Chapter 22. Next steps
As your month of lunches draws to a close, you should have a pretty good idea of whether you want to continue developing your Cisco networking skills. In this chapter, I’ll give you some learning resources so you can keep the momentum going.
If you’re serious about a career in Cisco networking, the next logical step is getting Cisco-certified. Cisco offers different certification tracks that focus on different technologies, and the most popular track has historically been the Routing and Switching track. The Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) are the two entry-level certifications, but many recruiters and hiring managers haven’t even heard of the CCENT. My advice is that if you’re going to go the certification route, shoot for your CCNA to start with.
Certification gives you three things:
- A solid foundation of network theory
- Practice in advanced configuration and troubleshooting
- More money
A certification often makes the difference between getting an interview and hearing “Do you know anyone else who might be a good fit?” Many years ago, I sat in an office next to a technical recruiter, and this is exactly how it works. Few places will take you seriously as a full-time Cisco network administrator if you don’t have a certification.