls with thousands of lines of ACLs and migrated from R65 to ASA with 0 down time.
That interview had me like
your pretty good
