N Is For Networking N4N020: To Cert Or Not To Cert?
Apr 3, 2025
In this discussion, hosts dive into the value of certifications in the networking field. They explore whether certifications truly aid in landing jobs and their real-world applicability. Hands-on experience is emphasized as vital, with lab work encouraged to deepen understanding. The differing perspectives on certification levels and their employer perceptions are analyzed. They also touch on financing options for certifications and the challenges of remote testing, ultimately reinforcing the need for a balance between certs and practical experience.
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Mandatory Juniper Training Built Holly's Base
- Holly's Juniper training made certs effectively mandatory for her SE role and built a networking base.
- She learned many fundamentals but later found practical 'why' context came from field work.
Certs Are Foundation, Not Experience
- Certifications give a solid foundation but do not replace real-world experience.
- Hands-on field work reveals gaps that certs alone won't expose.
Break Labs On Purpose
- Use lab environments to intentionally break and fix things to learn practical troubleshooting.
- Treat lab time as a safe place to create failures and practise recovery steps.