network tech (in training)

[Loch-nar]

yello-
i'm interested in becoming a network tech. I'm close to getting my Network+ certification. Are there any techs out there that can clue me in to average salaries i could expect to make and average # of yrs of experience that are needed for most jobs??

[Roody]

help desk jobs are usually your quickest bet to finding a job. As for salary they tend to vary depending on your area of the country and your experience.

[Fossil]

http://public.wsj.com/careers/resources/documents/20000823-computers-tab.htm

Look at his site...it may give you an idea where you might fit in. Congrats (Network Manager)


<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Loch-nar:
yello-
i'm interested in becoming a network tech. I'm close to getting my Network+ certification. Are there any techs out there that can clue me in to average salaries i could expect to make and average # of yrs of experience that are needed for most jobs??</font>

[neveruseaol]

my brother was in the bahamas about two years ago and he meets some guy right out of tech school hired by AT&T as a network admin. or something like that and his starting pay was $120,000 a year. good luck.
david

[Loch-nar]

Thanks for the replies. Fossil, that is a great link, I sent it to a couple of others too.
http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif
Anyone out there Network+ certified??

[Stef]

I'm Network + and A + certified, I got these certifications mainly for personal interrest. I'm currently working on getting Linux Professional certified.

I mainly got certified because it a certification is proof of achievement.

One thing I do know about salaries, in the US a network tech or computer tech averages 20,000 more a year in US dollars then a Canadian one http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/frown.gif

Oh well, maybe I'll consider moving to Seattle http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

Till then I'll be going back to school (Electronic Engineering) to pursue more personal interest http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

[C.M. Weaver]

Get your CCNA then move on to the CCNP certifications from Cisco. They will make you the most marketable.

C.M.

[cburgy]

I just recieved my CCNA certification. I just went and took the test and passed it with a 982 out of 1000. They have a class designed with the concepts of the test. Its intro to cisco routing and switching. If you take the class and read the books you should be able to pass the test an get your CCNA. Next step is your CCNP which involves 5 more tests. Then you CCDP (design professional) and that is a couple more tests. Then you can try your CCIE after you take the classes. That is the hardest one with a failure rate of like 90%... Pays really well if you have one. There are only like 2000 CCIE's in the states.



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Cheers,
Chris Burgy
Network Analyst
Chevron

[C.M. Weaver]

CCDP actually has the highest failure rate of any Cisco Certification. Don't ask me why, it's just the way it is http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif They are finding that just about every CCIE that takes the CCDP fails it, which explains why there are only about 100 CCDP's floating around. There are currently about 8000 CCNA's and that number has slowed.

Typically you don't need a CCIE unless you are an employee of Cisco or a Platinum Reseller of theirs. The CCIE has the same exam objectives as the CCNP so it doesn't benefit you really to obtain it unless you fall within the 2 categories.

CCIE is the be all end all certifications in the industry and is very difficult to obtain. You must first pass a written pre-qualification exam to see if you can cut the mustard in the lab portion of the exam. You have one of 3 places WORLDWIDE to take the lab that is 2 days. On the first day you build a network from the ground up using $250,000+ of Cisco equipment in the lab, then the 2nd day you get a few hours to finish up and they push you off to lunch for 2 hours. During that 2 hour time period they break the network at which time you have 3 hours to fix it, easy huh? Oh yeah, did I mention it cost you your own airfare and hotel costs and the labs is $1000 http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif

C.M.

[twwabw]

Boy, you've got that right... spend any time looking for a job on Monster or Dice, and you'll see without a doubt the most highly sought after criteria mentioned is some level of Cisco certification, or at the very least, experience.

So how tough is the CCNA? I've been told it contains a lot of the same criteria contained in MS Exam 70-059: Internetworking with Microsoft® TCP/IP on Microsoft® Windows NT® 4.0. A heavy conecentration on things like subnetting; OSI; etc. Is this true?

I would like to pursue CCNA next. To those of you that have passed, will this be attainable with at home study, especially considering I have MCSE, and have taken and passed the 70-059 exam? (actually, the best score of all six I took!)

BTW, congrats to you guys who have already learned; taken these tests; and passed! It really is a big deal. And to you CM, I see in an earlier thread you took the big plunge. Good for you- me too! I left my cushy (sp?) great paying (gulp) benefit laiden (eyes swelling up) secure-paycheck twice a month (tears streaming down my face) Admin job of 7 years (hysterical sobs) 2 months ago, and am now doing private consulting work. Brave new ground, but I sure don't miss the Corporate cr*p one bit. Shaky the first few weeks, but settling into it nicely now. I feel free!!!

Good luck to you all!

Tim


<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by C.M. Weaver:
Get your CCNA then move on to the CCNP certifications from Cisco. They will make you the most marketable.

C.M.</font>



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http://home.rochester.rr.com/twwonline/files/eyes.gif

Observe everything...focus on nothing..

[quickfoot]

In my experience the Microsoft TCP/IP exam covers a lot of the tcp ccna material only in much less detail.

A lot of the same concepts such as subnetting is covered but on the Microsoft exam I had only 3 or 4 subnetting questions.

MS exam also covers pretty basic routing, not on a ccna level but introduces you to the information.

[Stef]

In my opinion, if your going to pay thousands of dollars in getting a certification why not go to school and get a diploma. That way you'll be able to do it all with ease http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/biggrin.gif

Just keep in mind...

People with certifications are technicians, people with diplomas are engineers!!!

[C.M. Weaver]

I spent 9 years as a Vice President of Credit for a nationwide finance company and quit my job last February to go back to school and pursue the Cisco track of certs. I can tell you that I made the best decision of my life by doing this.

The CCNA can be studied for at home but where you need the exposure for the exam is the router lab. The CCNA, depending on the pool of questions, likes to ask lots of router configuration questions. I opted for the Cisco Networking Academy that went at a slower pace and really went into depth about networking concepts and Cisco routers. I'm currently enrolled in a CCNP course and let me tell you, it's tough. It's tons of reading and very technical. You actually take 4 exams to get your CCNP and obtain 2 certs, CCNP and CCDA. The CCDA exam is the easiest of the 4 and is "concepts" based. They don't have all those technical questions on the exam and are "case" based. They basically but 4+ cases in front of you and ask questions about all of them related to the concepts you've just learned.

Remember, the MCSE exams are Microsoft. Although they cover some TCP/IP they don't cover near the amount of topics related to it. I haven't taken it but I hear it's easy if you have some TCP/IP background/knowledge.

The Cisco certifications are the absolute most difficult to obtain in the IT industry, the number of certified folks supports that. Consider that there are only about 8000 CCNA's and close to 250,000 MSCE's....do the math http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif

Be happy to help anyone out looking to take this track or has additional questions http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif

C.M.

[neveruseaol]

i am 15 and current getting CCNA certified and i can say that it has been a really good choice so far. you do deal with a lot of router config and there is a lot of memory work but believe that it is well worth it in the end and i am sure many others can agree. definately go for it and get your CCNA.
good luck,
david http://www.speedguide.net/ubb/smile.gif

[C.M. Weaver]

I think it's unfair to label people the way you have Stef, soley based on education level. If you look at many different types of companies you'll find that many top executives have nothing but a few years college and no degree. If your a Chief Operating Officer for a company but only have a few years college under your belt, would you only consider him a manager?

Don't get my wrong, I will be the first to agree with you having a degree, but let's not minimize the hard work that alot of people have done to get where they are today. Having a degree in alot of cases, not all doesn't make you any better than the next guy, just that you may have a little more book smarts than the guy who has only 1 1/2 years at a community college. There are alot of very talented people in the IT industry that have little formal education and hold top level jobs.

There is no substitute for work experience.

[This message has been edited by C.M. Weaver (edited 01-06-2001).]