IT job and cert. suggestions

[johnson636]

First let me state that I fully understand the fact that certs. alone really don't guarantee much. I'm searching for answers that deal with obtaining the knowledge of the following skills:

SQL Server and Sequel Query Language

Exchange Server

Group Policy

Backup Exec

Symantec Antivirus (Corporate and Enterprise)

Cisco PIX

Sonicwall

Citrix and Terminal Server

Wyse Terminals

GFI Mail Essentials

Solarwinds

Laserjet printers

Tape drives and libraries

Fibre channel and SCSI attached storage

All RAID levels

Cluster Server

Scripting

Is there one course that covers these skills, or am I looking at more than one course. There are a number of jobs in my area that require these skills, so thats why I'm asking about these certain skills.

I love working with and on computers. I've built at least 5 pc's from the ground up. I often find myself troubleshooting and upgrading my family's and friend's pc's as a hobby, but know I want to get paid for my services. I've created small home networks that consisted of 4 pcs and two printers. I'd like to dabble into a larger scale of networking that didn't deal with cisco routers. I pickup and learn computer related skills and knowledge fairly quickly.

I'm looking for a salary range of 35K-50Kusd; I understand salary varies from company to company, but I'd just like to give you some insight as to what I'm after.

Can you guys give me some suggestions (as far as obtaining certain certs), based on the content of this thread?

[Jeremy]

Maybe talk to a counselor from your local college/university that offers IT courses?

[Zxian]

A college or university probably wouldn't provide those courses. You'd want to ask at a local technical school.

On the other hand, you can probably teach yourself some of the things you've mentioned there through Google and HowStuffWorks.com (i.e. RAID levels).

[CoffeeFiend]

A college or university probably wouldn't provide those courses. You'd want to ask at a local technical school.

Exactly. Thankfully they don't teach such specific skills, but rather just good "general" knowledge (so in a few years what you know is still relevant).

Those things are most often covered by certifications... And god do I hate those things.

Not to mention, it's not like anyone works with all of this. There's stuff from too many domains in there. From database admin, to networking (cisco, sonicwall...), to storage technologies (tapes, RAID, SAN, etc), to "thin" computing (TS/citrix/wyse/etc), to more "general" admin (exchange, GPO, AD, scripting, etc) to basic hardware (tie-your-own-shoes A+, laser printers, etc). Usually, these things are done by different people (except in very small shops, where often one person gets to do everything).

The problem with certs is, they cost more than they're worth for the most part, they're no substitute for experience (a cert with experience is OK, but certs w/o experience makes one look like one of those useless "paper MCSE"). Many certs have to be renewed every couple years or such (who wants to spend 10k$ every 2 years to renew them, and always have to study the latest stuff for it? Unless your pay is too good and you have too much free time on your hands...) And if you don't renew, you eventually end up looking somewhat outdated (how useful is a NT4-era MCSE with Vista now?) Some certs eventually lose pretty much all their value (like Novell certs nowadays). But there are still some certs which are worth something, depending on the field.

Experience/skills and "formal" education (e.g. degree) is what matters the most. Then "networking" (who you know). The only place where the certs really give you an advantage is if you're non-experienced and with certs, over the non-experienced with no certs.

Anyhow. You have to choose which field you want to work into first.