Re: 4000 CCIEs in 18 months???

Unfortunately for us, I think it all goes back to what I said
yesterday regarding the recert of existing CCIEs: This is a business
decision made on the part of Cisco and their primary concern is their
own bottom line vs. that of CCIEs. The program was never really
intended to further the financial circumstances of individual cert
holders. It's about having experts out there that can move product
and actually get the stuff working to the satisfaction of Cisco
product customers (hopefully repeat customers in the eyes of Cisco).
And from that perspective, the more the merrier in Cisco's eyes.

I was actually able to run a consulting business sans the CCIE for a
couple of years. But increasingly I was seeing really great
opportunities that I was perfect for not being extended to me because
I didn't have the number. When I finally made the decision to pursue
the cert, it wasn't so that I could jack up my rate sky-high; it was
so that I could maintain the status quo going forward and gain access
to those "CCIE-only" opportunities. Again, I think we're seeing that
point of critical mass being reached where holding a number is a
baseline expectation for any kind of senior/consulting position. From
there you need to dazzle and impress with whatever it is that makes
you stand out within your given niche or environment.

We have intangibles to consider as well. Pursuing and maintaining the
CCIE cert forces many of us to acquire and sustain a level of
knowledge and even expertise in certain technologies we would not
otherwise bother with. We may go to our graves never having put that
knowledge to good use or we may suddenly find ourselves in a position
to capitalize. For a lot of people it's multicast (e.g). For me it's
got to be Frame Relay. Never touched the stuff outside of Cisco cert
prep/maintenance. Point is, though, that I don't regret having
acquired any of the knowledge along the way, I just appreciate some of
it more than the rest.

If anything is going to stem the tide of new candidates at this point
it's bound to be that horrendously awful new logo!! ;~)

On May 6, 2009, at 8:43 , bobby.kimble_at_gmail.com wrote:

> "BTW, it's my understanding that Cisco desires to crank out 4,000
> new CCIEs every >TWELVE< months, so hold on to your hats if you
> think the past 18 months were anything noteworthy..."
>
> At what point does this start to devalue the certification? MCSEs
> were a big deal at one point. Now they might be able to get a job on
> a helpdesk somewhere.
>
>
>
>
> On May 6, 2009 9:46am, Scott M Vermillion <scott_ccie_list_at_it-
> ag.com> wrote:
> > > I think you pretty much need a CCIE to make a living in most
> places these days
> >
> >
> >
> > I attended a meeting a while back and of the seven people in the
> room, three of us were R&S CCIEs (two independent consultants and
> one channel partner rep). The other four were the prospective
> client. Out of the CCIE bunch, I was the only one to not have ever
> published a book (need to get on that!). So I think we are indeed
> reaching that point of critical mass that Bobby suggests where the
> baseline expectation for consulting work (not just independent
> consulting, but also the kind where you are farmed out by your
> employer/channel partner too) is that you hold at least one CCIE.
> In an effort to stand out from the rest of the CCIE pack, people are
> pursuing second, third, etc CCIEs, MBAs, and even publishing books
> just for the name recognition (there's not a lot of money in it from
> what I understand, at least not directly).
> >
> >
> >
> > BTW, it's my understanding that Cisco desires to crank out 4,000
> new CCIEs every >TWELVE
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On May 5, 2009, at 5:26 , Joseph L. Brunner wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Nope... not even close guys...
> >
> >
> >
> > Having two kids and $120,000 is not even your bills anymore after
> taxes... if that doesn't motivate you to pass the CCIE nothing will...
> >
> >
> >
> > I have lots of friends and ex-coworkers in that boat...
> >
> >
> >
> > I think you pretty much need a CCIE to make a living in most
> places these days and the number of people studying/taking/passing
> directly reflects that...
> >
> >
> >
> > Like 5 years ago I would ask people so are you going to get your
> CCIE, they would say stuff like "my wife wont let me retreat from
> the family all weekend", etc.
> >
> > Now it's, Oh I passed R/S, I'm actually working on Voice :)
> >
> >
> >
> > -Joe
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > From: nobody_at_groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody_at_groupstudy.com] On
> Behalf Of Brad Ellis
> >
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 7:28 PM
> >
> > To: Modular; Cisco certification
> >
> > Subject: RE: 4000 CCIEs in 18 months???
> >
> >
> >
> > Oh boy...here we go...
> >
> >
> >
> > So, first off, the lab is one day, vs. 2-days. But the biggest
> change is
> >
> > the number of seats available. Probably 2 to 3 times that "back in
> the
> >
> > day" if not more. I'd say that the biggest impact.
> >
> >
> >
> > thanks,
> >
> > Brad Ellis
> >
> > CCIE#5796 (R&S / Security)
> >
> > CCSI# 30482
> >
> > CEO / President
> >
> > CCBOOTCAMP - Cisco Learning Partner (CLP)
> >
> > Email: brad_at_ccbootcamp.com
> >
> > Toll Free: 877-654-2243
> >
> > International: +1-702-968-5100
> >
> > Skype: skype:ccbootcamp?call
> >
> > FAX: +1-702-446-8012
> >
> > YES! We take Cisco Learning Credits!
> >
> > Training And Remote Racks: http://www.ccbootcamp.com
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > From: nobody_at_groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody_at_groupstudy.com] On
> Behalf Of
> >
> > Modular
> >
> > Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 4:22 PM
> >
> > To: Cisco certification
> >
> > Subject: 4000 CCIEs in 18 months???
> >
> >
> >
> > ALL,
> >
> >
> >
> > I have a friend who passed his lab, (security), in November of
> 2007. His
> >
> > number is 19511. I passed last week and my number is 24266. So, in
> 18
> >
> > months
> >
> > 4700+ people got their number. This seems crazy when you consider
> that
> >
> > between 1993 and the end of 2007 there were 18500+ CCIEs. What do
> you
> >
> > guys
> >
> > attribute this increase to? Dynamips?? Is it that there s wasn t an
> >
> > Ipexpert
> >
> > or Internetwork Expert around back in the day ? Is the lab easier
> than
> >
> > it
> >
> > use to be?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Bryan
> >
> >
> >
> > Bryan Rakestraw
> >
> > CCIE# 24266 (R&S)
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> >
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> >
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Subscription information may be found at:
> >
> > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Subscription information may be found at:
> >
> > http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Blogs and organic groups at http://www.ccie.net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________________________________
> >
> > Subscription information may be found at:http://www.groupstudy.com/list/CCIELab.html

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Received on Wed May 06 2009 - 09:01:38 ART