Stalking the Perfect Tech Career Las Vegas NV

Posted by :

What's with all the certifications?

I was wondering what is behind all the different certifications out there. For example, what do CIW, MCSE, A+, CNA, etc., mean to me and to companies in the business world? Who else recognizes these awards or certifications?
Chris Parkinson
overlord007@yahoo.com

Chris, certification is a requirement for many tech jobs these days. The reason is that employers need to know that a candidate possesses certain minimal skills before even taking the time to interview him or her.

Depending on your career choice, the most common and sought-after certifications are those you mentioned (Certified Internet Webmaster [CIW], Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer [MCSE], A+ computer technician certificate, and Certified Novell Engineer/Administrator [CNE/A]) plus the Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) programs). Any one of these certifications would be a good first step toward a successful tech career.

That said, certification is just a first step. Experience is often more important than training, and can only be acquired through internships, volunteering, and the like. In rare cases, you could get a job with just the certification in hand and gain experience along the way. Also, we recommend vendor-neutral training, which will give you access to a more varied set of job openings than restricting yourself to Microsoft-, Novell-, or Cisco-specific programs.
James Mathewson, editorial director

The April 2000 issue of ...

Click here to read the rest of this article from Computer User