IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[SuavePrince]

Hello gentlemen I'm new on the board. I'm in my early 20's from New Jersey, currently holding an A+ and working at the Hospital for Special Surgery on a 2 month project. Would appreciate your advice and knowledge. I've been lurking for like a year . I'm Officially a coli member and it feels damn good.

 

[Cereal_Bowl_Assassin]

What's up yall, I'm pretty new to the board myself (also from nj) but I work as a DevOps engineer for a start up in NYC. I'm still very new to the tech scene (1 year jr lvl) but I was blessed to land a job.

 

[patscorpio]

Yo WTF just happened!

I was unemployed most of last year trying to obtain the A+, super struggling. It was tough getting an entry level job, even the shyttiest of tech support roles was denying me. I thought I had a sure lock in for HP Enterprise but that fell through or the recruiter just lied.

Finally got the A+ but it was the holiday season so NOBODY was looking to hire me, luckily my school director gave me a 1099 job imaging PCs and setting up workstations for classrooms for $15 an hour

January this year got my first legit job as an asset management specialist in a business enterprise setting @ $18 an hour, IT was cool at first but as time went on I could tell they had no intentions letting me progress into something more technical, even when I volunteered cause I was hungry for knowledge, they tried to keep me on shipping and receiving BS.

Today I got an offer for a software support -----> system admin role(Eventually after training ) for $28 an hour. An 10 MF'n dollar an hour increase. I just skipped over Level 1 heldesk that I TRIED, but couldnt get to save my life, yet this company comes along with a major bag. Life can be funny sometimes, Definitely counting my blessings right now . What's crazy is I totally thought I didnt get it, since my interview (in my eyes) was awkward and I was on stuck for some of the questions thrown my way. Hiring manager expressed that my lack of of experience with this particular area was ok and was actually Ideal since he wanted someone he could train and support getting certifications.

Feels like a weight has been lifted off me. I been putting pressure on myself to hurry up and get this CCNA: R&S and Sec + , so I could get a better gig paying.....well what Im being offered now. So there's no immediate rush to knock'em out now since Im about to be at the pay level I thought the CCNA was gonna bing me (Only have the A+) . Im still in cert chasing mode, but I can take my time now. Next year is MCSA/MCSE---> RHCSA---> and a reputable cloud cert (Any tips are apprectiated)

Bout to make some real money and im about to touch all types of tech and shyt in this new role.

Its one thing to be inspired by them motivating stories the coli brehs drop. But when you actually go through it and experience the shyt for yourself

bout to stay my ass put for the next two years, stack up on certs and Exp. fukk it, I'm pushing my chips in; I won lol

(An no this aint not indian recuriter BS scamming, Its a reputable company that supports internal customers LOL)

the beauty of that IT life..when you get your first break after grindin..very underrated feeling..congrats

 

[Rhyme n Tekniq]

the beauty of that IT life..when you get your first break after grindin..very underrated feeling..congrats

 

[Arcavian]

Just got MTA Networking

I'm about to complete my A+ (902)

Then

Net +
Sec +
Server+

Before August

 

[SuavePrince]

Just got MTA Networking

I'm about to complete my A+ (902)

Then

Net +
Sec +
Server+

Before August

All before August? that's wassup

 

[Arcavian]

All before August? that's wassup

Yeah I'm in school and I've been lollygagging when it comes to taking the certs

 

[cartierhoe]

What up brehs I wanna start this IT cert journey for myself, I been lurking once in awhile. I'm off for the summer semester back home. What I wanted to do is take the A+ cert before the end of August before I go back. A local community college in my hometown is where I can take the test at. Question is where do I start and what have/are you guys using to study for it? Is it the best place to start? I really kinda wanna get it before I go back to school so I can be a little ahead, majoring in IT. Thanks

 

[xXMASHERXx]

What up brehs I wanna start this IT cert journey for myself, I been lurking once in awhile. I'm off for the summer semester back home. What I wanted to do is take the A+ cert before the end of August before I go back. A local community college in my hometown is where I can take the test at. Question is where do I start and what have/are you guys using to study for it? Is it the best place to start? I really kinda wanna get it before I go back to school so I can be a little ahead, majoring in IT. Thanks

Why do you want to get into IT? What about IT are you passionate about or piques your interest? A+ is a decent entry level cert if you're trying to get your start in IT but I wouldn't take a class for it unless you have no prior computer knowledge. Does the school offer any other IT related courses?

 

[cartierhoe]

Why do you want to get into IT? What about IT are you passionate about or piques your interest? A+ is a decent entry level cert if you're trying to get your start in IT but I wouldn't take a class for it unless you have no prior computer knowledge. Does the school offer any other IT related courses?

I've been thinking I'd probably be interested most in cyber security. I mean I've always been heavy into computers, I have a gaming pc I made in 2012 off this website. Yeah, they offer a lot of IT related courses. I should probably note in the fall semester is when I'm starting, I was majoring before in something I found I wasn't interested in as far as a career.

 

[xXMASHERXx]

I've been thinking I'd probably be interested most in cyber security. I mean I've always been heavy into computers, I have a gaming pc I made in 2012 off this website. Yeah, they offer a lot of IT related courses. I should probably note in the fall semester is when I'm starting, I was majoring before in something I found I wasn't interested in as far as a career.

Why cybersecurity? What about cybersecurity interests you? I ask cause cybersecurity is usually not a role you get into unless you have years of experience. My advice would be to look at all the roles in IT and research the differenr job functions. Then think to yourself is this what I want to do for the next 30+ years. Outside of that my advice would be that while you are in school, invest in a homelab and practice everything you are going over in class. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. You might be able to use the computer you already own. Install VMWare Workstation or Hyper-V, spin up some VMs and start practicing the stuff you went over in class. This will help you get use to learning things on your own time which is an important skill to have in IT.

 

[cartierhoe]

Why cybersecurity? What about cybersecurity interests you? I ask cause cybersecurity is usually not a role you get into unless you have years of experience. My advice would be to look at all the roles in IT and research the differenr job functions. Then think to yourself is this what I want to do for the next 30+ years. Outside of that my advice would be that while you are in school, invest in a homelab and practice everything you are going over in class. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. You might be able to use the computer you already own. Install VMWare Workstation or Hyper-V, spin up some VMs and start practicing the stuff you went over in class. This will help you get use to learning things on your own time which is an important skill to have in IT.

Thanks for the advice

 

[David_TheMan]

Been in GA for almost a year, I believe 9 months now.
About to make that move and go back to the contracting game.
If you need a clearance I would suggest going cyber with the army civilian side, they need people and will bring anyone in and get your relatively trained up.

That said, being a civilian with the army after my previous experience working with other branches and agencies, cyber security with the army is a fukking joke and don't do it.

I'm have 3 advance stage interviews going on in the next week or 2. One in Vegas, Dallas, and Aurora Colorado.
Nothing better than when you have the skill and qualifications to say fukk this I"m going somewhere else and getting paid double.

For those of you just starting, the best advice I can give you long term wise is to look at the jobs no one wants to do, and study to fill those spots.
It is worth it.

 

[Mirin4rmfar]

Still failing at getting job #2 . All I want is an extra 40K a year working 20 hours and I am good. That's all I ask for.

 

[KingTut]

Still failing at getting job #2 . All I want is an extra 40K a year working 20 hours and I am good. That's all I ask for.

Few questions for you. What is your current position? How many apps have you put out, and how many interviews so far? Any certs/a degree?