How do you choose the best network engineer certification for your career goals?

1 Your current level and experience

The first thing to think about is your current level and experience as a network engineer. Are you a beginner, intermediate, or advanced practitioner? How much hands-on experience do you have with different network technologies and tools? Depending on your answers, you may want to choose a certification that matches your current proficiency and helps you fill in any gaps in your knowledge. For example, if you are new to network engineering, you may want to start with a foundational certification like CompTIA Network+ or Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). If you have more experience and want to advance your career, you may want to pursue a more specialized or advanced certification like Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or Juniper Networks Certified Internet Expert (JNCIE).

2 Your desired role and industry

What kind of network projects and tasks are you interested in? What kind of network environments and challenges do you want to work with? Choose a certification that aligns with your career aspirations and prepares you for the demands of your target industry. For example, if you want to work as a network security engineer, you may want to choose a certification that focuses on network security concepts and best practices, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Cisco Certified CyberOps Professional (CCCP). If you want to work in a cloud-based or hybrid network environment, you may want to choose a certification that covers cloud networking skills and technologies, such as AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty or Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?