IT certification/career questions

[streaker69]

One thing that hasn't really been mentioned here but is incredibly important it not only getting employed initially but also getting a different job when you need one is networking. I don't mean computer networking I mean networking with other people in the field. Never, Ever burn bridges when you leave a place. You never know when you're going to end up running into someone from there again.

You may also never know who you end up talking to that may possibly help you out. I was working retail and occasionally bullshitted with a regular customer. One night he told me that if I ever needed a job in IT to give him a call. 6 months later I was working for him and that's pretty much how I got started in the field.

Keep as many connections with other people that you can, not only for asking for help when you need it to solve a problem, but also to help you find a job somewhere.

I've been out of that other job for 10 years now and I'm still in contact with the guy who originally hired me, as well as with other people I used to work with.

[Lincoln]

@ streaker, couldn't have been said better. I posted this before that I was a cold caller for a company like CDW and got my first gig at a help desk position for helping an old lady at home who was VP of human resources for a medium sized business.

edit: Always keep all the contacts you meet, you never know what will turn into an oppurtunity

[laffing_man]

Check out these 2 talks, both are geared towards getting a career in infosec. I am not sure if anyone else on the forums have seen these or not. I found them very interesting.

DojoSec Monthly Briefings - April 2009 - Rob Fuller (mubix) on Vimeo - Rob Fuller (Mubix)

Defcon16-Kushner-Murray-Career_Mythbusters (Its on the Defcon site, but its getting hammered right now...)

[thorin]

Do a search on the forums for "training" or "certification" they'll return lots of threads on this. It's a topic that comes up regularly.

Personally I'd say the following:

1) Read, read, and read some more ... you can never know too much. (You might want to start here ... http://forums.remote-exploit.org/84402-post5.html)
2) Attend some conferences CanSec, BlackHat/DefCon, OWASP, etc. there are lots of them just practice some google'fu. These are great places to get cutting edge info and do some professional networking.
3) Get involved in some industry groups OWASP, ISSA, ISACA, HTCIA, etc.
4) Join LinkedIn.
5) Checkout SANS and ISECOM courses.

[whiterabbit7500]

sounds like sound advice all around, ty guys. I created a LinkedIn profile, PM me if you'd like the link.

[Polorboy]

Hey, I am in the same boat as you. I have wanted to get into IT for a while now I just didn't know how to do it. I finally figured out where to start. I didn't read all of the previous post, so if I am restating what someone else said it is only because I am doing it. I got lucky enough a few years ago to get a temporary job working as a network admin for a family owned startup. It only lasted 9 months but I learned a ton. I was going to get my certs starting with CCNA when I was there but they got rid of my position and I didn't want to stay on as a stock person, lol. So, I am going back to school (I am 28) at a community college and taking their IT network admin program. I didn't know it when I started but it is also a Cisco networking academy, so I get to work with Cisco equipment all the time in class. It is really great and has been a awsome start to getting into IT. I highly recommend looking for Cisco academy's at colleges near you. I am going to be getting my CCNA, Net+, and A+ all this summer. Next summer I will be getting my CCNP, and hopefully Security+. The classes are designed to prepare you to take the cert exams and give you tons of hands on experience. I even got a job working at my schools IT dept while I am taking classes there, and they use all Cisco equipment. I have already found a 4 year school that is also a Cisco academy so my classes will transfer right over and I wll even be able to go as far as a masters degree in IT there if I wanted to. I would highly recommend taking classes, you will not get the hands on experience without it. Cisco equipment is not easy to use, there are no gui's (well there are, but they are not recommended and not secure, they open a lot of security holes). The best way to use any peice of Cisco equipment is using the CLI (command line interface). It is a lot more powerful and, I think, easier to use. You just have to get used to seeing it and learn the commands. No one could just sit down and figure out how to program a Cisco Router or Switch without having some kind of help. A lot of the time the commands seem backwards or just don't make sense until you understand what they are really doing. I took the CCNA once already and just barely failed it, so i am studying more and hopefully pass it the second time. I know that without having taking the classes and trying to teach myself I would have gotten a really bad score. Part of the test (without giving too much away, because Cisco doesn't want you to) is entering commands into a virtual router or switch and knowing that they will work. You need to know the specific Cisco terminology in some cases and Cisco proprietary routing and switching protocols. Well, I hope that helps and good luck with getting your certs.

[thorin]

Wow that's one mamoth paragraph.

[Polorboy]

Haha... yup.

[SephStorm]

goodness gracious pb...

[Polorboy]

Yeah, sorry I got a little carried away there. I get excited about this stuff and learning more. I love it.