Most IT certification exams take months of study, meaning you might pass two or three per year. Unless of course, you have a ton of free time and no other distractions such as a family and job involving a long commute and working hours.
I remember when I was studying for my Cisco CCIE. I had to take all my holiday leave to study as well as all my free time in the morning and evenings and every weekend. It’s a grind for sure, and IMHO, the Cisco CCIE is a shadow of what it used to be and not really of much benefit to your career when you consider how much time, effort, and costs involved.
There is another path to consider. There are many IT certifications you can take in around one week if you can take some time off work or even two long weekends. Just because they are fairly easy to pass doesn’t mean they aren’t worth taking by the way. They are all from recognized vendors AND will add valuable keywords to your resume.
Linux LPI Essentials
This is the baby Linux exam. Consider it if you have some exposure to Linux at work and need to know some of the basics OR are considering Linux as a career but aren’t quite ready to commit much time or effort yet.
You can download Linux OS onto a virtual machine using VirtualBox or Vmware.
We have a theory and lab course for the Linux LPI Essentials on our sister website or just labs here.
Wireshark WCNA
Wireshark is packet sniffing software you can download for free.
You will use Wireshark to detect network issues, and baseline traffic, find hacking attempts and faulty network cards or just prove a theory. Wireshark gives you a graphical output of traffic leaving or coming into your network through a network card or wireless card. You can capture traffic and then dive into the packets in great detail.
Learning Wireshark will take around a week. They provide a ton of downloadable captures you can use for training, or you can use it at home. We have a full Wireshark training course on howtonetwork or just labs for Wireshark WCNA here for members.
Wireshark will save your behind countless times, so learn it well.
Python PCEP
Most topics can take years to master, but learning the basics takes just a few days. Python is one such topic.
Python is a popular general-purpose programming language that can be used for a wide variety of applications. Python is often used for developing websites and software, task automation, data analysis, and visualization. Since it’s relatively easy to learn, Python has been adopted by many non-programmers, such as accountants and scientists, for a variety of everyday tasks, like organizing finances. It includes high-level data structures, dynamic typing, dynamic binding, and many more features that make it as useful for complex application development as it is for scripting or “glue code” that connects components together.
The Python PCEP is a Python Institute certification for complete beginners. You can download free software and play with it at home. We have labs only course, or Python beginners to the intermediate course here for members covering the PCEP and PCAP.
CompTIA Cloud Essentials+
We are all using the cloud now. It started with Hotmail from Microsoft, but now you can spin up powerful servers online in minutes, back up your photos and data, or write the next Harry Potter and access it from anywhere.
A lot happens in the background, and the Cloud Essentials+ lifts back the curtains in a non-technical way. It’s for any person, technical or not, to learn some of the basics and a stepping stone to the Cloud+ certification.
Cisco CCST Networking
The new CCST certifications come in Networking and Security, but the Security appears to be considerably harder, so we’ll stick to networking for now.
The CCST is aimed at junior support positions such as helpdesk, operations, and even interns. The CCST Networking covers basic IP addressing, some routing, basic security, cables and connectors, and troubleshooting. It’s a stepping stone to the Cisco CCNA should you wish to progress from there.
It’s more than achievable with a week’s worth of study. We are currently writing 101 Labs for the CCST Networking, so check the courses page above.
