AboutSteve Valiquette Expertise Service providers and customers alike can benefit from my experience in establishing Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Call Center Support Procedures, Issues Management, Special Event Procedures, Disaster/Recovery Planning, Catastrophic Event Management, and day-to-day Server Farm issues. I also have significant experience in project management, project lifecycle planning and product development. I can contribute to many "how-tos" like: how to build a website, how to develop project management procedures, How to get the most from your hosting provider and much more.
Experience
Past/Present clients Transitions Optical, IBM, Intel, Computer Sciences Corp, Imperial Chemical Industries, Victoria Secrets, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bank of America, SEARS, State Street Bank, Peterson's CollegeQuest, Mobil Oil Corporation, Sprint PCS, MCI/Worldcom, UPS.
Am studying now for my Comp TIA A+ Cert. My short term goal is gaining employment in PC repair, tech. support, or help desk. My long term goals are self employment setting up my own affiliate marketing websites & eventually an e-commerce site selling my own product(s). I am concerned with what type of certification might be a good idea to pursue next? I've heard network certs. & security certs. are popular with employers but might not serve my best long-term interests in future self-employed e-commerce.
I'm aware there are the CIMBS (Certified Internet Marketing & Business Strategist)certification & the CeMA (Certified e-marketing Certification) but aren't sure if they would help my short term goals & needs of gaining employment working for someone else.
Should I maybe wait on obtaining any e-commerce certifications and just concentrate on another certification which combined with my A+, would enhance my first entry into the IT job market for finding employment with a broader range of employers?
Just wanting to know what you might do in the same situation.
Best Regards,
Mike E.
ANSWER: Hi Mike,
The A+ certification is a nice thing to have, but it doesn't open too many doors on its own.
In the short-term, I recommend getting your MCSE (http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/default.mspx). This will open you to a corporate market and not a consumer market, which is really where you want to start. The reason being that one, this is where the jobs are and two, there's opportunities for advancement.
I would look to the consumer repair market only as a safety net in case you get laid off or something. After getting something in the corporate market, you can focus on your e-commerce ideas with ease. Co-lo a server at a data center for $50/month and start selling websites to friends and small businesses. It you're working in IT at a company, people will be going to you asking for this stuff all the time -- and you'll be ready!
As this builds, you'll have these opportunities to jump to when the boss says you've been passed over for a promotion!
The MCSE will also help you maintain your own server and keep up with things on the hosting front.
Good luck my man!
-- Steve
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for your most recent reply Steve.
I read something on that site from the link you gave me about MCSE candidates needing to have at least one year of experience implementing and administering a network operating system and a client operating system, and designing a network infrastructure.
Although I am confident in passing my A+ exam in about a month but have no experience other than normal maintenance on my own PC, should I wait until I get more experience in IT employment before taking the MCSE exams?
Thank you again.
Best,
Mike E.
Answer Ah, the cart or the horse...
I would recommend that you look into a Microsoft certified training center. I would sign up for MCSE classes immediately. This will help you get into the corporate environment without having to know everything. Explain that you have solid PC experience, an A+ certification and you are studying for your MCSE. Then, on-the-job experience and the training will compliment each other.
Once on the job, you can see if you want to add network administration, network security, Cisco, or other specialties. The MCSE will never be a waste of time.
Good luck and let me know if you have questions on anything else.
