Moderator-Julie: Welcome and thank you for coming. Our guest today is certification guru Patrick Regan. Patrick has penned over a dozen books, written the study guides for the A+ certification exams for Cisco Press and is currently writing an Exam Cram on Windows Server 2008. When not writing books, Patrick is a senior network engineer at Pacific Coast Companies supporting a large enterprise network and a celebrity blogger for Microsoft Subnet. We are giving away 15 free copies of Patrick's latest book, too. Go to the contest page for details. Now onto the chat

Patrick_Regan: Hi all.

Moderator-Keith: PRE-SUBMITTED QUESTION: Hi Patrick, I am completing a Masters of Information Technology Degree in March. However, I have limited work experience in IT. What certifications do you recommend to enhance my chances of employment in this field?

Patrick_Regan: You need to figure out where you want to focus. You need to choose at least one major vendor certification. Then you might consider some other certifications that will supplement that certification. For example, you can go for the MCSE (or MCITP for Windows Server 2008), then include the smaller certs on Exchange, SQL, CRM or SharePoint. You can also follow up with non-Microsoft certifications such as Cisco's CCNA, CompTIA's Security+ or (ICS)2's CISSP. Other certifications to consider would be the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP). Ones that I am not as familiar with, but that you might want to consider, are the Oracle database certifications and SAP certifications. One last one to mention, which requires a technical background but not necessarily deep technical knowledge, would be the PMI Project Management Professional. It is often difficult for employers to find a good experienced project manager of IT projects.

Rocky: Hi, I'm 59 years old with an BS in computing technology. I graduated in June 2007. I have two associate degrees in engineering. I want to get my first job in IT and it has been hard. I am concerned that my age and the fact that I'm entry-level in the field is causing me difficulties getting a job. Any suggestions?

Patrick_Regan: Getting your foot is in the door is one of the hardest things. After you get in, it is much easier. I don't think that a person's age is as big a factor as it used to be. You will find that the computer geeks that began when computers were new are maturing. Microsoft MCSE and other certs will help you get interviews and then your knowledge will be what carries you though the interview. While you don’t have much IT experience, you most likely have an understanding of the business world, something that is as important as the technical skill. Since you don't have much experience, you need to focus on reading blogs and other forums to learn what problems are encountered and how to deal with those problems. You can then razzle-dazzle them with your knowledge and that will go a long way.

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