Hey everyone! I've been a sys admin for about seven years and have some experience with AWS and a bit of Terraform. Lately, the contract I'm working on has been unstable, so I'm looking into the certifications that would really help me in my job search. What certifications have you found to be genuinely useful when looking for jobs in this field?
3 Answers
From what I've seen, certs like CCNA and CISSP were really important in the past, but nowadays every vendor has their own certs. Personally, I focus more on someone’s experience rather than just their certs. However, HR often uses certifications as a way to filter candidates, so they can help you get your foot in the door. I still see CISSP and AWS Solutions Architect (especially Professional level) mentioned frequently in job listings, so those could be worth considering.
You might find more opportunities in Azure certifications these days. They seem to be gaining traction, so it could be worth looking into that certification track as a complementary option.
It's great that you're thinking about certifications! Before jumping into any specific certs, I suggest you look at job listings for positions you’re interested in. See what qualifications they're asking for. I don’t have any certs myself, but I find that having solid skills and experience matters more to employers than just the certificates. I've seen plenty of people with certs who don’t really understand the concepts behind them. It's all about the knowledge you bring to the table!
That's a good point about skills versus certs. I've been doing some basic AWS stuff too, and I'm worried about being outshone by other candidates with certs. I think I'd rather prove my knowledge through hands-on work.
I completely agree. I've been in situations where people had these shiny certs but struggled with real-world problems. I think it's more about gaining skills through experience and learning.