I glad you showed the methodology and thinking that went behind coming up with this list. It gives more credibility and validation to your list. Thank you. 🙏
Haha, I see your point. It does require a lot of work. I suppose I'm probably swayed because I've been teaching CCNA since 2009 to students breaking into their IT career. It was also a certificate that I used to break into the career. What certs would you classify as entry level?
@@billsikes1589 There's quite a few variables to consider there. There are some bootcamps that are only two weeks long, but they are very intense. The college classes that I was teaching were a year long, but honestly that's probably a little drawn out. I'd say it depends on how quickly you pick up information, what your using to study, do you have equipment to practice on, and how much other IT experience you have to draw from. I'd estimate that it takes about 150-300 hours of study time to go from knowing nothing about networking to passing your CCNA. I have a methodology for studying and passing certs. At some point, I'll share that on my channel. It's really helped me to use the methodology to crush any certification test.
Trying to pivot from a career as an automotive tech to IT, hoping my troubleshooting skills from my current job will carry over well. Currently working on my A+ cert and then I'll be going into studying for the CCNA while i try to get a help desk role. Not sure where I'll go from there but at least I have an idea for some other certifications thanks to your video!
This is awesome!!! And yes, your troubleshooting skills will carry over. Many people fail to realize that troubleshooting is a skill in itself and needs to be developed just like any other technical skill. That fact that you have experience with that will be a big help in your career! Best of luck on your journey, let me know if any questions come up along the way :)
My fellow Auto tech! I also switched careers early into 2023. I went for the sec+ and got a DOD job on the Navy help desk. You can do it! So much easier on the body and much less automotive drama.
@@brandonhall1420 congrats on your success and I appreciate the encouragement! I really can't wait, being a rust belt mechanic is taking its toll on me and my wallet.
solid advise, i agree although i have 3 certs in your top 7 list (CISM, CISA, CEH) that didnot made it to you recommendations :) with cissp, aws and ccna you can't go wrong!
Wow, that's an impressive lineup! My recommendations were more to give beginners a perspective on a good order to tackle the certs. I consider some of those certs more of an expert level... you've obviously specialized in Security, that's awesome!!!
Awesome! I'm a little out of touch with the newer Microsoft certs, but they were some of the first certs I got 20 years ago. I think they are great ones to get started!
First, you gotta Focus on understanding networking fundamentals, then explore CCNA syllabus and study materials, practice with hands-on labs, and consider using online resources like Cisco's official documentation and practice exams all available online for free. Joining a study group or forum can also be beneficial for discussions and clarifying doubts.. If you live in Bangalore, India, there is an amazing free mentorship given by ROOMAN TECHNOLOGIES under PMKVY scheme, which covers most of the network fundamentals and makes you a great Networking professional.
completely agree! The way AI is reshaping our work lives is just incredible. I've seen firsthand how it streamlines tasks and enhances productivity. One thing that's really exciting is how collaborative AI platforms, like SmythOS, are pushing boundaries even further by allowing multiple AI agents to work together seamlessly.
Nice! I'm not too familiar with the AI certs, haven't looked much into those. Best of luck on the CompTIA certs! I'll be coming out with a lot more content geared towards those certs, some basic certs and those geared around security.
I disagree that Cisco certainly aren’t highly valued. Everyone is hyping the Cloud but there will ALWAYS be a need for physical networking and the CCNA is highly valued as a foundation.
I completely agree that CCNA still is highly valued. I also think that people seem to want to skip those foundational skills and skip straight to the hype of security or cloud, which isn't great in my book. Sorry if I gave the impression that Cisco isn't highly valued, the CCNA is still very prevalent out there and shows up on a lot of job descriptions. All the ones that show up on my list are highly valued certs, otherwise they wouldn't be there. I am a CCNA instructor and put quite a bit of weight into it. It's actually one I recommend for people getting into the career. I will say it's not as valued as it once was 10-15 years ago. When I first got my CCNA in 2006, it was a hot certification and showed up on everyone's hot certification list. It's just not showing up on the lists like it used to though.
@@TechKnowSurge oh ok, I understand. Yes, Cloud and Security are what pays the most atm so that’s what everyone is excited about now. Even Cisco has their Cloud integration cert now. But you’re fully right on with those AWS certs, those things are HOT.
I have no IT experience but I'm looking to obtain my CCNA, then a cloud based cert, then a security cert. I really want to break into the triple digit salary ranges..
Good stuff, thank you for your concise but data-driven recommendations. I feel a little more confident narrowing down my own research in what cert(s) to pursue.
@@user-rq7cg1xj5e CCNA is more valuable, but harder to get. They cover a lot of the same stuff, but CCNA is much more hands on. CCNA is vendor specific (Cisco), but still applies to a lot of other vendors. Ultimately, I look at the Network+ as an entry level cert that is good to get your first job. CCNA is a cert that not only can get your foot in the door, but is valuable throughout your career.
Personally my "hit list" for certifications over the next year or so look like this: Salesforce Associate/ Admin/ Analytics, CABCP (business continuity) & CRMA (Risk), Net + /Sec + / CISSP-Associate, ITIL. It is worth mentioning that I work mostly in sales and thus am looking for credentials that help with solidifying my career as an expert in risk / risk mitigation by selling respected products.
WOW! That's a lot of certs! I"ll be releasing a bunch of content for Sec+ soon, and at some point, I would like to create content for the CISSP. Best of luck on your journey!!!
@@LazloArcadia Nice approach! I have a similar long list of videos and courses I want to create :). Best of luck to you, hope I have a few videos to help you on your journey!
Dude, most of these are not entry level certifications, you have to have years of experience and other certifications just to be able to qualify to sit for the exam. Cisip is at the top because of how hard it is to actually pass. You need years of experience to be able to get that same thing for the PMP. You just can't sit for it you have to have like 4 years of experience a college degree and/or two or three other certs just to qualify to sit for it and they will audit your experience if they think it's questionable...
Neither of those made the cut. ITIL made it on two of the lists that I looked at and PRINCE2 made it on one of the lists. I do like ITIL though. There just isn't a huge focus on the management side, most of the recommended certs are either more technical or deal with cybersecurity.
Great video and very helpful. Currently I am studying for the Google Digital Leader certification. Trying not to get too distracted by the wealth of other certifications.
I'm looking to get my CCNA next year. As of right now I'm trying to get SEC+, Cloud+, Data+, and Project+. It might seem kind of weird but I got vouchers because I took the class and either got an A or B in the class so why waste the vouchers? They're all CompTIA but I do have some experience with AWS.
@@matthiasmoorefield4172 Haha, one of the reasons why I prefer the CCNA over the Network+. I do like some of their certs though. Security+, Linux+, and Project+ are great certs. Security+ does fall under the "generic" category, but quite frankly, a lot of security certs out there are the same way.
I have my CCNA. I think I will go for 13 (CCNP) before even 2 (AWS Solutions). Do you recommend that? I would also agree that I think CCNA is not entry level. I would say it's professional even though CCNP has professional in its name.
That's awesome, CCNA is one of my favorites! CCNP and AWS are very different certs. It depends on what career goals you have. If you love the hardware, Cisco, and networking, the CCNP is a great route to go. If your more into the Sys Admin side, then AWS would probably be a better cert for you. Another factor to consider is how recent you got your CCNA. I found the CCNP wasn't a difficult next step once I had my CCNA. In some ways it's easier since you already have the background of the CCNA. If you have the momentum of getting your CCNA recently and know you want a CCNP in the future, do it now. The AWS would be drastic shift in what your studying. One thing you might want to do is stage your CCNP tests. To renew your CCNA, you have to take a test every 3 years. Eventually, you'll have your CCNP, and will have updated your CCNA at the same time. Ultimately, I get back to my first point though, what is your end goal. Do you want to become a Network Engineer, a Sys Admin, DevOps Engineer, Security Professional, or ???. That would change how I answer your question.
@@TechKnowSurge Hi, what do you think about certs to get for a Network and System Engineer? CCNA, AWS, Linux+, Security+, CCNP? Would this be a good pathway?
@@manphan6689 If your desire is a System Engineer, I would go after the CCNA then the CCNP. I would also consider getting a CCIE. If you want a System Engineer role, I'd say go for the CCNA, Security+, AWS, and Linux+. Sometimes the best thing to do is just pick a direction and go with it. Sometimes, your career finds you. That is, opportunities open up and guide you directions you didn't know you would go down, but end up being great. Those opportunities open up for those who are continually growing, so the important thing is to keep pushing forward.
CCISP isnt for everyone like you said you have a few hurdles like qualifications, 2 years experence in the feild of security etc. My job role involves office 365 products so sticking with microsoft certification. Google and AWS is not as important I find in the UK. I think thats why they are most sought after at the moment not as much people use it unless at the top profesional architect level.
Great information on trends in the UK! Great to know!!! I agree on the CISSP isn't for everyone. The hurdles are a big part that make the cert so valuable. However, it is more of a security management degree. Not everyone wants to get into the management side. I used to be heavy into the Microsoft certs. They've really transitioned their certs now though, so not familiar at all with the newer certs.
You're in a great spot! Experience is the best when it comes to hiring for your next move, so the fact you've got 3 years experience is great! Next move is to get a cert that's going to stretch you. I don't recommend something generic or entry level, stay away from A+, Net+... Instead, choose something that shows your ready for the next step. Probably more admin like certs. I'd recommend looking into a Microsoft cloud admin cert or an AWS cert. This would get you some needed admin skills and show employers your serious about progression. Either way, your in a great window, but don't wait too long. i don't recommend people stay too long in an entry level position. The people that I know of that stay to long in helpdesk/deskside support end up getting stuck there. Probably mostly because their motivational level, but I think it also signals to employers that you don't have great initiative making it harder to move up the longer you stay there. Best of luck to you and keep me posted :)
I currently hold A+, Security+, MS AZ-900, MS AI-900, and LPI Linux Essentials. I am trying to transition into an IT role and want to get into a cloud based position. What is your take on Salesforce?
Awesome, way to go on your certs!!! Are you asking about Salesforce admin certs and roles? I think it's a good option as a career and you can make fairly descent money at it. I don't think it lines up with the certs you have so far and doesn't have as much potential as a career. Salesforce is somewhat specialized and you don't need to be nearly as technical as other admin jobs. No doubt there are good opportunities with it, but has much more limitations than a typical IT role would have.
I’m computer engineering graduate but i don’t have much knowledge with computers and couldn’t find a job. I’m planning to take A+ as a beginning but not sure if i just need to study it without taking the cert or should i take the cert cuz it will cost me. And from that i may take CCNA or Az-104 or maybe another one idk I feel lost Any recommendation ? 😢
I don't know if certs are your next best steps. If you have a computer engineering degree, that should be enough to get your foot in the door. What employers will look at is experience, degrees, and then certs... in that order. It's difficult to break into the market, even with more entry level positions. Many of them want experience as well. I always recommend people start volunteering to get experience. Volunteering does many things for you. 1 - experience. 2 - Builds your resume. 3 - Gives you something to talk about in the interview. 4 - shows employers your serious about learning. 5 - Creates a network with others that could lead to a job. I've found those who take that extra initiative end up getting a job much faster than those who don't. That doesn't mean you have to stop going after certs, that will certainly help as well, I just wouldn't make that your primary focus. I'm not sure what your background is, so not sure about the A+. It can be a good stepping stone, but not the best. CCNA is a great cert. As for take the exam or not, I have two videos that address that question. Here are the links: ruclips.net/video/bx-aAlBaQG8/видео.html ruclips.net/video/LYutuJjnkcI/видео.html
YES! That's one of the great things about this industry, it has a low entry point, but really great upward mobility. Realize, no degree can limit you for some employers. Hiring managers are all different and are looking for different qualifications. Some may require you to have a degree. It seems like the requirement for a degree continues to decrease with time. I'd say most hiring managers put way more emphasis on experience. Unless your going for a really advanced cert, like the CISSP, I look at certs to get you to the next step. Certs can be a great way to get your foot in the door. They are not the equivalent of a degree. A degree shows that you can stick with something for years and achieve a long term goal. Certs don't show that long term initiative. However, there is a growing trend of getting more direct skills and experience for a position and bypassing more formal education. I hired a student of mine and started them at $42k a year. They had just started school and quickly dropped out of school after I hired them. About 7 years later, they were at $150k a year. They happened to hit the market and positions just right, so he was an outlier, but none the less, it shows that you don't need a degree in this career to do really well. FYI, I will be creating training that explains how to grow your career. I also have training I'll be releasing to get someone for ground zero to fully employable and beyond. All just takes time, but I'm getting there :)
Ha! I've already started thinking about changes I'll make and ways to improve for my 2025 cert video. I think this flags one change I should make, lol. :)
So far I have achieved CCNA and Security+ I am now preparing for MS-900. Will these three certs help me get into help desk job or should I supplement it further with Linux+ and Server+ ?
Awesome!!! Great job on your CCNA and Security+!!! No, you don't need more certs for a helpdesk job. CCNA is a big cert, and having that gives you lots of creds! I recommend getting into a job now so you can start getting practical experience. Experience is better than certs, so certs just gets you in the door. Linux+ and Server+ probably won't help get a helpdesk job, so those aren't necessary for getting your foot in the door. After your done with MS-900, you could go after those two certs so you can advance your career once you get a little experience under your belt. I think Linux+ is a great cert! Server+ is probably ok, but if you go after it, it's more of a stepping stone for other certs that are a little more applicable. Best of luck to you!!!
@@TechKnowSurge Thankyou for getting back. It's worrying that help desk jobs in the UK asks for a minimum of 1 year experience. So I thought getting more certs would help in considering the experience criteria. I hope these three certs will help me set my foot in the IT. But as soon as I pass MS-900, which should probably take a week, I will start applying for jobs.
@@BlackRa1n58 Awesome!!! Best of luck on your test, write back and let me know how it goes :) Yes, there are a lot of employers don't want to train a new person just to have them leave. Many job will list as wanting experience. It's a reality here in the states as well. That's actually one of the reasons I recommend people to start volunteering. Volunteering does many things for you. 1 - experience. 2 - Builds your resume (I believe UK calls it your CV). 3 - Gives you something to talk about in the interview. 4 - shows employers your serious about learning. 5 - Creates a network with others that could lead to a job. I've found those who take that extra initiative end up getting a job much faster than those who don't. Also, keep pressing on doors. It's hard to get your foot in the door, but it becomes impossible if you never start knocking :). I personally am less concerned with experience and more concerned with initiative. That's not all employers out there, but if you are a motivated person with high initiative, you'll find a job and opportunities will open up.
@@TechKnowSurge I passed MS-900 this morning. Thought I would get it done in a week but took me an additional week. I was assuming it would be about MS Word, Excel stuff lol. I will be taking few days off as I am burnt out with SEC+ and MS-900 information and start applying for jobs or voluntary work. Now my only goal is to get a job in IT before 2025 :)
The government has the best cybesecurity positions. You have to be recommended by a certified pro and serve as an apprentices for a year before you can become freelance.
Hmm, not sure what your objecting to. Is it that fact that so many sources had PMP and CEH listed? Why would that be a waste of time, wouldn't you want to know why these sources had those listed? Were you not paying attention that I was just presenting the information that I found? If so, I don't think you can claim a full 10 minutes of your life back as you didn't devote your full attention to the video. Are you one that likes to write negative comments on a lot of videos? If so, I'm truly sorry for the hand you were delt in life, I wish you the best. Ultimately, I'd have no problem refunding your 10 minutes back. Unfortunately, It's not within my power to do so. As for the certs, PMP has my full backing. It's the most well known and legitimate Project management cert there is. You have to log a lot of hours to attain it and people who hold a PMP make a LOT of money. I can't fathom why there would be an objection to the PMP.? I'm not as familiar with the CEH. I do know there are a lot of haters out there and the main complaint is it's not a real applicable cert. There are two major measurements of a certs value (and several minor measurements). 1 - The skills you obtain and prove with the cert; 2 - How recognized it is for hiring and pay bumps. The main complaint seems to be over #1 and the haters seems to overlook the value of #2.
@@danmaster9183 Lol, there's always ITF+, that's pretty minimal. What's funny is that I've found that easiest jobs to get into are sometimes the hardest jobs. That is, my helpdesk entry level position was the person who always had the most on their plate. My more sr level positions were always busy, but often would have a more relaxed pace and less interruptions.
Here are the list of articles: www.cio.com/article/193586/top-15-it-certifications-in-demand-today.html www.coursera.org/articles/essential-it-certifications-entry-level-and-beginner www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/top-it-certifications www.pcmag.com/news/highest-paying-it-certifications www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/resources/resource-library/articles/10-top-paying-it-certifications/#gref www.comptia.org/blog/top-paying-it-certifications www.skillsoft.com/blog/top-paying-it-certifications www.shiksha.com/online-courses/articles/top-paying-certifications/ cointelegraph.com/news/top-7-it-certifications aws.plainenglish.io/top-tech-certifications-e3cef39c3b5 What do you feel is contradicting? What have you seen?
@@TechKnowSurge Thanks 😁 I'll take a look at them later. From what I have seen from other RUclipsrs, LinkedIn personalities, and some people I know in the industry, some of these are considered kind of legacy certs. For example, the CEH is almost not talked about or looked at in some cases because the cert leans more towards memorization and theory rather than hands on experience. I haven't seen anyone mention anything Google related other than that Cyber Security certificate and a few other things. At the end of the day I think all of them can help obviously but I'm seeing that the effort/cost doesn't match the reward. Like CISSP is absolutely going to help but it's not each, it's crazy tough, and it requires actual time in the industry so I'm shocked it's ranked so high. Now to be fair, I am at the junior/mid level so I might also be biased in my content consumption.
@@kennorman1142 Great info! I've never been a huge fan of CEH, the name alone almost seems a little gimmicky... and kind of cool at the same time, lol. I seen it on peoples lists for years, but not usually high on peoples list. I've been surprised about the google certs being so popular as they are. It definitely is showing up on peoples lists. The cloud is a hot topic and google is one of the bigger players. I've personally never been a big fan of Google cloud. They were pretty late to the game. I'm a big AWS fan and I've been a customer of them for years. In my book AWS is the way to go for most IaaS services, although there is use cases for Azure as well. I do think you would find AWS and Azure more appealing to an employer than Google Cloud. The only other players that might be a consideration for me is a local company that offers something unique. In my book, CISSP is the pinnacle of certs. It's by far the most stringent of requirements and earns the top seat. You are correct, it's a lot more difficult to get. The material itself actually isn't that bad, it just covers a really broad spectrum. Although I would say security is that way in general, you must have both a depth and breadth of the industry to be a true security guru. It's the reason why I put Security as being an expert level in my three tier career model. Thankfully I don't really need to defend any of the list... I just pulled together the data that I found. One of the reasons I did it this way is because I've always found conflicting information out there. I figure this was the least bias way I could pull together the info.
There were 4 recommendations for 3 different GIAC certifications. This wasn't enough to make the cutoff that I had, but they were mentioned in the sources I looked at.
Linux wasn't mentioned in any of the sources I used. The closest thing was Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) by the Linux Foundation, but it was only mentioned once
Haha, you're not the first person to say that. It's got a catchy title, which is why I think it became popular. There are two primary aspects to the value that certs bring. 1-The skill and knowledge you gain by achieving the cert, and 2-How much more employable you are. My general sense of the CEH is that its very high level which doesn't add much value to ones skill and knowledge, but that it still does give your resume a bit of a boost... at least to some positions/hiring managers. If that's the case, it's not complete rubbish. However, I'm not too familiar with it, I'm just presenting the data that I found.
The PMP is a certification in itself. That's the most well known project management cert there is. That's the one I would recommend. The requirements are pretty stiff though, with 3-5 years experience depending if you have a 4 year degree or not. If you can't meet those qualifications, go with the CAPM then.
Linux wasn't mentioned in any of the sources I used. The closest thing was Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) by the Linux Foundation, but it was only mentioned once
I glad you showed the methodology and thinking that went behind coming up with this list.
It gives more credibility and validation to your list.
Thank you. 🙏
You bet, glad you appreciated that.
It's funny how many objected to the list when really I just compiled the data.
This was very organized and helpful. Thank you!
Awesome, glad you liked it!
This is the best video I've seen about IT certifications. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Awesome! So glad you liked it!!!
CCNA is not really an entry level certification…. It requires a lot of work , especially if you have zero exposure into Networking
Haha, I see your point. It does require a lot of work. I suppose I'm probably swayed because I've been teaching CCNA since 2009 to students breaking into their IT career. It was also a certificate that I used to break into the career. What certs would you classify as entry level?
how long would it take to pass CCNA without any prior networking knowledge
@@billsikes1589 There's quite a few variables to consider there. There are some bootcamps that are only two weeks long, but they are very intense. The college classes that I was teaching were a year long, but honestly that's probably a little drawn out. I'd say it depends on how quickly you pick up information, what your using to study, do you have equipment to practice on, and how much other IT experience you have to draw from.
I'd estimate that it takes about 150-300 hours of study time to go from knowing nothing about networking to passing your CCNA.
I have a methodology for studying and passing certs. At some point, I'll share that on my channel. It's really helped me to use the methodology to crush any certification test.
Womp womp
Great content Andrew! Much appreciated. I'm going to finish the Microsoft cert and likely add the CCNA. AWS later on. Happy New Year! Les
Great Les, and thanks for the comment! Great Choices!!! Let me know if you have any questions, here to help!!!
Thank you! Working on the ISC2 currently
Awesome! Going after you CISSP or another one?
@@TechKnowSurge starting with the CC (certification in cybersecurity) and working my way up from there
Trying to pivot from a career as an automotive tech to IT, hoping my troubleshooting skills from my current job will carry over well. Currently working on my A+ cert and then I'll be going into studying for the CCNA while i try to get a help desk role. Not sure where I'll go from there but at least I have an idea for some other certifications thanks to your video!
This is awesome!!! And yes, your troubleshooting skills will carry over. Many people fail to realize that troubleshooting is a skill in itself and needs to be developed just like any other technical skill. That fact that you have experience with that will be a big help in your career!
Best of luck on your journey, let me know if any questions come up along the way :)
@@TechKnowSurge I appreciate it and I definitely will!
@@GoWailord Awesome, hope you enjoy the rest of the content I'm creating, I'm about to have a whole Security course launch :)
My fellow Auto tech! I also switched careers early into 2023. I went for the sec+ and got a DOD job on the Navy help desk. You can do it! So much easier on the body and much less automotive drama.
@@brandonhall1420 congrats on your success and I appreciate the encouragement! I really can't wait, being a rust belt mechanic is taking its toll on me and my wallet.
am a beginner in the information technology field so will go for networking/CCNA and Microsoft certifications
Thanks for your video
Great plan! Best of luck to you!!! and thank you!!! 😃
Great tips, thanks for your time.
I would love to get into security
Awesome! I'll be coming out with more security content soon. Thanks for watching my video!!!
solid advise, i agree although i have 3 certs in your top 7 list (CISM, CISA, CEH) that didnot made it to you recommendations :) with cissp, aws and ccna you can't go wrong!
Wow, that's an impressive lineup! My recommendations were more to give beginners a perspective on a good order to tackle the certs. I consider some of those certs more of an expert level... you've obviously specialized in Security, that's awesome!!!
My first cert will be Microsoft 365 (MS 900) Fundamentals
Awesome! I'm a little out of touch with the newer Microsoft certs, but they were some of the first certs I got 20 years ago. I think they are great ones to get started!
Did you get it and if so how has it benefited you? I’m considering getting it but I’m not sure. Thank you
Is the exam hard?
Good advice. Much needed.
Awesome! Glad it was helpful!!!
I really liked how you broke down the level and certs
Thank you! Glad you liked it!!!
Thanks for recomending these certs! I am into learning CCNA and wanna get into Networking!
Awesome! CCNA is a great cert, something I've been teaching for a long time. Network Engineering is a great career!!!
hlo friend I am also preparing for ccna can you help me please
First, you gotta Focus on understanding networking fundamentals, then explore CCNA syllabus and study materials, practice with hands-on labs, and consider using online resources like Cisco's official documentation and practice exams all available online for free. Joining a study group or forum can also be beneficial for discussions and clarifying doubts.. If you live in Bangalore, India, there is an amazing free mentorship given by ROOMAN TECHNOLOGIES under PMKVY scheme, which covers most of the network fundamentals and makes you a great Networking professional.
how to contact you and no im not from bangalore
@@littlejin-n8x You got it. I have a lot of resources out for the CCNA. Most of it is on my RUclips channel. Just look at my play lists :)
completely agree! The way AI is reshaping our work lives is just incredible. I've seen firsthand how it streamlines tasks and enhances productivity. One thing that's really exciting is how collaborative AI platforms, like SmythOS, are pushing boundaries even further by allowing multiple AI agents to work together seamlessly.
Nice! AI has certainly made my job easier 😃
I'm on the CompTia Courses as well paralell growing in AI Certificates.
Nice! I'm not too familiar with the AI certs, haven't looked much into those. Best of luck on the CompTIA certs! I'll be coming out with a lot more content geared towards those certs, some basic certs and those geared around security.
Thank you very much for this detailed presentation, Sir.
You are very welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed!
I disagree that Cisco certainly aren’t highly valued. Everyone is hyping the Cloud but there will ALWAYS be a need for physical networking and the CCNA is highly valued as a foundation.
I completely agree that CCNA still is highly valued. I also think that people seem to want to skip those foundational skills and skip straight to the hype of security or cloud, which isn't great in my book.
Sorry if I gave the impression that Cisco isn't highly valued, the CCNA is still very prevalent out there and shows up on a lot of job descriptions. All the ones that show up on my list are highly valued certs, otherwise they wouldn't be there. I am a CCNA instructor and put quite a bit of weight into it. It's actually one I recommend for people getting into the career.
I will say it's not as valued as it once was 10-15 years ago. When I first got my CCNA in 2006, it was a hot certification and showed up on everyone's hot certification list. It's just not showing up on the lists like it used to though.
@@TechKnowSurge oh ok, I understand. Yes, Cloud and Security are what pays the most atm so that’s what everyone is excited about now. Even Cisco has their Cloud integration cert now. But you’re fully right on with those AWS certs, those things are HOT.
@@Akihito007 Yes they are! 😀
Did you saw that book? Least 800 pages! 😂
I have no IT experience but I'm looking to obtain my CCNA, then a cloud based cert, then a security cert. I really want to break into the triple digit salary ranges..
Awesome! Sounds like your taking the right steps. I have a lot of resources published for the CCNA. It's a course I've been teaching for years :)
Appreciate your research. Good job🎉🎉🎉
Awesome, glad you liked it!!!
Good stuff, thank you for your concise but data-driven recommendations. I feel a little more confident narrowing down my own research in what cert(s) to pursue.
Awesome, glad you liked it!!! What certs are you deciding between?
@@TechKnowSurge starting off with network+ and then server+, then moving onto more of the specialized stuff if I get those ones down!
@@user-rq7cg1xj5e Nice! Best of luck to you!!! I do have some CCNA content also, and I'm about to make some updates to it :)
@@TechKnowSurge Thank you! Would you recommend the CCNA instead of Network+?
@@user-rq7cg1xj5e CCNA is more valuable, but harder to get. They cover a lot of the same stuff, but CCNA is much more hands on. CCNA is vendor specific (Cisco), but still applies to a lot of other vendors. Ultimately, I look at the Network+ as an entry level cert that is good to get your first job. CCNA is a cert that not only can get your foot in the door, but is valuable throughout your career.
Personally my "hit list" for certifications over the next year or so look like this: Salesforce Associate/ Admin/ Analytics, CABCP (business continuity) & CRMA (Risk), Net + /Sec + / CISSP-Associate, ITIL. It is worth mentioning that I work mostly in sales and thus am looking for credentials that help with solidifying my career as an expert in risk / risk mitigation by selling respected products.
WOW! That's a lot of certs! I"ll be releasing a bunch of content for Sec+ soon, and at some point, I would like to create content for the CISSP. Best of luck on your journey!!!
I completely agree. As I said, that is my "Hit List", if I can get at least some of them off of that list, i will have considered it to be a success
@@LazloArcadia Nice approach! I have a similar long list of videos and courses I want to create :). Best of luck to you, hope I have a few videos to help you on your journey!
Thanks! Great video! Thinking about the CISSP\
Glad you liked it!!! 😃
I'll have some videos and resources for the CISSP eventually. Might take me a while to get there though.
Dude, most of these are not entry level certifications, you have to have years of experience and other certifications just to be able to qualify to sit for the exam. Cisip is at the top because of how hard it is to actually pass. You need years of experience to be able to get that same thing for the PMP. You just can't sit for it you have to have like 4 years of experience a college degree and/or two or three other certs just to qualify to sit for it and they will audit your experience if they think it's questionable...
No doubt, many of these are more advanced certifications. Where you expecting a video covering just entry level certs?
I want to after CCNA & Microsoft first then advance my career with a Cyber Security cert
Great plan! get a strong technical base and then specialize in cybersecurity, what a great combo!
I think you forget peoplecert axelos that has ITIL and PRINCE2. they are recognized global best practice
Neither of those made the cut. ITIL made it on two of the lists that I looked at and PRINCE2 made it on one of the lists. I do like ITIL though. There just isn't a huge focus on the management side, most of the recommended certs are either more technical or deal with cybersecurity.
Great video and very helpful. Currently I am studying for the Google Digital Leader certification. Trying not to get too distracted by the wealth of other certifications.
Thanks! Awesome, good luck on achieving your cert!!!
I'm looking to get my CCNA next year. As of right now I'm trying to get SEC+, Cloud+, Data+, and Project+. It might seem kind of weird but I got vouchers because I took the class and either got an A or B in the class so why waste the vouchers? They're all CompTIA but I do have some experience with AWS.
Awesome! Sounds amazing, great job!!!
Don't let CompTIA steal your money for generic unapplied knowledge.
@@matthiasmoorefield4172 Haha, one of the reasons why I prefer the CCNA over the Network+. I do like some of their certs though. Security+, Linux+, and Project+ are great certs. Security+ does fall under the "generic" category, but quite frankly, a lot of security certs out there are the same way.
I have my CCNA. I think I will go for 13 (CCNP) before even 2 (AWS Solutions). Do you recommend that? I would also agree that I think CCNA is not entry level. I would say it's professional even though CCNP has professional in its name.
That's awesome, CCNA is one of my favorites!
CCNP and AWS are very different certs. It depends on what career goals you have. If you love the hardware, Cisco, and networking, the CCNP is a great route to go. If your more into the Sys Admin side, then AWS would probably be a better cert for you.
Another factor to consider is how recent you got your CCNA. I found the CCNP wasn't a difficult next step once I had my CCNA. In some ways it's easier since you already have the background of the CCNA. If you have the momentum of getting your CCNA recently and know you want a CCNP in the future, do it now. The AWS would be drastic shift in what your studying.
One thing you might want to do is stage your CCNP tests. To renew your CCNA, you have to take a test every 3 years. Eventually, you'll have your CCNP, and will have updated your CCNA at the same time.
Ultimately, I get back to my first point though, what is your end goal. Do you want to become a Network Engineer, a Sys Admin, DevOps Engineer, Security Professional, or ???. That would change how I answer your question.
@@TechKnowSurge Hi, what do you think about certs to get for a Network and System Engineer? CCNA, AWS, Linux+, Security+, CCNP? Would this be a good pathway?
@@manphan6689 If your desire is a System Engineer, I would go after the CCNA then the CCNP. I would also consider getting a CCIE. If you want a System Engineer role, I'd say go for the CCNA, Security+, AWS, and Linux+.
Sometimes the best thing to do is just pick a direction and go with it. Sometimes, your career finds you. That is, opportunities open up and guide you directions you didn't know you would go down, but end up being great. Those opportunities open up for those who are continually growing, so the important thing is to keep pushing forward.
I am preparing for CCNA but most people recommend that it would be better to go for security, devops or cloud , idk what to do please guide me.
Great question! I created a video to answer it. Here it is...
ruclips.net/video/bm8oi7sbltE/видео.html
Let me know if it answers your question.
CCISP isnt for everyone like you said you have a few hurdles like qualifications, 2 years experence in the feild of security etc. My job role involves office 365 products so sticking with microsoft certification. Google and AWS is not as important I find in the UK. I think thats why they are most sought after at the moment not as much people use it unless at the top profesional architect level.
Great information on trends in the UK! Great to know!!!
I agree on the CISSP isn't for everyone. The hurdles are a big part that make the cert so valuable. However, it is more of a security management degree. Not everyone wants to get into the management side.
I used to be heavy into the Microsoft certs. They've really transitioned their certs now though, so not familiar at all with the newer certs.
Ive been doing deskside support for 3 years now . And i dont know what cert i should take to upgrade to move up
You're in a great spot! Experience is the best when it comes to hiring for your next move, so the fact you've got 3 years experience is great!
Next move is to get a cert that's going to stretch you. I don't recommend something generic or entry level, stay away from A+, Net+... Instead, choose something that shows your ready for the next step. Probably more admin like certs. I'd recommend looking into a Microsoft cloud admin cert or an AWS cert. This would get you some needed admin skills and show employers your serious about progression.
Either way, your in a great window, but don't wait too long. i don't recommend people stay too long in an entry level position. The people that I know of that stay to long in helpdesk/deskside support end up getting stuck there. Probably mostly because their motivational level, but I think it also signals to employers that you don't have great initiative making it harder to move up the longer you stay there.
Best of luck to you and keep me posted :)
I currently hold A+, Security+, MS AZ-900, MS AI-900, and LPI Linux Essentials.
I am trying to transition into an IT role and want to get into a cloud based position. What is your take on Salesforce?
Awesome, way to go on your certs!!!
Are you asking about Salesforce admin certs and roles? I think it's a good option as a career and you can make fairly descent money at it. I don't think it lines up with the certs you have so far and doesn't have as much potential as a career. Salesforce is somewhat specialized and you don't need to be nearly as technical as other admin jobs. No doubt there are good opportunities with it, but has much more limitations than a typical IT role would have.
I want to go in for security, can I have an entry course since I have much ideas on networking?
You bet, I have my Foundations of Cybersecurity course posted on RUclips. It's also on Udemy and I'm building out an LMS as well.
I’m computer engineering graduate but i don’t have much knowledge with computers and couldn’t find a job.
I’m planning to take A+ as a beginning but not sure if i just need to study it without taking the cert or should i take the cert cuz it will cost me.
And from that i may take CCNA or Az-104 or maybe another one idk
I feel lost
Any recommendation ? 😢
I don't know if certs are your next best steps. If you have a computer engineering degree, that should be enough to get your foot in the door. What employers will look at is experience, degrees, and then certs... in that order.
It's difficult to break into the market, even with more entry level positions. Many of them want experience as well. I always recommend people start volunteering to get experience.
Volunteering does many things for you. 1 - experience. 2 - Builds your resume. 3 - Gives you something to talk about in the interview. 4 - shows employers your serious about learning. 5 - Creates a network with others that could lead to a job. I've found those who take that extra initiative end up getting a job much faster than those who don't.
That doesn't mean you have to stop going after certs, that will certainly help as well, I just wouldn't make that your primary focus. I'm not sure what your background is, so not sure about the A+. It can be a good stepping stone, but not the best. CCNA is a great cert.
As for take the exam or not, I have two videos that address that question. Here are the links:
ruclips.net/video/bx-aAlBaQG8/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/LYutuJjnkcI/видео.html
Thank you very much for this list! Can a few good certifications get you a job in lieu of a bachelor's degree?
YES! That's one of the great things about this industry, it has a low entry point, but really great upward mobility.
Realize, no degree can limit you for some employers. Hiring managers are all different and are looking for different qualifications. Some may require you to have a degree. It seems like the requirement for a degree continues to decrease with time. I'd say most hiring managers put way more emphasis on experience.
Unless your going for a really advanced cert, like the CISSP, I look at certs to get you to the next step. Certs can be a great way to get your foot in the door. They are not the equivalent of a degree. A degree shows that you can stick with something for years and achieve a long term goal. Certs don't show that long term initiative. However, there is a growing trend of getting more direct skills and experience for a position and bypassing more formal education.
I hired a student of mine and started them at $42k a year. They had just started school and quickly dropped out of school after I hired them. About 7 years later, they were at $150k a year. They happened to hit the market and positions just right, so he was an outlier, but none the less, it shows that you don't need a degree in this career to do really well.
FYI, I will be creating training that explains how to grow your career. I also have training I'll be releasing to get someone for ground zero to fully employable and beyond. All just takes time, but I'm getting there :)
Thanks !
You bet!
Video starts at 5:28
Ha! I've already started thinking about changes I'll make and ways to improve for my 2025 cert video. I think this flags one change I should make, lol. :)
So far I have achieved CCNA and Security+
I am now preparing for MS-900.
Will these three certs help me get into help desk job or should I supplement it further with Linux+ and Server+ ?
Awesome!!! Great job on your CCNA and Security+!!!
No, you don't need more certs for a helpdesk job. CCNA is a big cert, and having that gives you lots of creds! I recommend getting into a job now so you can start getting practical experience. Experience is better than certs, so certs just gets you in the door.
Linux+ and Server+ probably won't help get a helpdesk job, so those aren't necessary for getting your foot in the door. After your done with MS-900, you could go after those two certs so you can advance your career once you get a little experience under your belt. I think Linux+ is a great cert! Server+ is probably ok, but if you go after it, it's more of a stepping stone for other certs that are a little more applicable.
Best of luck to you!!!
@@TechKnowSurge Thankyou for getting back.
It's worrying that help desk jobs in the UK asks for a minimum of 1 year experience. So I thought getting more certs would help in considering the experience criteria. I hope these three certs will help me set my foot in the IT.
But as soon as I pass MS-900, which should probably take a week, I will start applying for jobs.
@@BlackRa1n58 Awesome!!! Best of luck on your test, write back and let me know how it goes :)
Yes, there are a lot of employers don't want to train a new person just to have them leave. Many job will list as wanting experience. It's a reality here in the states as well.
That's actually one of the reasons I recommend people to start volunteering. Volunteering does many things for you. 1 - experience. 2 - Builds your resume (I believe UK calls it your CV). 3 - Gives you something to talk about in the interview. 4 - shows employers your serious about learning. 5 - Creates a network with others that could lead to a job. I've found those who take that extra initiative end up getting a job much faster than those who don't.
Also, keep pressing on doors. It's hard to get your foot in the door, but it becomes impossible if you never start knocking :).
I personally am less concerned with experience and more concerned with initiative. That's not all employers out there, but if you are a motivated person with high initiative, you'll find a job and opportunities will open up.
@@TechKnowSurge I passed MS-900 this morning. Thought I would get it done in a week but took me an additional week. I was assuming it would be about MS Word, Excel stuff lol.
I will be taking few days off as I am burnt out with SEC+ and MS-900 information and start applying for jobs or voluntary work.
Now my only goal is to get a job in IT before 2025 :)
@@BlackRa1n58 AWESOME!!! WAY TO GO!!! Yes, take a break, you deserve it. And thank you for giving me an update 😃
The government has the best cybesecurity positions. You have to be recommended by a certified pro and serve as an apprentices for a year before you can become freelance.
Great tip! Thank you for sharing!!!
I am planning to take the Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) with Adrian Cantrill
Great cert! Thanks for sharing!!!
Thank you very much, man! This video really helped.
So glad you liked it!!! I appreciate your support :)
I'm non IT student and i want grow my career in tech or IT so what can i prefer plz suggest to me...
A great route is A+ -> CCNA -> Security+. I'll be launching some courses for beginners real soon. It will step you through the whole process.
Nice sir ❤
Thanks, glad you enjoyed!
ISACA, so hot right now. -TechKnowSurge
Awesome! Very hot right now!!!
PMP? CEH? I can understand the rest, but really? It seems very first order in thinking. I want the last 10 minutes of my life back.
Hmm, not sure what your objecting to.
Is it that fact that so many sources had PMP and CEH listed? Why would that be a waste of time, wouldn't you want to know why these sources had those listed? Were you not paying attention that I was just presenting the information that I found? If so, I don't think you can claim a full 10 minutes of your life back as you didn't devote your full attention to the video. Are you one that likes to write negative comments on a lot of videos? If so, I'm truly sorry for the hand you were delt in life, I wish you the best.
Ultimately, I'd have no problem refunding your 10 minutes back. Unfortunately, It's not within my power to do so.
As for the certs, PMP has my full backing. It's the most well known and legitimate Project management cert there is. You have to log a lot of hours to attain it and people who hold a PMP make a LOT of money. I can't fathom why there would be an objection to the PMP.?
I'm not as familiar with the CEH. I do know there are a lot of haters out there and the main complaint is it's not a real applicable cert. There are two major measurements of a certs value (and several minor measurements). 1 - The skills you obtain and prove with the cert; 2 - How recognized it is for hiring and pay bumps. The main complaint seems to be over #1 and the haters seems to overlook the value of #2.
You should have added a list of easiest it certs /easiest jobs 😅
Lol, I guess so :)
@@TechKnowSurge thats what we really want to know 😂
@@danmaster9183 Lol, there's always ITF+, that's pretty minimal. What's funny is that I've found that easiest jobs to get into are sometimes the hardest jobs. That is, my helpdesk entry level position was the person who always had the most on their plate. My more sr level positions were always busy, but often would have a more relaxed pace and less interruptions.
Can you provide links to the articles? I feel like this list in contradicting a lot of what I am hearing right now. Just curious what the sources are.
Here are the list of articles:
www.cio.com/article/193586/top-15-it-certifications-in-demand-today.html
www.coursera.org/articles/essential-it-certifications-entry-level-and-beginner
www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/top-it-certifications
www.pcmag.com/news/highest-paying-it-certifications
www.globalknowledge.com/us-en/resources/resource-library/articles/10-top-paying-it-certifications/#gref
www.comptia.org/blog/top-paying-it-certifications
www.skillsoft.com/blog/top-paying-it-certifications
www.shiksha.com/online-courses/articles/top-paying-certifications/
cointelegraph.com/news/top-7-it-certifications
aws.plainenglish.io/top-tech-certifications-e3cef39c3b5
What do you feel is contradicting? What have you seen?
@@TechKnowSurge Thanks 😁 I'll take a look at them later. From what I have seen from other RUclipsrs, LinkedIn personalities, and some people I know in the industry, some of these are considered kind of legacy certs. For example, the CEH is almost not talked about or looked at in some cases because the cert leans more towards memorization and theory rather than hands on experience. I haven't seen anyone mention anything Google related other than that Cyber Security certificate and a few other things. At the end of the day I think all of them can help obviously but I'm seeing that the effort/cost doesn't match the reward. Like CISSP is absolutely going to help but it's not each, it's crazy tough, and it requires actual time in the industry so I'm shocked it's ranked so high. Now to be fair, I am at the junior/mid level so I might also be biased in my content consumption.
@@kennorman1142 Great info!
I've never been a huge fan of CEH, the name alone almost seems a little gimmicky... and kind of cool at the same time, lol. I seen it on peoples lists for years, but not usually high on peoples list.
I've been surprised about the google certs being so popular as they are. It definitely is showing up on peoples lists. The cloud is a hot topic and google is one of the bigger players. I've personally never been a big fan of Google cloud. They were pretty late to the game. I'm a big AWS fan and I've been a customer of them for years. In my book AWS is the way to go for most IaaS services, although there is use cases for Azure as well. I do think you would find AWS and Azure more appealing to an employer than Google Cloud. The only other players that might be a consideration for me is a local company that offers something unique.
In my book, CISSP is the pinnacle of certs. It's by far the most stringent of requirements and earns the top seat. You are correct, it's a lot more difficult to get. The material itself actually isn't that bad, it just covers a really broad spectrum. Although I would say security is that way in general, you must have both a depth and breadth of the industry to be a true security guru. It's the reason why I put Security as being an expert level in my three tier career model.
Thankfully I don't really need to defend any of the list... I just pulled together the data that I found. One of the reasons I did it this way is because I've always found conflicting information out there. I figure this was the least bias way I could pull together the info.
GIAC ??
There were 4 recommendations for 3 different GIAC certifications. This wasn't enough to make the cutoff that I had, but they were mentioned in the sources I looked at.
redhat?
Linux wasn't mentioned in any of the sources I used. The closest thing was Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) by the Linux Foundation, but it was only mentioned once
CEH #7 lol that cert is rubbish. 😂
Haha, you're not the first person to say that. It's got a catchy title, which is why I think it became popular.
There are two primary aspects to the value that certs bring. 1-The skill and knowledge you gain by achieving the cert, and 2-How much more employable you are. My general sense of the CEH is that its very high level which doesn't add much value to ones skill and knowledge, but that it still does give your resume a bit of a boost... at least to some positions/hiring managers. If that's the case, it's not complete rubbish. However, I'm not too familiar with it, I'm just presenting the data that I found.
Your content is not so hot
Yeah, it's pretty cool stuff!!!
Hello which particular PMP certification would you recommend?
The PMP is a certification in itself. That's the most well known project management cert there is. That's the one I would recommend. The requirements are pretty stiff though, with 3-5 years experience depending if you have a 4 year degree or not. If you can't meet those qualifications, go with the CAPM then.
But where is Redhat certifications?
Linux wasn't mentioned in any of the sources I used. The closest thing was Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) by the Linux Foundation, but it was only mentioned once
hello again from prabhat
Hey Prabhat, hope you are having a great weekend!