Dear Oracle. I want to get int a career in IT but don't know which ones to study. I have been told A+, Network+ and then MCSA and then CCNA.

I see this question on forums a lot and do not agree with a lot of the advice I see given out. A+ is to repair PCs and the Net+ is ok for reading about basic networking concepts but the actual qualification isn't really worth much at all.

You should really start at the end result and work back. Many people end up studying for years doing Cisco, Microsoft, Unix, Linux etc and then wonder why they still can't get a job.

If you like desktop and server support look at Microsoft. If you prefer network side and enjoy command line, troubleshooting, security etc then you may prefer Cisco network engineeering.

I personally feel that it is a mistake to spend a long time building a foundation consisting of several vendor certs. You could well end up as a jack of all trades and master of none, being able to do a bit of everything but not able to actually complete a router install and configuration.

Think about what things you enjoy doing. If it is Cisco then study hard and do the CCENT or the CCNA. Immediatly start to look for network support roles when you are either close to passing or have passed. I would avoid helpdesk type roles if you want to go for network engineering unless you have no other options and want to get your foot in the door of a large company.

The advice I usually see on the forums is to take useless certs such as the A+ and then do desktop support for a year or two which I feel is very bad advice if what you really want to do is be a network engineer.

If you are really struggling to find work (and I don't mean quitting after 10 or so interviews) then look at doing freelance IT support or starting your own Cisco maintenance company. A CCNA should easily be able to do basic router installs, troubleshooting and backups.