Based on what I see at work for our positions, Microsoft certifications are good to get your foot in the door, but Cisco certifications show some degree of determination to pursue something difficult. CCNAs are not too difficult to get but impress people sort of the same way that Novell CNAs used to, and anything higher is icing.
To be honest, though, much of this is political. I work primarily desktop level, and have no certifications at all (not even A+). A colleague is an MCSE, and willingly admits that I know more than he does. I have been ignored and passed over because I don't have the certifications in the past, and I'm sure it will happen in the future until I have something (currently being worked on). Six years of experience is a fair amount, and as long as you can hold your own in a technical interview, there is no reason that you should not be able to find a well-paying, career-rewarding position. Of course, that's just my 26,000 Turkish lira. -----Original Message----- From: Igor D. Spivak [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 1:51 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Certification Advice I have decided to pursue some form of certification in order to increase the number of pages on my resume. My background -- about 6 years of Systems Administration, including some security administration on Linux, MS, and Sun platforms. There are too many certification programs availiable, and I was wondering which ones do you recommend and which ones have real market value? (would you hire a person with such a certification?). I am adverse to MS cerifications (no offence meant to anyone) as i consider them a waste of time and money, but if thats what sells, please tell me. So far I never had a problem finding employment w/o any certification, but it looks like more and more job postings require certification (and not so much experience). regards, igor d. spivak
