IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Obreh Winfrey]

People sleep on craiglist, thats how I got my first full time IT gig

I don't want to end up on the evening news

"Local man found dead just days after receiving his 6th cert. Police are saying he answered a Craigslist ad seeking a Network Architect. His PAWGs could not be reached for comment."

 

[Dat Migo]

Bachelors in Information Technology Management Degree or Bachelors in Computer Science w/No Concentration which is better brehs ?

What do you want to do?

 

[Rozay Oro]

The best path is experience. Get a job on campus doing desktop support or something. Your campus probably has a security team that you can shadow if you get your foot in the door. From there, work on certs. You can get an IT focused bachelors, but it's all going to be theory with no application.

You guys don't seem interested, but the military is a excellent route for someone who wants to get PAID to get experience in cyber security. You can join the Guard or Reserve (get a bonus) and be guaranteed experience. With a security clearance, you can get paid more than a person doing the same job but doesn't have the clearance. If you want to travel, you can go active duty and get paid to be overseas gaining experience.

Guard and reserve are local if I'm not mistaken, right? I can still go to school?

 

[Lord Z]

how was the exam? would you say you were over or under prepared?

I felt underprepared but that was my fault.

I was supposed to do a review 2 weeks before on my downtime at work but somebody quit on us first week of January so I ended up looking last minute stuff the day before

 

[thaKEAF]

Applied for the scholarship for the google cert this morning.

 

[Spin]

Guard and reserve are local if I'm not mistaken, right? I can still go to school?

Yes you can serve at a base near your home for both Guard and Reserve. I would say compare both, but Guard will also give you state benefits which might include college tuition. After you go through basic training and tech school you come back home and can go to college. You will just go in one weekend a month at that point. One thing people don't realize is Air Force has its own college. While you're in tech school you actually earn college credit towards a degree.

For most of the cyber jobs they're offering a 20K signing bonus.

 

[Rozay Oro]

Yes you can serve at a base near your home for both Guard and Reserve. I would say compare both, but Guard will also give you state benefits which might include college tuition. After you go through basic training and tech school you come back home and can go to college. You will just go in one weekend a month at that point. One thing people don't realize is Air Force has its own college. While you're in tech school you actually earn college credit towards a degree.

For most of the cyber jobs they're offering a 20K signing bonus.

How long is basic training and tech school? Reserve is air Force? I'm in community college

 

[Spin]

How long is basic training and tech school? Reserve is air Force? I'm in community college

Air Force has Reserve (federal) and Guard (state) units. Army does as well. Air Force basic training is 8 weeks and tech school varies based on the job you sign up for. Typically the Cyber careers are two/three months in addition to basic. Tech school is like being in college. Air Force I know for sure you get college credit for tech school, but I’m not sure about Army.

If you’re looking for Cyber/IT careers check out all the branches including Navy reserve and Coast Guard. Typically the Air Force system is the most simple to navigate. As long as you score high enough on the ASVAB, you can get any job you want if it’s available.

 

[Ice_MF_Mike]

Bachelors in Information Technology Management Degree or Bachelors in Computer Science w/No Concentration which is better brehs ?

Comp Sci is more respected. If your trying to get into management heavy like that then id get a masters in management of some sort later on.

 

[Kitsch]

Bachelors in Information Technology Management Degree or Bachelors in Computer Science w/No Concentration which is better brehs ?

CS

 

[EnzoG]

Has anyone ever thought about doing any tech initiatives in their local area???

 

[Rozay Oro]

@Czr you never got back to me breh

 

[Rozay Oro]

Took the sec+ yesterday. Every question had me like. Finished and I was sure I failed. Got to the screen
Passing score :750
Candidate score:750
Now I need to grab one more to be 8570 compliant.

Do you remember what were the hard questions?

 

[Rozay Oro]

A+ stuff is good to know but fukk paying all that for a cert that just lands you at the bottom career wise. Should I jump to security+ if I want to do cyber security? I do plan to get a IT or IS degree, but I want to start learning now. Also is their a way to do volunteer work for experience? I don't have the extra money to buy "cheap parts" to learn.

 

[Tr0yTV]

@Czr you never got back to me breh

I answer questions once in a while to give brehs a spark. Eventually you will have to read through this thread to find your answers. (Opposed to just asking us, because we know it's been answered several times in the past on here). That's how I went from 15/hr to 90/hr. By reading this entire thread.

As for ur question; search for Linux. I see 55 listings in ya city.

Pick a skill that is in demand near you, or move to a city that has more jobs.

As far as applying to jobs in other states. Use Google maps to find a random address in that city. (Honestly, u can take ya address off ur resume).

As for job sites. (Again, u could have used Google to figure this out). Simplyhired, monster, LinkedIn to name a few.