tfpfreak

OK folks, I have been looking around online at some of the latest IT certifications out there since they seem to change quite often and don't really know which direction I would like to go. So this is where you guys come in. What do you think are the 'best' certifications out there at this point in time? For instance, the MCSE or what? Secondly, I would like to be able to do it online if possible. Relocating just to go to school for a certification when I already have an IT type job just seems ridiculous to me. You would know that there are no "technical" schools in my state that offer any decent certifications. Like I say these are just ideas, nothing set in stone, just wanting to see what my fellow tfp'ers thought about it. Thanks guys and have a good one.

__________________
Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.

~ Clementine Paddleford

Jinn

They're all pretty common. I just met a girl who couldn't find her way around a word processor, but she claimed to have a CCNA certification.

The question is more what career path you're looking for. Don't get certifications just to fill your resume. Research companies in the industry you want, and the job postings will list what certifications they like, require, or don't care about.

If you've already got an "IT type job" and you're only looking into it for promotion, ask someone in a higher position or within HR what certifications they see, and what certifications they like.

I've never gotten a certification, and I was hired immediately for my current job. Traditional education (4 years) shows dedication, not that you took a few weeks to do a certification course. And overall, work experience seems to be the most important. They have proof that someone else found you useful and kept you around for a least a few years, so you can't be too horrible.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

tinfoil

Education & Experience are the keys. Whenever I am in a position to hire an IT staffer, I generally ignore certifications unless it's something unusual. I don't care if the pleeb is MCSE, I care if the pleeb has actually applied his or her skills.

__________________
Get off your fuckin cross. We need the fuckin space to nail the next fool martyr.

kurty[B]

I'll agree with job experience being the best way to start. I'm on the other side of the fence, and don't necessarily see just 4 years college experience as the best for hiring an IT person, same goes for just seeing CCNA/MCSE and so on. Now, job experience with such certifications, or schooling, or both is a definite bonus. It also depends what you want to do. If you want to go into network administration for an ISP than there's not much point in having an MCSE? If you want to administrate servers, there's little reason to have a CCNA. Someone with a CCNA and MCSE is quite possibly well-rounded (or really good at taking cert exams), but if I'm looking for a network admin I would go straight for the CCNP over the person with more lesser certifications on their resume.

Oh, and anyone who tells me they have an A+ certification has their resume located in the garbage can already. Take that crap off your resume.

Redjake

Certs are useless at my company. They go for a degree and experience, and that's it. I'm in the IT department and only a handful of the people here have big certs.

__________________
Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

JustDisGuy

CISSP would be my answer. Most of the other certs aren't worth the paper they're printed on, but a CISSP should be able to land you a six-figure IT Security position. Of course, you'd have to actually be interested enough in IT Security to get it, and experience is part of the criteria. Kind of a chicken & egg thing, unfortunately...

tfpfreak

Thanks guys for your opinion. Like I say, I'm fine in the job Im in currently, but it gets bored sitting around sometimes waiting for things to fix. I was just curious as to "broadening my horizon" so to speak. Currently Im battling mainframe and server problems all day, so you can just imagine the fun I have now.

__________________
Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.

~ Clementine Paddleford

Silverbrain

Like was mentioned before, depends on career path. I got an A+ cert just to put myself above others (getting myself in the door) but in the end it really didnt matter, I landed a Desktop Support Engineer job based on my experience, as my IT manager knew that certs doesnt really mean you know anything.

I personally met a Novell certified person, and he had no clue how to log into a novell server LOL..he was fired the next day. Certs are pretty on a resume for an employer who doesnt know anything to justify his hiring, any knowledgeable person in the hiring seat will know better.

__________________
Over Thinking, Over Analyzing
Seperates the Body from the Mind - MJK

MikeSty

It's funny - at the school I work at, the tech staff is all certified with basic degrees and they are the most incompetent bunch of buffoons I've ever met. I just graduated and I have no certs and I'm much better than they are.

I hate to sound like a buttface, but I'm kinda glad I never really wasted the money on A+ certs. I suppose I'll get one someday, but it really isn't that important.