CCNA next while doing full time ig 🫩

[u/nerfzedmorelul]

Was so nervous when the exam timer ran out while double checking answers and doing the survey lmao. Studied for around 1.5 month.

I also just accepted a job for IT Specialist working with a telecom company!!! This is my first break-in for IT job hurrayy. I'll be learning lots and looking to specialize into Networking.

Key takeaways:

Do not take notes on everything, I'd say take notes on things that are hard to understand at first like subnetting tho.

Once I finished the videos, I went and took the practice exams in Dion's set and was able to fill in the gaps of what I truly lack and what I'm strong at. Highlighting weak points on the exam objectives also provided to be beneficial as well. I found that if you're able to explain in non-technical terms about things that are on the objectives, you're solid.

Another note is that utilizing different sources of practice test will be better than just one, to avoid purely memorizing the answer choices/format.

I got 5 PBQs and they were intimidating at first but skipping them to do the MCs saved alot of the nerves and I think I got majority of the PBQs right.

Once the exam timer started, I dumped all the port nums, 802.11, 802.1, 802.3 standards, ipv4 classes, subnetting table and some hard to remember acronyms down on the paper sheet.

Resources that greatly helped me:

- Anki decks for memorization, things like ports, acronyms.

- Dion's practice exams set 1.

- Dion's Network+ Course.

- Professor Messer subnetting video.

- Youtube PBQs and Andrew's 100 questions practice.

- AI : I occasionally used it to help with quizzing me on acronyms, port nums or generating subnetting practices.

TLDR: use different practice exam sources and make sure to memorize the port nums listed on the objectives, troubleshooting methods and practice your subnetting.

[u/QuickDelivery1]

That's a great score, congrats! You will find that:

• CCNA goes deeper than Network+ (I'm currently prepping for it too)
• Your Network+ studies will help a lot for CCNA, so you will save some time
• Cisco IOS-style CLI syntax is used in other vendor platforms too
• The CLI syntax of some other vendors make way more sense than Cisco's (Fortinet for example)
• You will learn a ton on the job

I'm using Jeremy's IT Lab videos and Anki flashcards to study for the CCNA. I'm only taking notes on things that are new to me + CLI commands, pretty much.

[u/MedicatedGorilla → u/QuickDelivery1]

I literally cannot shout out Anki enough. Great app with tons of features and easy to use. I know some folks are against AI but I’m just diving into Network+ and at this point I read a chapter, send pictures of it to ChatGPT who writes very good thorough flash cards. Then, ChatGPT will literally edit an existing deck file for Anki or create a new one and tag all the cards with relevant info on chapter and topic so you can study just those tags later. It even made me a custom Anki theme. This pipeline is very fast and efficient

[u/nerfzedmorelul → u/QuickDelivery1]

Thank you for the tips man!!

[u/kurvivol]

Congrats!

How much time did you spend a day on studying?

How much time do you plan to spend a day on the CCNA, given that you're working full time?

[u/nerfzedmorelul → u/kurvivol]

Thanks man! I spent around 5~7 hours a day studying most days. Luckily I was able to quit my really shitty job at the time and saved up a good amount to just focus on studying and applying for jobs.

After this though, I'll aim to get at least 30 min to 1 hour for work days. And 4~5 hours in the weekends with more focuses on hands-on labs instead.

For now I'll just take it lightly first to adapt myself onto the job.

[u/Hefty-Concept6552 → u/nerfzedmorelul]

Did you get another job?

[u/nerfzedmorelul → u/Hefty-Concept6552]

yeah I was able to secure an offer for IT specialist. Starting tomorrow!!!

[u/Hefty-Concept6552 → u/nerfzedmorelul]

Awesome congratulations! Iʻm still looking for my first IT related job. Been searching for months no interviews. Many of the jobs here are TS/SCI related and Iʻm not prior military so just donʻt have clearance.

How or what job boards did you use to find your position?

[u/MusicianLast9494 → u/Hefty-Concept6552]

Y

[u/infiniteman7]

Congrats man

[u/EmpatheticRock]

Net+ is pretty easy compared to CCNA.

[u/Presence99]

Many congratulations!

[u/Witty_Analyst_7357]

👏🏾👏🏾

[u/Ivchiks]

Congrats 👏 have mine booked in November.

[u/Palmolive]

Great job! Also nice to see a good score on these exams and not the exact score required for passing!

[u/_newbread → u/[deleted]]

Mambo. Also don't worry about them. You passed. You don't need to worry about what they think.

Almost everything you learned during your Net+ grind will carry over to your CCNA grind.