Can IT Certifications Advance Your Career?

When I first started in IT over 10 years ago, I tried going to a technical school to get the job skills necessary to be an SE.  I had worked in a different field previously and while it payed well,  it was very unstable.  Staying in that field would have required relocating every few years, I just wasn’t going to do that.  The school I attended  was one of those that gets you MCSE and A+ certification for roughly $20,000 over two years.  I think at the time, Novell certification was also included for the tuition.  Basically a class would cover the test subject for 8 weeks and in the end you could take the exam.  It started with Microsoft NT 4.0 classes and I quickly picked up the subjects and passed the related exams.  I was having fun learning something new and I had always enjoyed technology so I found it to be easy.  It can be said that I found my calling.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for my fellow students.  No one else took an exam and honestly, most of them could barely find the power button on the computers we were using in class.  We had all kinds, from older folks trying to find a new career to young kids that have never had a steady job.  All of them believed that paying money to be taught in a classroom setting and getting certifications would lead to a great career in IT with a starting salary of $50,000.

Needless to say, by the fourth class I was bored because the instructors were too busy trying to reach the unreachable.  Not to sound arrogant, but all the extra work I was doing at home, including setting up my own lab, was putting me ahead of the instructors.  I recall correcting one of them because he taught something to the class that was not accurate.  That was when I realized I needed to get an IT job.  It didn’t matter to me if it meant being the guy that works the night shift and rotates backup tapes, as long as I could get my foot in the door, I knew I would succeed.  To make a long story short, I did get a job at a .com, making a whole lot less than $50,000.  I quit the school but finished my MCSE in NT 4.0, got A+ certified and even Network+ certified.  Most importantly I didn’t stopped learning just because I left school.

What about other certifications?  I have a CCNA now and I’m working on a CCNA Security cert.  My MCSE is expired and while I’ve worked with most of the Microsoft operating systems released over the last  few years, I’ve never pursued an MCSE again.  I’ve also worked with Sun Solaris and SCO Unix without going for the any formal certification.  So, is getting certified worth the time and effort (and money)?  Yes it is, just don’t expect miracles.  You will start at the bottom making peanuts and work your way up.  You will need to be exceptional and no piece of paper, whether it’s a college degree or an MCSE will make you into something you’re not.  If you don’t even like computers, please don’t think you can pay a school to make you into a systems or network engineer.  Save your money and study something that interests you.

For anyone already in IT, get certified in the area you work in most often.  If you pursue certifications the right way by reading the study guide and setting up a lab to practice what you are studying, you will get better at your job.  Will the company pay you more?  Probably not, and in this economy, absolutely not.  Just be happy you’re still working.  I get certified because if I have real world experience coupled with a cert, I have an edge over my competition that just shows up to work.  When the schumer hits the fan, I might still have a job or be able to find one faster than others who don’t continue to learn.  If the economy gets better, who knows, the certifications and experience might translate into higher pay.

I know this is a long post but to summarize:

• Study what you like to do.  Don’t think paying money to become a systems engineer will magically turn you into one and get you “the big bucks.”
• Get basic certifications to start but also be willing to do the garbage work to get in the door of the IT profession.
• Be willing to do what no one else wants to.  Don’t be afraid of a challenge.
• Never stop learning.
• As you advance in your career, get certified in the technology you are working with.  Work experience and certification compliment each other.

Now it’s time for me to go study for the CCNA Security certification….

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