Whether you’re an existing employee of any I.T. enterprise or looking forward to starting your professional career in the field of I.T. industry, you must understand the true value of certifications and the wonders they could do for you. Your career as a networking engineer or a networking administrator requires you to possess a sufficient amount of knowledge in the area of networking. While nothing can substitute experience, a certificate acts as a concrete recognition for those who want to pursue their careers in the I.T. domain. And if we particularly talk about the networking niche, you should have already witnessed a lot of I.T. professionals who already went under various Cisco certification modules to acquire the most in-demand certifications that are now influencing the final decision-making of employers with regards to recruiting a potential candidate.
3 Cisco Certifications You Should Never Under-Estimate
There are various Cisco training modules and certificate programs that should be considered by a potential candidate or employee. However, it becomes quite difficult for a beginner to opt for the right Cisco certification since there are multiple sub-domains to choose from. Yet, the following Cisco certifications are the most in-demand and here’s why you should choose one of these three certificate programs:
CCENT Certification
CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician), as its name suggests, is a Cisco certification designed specifically for newcomers to the field of networking. Getting the CCENT certificate requires the candidate to pass only a single module test which makes it easier for him/her to pursue the remaining modules. And yet, the confidence is also boosted if a candidate is able to pass the first networking test in one go.
The CCENT certificate works more like a stepping stone towards other Cisco certificate programs. Upon passing the single networking test assures you that you are ready for the rest of the certificate modules. This also creates a pathway to the more in-demand certification that is the CCNA program.
CCNA Certification
CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is one of the most opted Cisco certifications that is also highly valued by the employers. A candidate who possesses the CCNA certificate is able to jumpstart his/her career in the area of networking. Most of the I.T. enterprises require the candidate to possess the CCNA certificate. Apart from all of that, here are some of the most common reasons as to why you should opt for a CCNA certificate program:
Diversity in knowledge: The best part of acquiring the CCNA certificate is that you are able to expand your horizons in terms of networking knowledge and your learning curve is enhanced to the farthest degree. The CCNA modules arm you with diverse in-depth knowledge about complex networking infrastructures that are deployed in major I.T. firms regardless of their operating scales. You also get to learn the core principles and fundamentals of networking which opens the door to countless opportunities for you to tap throughout your career.
No need of a college degree: You don’t require a college degree to become a CCNA certified professional. All you need is the motivation factor to keep you up with the pace.
Brighter chances of promotion and increment: The chances of being promoted highlights further and the salary range witnesses an incremental growth for a CCNA qualified candidate. It doesn’t really matter if you’re working in the same organization or looking forward to making a switch, the CCNA certificate would assure you the best of opportunities and negotiating power in terms of salary rise.
A gateway to other certificate programs: The moment you receive your CCNA certificate after passing the designated modules, you are able to continue your learning process by enrolling in other Cisco certificate programs. The CCNA certificate basically acts as a gateway to other major qualifications in the networking area like the CCNP certificate.
CCNP Certification
Having a CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) certification in hand appends that you are able to troubleshoot the LAN and WAN networks. This is a major part of any networking job role. You, as a CCNP certified networking professional could communicate with vendors on real-time networking issues pertaining to areas such as wireless networking, voice networking, and other major information security issues. These are the job roles you are eligible for upon acquiring a CCNP certificate (and not limited to):
- Network Engineer
- Systems Support Engineer
- Network Technician
The CCNP certificate program is specifically built for those candidates who possess at least 1 year of networking experience, as this is an advanced level of certification that requires some past experience. This means the CCNP certificate program is not recommended for novice employees. And besides that, you need to clear the CCNA module first before applying for the CCNP certificate program.
Conclusion
The Cisco certifications discussed above are all dependent upon the prevailing set of modules. First off with CCENT, followed by the CCNA certificate and then the CCNP certification. It moves forward in chronological order, meaning to say that you first need to clear the CCENT program and then only you are eligible for a CCNA certificate. And once you get your CCNA certification, you become eligible for the CCNP certification program. The instance you complete all these Cisco training modules, you become an all-in-one networking professional who could sustain in the over-growing competition where every team member is putting in the best of their efforts to top the list.
Get in touch with one of our Cisco Network experts today, to learn more about the certifications.