IT certifications, what is the best route?
Discussion
I have a basic IT background in desktop support /auditing/ hardware and software roll outs etc and my skills are now somewhat out of date, having been doing other things for the last decade.
I would like to get back into IT and was looking for advice as to how my time /money would best be spent on training? It used to be fairly easy to get support type jobs but now it seems that you have to be a graduate or hold some other specific qualifications just to get your foot in the door as a first line tech.
As far as i am concerned, if i am going to spend time and money getting qualified then i should specialise in something, and not be looking to get into support at all!
So..should i be looking at getting MCSE stuff, which everybody has or is it feasible to forego that and go straight to a specialty without that grounding?
I am not looking for a way to instantly earn thousands a week, mainly i am looking to learn a skill that is in demand and will make me much more employable within, let's say, a six month time frame.
All suggestions gratefully received!
I would like to get back into IT and was looking for advice as to how my time /money would best be spent on training? It used to be fairly easy to get support type jobs but now it seems that you have to be a graduate or hold some other specific qualifications just to get your foot in the door as a first line tech.
As far as i am concerned, if i am going to spend time and money getting qualified then i should specialise in something, and not be looking to get into support at all!
So..should i be looking at getting MCSE stuff, which everybody has or is it feasible to forego that and go straight to a specialty without that grounding?
I am not looking for a way to instantly earn thousands a week, mainly i am looking to learn a skill that is in demand and will make me much more employable within, let's say, a six month time frame.
All suggestions gratefully received!
That is the million dollar question i suppose!
I have only had exposure to the stuff i have mentioned, i have no idea what other aspects of IT i might actually enjoy. everything else is a dark art as far as i am concerned.
I guess it needs to be something fairly basic, but allow me to increase my skill set once i am working.
People say that SAP is a good thing to get into, but a cursory look into it tells me there are loads of different aspects of working in SAP , where does one start?
I have only had exposure to the stuff i have mentioned, i have no idea what other aspects of IT i might actually enjoy. everything else is a dark art as far as i am concerned.
I guess it needs to be something fairly basic, but allow me to increase my skill set once i am working.
People say that SAP is a good thing to get into, but a cursory look into it tells me there are loads of different aspects of working in SAP , where does one start?
Unless you have experience it is unlikely that a pile of expensive earned certificates are going to get you very far.
We see lots of CVs with 'I'm certified to level X with the product you are advertising a job for' but unless there's evidence of practical experience we wouldn't call them in for an interview.
For junior roles we wouldn't expect a candidate to have any form of certification.
There do seem to be some areas of IT where certification carries more weight than other, some of the networking cisco jobs seem quite focused around it but I don't think that holds true for SAP, although I've not used it for years (SAP Basis R3 3.1H!).
Getting the first role in an area you are interested in is always the hardest. All I can suggest is joining an organisation where they use the technology you are interested in and even if you wouldn't initially be using it. I've seen cases where people who have started in a large consultancy as a receptionist have, over time migrated into technical areas that can potentially be lucrative.
We see lots of CVs with 'I'm certified to level X with the product you are advertising a job for' but unless there's evidence of practical experience we wouldn't call them in for an interview.
For junior roles we wouldn't expect a candidate to have any form of certification.
There do seem to be some areas of IT where certification carries more weight than other, some of the networking cisco jobs seem quite focused around it but I don't think that holds true for SAP, although I've not used it for years (SAP Basis R3 3.1H!).
Getting the first role in an area you are interested in is always the hardest. All I can suggest is joining an organisation where they use the technology you are interested in and even if you wouldn't initially be using it. I've seen cases where people who have started in a large consultancy as a receptionist have, over time migrated into technical areas that can potentially be lucrative.
Ditto above really ...
Certifications a piece of paper that shows you can pass an exam, not that you can actually do the job ...
Personally, I wouldn't want to work for a company that insists you must be certified in a certain product /hardware.
Strangely enough, or not perhaps, the few people I know in IT who are really really good, are not certified, and have no difficulty getting new contracts.
Martin
Certifications a piece of paper that shows you can pass an exam, not that you can actually do the job ...
Personally, I wouldn't want to work for a company that insists you must be certified in a certain product /hardware.
Strangely enough, or not perhaps, the few people I know in IT who are really really good, are not certified, and have no difficulty getting new contracts.
Martin
Thanks guys, I guess i will keep looking for some kind of entry level work and see if i can work my way up.
As you say, it is getting someone to give you a chance that is the hard part but i am fairly realistic about pay expectations and am prepared to put the effort in..
Onwards and upwards
As you say, it is getting someone to give you a chance that is the hard part but i am fairly realistic about pay expectations and am prepared to put the effort in..
Onwards and upwards
Take a look at how easy it is to obtain "study guides" to MCSE style exams for ~£60 and you will see why they have no value.
The only certifications that are really worth anything are those that you can only pass if you genuinely know your stuff.
For reasons that are too boring to go into, I needed to pass one particular Microsoft Exam. Started doing things the correct way, brought the book etc. Very soon got bored, paid £60 for "ExamKing" or similar. Spent 3 or 4 days going through it, took 12 minutes to do a 4 hour exam and scored 93%. These type of exams deservedly have zero respect in the employment marketplace - apart from if you want a job working for a Microsoft Partner.
The only certifications that are really worth anything are those that you can only pass if you genuinely know your stuff.
For reasons that are too boring to go into, I needed to pass one particular Microsoft Exam. Started doing things the correct way, brought the book etc. Very soon got bored, paid £60 for "ExamKing" or similar. Spent 3 or 4 days going through it, took 12 minutes to do a 4 hour exam and scored 93%. These type of exams deservedly have zero respect in the employment marketplace - apart from if you want a job working for a Microsoft Partner.
I think the general advice above is sound. I'd capture it as requiring a blended approach to employment and development. If IT is definitely where you want to be, despite your lack of experience, then it may be best to get in to an organisation that is as close as possible to the area you're interested in and then both develop your experience from there whilst undertaking periods of formal study. Good luck!
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