Cert Study Guides Needed
October 21, 2009 7:06 AM Subscribe
I'm an old school IT tech who needs some certs on his resume to get past the HR drones. I'm looking at CompTIA and Microsoft certs as a start. What I need are some good sources for study. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not looking for a boot camp, just some good up to date study guides. Thank you.
Peace
I'd skip all of those and get VMware Certified Professional....they are only going to keep getting bigger...
posted by iamabot at 8:24 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by iamabot at 8:24 AM on October 21, 2009
2nd Squidlips - certs are all over and depend heavily on where you want to go.
Guessing by the post I'm thinking windows sysadmin. For that, Comptia is pretty useless. MCSE is still a good one, Sharepoint is surprisingly huge.
The bigger vendor specific ones are good too - VMware, Cisco, Checkpoint, Redhat (hell, all of LAMP). Depending on your resume, you may want project management like PMP or ITIL. something more than a technical cert.
What I need are some good sources for study.
I always recommend the official study guides first, then other stuff. But I'm a cisco guy and their first party stuff is pretty solid.
For MS land you can't do much better than technet. Besides the training and study materials included, you get access to all the software products. It's a lot easier to study for certs when you're running the software.
posted by anti social order at 9:06 AM on October 21, 2009
Guessing by the post I'm thinking windows sysadmin. For that, Comptia is pretty useless. MCSE is still a good one, Sharepoint is surprisingly huge.
The bigger vendor specific ones are good too - VMware, Cisco, Checkpoint, Redhat (hell, all of LAMP). Depending on your resume, you may want project management like PMP or ITIL. something more than a technical cert.
What I need are some good sources for study.
I always recommend the official study guides first, then other stuff. But I'm a cisco guy and their first party stuff is pretty solid.
For MS land you can't do much better than technet. Besides the training and study materials included, you get access to all the software products. It's a lot easier to study for certs when you're running the software.
posted by anti social order at 9:06 AM on October 21, 2009
Response by poster: Currently I'm a system admin as an actual title. I actually deal with more than just the 30 plus windows server side and am responsible for the 2 SAN's (and fiber), VMware environment, Juniper VPN and WSUS server for patches. Plus a slew of other little things in between.
I've never been a big fan of certs either. I could take a boot camp and pretty much pass any test. I prefer showing people that I have the experience and skills to tackle what's thrown at me. I know how to think which I believe is better than knowing how to take a test. But in this economy I need all the help I can get. More often than not, I get bounced or dropped from an application because I either don't have the keywords their search bots are looking for or I can't get past the HR drone who still thinks that knowing java means I can make a good cup of coffee.
I'd love to go towards VM and SAN storage but I feel I need the basics first. Get a few quick ones under me and go from there (I took a CompTIA test exam and passed without really looking at it).
Thank you for the ideas though. Keep 'em coming. :)
posted by Darktan at 9:57 AM on October 21, 2009
I've never been a big fan of certs either. I could take a boot camp and pretty much pass any test. I prefer showing people that I have the experience and skills to tackle what's thrown at me. I know how to think which I believe is better than knowing how to take a test. But in this economy I need all the help I can get. More often than not, I get bounced or dropped from an application because I either don't have the keywords their search bots are looking for or I can't get past the HR drone who still thinks that knowing java means I can make a good cup of coffee.
I'd love to go towards VM and SAN storage but I feel I need the basics first. Get a few quick ones under me and go from there (I took a CompTIA test exam and passed without really looking at it).
Thank you for the ideas though. Keep 'em coming. :)
posted by Darktan at 9:57 AM on October 21, 2009
Quesation do you have a degree? Id say put the money towards adegree if yo udont have one. My four year degree got me a lot father then certs ever would.
posted by majortom1981 at 10:38 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by majortom1981 at 10:38 AM on October 21, 2009
PS I am a network tech at a library making decent money for a 28 year old.
posted by majortom1981 at 10:39 AM on October 21, 2009
posted by majortom1981 at 10:39 AM on October 21, 2009
I have taken and passed A+, Network+ and Security+ all this year because of mandates handed down from management.
A+ and Network+ confirmed my decade long suspicion that Comptia certs are absolutely worthless. Security+ was a bit harder only because there was more to remember. In the end all 3 of them are pointless as they are general knowledge tests that don't target a specific operating system or piece of hardware. As soon as you pass them, initiate brain dump.
I do not understand how Comptia became as big as they are. I suspect they have sold themselves to the "HR drones" (your term) and rooted themselves into the hiring process that way.
Added to that are the costs. Comptia cert fees are high.
So, enough of the roast. My 2 cents. Pick something that lends towards a specialization. VMware being a great example. Learn it, know it, get the cert in it. IT generalists aka Network Admins are being pushed into specialties if they want to make above average $$
Do you have any developer skills? Any programming background?
I wouldn't waste any more money on Comptia. Complete farce they are.
posted by a3matrix at 12:06 PM on October 21, 2009
A+ and Network+ confirmed my decade long suspicion that Comptia certs are absolutely worthless. Security+ was a bit harder only because there was more to remember. In the end all 3 of them are pointless as they are general knowledge tests that don't target a specific operating system or piece of hardware. As soon as you pass them, initiate brain dump.
I do not understand how Comptia became as big as they are. I suspect they have sold themselves to the "HR drones" (your term) and rooted themselves into the hiring process that way.
Added to that are the costs. Comptia cert fees are high.
So, enough of the roast. My 2 cents. Pick something that lends towards a specialization. VMware being a great example. Learn it, know it, get the cert in it. IT generalists aka Network Admins are being pushed into specialties if they want to make above average $$
Do you have any developer skills? Any programming background?
I wouldn't waste any more money on Comptia. Complete farce they are.
posted by a3matrix at 12:06 PM on October 21, 2009
Response by poster: A lot of this is dependent on dollas. I could get my EMC cert if I had $5k to spend. I don't. So I'm balancing this on 'bang for the buck'. Work originally said that I was supposed to have my MCSE as a goal but that they wouldn't pay for the training or the tests. I had to actually fight to get it off my goals. One of the reasons I want out. They want me to learn but won't buy the training. They expected me to shell out for the EMC cert.
A degree would be nice, but again... $$$'s. And time as well. I'll probably start that eventually but I'm looking at a more immediate solution.
As for other skills, yeah I have experience in a few programming languages but nothing huge. I really rock at scripting and automation, but that's about it. I stayed away from web and database stuff. VB and some old school programming is about as good as I get unless I'm playing with the Lego bots.
posted by Darktan at 1:20 PM on October 21, 2009
A degree would be nice, but again... $$$'s. And time as well. I'll probably start that eventually but I'm looking at a more immediate solution.
As for other skills, yeah I have experience in a few programming languages but nothing huge. I really rock at scripting and automation, but that's about it. I stayed away from web and database stuff. VB and some old school programming is about as good as I get unless I'm playing with the Lego bots.
posted by Darktan at 1:20 PM on October 21, 2009
Best answer: I was in shoes similar to yours about 3 months ago. I was looking to move on from a dead end job and switch things up a bit. What I have found out is that work experience is generally accepted as equal to college experience with the right knowledge and references.
I do not have a college degree but I do have 8+ years of Sys Admin experience and the contacts to back it up. I do have my basic certs to pass HR muster, A+, Net+, MCP (any to pass the paper pushers). What I do have is a good group of coworkers who can vouch that I know what the hell I'm doing. Hell, my manager was one of my references. And I have a standing offer to go back.
My situation in particular might be a little rare, but if you know your shit-- you know your shit. Don't be afraid to get technical with the interviewers or ask for an interview with future coworkers/management. HR may look for a couple letters behind your name to get things rolling, but once you land that interview you are in and can show them what you know.
HR might not know it, but your future coworkers and managers probably will, degrees and certs don't mean shit. Real life working experience does.
posted by unvivid at 6:09 PM on October 21, 2009
I do not have a college degree but I do have 8+ years of Sys Admin experience and the contacts to back it up. I do have my basic certs to pass HR muster, A+, Net+, MCP (any to pass the paper pushers). What I do have is a good group of coworkers who can vouch that I know what the hell I'm doing. Hell, my manager was one of my references. And I have a standing offer to go back.
My situation in particular might be a little rare, but if you know your shit-- you know your shit. Don't be afraid to get technical with the interviewers or ask for an interview with future coworkers/management. HR may look for a couple letters behind your name to get things rolling, but once you land that interview you are in and can show them what you know.
HR might not know it, but your future coworkers and managers probably will, degrees and certs don't mean shit. Real life working experience does.
posted by unvivid at 6:09 PM on October 21, 2009
Best answer: MCSE/MCSA would probably look the best, but takes 6 exams to obtain (at $125 a pop) and will still be valid for a few more years. The newer MS certs I believe are only one or two tests to be certified for the Server08 era stuff. If you have to sink your own cash into it, may as well future proof a bit.
Entry level Cisco certifications (exam ICND1) will be better than Net+. Once you take that Cisco exam, you can take ICND2 and then you'll be CCNA certified. Cisco certs expire after 3 years, so you need to take one every few years to advance your certification track. Cisco certification is highly desired because companies get discounts on Cisco products if they employ a Cisco certified network engineer.
As for studying, Transcender has good sample tests for MS exams.
Basically with any kind of cert, start with the list of objectives covered on the exam, strike out the stuff you're certain of, and study the rest.
posted by ijoyner at 11:38 PM on October 21, 2009
Entry level Cisco certifications (exam ICND1) will be better than Net+. Once you take that Cisco exam, you can take ICND2 and then you'll be CCNA certified. Cisco certs expire after 3 years, so you need to take one every few years to advance your certification track. Cisco certification is highly desired because companies get discounts on Cisco products if they employ a Cisco certified network engineer.
As for studying, Transcender has good sample tests for MS exams.
Basically with any kind of cert, start with the list of objectives covered on the exam, strike out the stuff you're certain of, and study the rest.
posted by ijoyner at 11:38 PM on October 21, 2009
Response by poster: Thank you unvivid. That mirrors my experience and views. I always went for real world experience instead of a cert when I was looking to hire people. I have people who can vouch for me as well.
And thank you too ijoyner. I'll look at Transcender.
posted by Darktan at 12:50 PM on October 26, 2009
And thank you too ijoyner. I'll look at Transcender.
posted by Darktan at 12:50 PM on October 26, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
As a side note, speaking as someone who is involved in the IT hiring process, I'm not nearly as concerned with certs as I am with real experience and demonstrated ability. A cert doesn't do much more for me than tell me you know what commands to use, where certain files are located, etc. It doesn't demonstrate that you understand why certain answers are correct. It's these conceptual / theory questions I'm going to ask you in the interview. You can have all the certs in the world, but if you don't have solid experience, I'm not going to put your resume in the 'call this person' pile. Similarly, I'm putting you in that pile if you have the experience, regardless of your certs. But... everyone is different. Some IT management might be all about certs. It really depends on the person doing the interviews. Having a cert certainly won't hurt - just don't assume that your search is hopeless without them.
Having said all that, I should probably move on to actually answering your question. The O'Reilly series has books in just about all areas of IT, and is highly regarded by many IT professionals. Though a lot of them aren't specifically 'study guides', they do have some that are dedicated towards exam certification. I would start with that publisher and see what else they have.
Beyond that, I think knowing what areas you're focusing on will aid in recommending specific texts.
Good luck in your search.
posted by SquidLips at 7:40 AM on October 21, 2009