Gainful Employment Opportunities and Those Seeking Them

[Dude VanWinkle <dudevanwinkle () gmail com>]

For those of you (and there seem to be a ton hitting the market, and
this list) who want to break in on the scene. If you want a job and
don't have experience cuz you are:

-fresh out of school
-just turning the legal age to work
-Switching from a different career
-Learned IS on the side while IT'ing
-Etc., etc., etc..

One way to qualify for an interview is by getting certified in an area
of your choosing. You need to choose your area, just make sure its one
you enjoy or you will have a miserable life doing something you don't
even like untill the day you expire, or just do a horrible job of IT
and quit after a while.

While a Certification in the area of your choosing will not mean that
you know how to perform your job with extreme competence; it does mean
that you can learn what someone asks you to, then take a test to prove
you retained the knowledge *. Some tests only require you to retain
volumes of knowledge ** (Security+, MCP, MCSE, CCNA, etc) . Others may
require you apply such knowledge on a particular application or type
of Operating System on an actual machine *** (CEH, CCNP, etc.). Some
require you to prove your dedication to the field by years of
attendance at school as well as retaining knowledge (BS, MS, PhD).
Others require years of Attendance at a profession in the field of
knowledge on top of the requirement of retaining knowledge **** (SSCP,
CISSP, etc.), and some even require you write a paper proving you can
extrapolate from knowledge presented or self study as well as
retaining said knowledge ***** (GIAC, etc.).

Again I reiterate that these certifications will not guarantee you
have the skills to cut the mustard at your desired career, nor the
skill to pass an intense interview. There however will guarantee that
your resume will not be tossed _directly_ into the trash when applying
to a position that is relevant to your areas of certification. If you
haven't years of experience this is a good way to get your resume out
of the trash and before someones eyes.

A lot of people don't understand what Technology is or how it works.
They only know their business depends on it. They have trusted morons,
turned away geniuses, and vise versa. This is one way for the
technically un-inclined to judge prospective employees. The certifying
bodies even have job placement services to assist you after and if you
pass.

Otherwise, for gainful employment opportunities

If you found this email helpful, please signify your approval and
gratitude by not telling anyone, including this list or me in
particular ;-). We love ya, but this is a list designed for reporting
security flaws in IT, the drama that ensues due to the types of
personalities and egos the industry seems to churn out as a result of
to the hardships attributed to being in the field, as well as
individuals that follow the money no matter the field of study may be.

Rather, check google for more information on the certifications listed
above (and more that aren't mentioned. This will certainly help you
more than listening to me. Certifications are not the best way to get
a job. A better way is to learn the information and contribute to
community projects such as Open Source applications and operating
systems. While this may take longer and require more skill, it is a
much better way to attract positive attention while contributing to
the community as a whole. Doing this _well_ with prove your mettle
more than any certification ever will.

-JP
"You need to follow your own advice"
-Justin Polazzo, talking to himself

*) Boring or not, depending on your interests :
*) If you take a test you find boring, you _may_
*) be in the wrong specialization

**) Incomplete or wrong, I don't know all the certs, just tellin'
y'all what I know

***) Incomplete or wrong, I don't know all the certs, just tellin'
y'all what I know

****) Incomplete or wrong, I don't know all the certs, just tellin'
y'all what I know

*****) Incomplete or wrong, I don't know all the certs, just tellin'
y'all what I know
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