IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[MMA]

You figure out what to specialize in yet?

If not, consider application security. It would make sense progression wise. Ol boy at my last job had a QA background. He ain't know shyt, but he still got the job. Read the Web Application Hacker Handbook. That will have you ready for interviews.




I wfh now and want a 2nd job, eventually, but we have a non compete. Can I get around that with C2C consulting?

I'd suggest you just do it in a field/job that directly isn't the same competition. That's the only way alarms will be alert

 

[Silkk]

Hey nothing better than having the security to turn offers down and know your worth. Nothing but respect for that.

Real talk, job game just like the dating game. Build yourself up & call your own shots.

It's honestly crazy going from getting my first helpdesk gig four years ago to turning down 100k offers four years later

 

[JayStarwind]

You figure out what to specialize in yet?

If not, consider application security. It would make sense progression wise. Ol boy at my last job had a QA background. He ain't know shyt, but he still got the job. Read the Web Application Hacker Handbook. That will have you ready for interviews.

Not 100% sure yet. I am interested in Security so thanks for the recommendation. Which cert should I pursue first with slight experience?

I am like your homeboy. Didnt know squat but I have the ability to adapt to and learn anything quick so they hired me.

 

[Tr0yTV]

Not 100% sure yet. I am interested in Security so thanks for the recommendation. Which cert should I pursue first with slight experience?

I am like your homeboy. Didnt know squat but I have the ability to adapt to and learn anything quick so they hired me.

You can get a job off just reading that book & labbing. I would do that first. If you still want a cert; grab CCNA, SEC+, MCSA or RHCSA. A home lab is most important though.

If you really want to eat. Learn Python. Throw openstack on virtualbox. Figure out how that works with jenkins, ansible, and containers. Automate it. Throw that code on github. That will have companies throwing money at u.

 

[psgchisolm]

Ok, I seen one math class when I looked at the subjects, I know for certain universities they want you to take like 3 math classes, so is it different at this school ? And would you recommend working at geek squad for IT experience?

I take classes with UMUC. The school is primarily marketed to military members and vets, but anyone can take classes. They run things a little differently there. They have 16 week semesters, but your classes aren't a semester long. They have the classes divided up into sessions. So all of your classes are 8 weeks long instead of 16 weeks. So you might have 2 courses in session 1 and another 2 courses in session 3 and that's all for one semester.

I'm in the Cybersecurity Management and Policy track. It's only one math course if you place for it, but if you place lower you have to take more. It's a good college because a lot of the classes use testout and give you a voucher at the end to take the exam and get certs. Because the classes are based around certs, if you have certs then you can get the credits for the class associated with the cert.

For example because I already had the Sec+ I got credit for the course. I looked at UMD College Park's cybersecurity program and they have a bunch of bullshyt. I don't think a single class prepares you for a cert there.

I'm not going to lie the classes are easy. No exams for most courses just projects. At the same time you get out what you put in.

 

[SonIsNiceWitHis]

Just took CICD 210-060 brehs. For the first half off CCNA Collaboration now. Keep grinding.

 

[Steel]

anybody attend WGU?

 

[Youseenmywork]

Finally knocked out the Google IT Support specialist cert. Took 5 months off and on but Im glad its finally over

Now to try my luck at these professor Messer network+ videos & notes

What's his best video for beginner's that is just getting into the field ?

 

[ahomeplateslugger]

Real talk, job game just like the dating game. Build yourself up & call your own shots.

It's honestly crazy going from getting my first helpdesk gig four years ago to turning down 100k offers four years later

congrats. i haven't followed this thread for a while so out of the loop but what career path did you take and what certs did you get?

 

[Silkk]

congrats. i haven't followed this thread for a while so out of the loop but what career path did you take and what certs did you get?

Security

As far as certs: A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE:Mobility

My experience does more for me than my certs though.

 

[ahomeplateslugger]

Security

As far as certs: A+, Network+, Security+, MCSE:Mobility

My experience does more for me than my certs though.

so true. a diverse company that will let you get hands on with a lot of stuff is the best thing for your career. I'm an IT manager at a school but the environment is pretty simple. I got my CCNA but we don't do any high level networking. plus after picking up some scripting i now have most tasks automated. might be time for me to look for something else.

 

[satam55]

Wrong thread

 

[D1renegade]

Whoever said “the further you advance in IT, the less work you have to do” was not lying.

I’m a network admin and 90% of my time is spent surfing the web and studying for certs. I can’t believe I get paid for this

Right now I’m trying finish up the second half of the CCNA data center certification before I start going deeper into Python and working on my CCNP R&S. There’s always something new to learn brehs

 

[Rice'N Beckford]

Back to studying for this A+. Keep gettin rejected by these jobs so I gotta do something man. Should have taken it by now

Brehs who have taken the A+ exams how hard are they? I never built my own computer but I know what pretty much all the parts are and Im savvy when it comes to tech. But the exam cram book I got is boring the shyt outta me when it comes to the windows troubleshooting part.

Also, I have no experience playing around with the command line

 

[MMA]

Back to studying for this A+. Keep gettin rejected by these jobs so I gotta do something man. Should have taken it by now

Brehs who have taken the A+ exams how hard are they? I never built my own computer but I know what pretty much all the parts are and Im savvy when it comes to tech. But the exam cram book I got is boring the shyt outta me when it comes to the windows troubleshooting part.

Also, I have no experience playing around with the command line

Lie on that resume

go buy a 20 dollar PC take it apart but it back together

Command prompt, just practice - look for real world cases where you can use it. Build up a pattern.