IT Infrastructure Career
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@thecreativeone91 said:
@Ambarishrh said:
Now regarding your question, check http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-security/how-to-start-your-career-as-a-security-pro/ they have some pointers on where to start and mentions almost the same thing which is discussed here, CompTIA certifications
Good article, though I'm wondering where they are seeing this. I haven't. " Entry-level security jobs are becoming more and more common so you won't necessarily have to pay your dues through junior network admin or junior helpdesk positions."
Where are people seeing entry level security jobs? Does anyone have a good "picture" of what the job role, pay, responsibilities and such typically are? I've only seen a few places with security roles and they were always very senior and expected a lot of technical background.
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@Ambarishrh said:
@PSX_Defector Just because you had some bad experience with one or two guys, please do not consider everyone that way.
Think over 500. Just right now. Thousands in the past.
There are folks who DO know what they are doing. OP might be in that boat. But facts are facts, he's not got enough experience to even contemplate a security career path at this point. Everyone needs experience to even understand the fundamentals of how to secure networks. 6 months working as a desktop goon does not bring that.
I'm not anything if not blunt and honest. And if folks don't like that, then screw 'em.
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You are correct, he is too junior to be looking at security paths today. But he can consider it as a goal for the future and pursue short term (2-3 year) goals that would put him on a path for a security future. Paths like network administration and system administration tend to be best for getting into security and security related fields where others, like desktop support and database administration do not.
So focusing on something like systems administration, which is a common job role outsourced to where he is, could make a lot of sense. Continuing to gain experience in desktop support while studying to work on Linux, for example, could move him in the short term to a junior Linux admin role in, say, 18 months and then he could begin to look at adding security to his portfolio so that he could move in that direction.
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@scottalanmiller Cost
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Check out CloudatCost. With some of their MangoLassi discounts you can get a starter server in the cloud for just a few dollars USD.
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@scottalanmiller The idea is good to see, the money is also low but I will follow that method after sometimes because the salary is also low for me because I am fresher to IT.I will definitely follow but it takes sometime to go
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@scottalanmiller said:
@Lakshmana said:
@scottalanmiller said:
asy and applies to nearly all IT careers.
Yes Sir.I choose the field as Networking and in that I will follow the Comptia Network +
Network+ is very fundamental. It doesn't apply solely to networking careers. Even as a desktop tech, you should have the Network+.
It's an essential cert for people getting started. Once you've got about a year in the field, get your A+. Skim a study guide on it and you should pass without issue. It isn't worth a lot, but some places will screen you based on it. It's stupid but it's how it is.
If you want to get into security, go for your Security+. Another CompTIA cert. I found it to be mostly common sense but that might have just been the questions I got. If you're gonna try to get into security, that's another essential one.
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While I agree with both @PSX_Defector and @scottalanmiller that @Lakshmana is too junior to be looking to enter security, I also agree that it's never too early to start trying to plan out what you might want to do.
However, let me offer this advice: IT is such a broad field and has SO MANY different both general and specialty fields you can enter, that the best thing you can do is just work. If you aren't happy where you are, go somewhere else and try something else. Every organization, even with identical job descriptions, does things differently, supports different clients or types of clients, and you'll be surprised by what you pick up and learn to love.
Although it's pretty niche, even @scottalanmiller refers to me as the "printer guy". That came from my first job in retail at Staples. I've extended my specialty into more business and enterprise level stuff but I gained this passion from a retail-level IT job.
Also, always remember: you can learn something from EVERY job you hold and do
Everywhere you go, everything you do, take something away from it. Whether that is a new technical skill, a life/career lesson, or whatever, grow from everything you do and maintain the attitude that you will grow from everything you do. It will benefit you greatly.
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Basically what I'm saying is that it's good to say "I want to get into security" but I totally agree with @PSX_Defector. Work different jobs, try different things, and while having an idea of going one way may be good and all, you may be surprised what happens along the way and how your path changes.
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@thanksaj said:
It's an essential cert for people getting started. Once you've got about a year in the field, get your A+. Skim a study guide on it and you should pass without issue. It isn't worth a lot, but some places will screen you based on it. It's stupid but it's how it is.
Skip it, you are already past that point in your career. Any job that will look at it will be a career ending position. The time and money you would have to spend to get that is crippling. It's easily twenty times the cost of building a starter lab that will be you much further in your career. It's more expensive than many good certs that would actually help you. Even if you were ready to pass it today, it's not worth the money. Avoid it completely.
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@scottalanmiller I agree with your point Sir.
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@thanksaj said:
Once you've got about a year in the field, get your A+.
No, that's a very entry level cert, It's suppose get you your first job and only do that. I got mine in 8th or 9th grade. It's a pointless cert otherwise.
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@thecreativeone91 said:
@thanksaj said:
Once you've got about a year in the field, get your A+.
No, that's a very entry level cert, It's suppose get you your first job and only do that. I got mine in 8th or 9th grade. It's a pointless cert otherwise.
Exactly. And it was only ever "supposed" to demonstrate six months of entry level experience in bench (not IT) work. It's not even considered an IT cert. It's a bench cert or "pre-IT." Once you've had your first job, of any length, the value of the A+ in IT is expired. If your goal is bench work, rather than IT, then the A+ is pretty much mandatory, but that is a different thing.
The A+ was so poorly done that it quickly dropped from "six months experience" to "shows you are at a minimum level to intern."
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksaj said:
It's an essential cert for people getting started. Once you've got about a year in the field, get your A+. Skim a study guide on it and you should pass without issue. It isn't worth a lot, but some places will screen you based on it. It's stupid but it's how it is.
Skip it, you are already past that point in your career. Any job that will look at it will be a career ending position. The time and money you would have to spend to get that is crippling. It's easily twenty times the cost of building a starter lab that will be you much further in your career. It's more expensive than many good certs that would actually help you. Even if you were ready to pass it today, it's not worth the money. Avoid it completely.
The A+ is maybe $200 to take. I want to say it's around $150. Twenty times the cost of a starter lab? That's a bit extreme...
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@thanksaj said:
The A+ is maybe $200 to take. I want to say it's around $150. Twenty times the cost of a starter lab? That's a bit extreme...
Well since we determined earlier that the $4 CloudatCost Dev1 (after coupon) was too expensive for him and the A+ was $300 (two times $150) last time I saw it... that's way, way more than 20 times!!
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@scottalanmiller said:
@thanksaj said:
The A+ is maybe $200 to take. I want to say it's around $150. Twenty times the cost of a starter lab? That's a bit extreme...
Well since we determined earlier that the $4 CloudatCost Dev1 (after coupon) was too expensive for him and the A+ was $300 (two times $150) last time I saw it... that's way, way more than 20 times!!
True, I forgot about the fact it's two separate tests. Fair enough.
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As Americans, the costs of certification tests are quite low. We don't really think of it as an onerous cost. But to much of the world, any cert test represents a significant investment, especially to people just entering the field. In the US we are used to "grab any cert you can pass", which mostly makes sense. Skip a few nights out, have a few fewer drinks and you've paid for an exam. Doesn't work that way for a lot of people, it's a major investment and picking the wrong cert could be a devastating loss of income.
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@scottalanmiller said:
As Americans, the costs of certification tests are quite low. We don't really think of it as an onerous cost. But to much of the world, any cert test represents a significant investment, especially to people just entering the field. In the US we are used to "grab any cert you can pass", which mostly makes sense. Skip a few nights out, have a few fewer drinks and you've paid for an exam. Doesn't work that way for a lot of people, it's a major investment and picking the wrong cert could be a devastating loss of income.
Ok, fair enough.
