Your Information Technology Career

I’ve seen it happen time and again to programmers, network engineers and administrators, and other IT personnel. They get a solid IT position, a good-paying job, and they get comfortable. They stop keeping up with the latest technologies, they stop studying, they no longer keep their CCNA, MCSE, and other industry certifications up-to-date…. and then one day, their comfortable job is gone. Maybe they get laid off, maybe the company moves and they don’t want to move with it… but for one reason or another, they’re in the worst position possible. They have no job, and they have allowed their IT skills to deteriorate to the point where they are no longer employable.

If you’re in IT, you must be constantly learning. You must continually take the long view, and ask yourself three important questions. First, where do you want to be in three years? Second, what are you doing now in order to reach this goal? And finally, if you were laid off today, are your current skills sharp enough to quickly get another job?

That third question can be the hardest of all to answer honestly. I’m reminded of Microsoft announcing years ago that they would no longer be recognizing the MSCE 4.0 certification, since the network operating systems that certification was based upon would no longer be supported by MS. (Keep in mind that this change was announced months in advance, giving those holding the MCSE 4.0 plenty of time to earn the latest MS certification.)

Some MCSE 4.0s just went nuts. Microsoft’s certification magazine printed letter after letter from angry MCSEs saying that their company would always run NT 4.0, and that there was no reason for them to ever upgrade their certification.

This wasn’t just denial. This was career suicide. Let’s say that their network never moved from NT 4.0. Let’s also say that they got laid off yesterday. Would you want to go out into the current IT workplace and have your most recent network operating system experience be on NT 4.0 ? I sure wouldn’t.

The fact is that you’ve got to continue studying, continue growing, and continue learning new things if you want to have a successful long-term IT career. If you plan on studying only one topic, getting into IT, and then never cracking a book again, you’re entering the wrong field. And for those of us who have been in it for a while – again, ask yourself this question: “Am I prepared for what would happen if I were laid off today?” And if you’re not, do something about it!

About the author: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com), home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials! For my FREE “How To Pass The CCNA” or “CCNP” ebook, visit the website and download your copies!

IT Certification Self Study

By Tom Lord

One question I hear quite often is do I need formal/classroom training to be able to get an IT certification? This is asked for many different qualifications from the A+ or MCDST exams up to the MCSE, CCNA and beyond.

 The first question I ask back is what experience do you have?

 IT certification should not be considered as a sole means to learn a new skill but as a way to validate an existing skill set and to give you the credentials to prove your experience in a particular technology. By this I mean that if you want for example to achieve the MCSE qualification, it should not be gained by simply sitting in a classroom and memorising details. It should be earned through experience in a production environment which then may be topped up with additional learning.

 Those with experience who do want to get certified have the option of a formal training program or self study. The choice can depend on the individuals learning style, and also their existing knowledge. Self study has the obvious benefit of being substantially cheaper than a training course. Some courses can cost thousands whereas if you are disciplined enough you can study from a book for a small fraction of the cost.

 When deciding on the material you want to use for yourself study it is also worth looking at the practice tests that are available as these can be invaluable in gauging your readiness for an exam.

 Some people require the discipline of a structured training course to help them learn effectively, but self study is definitely the best choice for many as it is by far the cheapest option and can offer the most flexibility for those who can do it properly.

 http://www.mmmlordy.co.uk

 Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Lord

How To Start Your Information Technology Career – Or Jumpstart It!

By Chris Bryant

Many newcomers to the IT field are surprised when they find out it’s tougher to get that first job than they thought it would be. I know exactly what that’s like. I’ve had a great career in IT and I’d recommend it to anyone, but I had a tough time breaking in as well. I’d like to share some tips with you on how to get started on what can be a financially rewarding and personally satisfying career in Information Technology.

School systems are a great place to start. A lot of newcomers forget that schools around the world need IT personnel to support school networks, printers, etc. I began my career with a public school system and it was the best move I could ever have made. If you land such a job, you’ll be doing everything from unjamming printers to supporting the school’s Local Area Network (LAN). You get experience that is going to look great on your resume – you’ll have a big advantage over those whose job responsibilities are narrower. You won’t make a lot of money, but what you need at the beginning of your career is experience, not money. Which brings me to my second point ….

Don’t chase the dollars. I know, I know. We all like money, and besides, maybe you’ve got some bills to pay! I’m not suggesting you work for free, but the question you must ask yourself when starting your IT career is this: “What do I want my resume to look like in three years?” The money will be there – if your resume shows a broad range of experience. That’s what you need to get when you’re considering your first job. Use your long-term vision to decide what kind of IT job you want to be in three years from now, and get a job that will give you the necessary experience.

Get certified. You have entered a field where you are always learning – or at least, you better be! If you stand still and stop learning, your skills will become obsolete and your IT career will stall. Start adding certifications to your resume to go along with your experience. Look into programs that deal primarily with PCs, such as A+, and then look at more advanced certifications such as the MCSE and the CCNA. When you are certified in all three major networking areas (hardware, server OS, and routers), you are a “triple threat”! Combine that with some experience and you will end up with a very impressive resume.

Networking has two different meanings in IT, and you know the first one. But besides computer networking, there’s human networking. Get out there and meet people. Your local newspaper has a business section -check it for IT group meetings. The more you’re seen, the more chance you have of being remembered. It’s a small world, and IT is a small world as well. Meet the business leaders of your area as well. It is amazing how a quick face-to-face meeting or conversation can lead to great things down the road.

Having a successful IT career isn’t just about knowing a lot about computers and networks. It’s knowing the right way to get started, getting the right combination of experience and certifications, and meeting people. I know from experience that it’s tough to get started. I also know from experience that no career field rewards individual drive like IT does. So get started today – and if you feel your IT career is stalled, take a step back, list the reasons why this has happened, and then do something about it!

Where to Start With IT Certification?

By Tom Lord

Like with most things in life you need to start with the basics! You need to give yourself a good grounding in basic computer and network functionality before you attempt to tackle more specialised subjects. Even if you do have experience working in an IT environment it is still a good idea to start with the entry level exams as you will get experience with the exam styles and requirements.

In light of the above comment the best way to start your path to IT certification is with the following Exams:

Comptia A+

The A+ exam will give you a good knowledge of general pc hardware troubleshooting and a background in how computers function. It is vendor neutral so makes a good starting point for moving into other more vendor specific certification streams.

Comptia Network+

The network plus is like the A+ exam but aimed at networking subjects, again it is vendor neutral so does not focus on specific products or technologies. It will however introduce you to TCP/IP and other networking concepts which you will need to know about during your career in IT.

Microsoft MCDST

The Microsoft certified desktop support technician exam is specific to support Microsoft Windows XP. At the moment this is the most common desktop operating system so learning how to support it properly will set you up for entry level desktop support roles.

These three exams will give you a good foundation to build on and are a good starting point before working on to more advanced certifications such as the MCSE and CCNA

Contributed by http://www.mmmlordy.co.uk

IT Certification Self Study

By Tom Lord

One question I hear quite often is do I need formal/classroom training to be able to get an IT certification? This is asked for many different qualifications from the A+ or MCDST exams up to the MCSE, CCNA and beyond.

The first question I ask back is what experience do you have?

IT certification should not be considered as a sole means to learn a new skill but as a way to validate an existing skill set and to give you the credentials to prove your experience in a particular technology. By this I mean that if you want for example to achieve the MCSE qualification, it should not be gained by simply sitting in a classroom and memorising details. It should be earned through experience in a production environment which then may be topped up with additional learning.

Those with experience who do want to get certified have the option of a formal training program or self study. The choice can depend on the individuals learning style, and also their existing knowledge. Self study has the obvious benefit of being substantially cheaper than a training course. Some courses can cost thousands whereas if you are disciplined enough you can study from a book for a small fraction of the cost.

When deciding on the material you want to use for yourself study it is also worth looking at the practice tests that are available as these can be invaluable in gauging your readiness for an exam.

Some people require the discipline of a structured training course to help them learn effectively, but self study is definitely the best choice for many as it is by far the cheapest option and can offer the most flexibility for those who can do it properly.