Maximum PC

hey guys, just got first couple of my certs (A+ and net+)
I'm going to be finishing up w/ an associates here this semester.

My plan from here is 4 year school, more certs (linux+, cisco, and then some... maybe). I was hoping for this next summer I'd be able to look into an internship for networking.

I was first wondering if you folks thought I am at a point of looking into internships already, or should I wait till I have cisco down?

also my biggest question is what does a business pay more attention to? a four year degree from a bigger school? technical certifications? or work experience?

The first thing any employer will look at is experience. Experience absolutely proves you know what you're doing. When you have little or no experience, then they'll look at education and certs. A degree will carry much more weight than any number of certs.

This is mainly because very few certification exams are hands-on, prove-yourself tests, like Red Hat's certs (great certs if Linux is your thing). MS exams are almost all multiple choice, so it's totally possible for someone to pass the test without actually knowing/understanding the material.

With your AS (I'm assuming it's an IT or networking degree), your A+ and Network+, I'd say you can start looking for internships. IMHO, you definitely have a chance at landing an internship or position in networking. Definitely don't get comfy though. Keep going for the Cisco certs (worth their weight in gold), and I'd rethink the Linux+. It's such a basic exam that just shows you have a basic competency in Linux.

Depending on the type of job you're looking for is the deciding factors here I would think.
Corporations looking to hire IT people normally want the 4yr degree from a larger school and experience.
VARs want the experience and certs.
Geek Squad will just hire anyone!

VAR im thinking is an acronym... i just cant tell for what...

value added reseller

in other words, they provide more than just boxes of stuff - services, installation, training, support, break/fix repair, etc.

Can be lots of travel for a young gun willing to live out of a suitcase for a few years.

[not that I would *know* about any of that]

I applied for my current job at a major corporation 2x; the first time I was working on my BS and the 2nd time I had graduated.

You can have a degree, experience, and a certification and still not be able to fix a problem. That means more to me personally.

However, many jobs belong to bureaucracies. In the end, even if you can't solve a problem or not, you still need a good combination of Education, Experience, and Certification.

If you're weak in one area, be stronger in the other two area's.

In the end, your real measure as an employee will be your ability to ix people's or business' problems, or the ability to get lost in the shuffle.

Don't get lost in the shuffle.

Also you have to consider the recertification issue with cerifications simply put:

multiple Certs = marketability = time + reoccuring recertification = $$$

Where as if you have a degree, it doesn't matter what happens, you will always have that degree. Weather you are poor, in jail or dead. You will always have that level of degree.

The way I advise our interns is this:

Finish your degree (and any small "+" certs you can manage) Get your internshjp and work towards the better Certs. The degree should be your foundation you build your experiance that pays for your certs.

Sorry if this doesn't make too much sense, I am a wee bit tired due to my 2yo's recent sleeping (or therefore lack of) pattern.

CompTIA certifications are good for life, and Microsoft certs are good for 5 years after the end of the product life (usually 7 years) of the given product.

With MCTS/MCITP Microsoft tried to introduce re-certification, but after much complaint (and common sense reflection) they do not require recertification. Your cert is only good, against for up to 5 years after the life of the product, though some MCTS's is only good until the end of the product life.

3 years, 5 or 7 it doesn't matter. It is a reoccurring cost to recertify, compared to the one time (albeit high) cost of getting a 4 or more plus year degree. While the Certs themselves can be valuable they should be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

You mentioned good Certs but what about the more popular Certs out there that command a higher dollar in the salary negotiation. Like the CISSP, GIAC Gold/Platinum, CCIE series. They all have a recertification, some at about 4 years (the same time you could have finished a degree you never have to retest on)

Nothing against Certs, but I believe the money to bank on is in the degree, If I the employer have two 24 yo candidates that come to me with no experience, one has more acronyms behind his name then letters in the alphabet while the other has a good degree from MIT, it really is a no brainier whom I would pick if I had to go on those qualifications alone.

Right now I am in my Senior year at DeVry University, for a degree in Computer Information Systems and I have an A+ Certification. I'm kind of in the same boat your in. I've sacrificed not having a full-time job to get my education done as soon as possible. I just have to keep telling myself to be patient, and that one day that job will be there. I have friends that do not have a degree and have to rely on working their way up and experience. So there's a fix of different choices, each with their opportunity cost.