| When you're choosing which computer certification to | | | | what you're going to do with it when you get it, or |
| pursue next, you should also be formulating a plan for | | | | worse, don't have a plan for your future, you may be |
| your career. Your time is precious, and you should | | | | wasting your time. Ask yourself the hard questions |
| never choose to pursue a certification because it's | | | | now - you won't regret it. |
| "hot". There are some hard questions you should ask | | | | How does the vendor protect my investment of time |
| yourself before deciding to pursue the CCNA, CCNP, | | | | and money? |
| CCVP, CCSP, CCIE, MSCE, or any of the many other | | | | Let's face it: earning your certification costs time and |
| vendor certifications that are out there. | | | | money. You've got to set time aside to study, you'll |
| Why do I want this certification? | | | | need books, perhaps a class, etc. If you're spending |
| This is the biggest and most important question you | | | | that money and time, it should be to make yourself |
| should answer before you spend a dime on books or | | | | more valuable in the workplace. |
| classes. | | | | The vendor should also have a vested interest in |
| If your primary goal in earning a certification is the | | | | keeping your certification valuable. Take Cisco, for |
| money you feel companies will throw at you after you | | | | instance. I was at a bit of a career crossroads a few |
| get it, make sure to do your research first. Basing your | | | | years ago. Should I pursue my masters degree, or |
| certification pursuits on a salary survey can lead to | | | | pursue the CCIE? I took a strong look at both choices, |
| some serious frustration on your part. Don't get me | | | | and I knew that Cisco works endlessly and tirelessly to |
| wrong, I like money. J But those surveys can be very | | | | protect the value of their certifications. While other |
| misleading. There's really no such thing as an "average" | | | | major vendors have made strides to do so, I felt Cisco |
| salary in IT. Job responsibilities and requirements vary | | | | did the best job of protecting the value of their |
| greatly from company to company, to the point where | | | | certifications. That's why I felt secure in the investment |
| a "network admin" may make $25K at one job and | | | | of my finances and time into a major Cisco |
| $75K at another. You can see where such variations | | | | certification, and I've never made a better decision. |
| in pay can lead to some misleading statistics. (And if | | | | Before making a major investment into a computer |
| you're thinking of attending a tech school whose main | | | | certification, consider the steps that a vendor does or |
| pitch is "look at all the money this cert can get you", | | | | does not make to protect your investment. |
| ask a lot of questions about how they arrived at this | | | | Computer certifications have helped me tremendously |
| amount.) | | | | in building my IT career. By asking the right questions, |
| A positive answer to this question works wonders. If | | | | and taking a hard look at your motives and plans |
| you have a plan for your career, you'll know how this | | | | before pursuing a given certification, they can do the |
| certification can fit into your plans. If you don't know | | | | same for you. |