Comments inline...... "Tom Monte" wrote in message [EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]... > I think alot of us don't have a choice. If you don't have a job that > provides alot of Cisco experience, you probably have a hard time finding one > that does. I don't see why I should be looked down on for that.
I have to agree with Tom here...... nrf, you put too much value on 'experience', period. I'm not one to argue that certs are better than experience, but as my previous posts said, both certs and experience add different components to ones knowledge and skills, and to claim that one is better than the other has no merit. (here's a lighter view).... A network engineer is like a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Could you eat and enjoy a peanut butter sandwich? Sure... Could you eat and enjoy a jelly sandwich? Sure..... But a good PB&J has just the right mixture of both...... Certs alone are not better than experience. Experience alone is not (always) better than certs. If I'm running a network running OSPF and using ATM and VoIP, I'd much rather hire a CCIE labrat over someone with years of experience on a network running X.25 over T1 lines.... You say Dial-Peer, ASBR Virtual Link, or VPI/VCI to the X.25/T1 person and they go "huh? I don't understand what you're talking about, but I've got years of experience....". At least you know the labrat has done the configuration of said things, enough to pass a proctored lab exam.... What has the person with experience got to prove (s)he can configure these things? Nothing..... Personally, I realize the value of both experience (don't debug EIGRP on your busiest core router during an EIGRP storm without 'no logging console') and certs. Remember, everything is relative...... If someone who is a CCIE with little experience is interviewing for a job somewhere that the top network people couldn't get through any of the CCNP exams, then perhaps they should demand a higher salary..... who's to say they shouldn't? If that same CCIE is interviewing for a job at a place that has 3 CCIEs (or good experienced people) on staff and they expect much more from them, then perhaps that CCIE should take the lower salary and see this as a great opportunity to learn from other seasoned network professionals..... I'm sorry, but I've worked many places where the network people were goons that though RIP was the best thing since sliced bread..... I'd hire a labrat CCIE over them anyday..... besides, I've seen labrat CCIEs that have gotten their first network job and done great things..... one friend of mine was a labrat CCIE (for the most part), and walked into a very well known top financial firm (the headquarters) and all of the 'experienced' engineers there (up to the very top of the network engineering ladder) stood by and watched him virtually single handedly setup and configure their VoIP, their Hoot-n-Hollar system, ALL of their Multicast IP routing architechtures (involving some very complex situations with passing routes thru PIX, NATs, etc) and their IPTV system. You wouldn't have hired him because he didn't have "experience" and you would have been passing up possibly (IMHO) one of the best examples of a top network engineer there is........ Don't forget..... people with certs and little experience can do great things. Depends on the person..... not always the certs..... not always the experience.... Mike W. Message Posted at: http://www.groupstudy.com/form/read.php?f=7&i=44413&t=44342 -------------------------------------------------- FAQ, list archives, and subscription info: http://www.groupstudy.com/list/cisco.html Report misconduct and Nondisclosure violations to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
