IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Serious]

certs do not hold the value people think that they do.

@Oozy

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

In my eyes certs are just tools for gate keepers to utilize to make sure they do/don't get particular people, or if they can underpay or overpay someone. I've got all my experience experience from work or trying things on my own at home. Never have I got a job based on JUST having a cert. Certs just put me ahead of other people or gave me the requirements to get a position.

Basically it's like a degree.

Speaking of certs, anyone have the CISA? Any suggestions on study materials? I want to get this one by end of summer.

To me, certs are gate keeping and a racket. There's a whole industry on making sure you've got study materials and education for some cert. Companies will make some product "free", but all of a certain you need to drop $300 on a certification test? My company has pushed me to get a couple of certs that haven't proved in any way that I can functionally use the technology.

 

[HoldThisL]

T2 Help Desk gotta be in the top 10 WOAT jobs.

 

[HovaNas]

The baby certs can help you get into the IT club.

The big name certs get you into different VIP sections.

Your skill set defines if you get the girls, the bottle service and the clout.

 

[NeilCartwright]

Im sitting for the Sec+ in about 2 weeks. I went through all of Prof Messer's vids, and have access to Comptia's learn n lab and their practice questions for each domain. Im gonna start taking Jason Dion's practice tests soon to check my scores and see what areas im weak on.

What else do you all normally do to get ready for a cert?

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

Update on my job

So whenever there's a weird issue and I have to hand it off to another person I flow up to see how they fixed it

For example, a person's PC who was not connected to the domain, and was using a VPN to access share drives

Was having their share drives get disconnected and their domain password stop working every few days and had to be reset

So a tech figured out they got a new modem, by seeing that the dns server was showing as the default for the ISP, instead of the one on the server like it should be

So I researched more into DNS, until I got why you would have different DNS servers(because for private networks)

I was going to build my own Domain Controller anyway on a VM, but when I do that will help me understand more

Want to learn as much as I can here before I leave once I'm ready in a few months

 

[null]

Update on my job

So whenever there's a weird issue and I have to hand it off to another person I flow up to see how they fixed it

For example, a person's PC who was not connected to the domain, and was using a VPN to access share drives

Was having their share drives get disconnected and their domain password stop working every few days and had to be reset

So a tech figured out they got a new modem, by seeing that the dns server was showing as the default for the ISP, instead of the one on the server like it should be

So I researched more into DNS, until I got why you would have different DNS servers(because for private networks)

I was going to build my own Domain Controller anyway on a VM, but when I do that will help me understand more

Want to learn as much as I can here before I leave once I'm ready in a few months

open an account at lunanode and play around with the small 5 dollar a month-sized servers ..

play with namecheap domains.

connect the two ...

-

also dyn.com (back then mainly DNS, domain names and ssl certs) used to be an independent company but oracle has it now.

 

[null]

To me, certs are gate keeping and a racket. There's a whole industry on making sure you've got study materials and education for some cert. Companies will make some product "free", but all of a certain you need to drop $300 on a certification test?

how else is "free software" company Red Hat supposed to achieve 4 billion USD turnover p/a.

 

[Oozy]

@Oozy

Clearly my job disagrees if they're paying $400 for each one

Nah but in all seriousness, certs are nice to have. Especially if you studied for them. I learned most of my cyber terms through sec+

 

[JT-Money]

disagree, I would not have been able to land a cyber security job if I did not load up on certs . Yes, the technical experience I gained on the job makes me more valuable now but you need something to allow you in. That was my way in.

Yep. Certs are used to disqualify applicants all the time who don't have any. I've seen people hired for 6 figure jobs only because they had a CISSP overly clearly more qualified individuals technically. People gotta understand those making hiring decisions usually don't have a clue about technology themselves. They'll base everything off your certifications because some other entity is able to vouch for your skills. It used to be degrees but now certs have become the standard.

Hell I would even take some of the free ones because its better than nothing. Especially if I didn't have a ton of money and was just starting out.

[2024] Massive List of Thousands of Free Certificates and Badges

The single largest collection of free certificate courses available online, curated for you by Class Central.

www.classcentral.com

 

[Billy Ray Valentine]

Got the CCNA coming up in a couple weeks

I've been using Udemy, alphaprep, & bosom to study for about 8 - 9 months. I also learned some exam tricks like drawing out the subnet table.

Anything else I should be looking out for?

It's been a while and I took the old exam before the switched to the new one. If your networking knowledge is solid, you should do fine. I don't remember the questions being that difficult but then again I don't remember that many questions.




Another thing is you don't get to flag and review questions at the end like other exams. Once you hit next on a question, that's it. You have to be resolute and not waste time doubting your answers.

 

[Swirv]

Yep. Certs are used to disqualify applicants all the time who don't have any. I've seen people hired for 6 figure jobs only because they had a CISSP overly clearly more qualified individuals technically. People gotta understand those making hiring decisions usually don't have a clue about technology themselves. They'll base everything off your certifications because some other entity is able to vouch for your skills. It used to be degrees but now certs have become the standard.

Hell I would even take some of the free ones because its better than nothing. Especially if I didn't have a ton of money and was just starting out.

[2024] Massive List of Thousands of Free Certificates and Badges

The single largest collection of free certificate courses available online, curated for you by Class Central.

www.classcentral.com

I wish I would’ve came to this thread before resuming my college studies. I would’ve just got certs instead of spending the bread and time returning to university.

 

[LiquidMasterSwords]

I wish I would’ve came to this thread before resuming my college studies. I would’ve just got certs instead of spending the bread and time returning to university.

It's funny that you should say this. I don't know if my new job requires a degree, but they just sent me an email asking for my transcripts and they definitely drug tested me last Friday without telling me that would be required. I've been in IT for a decade and this is the first time I've had a company do this.

Friday is my last day, I can't wait to leave!!!

 

[EnzoG]

Hey guys any tips on putting in applications or when to put them in. I'm nearing the end of my cloud program and have been putting in apps but so far no one has bit yet.

 

[jmegamar]

Got the CCNA coming up in a couple weeks

I've been using Udemy, alphaprep, & bosom to study for about 8 - 9 months. I also learned some exam tricks like drawing out the subnet table.

Anything else I should be looking out for?

I just took it in January. Make sure to also get some practice with Packet Tracer. There are a couple of simulations where you have to input commands as well. Good luck