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What are some things you have to look out for while working?
I'm trying to get into CCNA/CISCO and I was wondering what are the main things you got to look out for while working in these fields? #CCNA #CISCO
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Chad Kalmes
CIO/CISO
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San Francisco, California
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Chad’s Answer
Here are a few things to consider, from my perspective:
1) Domain knowledge vs. a vendor-specific knowledge - clearly if you're interested in CCNA/Cisco certification, you probably have at least some basic technical know-how, or an interesting in building deep skills related to networking. Cisco is obviously a big player/provider in the space, but knowing the concepts/basics of networking, regardless of a specific vendor's take, is something you'll want to make sure you master first and foremost. Knowing 'networking' inside and out lets you apply your skills in a lot of different situations/companies/environments - a CCNA certification means you know Cisco's approach and gear/config very well...but that may not be relevant for every company. I would always recommend being first and foremost an expert in the overall domain, which tends to serve you well over time and in a lot of different contexts, and then focusing on deep-diving in specific technologies as you identify those that are most relevant to you at any point in time.
2) Specific companies you're interested in - it may be good to first think about the kinds of companies you're interested in (specific industries? specific cities/regions? etc.) and starting from there. If you have some prospects in mind, try to identify contacts you would work with to understand their environments and what kinds of skills they would value in their organization. Some may even have internship opportunities that may be relevant and allow you to 'try before you buy' - both whether the company is a fit, as well as how much you enjoy applying your skills in a particular area. It would be terrible to have a company that you *really* want to work for, get your CCNA certification to try to get a job there - only to find out that their network is based on Juniper hardware (or is fully cloud-based and they don't really have a traditional 'network' at all).
3) Education - is this something you're looking for formal training and a broader degree/education around, or purely a self-driven approach to getting certified. Formal education programs can be great, and can expand your knowledge in a lot of different-but-related areas to help you build more of your general 'domain expertise', but those may come at a cost. The other benefit of formal education, whether that's community college/technical training programs, or a traditional four year college focused on technical expertise, is that many of those schools and programs already have good relationships with employers that may make finding internship opportunities or eventual employment easier down the road. Going more the self-educated route can save on costs, but the quality of what you get out is much more incumbent on the work that you personally put into it. You basically have to craft the program that you think is going to build the skills/experience you feel you need...as well as find ways to build relationships with prospective employers. Getting a certification can help 'formalize' that you have a specific set of knowledge in a particular area, but it doesn't necessarily speak to the whole package of the skills/experience you may have built. Having a degree from an accredited school helps formalize some of those other skills you will have gathered along the way as well. It's not necessarily a hard requirement for some roles, but it can still make a big difference when it eventually comes to a job search.
Decide on mix of domain expertise vs. vendor-specific skills to focus on
Try to identify specific companies/roles that sound interesting, and see if you can more details/information about what they look for
Find the right education path to build the mix of skills you think you need
Wherever possible, get hands-on work experience to show that you know how to apply your skills/education in real-world situations
Never stop learning
1) Domain knowledge vs. a vendor-specific knowledge - clearly if you're interested in CCNA/Cisco certification, you probably have at least some basic technical know-how, or an interesting in building deep skills related to networking. Cisco is obviously a big player/provider in the space, but knowing the concepts/basics of networking, regardless of a specific vendor's take, is something you'll want to make sure you master first and foremost. Knowing 'networking' inside and out lets you apply your skills in a lot of different situations/companies/environments - a CCNA certification means you know Cisco's approach and gear/config very well...but that may not be relevant for every company. I would always recommend being first and foremost an expert in the overall domain, which tends to serve you well over time and in a lot of different contexts, and then focusing on deep-diving in specific technologies as you identify those that are most relevant to you at any point in time.
2) Specific companies you're interested in - it may be good to first think about the kinds of companies you're interested in (specific industries? specific cities/regions? etc.) and starting from there. If you have some prospects in mind, try to identify contacts you would work with to understand their environments and what kinds of skills they would value in their organization. Some may even have internship opportunities that may be relevant and allow you to 'try before you buy' - both whether the company is a fit, as well as how much you enjoy applying your skills in a particular area. It would be terrible to have a company that you *really* want to work for, get your CCNA certification to try to get a job there - only to find out that their network is based on Juniper hardware (or is fully cloud-based and they don't really have a traditional 'network' at all).
3) Education - is this something you're looking for formal training and a broader degree/education around, or purely a self-driven approach to getting certified. Formal education programs can be great, and can expand your knowledge in a lot of different-but-related areas to help you build more of your general 'domain expertise', but those may come at a cost. The other benefit of formal education, whether that's community college/technical training programs, or a traditional four year college focused on technical expertise, is that many of those schools and programs already have good relationships with employers that may make finding internship opportunities or eventual employment easier down the road. Going more the self-educated route can save on costs, but the quality of what you get out is much more incumbent on the work that you personally put into it. You basically have to craft the program that you think is going to build the skills/experience you feel you need...as well as find ways to build relationships with prospective employers. Getting a certification can help 'formalize' that you have a specific set of knowledge in a particular area, but it doesn't necessarily speak to the whole package of the skills/experience you may have built. Having a degree from an accredited school helps formalize some of those other skills you will have gathered along the way as well. It's not necessarily a hard requirement for some roles, but it can still make a big difference when it eventually comes to a job search.
Chad recommends the following next steps:
Paul Zugnoni
Networks, Datacenters, Clouds etc.
8
Answers
California, California
Updated
Paul’s Answer
The CCNA is a great first step because not only is Cisco is a very common network platform that you'll find in many places, but the educational material you'll likely study with drives home so many of the fundamental concepts you'll find on many platforms.
Once you get your CCNA, then consider what did you like most about it, and if you can connect topics with job responsibilities in a career that appeals to you. There are hundreds of thousands of professionals that are, or could be, called Network Engineers. It's a wonderfully wide range. Maybe you have a CS background and want to be a developer in the networking domain. Maybe you like network operations. Do you know if you'd like to do IT for a company or maybe operations at an ISP? These may not be possible to answer just by having your CCNA, but it will have supplied you with more context.
After you've updated your LinkedIn profile with your interested, and even a bullet point with CCNA, you'll start to see job descriptions presented. Take a look at them; look at the requirements. See what resonates with you. Journal as you go.
Complete your CCNA
Browse topics of certifications beyond CCNA - both in level and from different vendors / organizations
Update your LinkedIn profile to attract contact related to your progress
Keep a journal
Once you get your CCNA, then consider what did you like most about it, and if you can connect topics with job responsibilities in a career that appeals to you. There are hundreds of thousands of professionals that are, or could be, called Network Engineers. It's a wonderfully wide range. Maybe you have a CS background and want to be a developer in the networking domain. Maybe you like network operations. Do you know if you'd like to do IT for a company or maybe operations at an ISP? These may not be possible to answer just by having your CCNA, but it will have supplied you with more context.
After you've updated your LinkedIn profile with your interested, and even a bullet point with CCNA, you'll start to see job descriptions presented. Take a look at them; look at the requirements. See what resonates with you. Journal as you go.
Paul recommends the following next steps: