Do you have any certifications to share?
Do you have any certifications to share?
I wasn’t sure where to place this update—I need insights from seasoned professionals in information security, especially regarding which certifications matter most for someone just starting out. While you already have the CompTIA A+ credential and upcoming exams for Security+ and Networking+, it’s worth exploring other credentials that are highly valued in entry-level roles. Certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP (for later stages), or even AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner can add significant weight. Your current path is solid, but expanding your certification mix may boost your competitiveness.
Entry level refers to a wide range of roles, especially those needing basic skills or support positions. For tasks like help desk work or data center labor, CompTIA certifications can help you get started. If you aim for network administration roles, formal certifications aren’t always essential, though some companies appreciate them. A CompTIA A+ certification may help with initial interviews, but it won’t help if you can’t explain your knowledge clearly. Having a relevant certification can boost your chances, but without practical experience or strong communication skills, you might struggle to get hired. You don’t need deep expertise in advanced networking, just the ability to discuss topics like CCNA effectively for the job you want.
Kind of depends who you talk to. Some people think any cert has some value, even if the content's not the advanced. On the other hand, I know some people at the company I work for are pretty picky when it comes to certs. CompTIA is one where I know people who laugh at it, in particular networking guys, but that's likely because of the level that Cisco certs go to, as well as Juniper and Palo Alto but to a lesser extent. The A+ cert is kind of useless if you ask me. There's a lot of outdated and useless information that rarely ever gets used. That said, it doesn't hurt to have it. For networking in particular, CCNA is seen as the starting point for most network specific roles. You can do it as one cert or do ICND1 and 2, which gives you CCNA when you get both. The most difficult part for most people is getting into a starting position to begin with. CompTIA will definitely help with that, but after that it's mostly experience and your reputation if you ask me, especially for moving within a company. There's a lot you can learn through experience that's never covered in an exam or cert. Some of the most technical people in the company I work at don't have any certs but their knowledge is valued and practical. If they sat an exam without prepping they'd probably fail it, but in terms of real world knowledge and skills in the subject, they're better than most.
I'm currently handling help desk tasks, which isn't perfect but gives me some experience. The CCNA was highly recommended for me to consider. I haven't personally discussed my knowledge or gaps, but I need to perform well in the interview to increase my chances of getting an opportunity. I'm trying to make that step a bit smoother.
For those interested in networking, starting with CCNA or JNCIA provides solid coverage of various subjects. To deepen your expertise, obtaining VMware/Azure/AWS certifications is highly valuable currently. The CCNA now includes a broader range of topics without separate entry-level tests, offering more experience and specialized knowledge in areas like wireless, routing/switching, data centers, and collaboration, with opportunities to specialize further at higher levels.
For networking positions, CCNA is a solid starting point. I suggest tackling ICND1 followed by ICND2 for better progress. It simplifies the learning curve and increases chances of passing. Note: Exams were retested earlier than expected last year.
If you're interested in security, you can get into it by either working in the industry as service-desk/systems engineer and just upgrade to security (recommended), or just go straight for a security job. Every IT job incorporates some level of security, the only deal is that you're not entirely accountable for risks. As a systems engineer as part of a team who owns a specific platform, you have to still communicate with security teams and be the middle man, but you don't have to do anything other than make sure the security teams are well informed, and you apply their suggestions. If you want to work immediately in cyber-security you're probably going to want to work for a firm that does penetration testing, consulting or something along those lines. You'd probably want a degree in computer science in that case, or a lot of experience, ideally volunteering for IT security companies or doing bug bounties. My recommended certifications would not be on the line of anything CompTIA, although they do make security certifications. I would suggest learning about a lot of IT systems, because you will never have a good understanding of the threat landscape until you understand all of the systems usually used in business. My advice on certifications would be: RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) - show you understand the Linux platform, esspecially red-hat technologies like Ansible, Satellite Server, etc. Microsoft Certifications - these aren't required per se, but knowledge of Active Directory and Windows domain technologies like GPO and their default settings would be required. Just build a lab and learn it yourself. Programming terminology- best one for this would be Python, it's used a lot in security, but understanding HOW programming works and how to use any programming language and learn it, is the key skill here. Networking Certifications - You'd want to go for Cisco Certifications, but once again, if you have a solid amount of other certifications people assume networking understanding. Just play around with routers, switches and build yourself a lab and just learn some stuff. A lot of this is just learned as you work in IT. Don't rush for it, go for something you enjoy. The world is moving toward hybrid cloud rapidly, so having an understanding of devops or perhaps cloud migration from more of an architecture point of view would be beneficial to have. Hope this isn't too complicated, and is helpful.
Really? Some friends who used them last year didn’t know they’d been taken out. Just reading now, yeah. That’s frustrating. I’m annoyed. So far, half of Azure stuff has been just trying to recall what silly name Microsoft came up with for something already in use.
You're on the right track with your goals. CCNA is definitely a solid next step, and CEH is another valuable skill you might want to explore. Your background in Java is helpful, but Python is becoming more popular now, so it’s a smart move to learn it soon.