IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[DrDoom]

Completely new to the IT field but since my old job closed down I went from making 50k a year to working at a warehouse for 9/hr. I applied for some help desk jobs and got one that starts in January at $14/hr thank goodness. Now I'm just looking for advice on what certs a beginner should get. My manager says to get the Cisco one to start off. Is he right? If so what about after that?

Comptia A+ or Net+ certificate will suffice. was in banking a while, switched to IT. started at a NOC, made 18.00 an hour.

Proud to say after a year doing client service analyst (mostly remote, some walkups) work for a large investment bank. Making 60k now

 

[Apollo Creed]

You guys ever use an external HDD/SSD to hold VMs?

I want to buy an external SSD to install Windows 10 for my mac

 

[se1f_made]

You guys ever use an external HDD/SSD to hold VMs?

I want to buy an external SSD to install Windows 10 for my mac

Yep with VMware fusion but haven't tried with vsphere

 

[Apollo Creed]

Yep with VMware fusion but haven't tried with vsphere

Cool. I was just going to use Virtual Box. I have a Retina MBP and a MB Air I use for Travel, I assume I would need to create separate VMs on the SSD for each one or is it possible to just make one VM but I can open it on either computer since the VM and everything is associated with the SSD more so than the Mac I installed Virtual Box on? let me know if that was confusing

 

[se1f_made]

Cool. I was just going to use Virtual Box. I have a Retina MBP and a MB Air I use for Travel, I assume I would need to create separate VMs on the SSD for each one or is it possible to just make one VM but I can open it on either computer since the VM and everything is associated with the SSD more so than the Mac I installed Virtual Box on? let me know if that was confusing

Gotcha, if the vm is stored on the external then I wouldn't imagine anything being specific to either host, just the vm. I only use virtual box locally but I would imagine that u could store on an external

 

[SonIsNiceWitHis]

Whats up Brehs, I couldn't get into my old account so I just created a new one. I've read though this thread from page 1- 502 currently. Appreciate all the gems dropped and to the dudes taking the advice and running with it . I already have some certs . CCNA, CCNADC and an expired A+. I have some tech experience on the helpdesk and desktop support level. Not all of it is really recent though. I'm currently doing Tech support for a company that makes medical devices. More troubleshooting their devices than actual IT work . i'm having a hard time even getting a call from my resume. I've been applying like .

 

[Ice_MF_Mike]

Whats up Brehs, I couldn't get into my old account so I just created a new one. I've read though this thread from page 1- 502 currently. Appreciate all the gems dropped and to the dudes taking the advice and running with it . I already have some certs . CCNA, CCNADC and an expired A+. I have some tech experience on the helpdesk and desktop support level. Not all of it is really recent though. I'm currently doing Tech support for a company that makes medical devices. More troubleshooting their devices than actual IT work . i'm having a hard time even getting a call from my resume. I've been applying like .

Thats IT work bruh. IT is a huge field. And there are plenty other companies with medical devices that need supporting or implementing. Or if you want to get into another area there are plenty other vendors with products that either need support, help selling or architecting. People sleep on being on the vendor side of IT, but there is scrilla to be made on the vendor side as you go from being a cost center to someone who is critical to making the company money. So if you like the vendor side, look for more jobs on that side and leverage the experience that you have.

 

[SonIsNiceWitHis]

Thats IT work bruh. IT is a huge field. And there are plenty other companies with medical devices that need supporting or implementing. Or if you want to get into another area there are plenty other vendors with products that either need support, help selling or architecting. People sleep on being on the vendor side of IT, but there is scrilla to be made on the vendor side as you go from being a cost center to someone who is critical to making the company money. So if you like the vendor side, look for more jobs on that side and leverage the experience that you have.

I've been here for almost a year and half. Time to make moves . I got my CCNA R/s in May but haven't any luck. I'm really looking to do more behind the scenes stuff w/o dealing the general public too much. I'm undecided on specializing with Security, Colaboration, or sticking with strictly networking. I have some interest in all 3, but my brother works in Voip so if I get CCNA Collab i can start with hands on right away after passing . Trying to get this grind right.

 

[Ice_MF_Mike]

I've been here for almost a year and half. Time to make moves . I got my CCNA R/s in May but haven't any luck. I'm really looking to do more behind the scenes stuff w/o dealing the general public too much. I'm undecided on specializing with Security, Colaboration, or sticking with strictly networking. I have some interest in all 3, but my brother works in Voip so if I get CCNA Collab i can start with hands on right away after passing . Trying to get this grind right.

I mean you got the skills. Maybe your resume isnt that good? i would look at that. But for more behind the scenes stuff you need to be really top notch with your skills. If you can deal with the public and talk to people you can get away with not being that top tech person and likely make a boatload more. But you got to do what you think is best for you. Either way, with a CCNA and a few years experience, if you arent getting a job, you need to look at your resume, the jobs your applying for and your interviewing skills. Something is off.

 

[SonIsNiceWitHis]

I mean you got the skills. Maybe your resume isnt that good? i would look at that. But for more behind the scenes stuff you need to be really top notch with your skills. If you can deal with the public and talk to people you can get away with not being that top tech person and likely make a boatload more. But you got to do what you think is best for you. Either way, with a CCNA and a few years experience, if you arent getting a job, you need to look at your resume, the jobs your applying for and your interviewing skills. Something is off.

Yea, i'm constantly reading blogs about resume tips and tweak it often. I can shoot it to you and some of the #certgang with experience if ya'll don't mind taking a look . I need to brush up on my interview skills been feeling lately.

 

[Ice_MF_Mike]

Yea, i'm constantly reading blogs about resume tips and tweak it often. I can shoot it to you and some of the #certgang with experience if ya'll don't mind taking a look . I need to brush up on my interview skills been feeling lately.

If you aren't getting interviews it's the resume. If you get interviews then it's your interview skills.

But yea post a sanitized version of your resume here and we can give you some feedback.

 

[yakamein]

Completely new to the IT field but since my old job closed down I went from making 50k a year to working at a warehouse for 9/hr. I applied for some help desk jobs and got one that starts in January at $14/hr thank goodness. Now I'm just looking for advice on what certs a beginner should get. My manager says to get the Cisco one to start off. Is he right? If so what about after that?

Were you able to get in with no certs?

 

[Silkk]

Haven't been in here in a while, but a few quick updates.

Got a new Desktop job, Salary & 7-4 M-F so I finally got time to do shyt again. Back to actually doing technical shyt again and learning also.

Thinking i'm going to back to school in Jan and at least get my associates in Cyber Security. Much more IT based courses and only 1 math class() vs Computer science which has like 4. Most of the courses would be shyt I know i'd kill like Windows, Networking, Security, Virtualization, etc

And I got my secret weapon

 

[KingTut]

Were you able to get in with no certs?

Yea, it's just an entry level help desk job. Only requirement was a high school diploma.

 

[TheAnalyst504]

Any brehs got 6 Sigma experience?