CCIE Pros #3 and #4

3. Never ever have to worry about unemployment again. As long as you keep it you are assured of well paying positions.

4. A plethora of interesting and challenging jobs. Related to #3

With the periodic cycle of panics that relates to keeping your job where I work it would be nice to have something (anything) that would guarantee you would keep it. Not only keep it but have employers practically beg you to come to them. Now, nothing will keep you in work if you are lazy or terrible at your job (for the long term) but I believe a CCIE is just about as close to a guarantee as you can get in the IT world. The great thing is it is a truly global certification. Want to move to Japan/China/Greece?? Throw that resume out with a CCIE on it. You'll be on a plane the next week. That is a huge draw for me. At least as much as the money.

IT Certifications

10 Tech Certification That Actually Mean Something

CCIE Pros #2

2. Prestige/respect

Today there are only a handful of IT certifications that get ANY respect. A+, Network+ and MSCE just don't cut it. At least not in the networking world. CCNA and to some degree CCNP are better but still essentially entry level qualifications. Although, at least for me, CCNP was difficult and took alot of study and effort to attain. However CCIE stands head and shoulders out from the rest. In every category there is no other cert (possible exception of RHCE) that will immediately have your voicemail blow up with job offers. Real job offers. Big salaries. And this will continue until you decide to stop working in the field. That's why it gets respect. Even in my current shop we have the cert/degree grump squad who downplays the notion of certs or degrees meaning anything. BUT every single one of them busts it to get their next degree or cert. So talk is talk. If you truly believe they mean nothing back up your beliefs and DON'T go after them. I'm ok with that. More room for me. Otherwise admit they help and buckle down and get them. Even the grump squad never really downplays someone getting their CCIE. A casual glance through what you are required to know -breadth and depth- is humbling. So no doubts you will get respect for attaining it from your peers in the form of awe and/or jealousy and from employers in the form of money.

CCIE Pros #1

Related to yesterdays post I'd like to think out loud about the first pro of getting a CCIE. Moolah, deniros, cash. In this area a fairly experienced lan admin/network engineer type will make $60-80k/year. However a lead engineer or project manager with a CCIE could easily hit 6 digits. This is a huge draw for me since one of my personal goals has always been to make $100k/year without being a "manager". I am pretty comfortable with my personality and I know a management type position is not for me. It's actually a pet peeve of mine when management types talk about changing personality. Anyway, I've got to work 40 hours a week making $40k or $100k. Why not get the latter. This would also help with my goal of cutting to part time when I am 45 for 2 reasons. One is that the last two jobs I've had have greatly increased my salary yet I haven't increased my spending at all. The extra went to my 401k which is now maxed out every year. Secondly, unlike run of the mill engineers a CCIE can easily work part time for the same hourly rates that a full time one can. So instead of 20 hours per week@ $10-20/hr I could do 20 hours per week @ $50/hr. Win/Win.

To CCIE or not to CCIE

I've been having alot of internal debate lately about whether or not to pursue my CCIE. It's such a huge time and energy commitment plus there are complicating fatctors. You know, things like family, friends, etc. I think over the next few weeks and months I will blog some of the pros and cons of trying it. Here's a short list right now.

Pros:

1. $$$. Alot of dollars. I could probably easily get my salary to $100-125k/yr. staying in this area (GA). Consulting or going somewhere else we are looking at $200k+

2. Prestige/respect. Scenario with geeks - "I've got my MCSE" Uhhh, great.. "I've got my CCIE." Holy Shit!

3. Never ever have to worry about unemployment again. As long as you keep it you are assured of well paying positions.

4. A plethora of interesting and challenging jobs. Related to #3

Cons:

1. Enormous amount of time to acquire. We are probably looking at 18-24 months for me with a job and family. 15-20 hours/week study. Real studying too. Not like high school and college where my 135 IQ allowed me to do some serious slacking and still do well. You HAVE to know this stuff.

2. No respect/prestige. Scenario with any non geek. "I've got my CCIE" ???????? Do you have a masters/Ph.D? "No." Ohhhh, well maybe one day you'll get a real credential.

3. It has to be done instead of a Master's degree. I can't do both at one time and it's hard deciding between the two.