When it comes to technical certifications, it’s all about the money. Preparing for and then taking the certification exams takes a tremendous amount of time and money and we don’t do it for fun, we do it because it makes us a better employee, a more educated employee, and it helps us in our work. If, however, additional technical certifications didn’t result in higher salary, then we go through the trouble doing it because, ultimately, it would mean the skills aren’t valued. Think of the litany of technical certifications that are now no longer valuable, usually for deprecated technology. Would you take Microsoft Exam 70-625 Connected Home Integrator? (no, it was discontinued last year)
That said, which are the best paying technical certifications? According to TechRepublic, the 2011 report listed these as the highest paid certifications (any with a salary exceeding $90,000):
- PMP – Project Management Professional – $103,570
- CISSP – Cert Info Sys Security Professional – $100,735
- CCDA – Cisco Certified Design Associate – $97,995
- CCNP – Cisco Certified Network Professional – $97,296
- ITIL v2 Foundation – $96,128
- ITIL v3 Foundation – $93,250
(I know PMP isn’t a technical certification but it was first on the list so I included it)
The CCNA Portable Command Guide is one of the best resources you can get to prepare you for the CCNA 640-802 because it contains all the CCNA-level commands you will need for that exam. The CCNA Portable Command Guide covers the ICND1 640-822, ICND2 640-816, and CCNA 640-802 exams and includes a quick reference guide you can use to memorize all the key concepts. If you need an all encompassing command guide that summarizes all the CCNA certification level software commands, keywords, command arguments, and associated prompts, you won’t need more than this book. Be sure to get the 2nd edition as it contains the most updated information.
The book is broken up into ten topics: TCP/IP, An Introduction to Cisco Devices, Configuring a Router, Routing, Switching, Implementing a Wireless LAN, Network Administration and Troubleshooting, Managing IP Services, WANs, and Network Security. It’s written by Scott Empson, associate chair of the bachelor of applied information systems technology degree program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and he himself has three undergraduate degrees and has the CCNP, CCDA< CCAI, and Network+ certifications. Empson is eminently qualified to write the book.
Finally, the book itself is part of the Cisco Press self-study product family so it comes from the source.
If you don’t have the time or the money to pay for classroom training, you probably want to at least pick up an exam preparation package or book to help you prepare for the CCNA 640-802 exam. With the certification is such high demand, getting this certification can be one of the best moves in your career. Fortunately, if you can’t spare the time or money for the classes, there are plenty of excellent prep books and self-paced courses that can help you pass the exam.
Remember that the CCNA Exam (640-802) was revamped in 2007 so do not waste your time or your money on a preparation package, class, or book that predates this exam format change. The latest books will cover the new versions (anything from 2007 onward will as well) so you’re safe there, but remember this if you go to the library to check anything out. CCNA exam prep costs far less than failing the exam.
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Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. Whether or not a technical certification is “worth it” will depend on the field you’re in and the certification. Not all certifications are created equal and some of them are most definitely “worth it” while others are merely cash cows for the certifier.
If you’re currently working, ask your employer what certifications they value. If you’re a Cisco network technician, chances are the Cisco certifications are going to be very valuable. Microsoft business certifications are going to be mostly useless to you. While not all certifications are so clear cut (which Cisco certifications should you get?), you can get a simple answer from your employer because they know which ones they value.
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The 640-802 Cisco CCNA Certification is one of the most valuable technical certifications you can obtain. If you want to get hired for a job working with Cisco network technology, the CCNA certification is required.
To obtain this certification, you need to train for it. When it comes to certification training, there are usually two options – self-paced computer instruction or classroom instruction. The benefits of each are obvious but I believe that self-paced computer instruction, with instructor interaction as needed, is the best approach because it’s often cheaper and more flexible to our busy schedules.
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The Institute for Certification of Computing Professionals (ICCP) was founded in 1973 with the goal of establishing professional standards for the computing industry. It is comprised of constituent societies and affiliate societies that promote its certification programs, of which there are two – the Certified Computing Professional (CCP) and the Associate Computing Professional. The ICCP also has more specialized certificiations in the Certified Business Intelligence Professional (CBIP), Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP), and Information Systems Analyst (ISA).
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Much like it’s better to go to a college or university with accreditation, a technical certification with ANSI Accreditation is given more credibility than one that lacks it. Since many technical certifications are offered by vendors, Microsoft, Cisco, etc; through their licensed partners, Prometric, Pearson VUE, etc; accreditation isn’t as crucial, but still important.
ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, is the accreditation body for technical certifications and when a particular program is accredited, it’s recognized as being a reputable certification. They provide accreditation in accordance with ISO/IEC Guide 65 for product certification programs and is overseen by the ANSI Product Certification Accreditation Committee (ACC). They are responsible for accreditation of all certifications, not just technical certifications, which includes certifications from sanitation products to solar energy, food service equipment to sealed insulated glass, and many more.
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The Microsoft Certification framework can be very complicated. That’s why certification maps are so important. The Microsoft Certification Exam Map is an Excel spreadsheet that has a list of all the certifications and their associated exams. You can download a copy of it here.
The Certification Exam Map is separated into four tabs. The first tab contains the Table of Contents, along with an explanation for how the map is laid out. The next three tabs list the entire universe of Microsoft Certification materials indexed by Exam, by Certification, and by Competency.
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Register through this link and you’ll receive a Second Shot voucher good for one “retake” of a certification exam, should you fail it the first time. This is valid for all Microsoft IT Professional, Developer, or Microsoft Dynamics certification exams and is good until June 30, 2010 (first and second exams must be taken by then). This offer is available worldwide.
This offer is available on all 070 and 083 exams.
Technical certifications are becoming more and more important in our economy and getting a Second Shot voucher makes getting the certification that must easier. By giving yourself a free chance at a second exam, you can take off much of the pressure of the first exam!
Prometric is a leading global provider of comprehensive testing and assessment services, including 3Com, Apple, and Microsoft certifications.
This offer is completely free, act quickly before it expires!
A technical certification is like a diploma, it’s proof that you have the technical expertise in a particular subject area. Much like how you’d get a diploma from a college after you’ve demonstrated competency in the subject matter, you get a technical certification when you’ve passed the certification’s exam.
The origins of technical certifications go back to the late 1980′s and early 1990′s, when companies would offer technical courses for their staff. Novell Networks wanted their technical support staff to be competent in Novell products, so they put them through rigorous training programs and tested them on their ability. Those who passed were given technical certifications. They demonstrated technical competency.
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