| Whether you're just starting your Information | | | | spend any time dismissing the goals of others |
| Technology career, or wanting to get further | | | | in the IT field, or those just breaking in.I |
| ahead in your current IT career, you have | | | | am speaking from experience on this point. I |
| probably thought about earning one of the | | | | had a tough time breaking into the IT field, |
| many popular computer certifications such as | | | | and made a lot of calls and knocked on a lot |
| the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) | | | | of doors before I got in. I found out later |
| certification, or the MCSE (Microsoft | | | | that the reason I got that entry-level job is |
| Certified Systems Engineer) cert.A major | | | | that I had a professional certification where |
| point of frustration for individuals pursuing | | | | the other candidates did not.The pursuit of |
| one of these certifications is a possible | | | | certification is the pursuit of knowledge, |
| lack of experience with these technologies. | | | | and in our field, you can never have too much |
| Many future CCNAs or MCSEs simply stop trying | | | | knowledge. If your work is strictly on the |
| to earn their certification, feeling that | | | | Local Area Network side, don't let that stop |
| their lack of experience will hold them | | | | you from pursuing a CCNA. If you work |
| back.Adding to this are those in IT who will | | | | exclusively on the WAN side, don't let that |
| stop everything they're doing at the drop of | | | | stop you from going after your MCSE. If |
| a hat to stomp on the dreams of others. I | | | | you're just breaking into Information |
| recently saw a post by an IT newcomer on a | | | | Technology, don't let a lack of experience |
| popular website where he declared his | | | | prevent you from studying for your A+, |
| intention of earning his CCNA. Within | | | | Network+, or even your MCSE or CCNA.Because |
| minutes, several naysayers popped up and told | | | | one day, opportunity is going to knock - and |
| him that he shouldn't bother, it wouldn't do | | | | the more you know, the readier you'll be to |
| any good due to his lack of experience, etc. | | | | answer that knock! Use your long-range |
| (Did you ever notice that people who bash | | | | vision to envision the day when you will have |
| certifications generally don't have any | | | | both experience and certification - an |
| themselves?)I am in no way discounting the | | | | unbeatable combination.Chris Bryant, CCIE |
| importance of experience. What I am saying | | | | #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage, |
| is that every single one of us was a beginner | | | | home of free CCNA and CCNP tutorials, The |
| at one point, and a lot of IT professionals | | | | Ultimate CCNA Study Package, and Ultimate |
| forget this. None of us was born knowing | | | | CCNP Study Packages. |
| everything we know today, and we shouldn't | | | | |