Sunday, January 17, 2010

Cisco Training In Your Own Home Considered

By Jason Kendall

If you're looking for training in Cisco, then a CCNA is most probably what you're looking for. The Cisco training is intended for individuals who wish to understand and work with routers and network switches. Routers connect computer networks to another collection of computer networks over dedicated lines or the internet.

It's very probable you'll get a job with an internet service provider or a big organisation which is located on multiple sites but still wants secure internal data communication. These jobs are well paid and in demand.

You should get a bespoke training program that will take you through a specific training path to make sure you have the correct skill set and knowledge prior to getting going with Cisco.

One thing you must always insist on is 24x7 round-the-clock support with trained professional instructors and mentors. Too many companies only seem to want to help while they're in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends.

Look for training where you can access help at all hours of the day and night (irrespective of whether it's the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Ensure you get 24x7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a message system as this will slow you down - parked in a queue of others waiting to be called back at a convenient time for them.

The very best programs opt for a web-based round-the-clock system utilising a variety of support centres over many time-zones. You will have an environment which switches seamlessly to the best choice of centres any time of the day or night: Support when it's needed.

Never make the mistake of compromise when it comes to your support. The majority of would-be IT professionals that can't get going properly, would have had a different experience if they'd got the right support package in the first place.

The market provides an excess of work available in IT. Picking the right one in this uncertainty is a mammoth decision.

Perusing a list of odd-sounding and meaningless job titles is no use whatsoever. The vast majority of us have no concept what our own family members do for a living - let alone understand the subtleties of any specific IT role.

Arriving at a well-informed resolution really only appears from a methodical analysis of several shifting key points:

* Personalities play an important part - what things get your juices flowing, and what are the areas that put a frown on your face.

* Is it your desire to achieve an important dream - like becoming self-employed someday?

* How highly do you rate salary - is it the most important thing, or is job satisfaction higher up on your priority-list?

* Considering the huge variation that computing covers, you really need to be able to take in what is different.

* Taking a cold, hard look at the level of commitment, time and effort you can give.

When all is said and done, the only real way of understanding everything necessary is by means of a long chat with an experienced advisor that has enough background to give you the information required.

Commercial certification is now, undoubtedly, beginning to replace the traditional academic paths into IT - but why is this?

Corporate based study (to use industry-speak) is far more specialised and product-specific. Industry has realised that this level of specialised understanding is essential to meet the requirements of an increasingly more technical marketplace. Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA are the dominant players.

Essentially, only required knowledge is taught. It's not quite as straightforward as that, but principally the objective has to be to focus on the exact skills required (along with a certain amount of crucial background) - without trying to cram in every other area - in the way that academic establishments often do.

What if you were an employer - and you required somebody who had very specific skills. What is easier: Trawl through loads of academic qualifications from several applicants, trying to establish what they know and which vocational skills they've acquired, or choose particular accreditations that specifically match what you're looking for, and make your short-list from that. Your interviews are then about personal suitability - rather than on the depth of their technical knowledge.

Be alert that all exams you're studying for are recognised by industry and are up-to-date. Training companies own certificates are not normally useful in gaining employment.

If your certification doesn't come from a big-hitter like Microsoft, CompTIA, Adobe or Cisco, then it's likely it won't be commercially viable - as no-one will have heard of it.

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