Career Training For Cisco Networking - The Inside Track
Posted: Wednesday, May 12, 2010
by Jason Kendall
If you want Cisco training, it's most likely that the CCNA is what you'll need. Training in Cisco is designed for people who wish to understand and work with routers and switches. Routers connect networks of computers to another collection of networks of computers over the internet or dedicated lines.
To take this course, you should be clear on the operation and function of computer networks, because computer networks are joined to routers. Without this you may encounter problems. Why not find a course teaching basic networking skills - perhaps Network+ and A+, before getting going with CCNA. You may find training companies will put such a package together for you.
Proper support should never be taken lightly - look for a package that provides 24x7 direct access, as anything less will frustrate you and could hold up your pace and restrict your intake. Email support is too slow, and so-called telephone support is normally just routed to a call-centre which will chat nicely with you for 5 minutes to ask what the issue is and then simply send an email to an instructor - who will call back over the next day or so (assuming you're there), at a time suitable for them. This is no good if you're stuck and can't continue and only have certain times available in which to do your studies.
It's possible to find the top providers that provide their students online direct access support 24x7 - no matter what time of day it is. Don't compromise when you're looking for the right support service. Most IT hopefuls that can't get going properly, are in that situation because of support (or the lack of).
It's not uncommon for companies to offer inclusive exam guarantees - inevitably that means paying for the exams at the start of your training. However, prior to embracing this so-called guarantee, look at the following:
Patently it isn't free - you're still footing the bill for it - the price has simply been included in the whole thing. If it's important to you to pass first time, then the most successful route is to fund each exam as you take it, focus on it intently and give the task sufficient application.
Why pay the college up-front for exams? Find the best exam deal or offer when you take the exam, rather than coughing up months or even a year or two in advance - and take it closer to home - instead of miles away at the college's beck and call. A lot of extra profit is made by a significant number of organisations who incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. A number of students don't take them for various reasons but the company keeps the money. Amazingly, there are providers who rely on that fact - as that's very profitable for them. Also, 'Exam Guarantees' often aren't worth the paper they're written on. The majority of companies will not pay for re-takes until you've completely satisfied them that you're ready this time.
Shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds on an 'Exam Guarantee' is naive - when consistent and systematic learning, coupled with quality exam simulation software is what will really guarantee success.
Ask a capable consultant and you'll be surprised by their many horror stories of students who've been sold completely the wrong course for them. Only deal with a skilled advisor who asks some in-depth questions to uncover the best thing for you - not for their pay-packet! Dig until you find a starting-point that will suit you. If you've got any work-based experience or some accreditation, your starting-point of learning is very different to someone completely new. Where this will be your opening stab at an IT exam then you may want to begin with a user-skills course first.
It can be a nerve-racking task, but landing your first role in IT is often made easier because some trainers offer a Job Placement Assistance programme. It can happen though that too much is made of this feature, for it is actually not that hard for any motivated and trained individual to get work in IT - as there is such a shortage of trained staff.
Advice and support about getting interviews and your CV may be available (if it isn't, consult one of our sites). It's essential that you work on your old CV immediately - not when you're ready to start work! Various junior support roles are offered to people who are in the process of training and have still to get qualified. This will at the very least get your CV into the 'possible' pile and not the 'no' pile. You can usually expect better performance from an independent and specialised local recruitment consultancy than you will through a training company's centralised service, because they'll know local industry and the area better.
A slight frustration of many training providers is how hard trainees are focused on studying to pass exams, but how un-prepared that student is to get the role they're acquired skills for. Don't give up when the best is yet to come.
(C) 2009 J. Kendall. Hop over to Cisco CCNA or CCNA Training.
This Article has been viewed 170 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.