Originally Posted by
techie2000
I am probably shooting myself in the foot here, but what do you all think is the best route? Personally I am a fan of experience. I am tired of seeing people with 50 certifications on their resume and no experience. I shouldnt say no experience, but people with 50 certs who are unable answer a basic question or troubleshoot a hypothetical situation.
If you look at any job posting, you notice that they will list every certification under the sun as a requirement.
My point is that you spend all this time/money going through college and your are still unable to get a job without spending more money and time on certifications.
/rant/
Chris
Originally Posted by
Morpheus
All three are important, go to college and get your degree. While your doing your degree get a couple certifications and gain some experience by interning or even (yes i am gonna say it) do some work for free.
Originally Posted by
zandex
You need to understand that having a degree is more about generalization. Therefore, you having the IT degree does not mean you can configure and manipulate the Cisco, Linux, Unix and Windows environment. It serves as an indicator to the hiring managers that you are trainable and disciplined.
The idea behind certifications mainly reference specialization in a specific field or technology. It helps an organization quickly eliminate individuals from the hiring process for a given position. The basic understanding is that they can use it as a gauge in determining the potential candidate's capability in working with the product/service.
Finally, the experience. This is where the prospective employer looks for the answer to cement (bridge) the two worlds - degree and certification. Clearly, looking at your experience becomes a tell-tale sign for them. Now if you have x degree and y number of certifications, then one is going to look for some level of validation with activity. The activity here is in regards to you putting your knowledge to work. The experience shows that you have applied the concepts gained from both training methods (degree and certificates) and have also honed other technique\skills.
Now you are going to have several debates about all the various exceptions (combination of conclusions) to the rule and that is expected. Here we go:
1. I have only a degree, where do I get the experience?
2. I have only the certification and cannot get the degree at this time.
3. Experience and no degree or certifications
The list above can grow rapidly, therefore, I have decided to cut it at #3 to convey a basic point. Regardless of which side of the fence you place yourself, the final decision lies with the hiring manager.
I believe that in the end all three of these helps with the hiring process and allow them to reduce the "search time" during the employment process. Note that the concept of search time can be extremely expensive for the company and you the seeker.
Here is a little formula I came up with:
1. Getting into the company: Having the necessary credentials and know-how. This basically translate to one having the right educational qualifications (degree only, degree + certifications, certifications only) and experience. Remember that some companies will also over look the lack of qualifications if the level of experiences shown are detailed and convincing.
2. Keeping the job for three months: This is more about adaptibility in the work environment. Remember they can use this time to know if you were just giving them the BS during the interviewing cycle.
3. Sustaining the job beyond the probation period: This is where you leverage the resources available to you within the organization. Attending the internal training for development (soft and hard skills). Requesting funds to upgrading your skills as the technology/services or whatever you are in changes. Remember many companies will fund going back to school or just taking courses to upgrade yourself at no financial cost to you (with the exception of the opportunity cost making some money on the side for the time attending these mentioned activities). Nevertheless, this is where you shift the cost of certifications/degree back to the third party (the current employer), while still being in a positioned to be marketable in the future.
If you didn't get anything from what I have been saying, just remember this, the dynamics of the business world and capitalism shifts expeditiously. Never rely on your current job (employment) to sustain you in the foreseeable future. If something should go wrong with the company, you are in a better position to get the next job quicker than the other guy. We are living in a very competitive world, which is due to limited resources.
Okay, I think enough have been said now.
Originally Posted by
jamrock
Certifications are important. I work with a number of companies. The people who have certifications tend to have a better grasp of the concepts. I find it easier to work with them.
Certifications without experience is of limited value. However, the knowledge required to pass the exams gives a person a good foundation.
Work experience is important. However, it really depends on where you get the experience. The quality of the experience varies significantly from company to company.
This is just my experience from working with technical people in various companies.
I agree with a lot of what has been said. Get the papers and try get your experience while doing so - or after getting the papers/experience, get into a company (preferably one that's education-oriented) and work from there. The recommendations of all are posted - just make your decision based on what's been said.
Personally, I'd strongly recommend getting into an education-oriented company - then getting your certs while there. At least you can pay for it along the way - or the company will help to pay (or pay all).
Originally Posted by
Malloc-X
what would you recommend for someone with a degree and ccna certification that has little experience in the field?
CISCO has lots of programs available for students to download and use in order to get a feel of the equipment. I'd recommend you start there, then try find someone who actually works on the equipment to get some hands-on.
Knowing the solution doesn't mean knowing the method. Yet answering correctly and regurgitation are considered "learning" and "knowledge".
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