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I am an IT technician at a company of approximately 1200 employees.
I have an associates degree in network Administration from our local tech college.
Over the next few months I would like to work on getting a certification that will help my career.
I was thinking of the Network+ or security+ but I am curious if anyone has other suggestions, recommendations or thoughts/experience with those certs. While up until now I have focused more on server administration I am thinking of switching more to networking.
Thanks for any advice anyone wants to give to someone still fairly new to the career.

11 Spice ups
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Fiber Optic Technician might be good, most places will probably outsource fiber installation but knowing how it works is pretty handy for trouble shooting and applying temporary fixes.

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They’re both pretty good general knowledge certs. If looking to get more into networking they both come in handy. CCNP is also a pretty good one if you are working with a lot of cisco products but the knowledge transfers to other products as well.

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Net+ is a good starting point, but as we talk about all the time here, target your credentials to fit your career goals, not the other way around (of blindly adding a bunch of creds in the hopes it’ll make you look better, without defining what it is you want to do).

Choose your path first. Then add the training and study to complement it.

3 Spice ups
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This is key here. Call me indecisive but it did take me 2 years working in IT and watching the administrators work before I decided against going the Networking route and going forward more toward server type administration.

It’s difficult to choose your path because you need to see everything first hand and work with it to really know if you will enjoy it or not.

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Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? What do you like doing?

It makes more sense to get a cert for something you are interested in doing and helps you shape

There are so many certs out there so you kind of have to know where you want to head before we can spit out recommendations for certs.

I’d say get a CCNA, rather than Net+

Security+ is fine.

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I have always had an interest in network but haven’t been actively pursuing it. The job I currently have started as an internship before I graduated and I haven’t needed to do much with networking.
So I have been debating net+ v. CCNA so if you have any thoughts specifically on that I would love to hear that as well.

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Thank you everyone for your thoughts!

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CCNA for sure.

CCNA is still general enough, so it’s not only Cisco specific, CCNA is like an advanced Net+

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Agreed with Neally. You are beyond the Net+ already. Go with a higher lvl cert or diversify and choose another cert entirely. Server based or security based. I think Security+ is not worth it for the same reasons Net+ for you.

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Z-Ethan

Agreed with Neally. You are beyond the Net+ already. Go with a higher lvl cert or diversify and choose another cert entirely. Server based or security based. I think Security+ is not worth it for the same reasons Net+ for you.

Thanks Z-Ethan, I guess in my mind the biggest negative to the CCNA is the cost. Since this does not pertain to my current position my employer won’t pay for it. So bang for the buck your money is still on CCNA?

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Cost is always a factor, As stated above you should find out what job your good at and you like before spending the 300 bucks for the Cert exam. Don’t take the exam just to get the certification, also you need a minimum time on the Job before the Cert will actually get approved (unless this has changed).

Edit: I fixed home computers, removed porn and Viruses before becoming a Network Engineer.

@ferdinand-cisco

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Not sure what you mean, Net+ is not much cheaper?

Net+ $294

200-125 CCNA - $295

or if you take the 2 exams rather, then it’s $150 each.

100-105 ICND1 AND 200-105 ICND2

(the ccna has 2 versions, either a big test, or 2 small tests)

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Sec+ is not about having the cert but more about another checkbox on the resume, it is widely accepted and known. I mean sure, Sec+ or better certs like CASP ? CISSP ?

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Neally

Not sure what you mean, Net+ is not much cheaper?

Net+ $294

200-125 CCNA - $295

or if you take the 2 exams rather, then it’s $150 each.

100-105 ICND1 AND 200-105 ICND2

(the ccna has 2 versions, either a big test, or 2 small tests)

Wow I just thought the last time I looked at it it was much more expensive, I must have looked at something wrong.
Does anyone have suggestions for study material for the CCNA, I think that is the route I am going to go.