IT Certifications

[TheTwist]

Hello, not sure which thread this should go so I have put it here.

I have been looking at boosting my qualifications a little and have been looking at certifications. I know that Microsoft has a few but wondering what else that is out there would come useful.

I am ideally looking for something that doesn’t have too many exams and writing.

Can anyone recommend?

 

 

[Teddy07]

18 minutes ago, TheTwist said:

I am ideally looking for something that doesn’t have too many exams and writing.

 

 

I think you are starting wrong.

More people have easy certifications simply because people are generally lazy and prefer the easy way. I would go for a harder certification to really boost your qualification because not many will have it.

[TheTwist]

3 minutes ago, Teddy07 said:

 

I think you are starting wrong.

More people have easy certifications simply because people are generally lazy and prefer the easy way. I would go for a harder certification to really boost your qualification because not many will have it.

Okay yeah i understand. I was just giving a personal preference that would work with me.

[myselfolli]

I'm just gonna leach on this thread a bit:
Which IT Certifications can you guys recommend/which ones do you have? I'm really interested

[redteam4ever]

Microsoft has Microsoft Certified Proffessional program that has been significantly revamped last year (or year before?). Basically it has these paths (think of them as different areas of Microsoft's services/products), that you can take and every path has several exams, depending on how much you complete you earn a certain level of certification form Technology Associate to Expert. These paths include Mobility (that's basically Windows deployment in large oragnisations and administration), Business Applications, App Builder... Then there is Microsoft Office Spacialist program that's kind of separate for MS Office, so if you're good at that... This system is very complex and I won't go into more specifics given that I want you to read my response

 

I'm a Microsoft Technology Associate - I'm on a Mobility path and that means that I passed one exam - specifically Exam 697. The tests are really tiring, there is a lot of questions and many types of questions. Multiple choice are usually very confusing, then there are case studies that can be very specific and time consuming. MS takes the certification very seriously, so you have to sign an NDA before the test so that ou won't talk about the questions that were on your test. You won't even get a result of your test, only a PASS/FAIL result and relative score on how you did in assessed categories. MS says that this makes the certification very valuable, because you can't cheat - test takes place in an approved test centre (or at home with webcam supervision and tour of your room beforehand), they take a photo, check your ID, they can even take your fingerprints... they are not joking around.

 

You can browse MS Certification here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/learning/browse-all-certifications.aspx

 

Then there is Cisco certification program. The Associate level (CCNA) of Routing and Switching is what I see a lot in job listings as a requirement and is a good starting point, there is an option to take only one exam to earn this certification. I don't have CCNA, but I would like to get it some day, so all I know is that in contrast to Microsoft's approach, Cisco certificates expire after 3 years and then you have to recertify (pass the same or higher exam). Miccrosoft just gives you a badge with a date when it was issued and it's on the employer to evaluate if it's still OK for them.

 

There are other certifications, I know that RedHat has some for their services, Kali has some certifications and there is probably more, but I don't know anything about those.

[schwellmo92]

What are you interested in? The Technology industry is massive there's not really such a thing as just "IT certifications".

[schwellmo92]

3 minutes ago, redteam4ever said:

I'm a Microsoft Technology Associate - I'm on a Mobility path and that means that I passed one exam - specifically Exam 697. The tests are really tiring, there is a lot of questions and many types of questions. Multiple choice are usually very confusing, then there are case studies that can be very specific and time consuming.

If you know what you are doing and have studied and practised appropriately the exams are actually quite easy I have found.

[TheTwist]

thank you for that is useful @redteam4ever

 

[redteam4ever]

Just now, schwellmo92 said:

I'm going to disagree with you there, I've done 2 exams over the years and found them pretty easy tbh.

It depends. Microsoft describes exams as intensive or exhausting and recommends that you don't plan anything important after the test (I can't find a source, but this was in preparation documents for the exam). Most people that I've talked with found their first exam exhausting. Maybe it's just a local thing - that we're not used to this type of testing in Slovakia and Czechia.

 

And it also depends on what exam are you taking, if you already have some experience and so on. For me, I've done most of the stuff that was covered by the exam already, but then there were parts like Microsoft 365 and Intune that were not covered by a course that my school does (that I was taking as a preparation) and I hadn't have a chance to try as I have never worked as an admin - I'm a university student.

[Brennan Price]

It really depends on the kind of certifications you need to pursue your career and which area of IT you're actually into. For example, in Networking and infrastructure, two of the best certifications you could get are the Juniper and Cisco Certifications. Not many people have that kind of certifications since they're also fairly difficult to attain if you're not highly interested in them. 

[schwellmo92]

9 minutes ago, redteam4ever said:

And it also depends on what exam are you taking, if you already have some experience and so on. For me, I've done most of the stuff that was covered by the exam already, but then there were parts like Microsoft 365 and Intune that were not covered by a course that my school does (that I was taking as a preparation) and I hadn't have a chance to try as I have never worked as an admin - I'm a university student.

If studying for one of the exams you should always study material specifically for that exam, there is plenty. I have used Pluralsight video courses before to good success, they cover every topic in the exams. If you are a university student I think you can sign up for free Azure credits and setup your own Intune instance, I'm not sure about 365 though.

[LinusOnLine]

Well an MCSE is never wrong though

[LinusOnLine]

28 minutes ago, redteam4ever said:

It depends. Microsoft describes exams as intensive or exhausting and recommends that you don't plan anything important after the test (I can't find a source, but this was in preparation documents for the exam). Most people that I've talked with found their first exam exhausting. Maybe it's just a local thing - that we're not used to this type of testing in Slovakia and Czechia.

The first exam tests are always hard but when you have done a bunch most of them are not that heavy.

[TheTwist]

Has anyone taken CompTIA courses?

[Ja Krispie]

2 hours ago, TheTwist said:

Has anyone taken CompTIA courses?

CompTIA is fine but they are entry level exams. Some companies like to see an A+ but if you have better certs you don't need it. It's really good for people with no IT experience and don't have a job in IT already.

[ShawnTD]

I have 4 MTA's. Windows Operating System Fundamentals,  Networking Fundamentals,  Security Fundamentals,  Windows Server Administration Fundamentals. I didn't think any of them were very hard. Only about 35 questions or so. I am about done with my associate courses in college and have messed with computers off and on my whole life so that's all the experience I have. I got lucky and landed a job in my town that I'm the "IT Guy" for out small town. I plan on getting my Comptia net+ and Sec+ this year at some point and then go for some cisco certs. MTA's aren't bad at all. Comptia tests have a time limit of 90 minutes. Comptia A+ is seen as a "bench tech" geek squad kind of cert and then the ones that start to matter for like net or sys admins are net+ on up being the next hardest. 

[Crunchy Dragon]

CompTIA A+ is a good all-around starting cert.

 

Beyond that, there's Networking+, Security+, the various Cisco networking certs such as the CCNA.

I think Apple, Dell, and Lenovo all have repair certs you can get as well.

[Ja Krispie]

1 minute ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

CompTIA A+ is a good all-around starting cert.

 

Beyond that, there's Networking+, Security+, the various Cisco networking certs such as the CCNA.

I think Apple, Dell, and Lenovo all have repair certs you can get as well.

Most major manufacturers I believe have technician levels certs. Even Cisco has them with their CCT certs

[Crunchy Dragon]

1 minute ago, Psybadek said:

Most major manufacturers I believe have technician levels certs. Even Cisco has them with their CCT certs

I know I've seen the ones from Dell and Apple, I wasn't too sure about Lenovo or any other brands.

 

Thanks for clarifying

[Ja Krispie]

1 minute ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

I know I've seen the ones from Dell and Apple, I wasn't too sure about Lenovo or any other brands.

 

Thanks for clarifying

No problem! Here's some info on Lenovo's

 

https://www.lenovopartnernetwork.com/us/certification/

 

Also HP has certs: https://certification-learning.hpe.com/TR/Index.html

 

Another area one can get into within IT is also places like those Kodak or other photo kiosks in places like target. I do believe there are some for Lexmark printers as well

[TheTwist]

Thank you again for your inputs everyone. Very useful. There are sooo many course out there to choose.

[Dekenizer]

Here's my 2 cents... I don't beleive in the "Paper" of any certs.  I believe in the course taking and stucture knowledge.  But for the testing part, even if Microsoft makes you sign the NDA, still too many ppl learns the test rather than content... I've been in this insdustrie long enough that to tell you that a cert is just a paper, and doesn't mean that you can do what the paper says... I believe that if you are going to learn something, learn it for yourself and not to put it on a resume.  Hence, certs are made for the companies HR that are lazy and can't  properly evaluate new employees.  In my case you can come with all the papers in the world... give me 30 mins, I'll tell you if they are legit or not. Do you want to work for a company that doesn't properly evaluates candidates and just look at the paper, think, what the rest of the company is...  It's now, an employee's market rather than an employer's market these days.  I rather see subject known on a resume than certs owned....

 

So bottom line, learn the content, know your stuff and don't waste much money in certs, unless it's for the courses.  UDemy and other online course have 20$ cert content courses, it's ok to get that.  But to get the actual paper... well, I don't think it's worth it.

 

Fun fact, one of my best employees I got here, was a pc entousiast, that was operating a forklift... and 2 of THE worst had a degree and 2-3 certs. 

 

And start with the basic, learn your A+, then go from there to what moves you!

[LinusOnLine]

1 hour ago, Dekenizer said:

Here's my 2 cents... I don't beleive in the "Paper" of any certs.  I believe in the course taking and stucture knowledge.  But for the testing part, even if Microsoft makes you sign the NDA, still too many ppl learns the test rather than content... I've been in this insdustrie long enough that to tell you that a cert is just a paper, and doesn't mean that you can do what the paper says... I believe that if you are going to learn something, learn it for yourself and not to put it on a resume.  Hence, certs are made for the companies HR that are lazy and can't  properly evaluate new employees.  In my case you can come with all the papers in the world... give me 30 mins, I'll tell you if they are legit or not. Do you want to work for a company that doesn't properly evaluates candidates and just look at the paper, think, what the rest of the company is...  It's now, an employee's market rather than an employer's market these days.  I rather see subject known on a resume than certs owned....

 

So bottom line, learn the content, know your stuff and don't waste much money in certs, unless it's for the courses.  UDemy and other online course have 20$ cert content courses, it's ok to get that.  But to get the actual paper... well, I don't think it's worth it.

 

Fun fact, one of my best employees I got here, was a pc entousiast, that was operating a forklift... and 2 of THE worst had a degree and 2-3 certs. 

 

And start with the basic, learn your A+, then go from there to what moves you!

That would depend on the certification. I have been in this industry since the 90's and all certifications are not created equal. If it is a pure multiple choice text based test then you are correct and you can braindump it if you like. Many tests are not though. Take the CCIE for example. It is a big lab scenario in an actual lab. Kind of hard to pass that if you do not know what you are doing. Novell had simulations on the tests so did Microsoft. Some certifications like the Compaq ASE when that existed was performed with the books so you could look things up as you would be able to do in real life.

[LinusOnLine]

On 1/23/2019 at 1:03 PM, redteam4ever said:

MS says that this makes the certification very valuable, because you can't cheat - test takes place in an approved test centre (or at home with webcam supervision and tour of your room beforehand), they take a photo, check your ID, they can even take your fingerprints... they are not joking around.

Unfortunately it is not cheat proof. One thing to have in mind though is that if you get caught cheating it is not just your MS certifications you get stripped of it is all of your certifications from all vendors using the same testing centers. Which is pretty much every single certification there is. Oh and it is for life.

[Dekenizer]

HAHAHA I had CNA.... Certified Novell Administrator... Useless now days.  All I remember, it's booted on DOS and the green root tree icon.  Yes, for the HIGH end with lab test I agree.... It's not all are make equal... CCIE is more an interview with a pro, rather than punching A-B-C-D or E on a computer in a cubucal.  But let's face the fact, if you are going to go there, your current job will push you in that path, because they need someone at that level... but it's a small percentage...

 

This post is for starters... My point it don't waste money to make certs, just for the fact you get a cert on your resume.  Even if my CNA voucher cost me only 20$ back in the day.... still it was wasted... 

 

For me knowledge and common sense is a lot better than a cert or a degree...  We have MBAs here that you have to bring back to real world once in a while....  And don't get me started with Engineers