Last week we took a look at the state of the
IT job market. This week's column will offer some advice to help you
get to the head of the class in your job search.
Certifications
I'm often asked, "Just how important are certifications?" The short
answer is, "It depends."
A certification with little or no relevant experience is not worth
much. Gone are the days when a CNE or a MCSE would open doors by
themselves. Although a certification and an enthusiastic attitude may
still occasionally land an entry-level position, certifications usually
require a solid one to two years of experience in order to have a
realistic chance of helping you land a good job.
Of course, this creates a chicken-and-egg problem: You can't get a
job without experience, and you can't get experience without a job. The
best way out of this is to find a small local company or nonprofit
agency where you can volunteer your computer services. If you do a good
job in a volunteer situation and secure a good reference from your
"employer," you will greatly increase your chances of getting a paying
job in the IT industry.
Here is a brief synopsis of some major certifications and an
analysis of each:
- CNA (Certified Novell Administrator): This is the
entry-level Novell certification and consists of passing a single exam,
demonstrating the knowledge and ability to perform day-to-day
administration on Novell NetWare networks.
- CNE (Certified Novell Engineer): This advanced certification
usually requires successful completion of six exams. It qualifies you
to solve advanced companywide support problems and high-level network
problems. You perform planning, installation, configuration,
troubleshooting and upgrade services for networks.
- MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional): The entry-level MS
certification involves passing one test, demonstrating knowledge on a
single MS platform.
- MCSA (Microsoft Certified System Administrator): A new,
midlevel, system administration certification for Microsoft products,
generally requiring passing four tests.
- MCSE (Microsoft Certified System Engineer): The advanced
certification requires successful completion of seven exams.
- ACTC (Apple Certified Technical Coordinator): This
certification is for Mac OS X power users, entry-level system
administrators, IT professionals, and technical coordinators who
provide help desk support to Mac OS X users. In addition to user
support, these professionals maintain the Mac OS X Server
platform.
- ACSA (Apple Certified System Administrator): This
certification is designed for full-time professional system
administrators and engineers managing medium-to-large networks of Mac
systems in demanding and relatively complex multiplatform
deployments.
- AppleCare Technician: Designed for those pursuing a career
with Apple or authorized service centers, repairing Apple
hardware.
- Network+: Network+ is a vendor neutral certification that
measures the technical knowledge of networking professionals with at
least 9 months experience in network support or administration. Earning
the Network+ certification means that the candidate possesses the
knowledge needed to configure and operate a variety of networking
products. This exam covers a wide range of vendor and product neutral
networking technologies that can also serve as a prerequisite for
vendor-specific IT certifications. This certification is helpful in
demonstrating a broad general knowledge of computer networks.
- Linux+: The Linux+ certification measures vendor-neutral
Linux knowledge and skills for an individual with at least 6 months
practical experience. The target market for Linux+ certification are
individuals interested in demonstrating fundamental Linux knowledge and
skills.
- A+: A+ certification signifies that the certified individual
possesses the knowledge and skills essential for a successful
entry-level (6 months experience) computer service technician, as
defined by experts from companies across the industry.
Education
The best advice I can give someone in college is to graduate.
Majoring in a computer discipline is important for those wishing to go
into programming or computer engineering. For technicians, managers,
and network-types, the major subject is less important.
For most of our positions, we require at least an Associate Degree
in any subject. Why do we require a degree? Simply put, it demonstrates
an applicant's ability to take on a long-term project and see it
through to completion. It also shows us that you have the ability to
successfully learn new ideas and concepts. Both of these abilities are
absolutely essential to success in the IT industry.
We get hundreds of applicants who list "some college" or "x years
completed" or even "x classes away from graduation." This is fine if
you are still in school and working toward graduation, but if you have
dropped out, it raises a red flag.
Occasionally, we see people with legitimate reasons for not
completing their degree. By and large, however, this is not the case.
"Finances" are often cited as a reason for dropping out of school. Many
grants and scholarships are available to assist with school. Even if
you don't qualify for these, student loans are freely available.
As long as you choose a reasonably priced school, the increased
earning power you achieve with a degree quickly offsets loan repayment.
It all boils down to the fact that we pretty much do whatever we set
our mind to. If you want something badly enough, you will find a way to
get it.
This may sound harsh, and I apologize in advance for offending
anyone. In most businesses, computer down time means lost production,
which means lost revenue. I want people working for me who will tackle
a problem and not leave until it is fixed. I can't afford to have
someone who looks at a problem, declares it "unfixable," and goes
home.
There is a proliferation of schools offering degrees completely
through distance learning, usually online. There is nothing wrong with
a degree earned in this manner as opposed to a traditional on-campus
experience. However, you need to beware of the abundance of
unaccredited diploma mills. These "schools" will essentially sell you a
diploma with little or no effort on your part, other than payment of
their "fee." Further, beware of institutions with phony
accreditation!
Make sure your chosen school is accredited by an accrediting body
recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education and/or the Council
for Higher Education Accreditation. Check with the college to
see if they are accredited and, if so, by what organization. Go to the
website for the accrediting organization and make sure your college is
listed as an accredited institution. Finally, go to one of the above
websites and see if the accrediting organization is recognized by the
Dept. of Education and/or CHEA.
Many schools offer college credit for life experience. Essentially,
if you can demonstrate that you have acquired the learning equivalent
to a college class through work, volunteer positions, or other
experience, the school will give you credit. For accredited
institutions, this is usually limited to six or nine credit hours.
If a school is willing to give you half or more of your credits this
way, look out - they are probably not a legitimate school.
Experience
We have only limited control over the jobs we have, and most
employers realize this. An applicant with a stable work history will
generally merit a look before a job-hopper. However, frequent job
switching is not nearly the disadvantage it once was.
I have talked to dozens of good applicants in the last few months,
most of whom had at least one short-tenure position (less than one
year) on their resume. The vast majority of these were due to the
collapse or near-collapse of the company they were working for. I
worked eight months for a company once, and left shortly after the
conference call where management was informed that the company was "$85
million in debt with no ability to pay." Most prospective employers see
my decision to leave there as a sign of good judgment!
If you have significant work as an independent contractor, do
not list every single job. This makes your resume look
fragmented, and if the prospective employer does not look closely, your
work history appears very unstable. Instead, list it something like
this:
- 2/1999-4/2002 Independent Contractor
- Performed work (describe here) for various companies on a
contract basis. (List some sample employers if you wish).
The job glut of the late 90s dried up, but with a little preparation
and diligence, you can still find the job of your dreams. Good luck!
Further Reading
