[rescue] OT: Should I Cisco Cert?

[Bob Keyes]

On Mon, 2 Feb 2004, Nadine Miller wrote:

> Amusing comments aside, as well as cert-slagging, I wonder about
> this myself.  As a completely cert-less, and worse, technical
> degree-less sys admin (B.A.), I wonder if certs would assist me in
> overcoming my other "strikes" (short stint as manager, under-exposed
> at my level to certain things like integration, db's, e-mail innards,
> and scripting), since my experience (5+ years) doesn't seem to.

I've got about 18 years of experience, but I can't prove most of it.
Yeach. But I can still remember the IP address of the arpanet host where I
cut my teeth, BNL-ARPA, 26.1.0.58 - instead of playing with computers, I
should have gone and acquired a degree. Shux.

> I'd like to hear others' comments, or even second-hand "my friend"
> stories.

Well, I have noted on the tcpmag salary surveys, that in some cisco cert
categories, in the east, women were paid more than men. Does that help?

> > p.s. I understand there are things that can help in a router career, such
> > as having a beard and being a beer/whiskey snob. I fulfill both of those
> > requirements, and are developing them further.
>
> Let us not forget the "spicy food" requirement.  I mean, you can't
> be a real sys admin unless you can eat native-heat level Thai and/
> or Indian, right?

This is true, I do like both. But I fail in the sushi department, and I am
a vegetarian so doomed in some ways. Also, I don't own a gun. But why am I
sitting here, disqualifying myself? ;)