Training to become a more valuable asset for hosting related jobs?

[MannDude]

Curious what some of you here have done in terms of 'formal training' to become more valuable as an employee of companies. We've got many business owners here, though I suppose this thread would apply to a lot of them as well as I see big differences in skillsets from one person to the other.

Aside from actual experience, what do some of the 'big companies' (non lowend) look for?

I recently discovered that there is cPanel certification. Worth it? I know some look for certifications like Cisco. Worth it? I always imagined that was for more datacenter related stuff, with hands on access to physical equipment. What else?

 

[notFound]

I know some look for certifications like Cisco.

cPanel certification, hmm. There's not much to be certified about really, you just need to set up a few servers with some live sites and soon enough you'll have a pretty deep knowledge including troubleshooting etc and probably a deeper understanding than in a course.

As for Cisco, I have some friends that are CCNA certified but they are real thick heads to be honest and probably don't know a lot of things related to networking etc. It's offered along with BTEC's here in the UK but for example I wouldn't even touch a BTEC since they're useless in life. That's pretty much free from what I know if you take it as a BTEC but then it would cost me if I wanted to do A levels instead of BTEC to take a course to get certified in the local adult center or whatever. I'm also curious as to how much it's valued, and if it's worth spending the money on it.

 

[concerto49]

Proper companies look at education and experience. I would say experience->education/certificates.

 

Some jobs require that you have a certificate, e.g. database administrator, network administrator, Windows Server administrator, etc...

 

Some jobs just see your experience.

 

Usually certificates help when you don't have the experience. It's a confirmation that you at least know the basics. Best to land in a "trainee" type of job around the area you need and get started. Some even provide training, including the certificates. Most people make the most of it and quit after they've done all the training.

 

[Magiobiwan]

I learned what I was doing on Linux. And how to write a good ticket response. I did a LOT of on-the-job learning. I started out not really knowing the specifics of the Admin side of HyperVM, and now I know (more or less) what I'm doing. I've also made huge gains in Linux SysAdmin skills.

 

[EarthVPN]

As a previous employee of Alcatel-Lucent Bell as a Technical Project Leader I advise Cisco certfications of CCNA - CCNP at least.

 

[MartinD]

It all depends on the kind of company you want to work for. The more formal businesses that like procedure and paperwork will be looking for qualifications and experience. The other companies, however, will invest more in the individual than their skill-set and experience. They want someone who will fit in with the rest of the team and the general ethos/feel of the company as a whole. The rest will come in time for the right person as they can be moulded according to how the company works.

The main I've found is to be completely honest - be honest with yourself and then honest with the company you're looking to work for. Liars get found out very, very quickly in this industry and there's no quicker way to lose respect. Personally, I'd much rather someone came to me as said "Sorry, I really don't know what I'm doing here. I've had a good search on Google and found a few sites with information but I just don't understand it. can you help?" instead of "yeah, I can do that, no problem" then they go and screw it up, royally.

 

[MannDude]

It all depends on the kind of company you want to work for. The more formal businesses that like procedure and paperwork will be looking for qualifications and experience. The other companies, however, will invest more in the individual than their skill-set and experience. They want someone who will fit in with the rest of the team and the general ethos/feel of the company as a whole. The rest will come in time for the right person as they can be moulded according to how the company works.

The main I've found is to be completely honest - be honest with yourself and then honest with the company you're looking to work for. Liars get found out very, very quickly in this industry and there's no quicker way to lose respect. Personally, I'd much rather someone came to me as said "Sorry, I really don't know what I'm doing here. I've had a good search on Google and found a few sites with information but I just don't understand it. can you help?" instead of "yeah, I can do that, no problem" then they go and screw it up, royally.

I generally try to undersell myself anyhow. I do L1 stuff mainly, and some (but not much) L2 stuff. My skills are mainly due to me managing my own personal servers. Previous jobs, even with URPad, access was limited and I mostly dealt with billing/sales/L1 support there. I want to learn more so I can eventually (hopefully) earn more. I don't think I've ever bullshitted my way into a job.

It's just that I'd like to be able to become better at what I do, and be able to prove it so I can be an appealing candidate to companies that are larger and more capable of paying adult wages. I'm closer to 30 than I am 20, even if barely, so I want to get my shit together so I can be better off in the future.

 

[NodeBytes]

I'm currently working on my A+ cert then I will be getting my N+ then I'll move to the Cisco certs after that.

 

[MannDude]

I'm currently working on my A+ cert then I will be getting my N+ then I'll move to the Cisco certs after that.

What is your end game here? With those certifications what are you hoping to do as far as a job/career goes afterwards?

 

[NodeBytes]

I work in enterprise IT so the end game with getting these certs is rising up from installing software to managing the network/datacenter.

 

[Aldryic C'boas]

I've always felt that reliability, adaptability, and simple/honest hard work were more important than any certification or 'degree' (I have very little respect for universities.. I see absolutely no reason why I should be forced to pay for a skill I can teach myself).  Every job I've had, I start wherever there's a minor opening and just work my way up... 6 years ago I was loading trucks for a local Coca-Cola plant.  For the past 3 years I've been in charge of the regional IT division.

Same with Fran-man.. I started working for him as an IRC helper 10+ years ago.  Showing people how to use Nickserv and such.  He gave me opportunities to learn more, and I jumped at them.  The more I learned, the higher I moved, and now I'm that constant 'evil conscience' in his head to balance out his overwhelming niceness

 

[kaniini]

I think a lot of hiring departments are seeing that certs are utterly worthless these days.  Google for example is increasingly hiring people with no formal certification or degree.

At the end of the day, what matters is if you can do what you say you're doing.

 

[earl]

I think if anything A+ cert would get you started in the field.

 

[peterw]

I've always felt that reliability, adaptability, and simple/honest hard work were more important than any certification or 'degree'

This is human logic based on a real life. On small and medium companies someone which is doing the job will select one of the candidates. But if you want to apply for a job at a big company a human resource manager (BA) is choosing someone based on his non existend knowledge of the job.

His checklist is far from reality: wanted income, papers telling him that you are able to do the job.

 

[Aldryic C'boas]

But if you want to apply for a job at a big company a human resource manager (BA) is choosing someone based on his non existend knowledge of the job.

You missed one bit...

6 years ago I was loading trucks for a local Coca-Cola plant.  For the past 3 years I've been in charge of the regional IT division.

Coca-Cola isn't exactly a small company  True, I would've had a more difficult time hiring directly into my current position;  but I've seen enough of how our HR operates that I know now I still would've had a decent shot at it based on experience alone.  This tends to be more of a 'hit and miss' thing than a 'big vs small company' issue.  After all, just like working a government job, working for a big company doesn't mean that a person automatically becomes some mindless automation;  sure, they have more guidelines/regs to follow, but a good HR rep that cares about the company will constantly be stretching those limits in order to hire individuals that will benefit the company. 

 

[Francisco]

Minus my time in construction I had 2 tech related jobs.

One of them was when I was 16 I was an onsite linux tech for a company. Crappy pay but I learned a lot and got out of the house. My other job was at a local coding firm that rarely paid me and made me do 90%+ of the work.

Certificates only matter if you're being hired by a purely HR person, not someone that is 'in' the industry. People 'in' the industry always give some form of test to see what your skillset was. At the coding firm? build a really basic login/logout system so you show you understand how sessions work.

I know my friend Matt had to build from scratch 2 servers and then setup linux softraid's to get his job at EGI.

Francisco

 

[D. Strout]

On a related note, I am going in for an interview today for an internship in the IT department of the company my dad works for. His boss has long known that I have an interest in computer stuff, so even though I have no formal degree (or even certificate or the like), I am feeling pretty optimistic that I'll get a job

 

[atho]

Well, it all depends on your "market" too. Where I live there are shit for tech jobs. I currently have A+, Net+, Security+, CCENT, and I stopped there cause even with that I have no degree I get kicked out of most applications. Any big time jobs here are FAA (contract) which requires a degree for there bidding  and Casino which is bitch however cannot even get in for interview. Every place I have actually gotten an interview for I have gotten a job offer, except one local vps company that didn't hire me cause I have bad grammer . However currently I am making about half of what I should make, but beggers can't be choosers.

One day I may go actually get my CCNA and MCITP/MCSA(whatever they call it this month), but currently eating and rent vs piece of paper, eating and a roof always wins.

 

[MCH-Phil]

I hope I never have to return to the managed IT field.  Biggest waste of time in my opinion.  Likely because I have no degrees or certifications.  Don't honestly believe in them.  How much is it just to take the exams?  LOL  Over the years I've worked with 2 managed IT teams and 1 in house IT team.  All I can say is, I was taken advantage of.  Paid crap to do something someone with a degree/cert would be paid GREAT money to do.  But because they have you

 

[wlanboy]

Certifications are a nice to have - sad but true. It sometimes depends on the industrial sector if they depend on some.

The real door opener for me was my MSCS. They never asked for anything else.

Really funny interview:

• They: We are searching for a product manager handling two C# .Net components
• Me: Well I am a Java dev...
• They: Looking to my vita ... MSCS at yyyyyyy, do you know Prof. xxxxxxx?
• Me: Yes - he holds bad ass math lectures
• They: Hired!
• Me: :huh:   ... B)