I am a computer networking student and i’m in an extremely lucky position next semester. I only have to work weekends and complete a few elective courses. I basically have four months to study and attain the CCNA.
Unfortunately, I think that employers seeking interns might see my certification as me compensating for my grades (2.6 gpa with a bunch of withdrawn courses). Is this a well founded fear?
Thanks. I also have a couple months repairing laptops as experience but I’m thinking of leaving that out.
I’m a SW engineer in the US involved in hiring, so I don’t know how norms differ across industries or regions, but when I go into an interview, I ignore the GPA (if even provided) and care far more about the answers to interview questions. School isn’t for everyone, and that has pretty much no bearing on their performance at work. I also would never request a transcript, at most I’d call the school and verify the candidate attended (I value honesty; some of our best hires had no degree).
I don’t know how valuable the CCNA is, but I personally wouldn’t worry about it being seen as a negative, at worst it’ll probably be ignored. If an employer somehow gets spooked, you’re probably better off not working for them anyway. Some cultures really value certifications though, so YMMV (I personally only look at relevant work experience on the resume).
Good luck! I just wanted to give some perspective from the other side of the table.