A well-written cover letter can be the make or break for your job application. And given how competitive the job market in the UK is at the moment, every advantage you have over your competitors can be crucial.

Before you even think about how to write the perfect cover letter, you need a well-written CV that grabs a Hiring Manager’s attention. Lucky for you, we’ve put together tips on writing CVs here. But once you’ve got the attention of the Hiring Manager, that’s where your cover letter comes in and highlights why you’re the right candidate for the job.

Here at Dynamic we speak to Hiring Managers everyday. And we know exactly what they want to see from a candidate. And we’re here to share those secrets with you, so you can write a cover letter that’s impossible to ignore, and lands you that interview for your dream job.

 

How Important Is a Cover Letter?

But before we get started, it’s important to ask the question, do you need a cover letter in 2023? We would argue that whether a job application asks for a cover letter or not, you should still include one. And we’re not the only ones who think so.

A study from ResumeLab, shows that 83% of recruiters agree that while they aren’t ‘strictly necessary’, a well-written cover letter, tailored to the job you are applying for, can be an important part of their hiring decision.

And 74% of recruitment decision makers prefer to receive a job application which includes a cover letter that’s separate from the CV.

So while skilled professionals are as in demand as they have ever been, there is still a huge amount of competition for the roles out there. And a great way to set yourself apart from other applicants is to write a cover letter that shows you’ve done your research and want the job more than the next applicant.

 

How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter in 7 Easy Steps

So here’s our 7 steps on how to write a cover letter that helps you stand out from the crowd and gets you into that interview!

 

1. Do Your Research and Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Job, Company, and Hiring Manager

Let’s start with the most obvious. If you send over a generic cover letter that you send for every job, it’s going to be just that: Generic.

Your cover letter should talk about the role and how your experience relates to the job. Use specific examples from the job description and your own experience. And what work does the company do that you’re excited to be a part of? Even showing your understanding of the work the company does, or the clients they work with, shows you’ve done your research. 

And you should also aim to address the cover letter to the hiring manager of the business. You can usually find out this information from LinkedIn or the company website.

 

2. Use Specific Examples of Your Experience, to Demonstrate Why You Can Do the Job.

Similar to in your CV, you should aim to use statistics and figures to back up any arguments you make in your cover letter. If the job is asking for applicants to have experience 

When writing your cover letter, you should keep the job description you’re applying for close to hand. This is so you can relate your experience to the requirement of the job: Essentially showing why you’re perfectly equipped to do the job at hand.

Spelling it out and making it a reality for the hiring manager on why you’re their perfect candidate, makes it impossible for them to not give you an interview.

 

3. Emphasise Your Technical Ability to do the Job.

At the end of the day, a lot of hiring decisions are based on technical ability to do the job. So in an industry like IT where you need experience with a variety of technologies and software, this becomes even more important. 

And despite what you may think, from our experience there is very rarely the perfect candidate for a job. Businesses will happily hire someone who fills 80% of the requirements, who they can teach the other 20%, and build them out into the employee they are looking for. 

And given the wide variety of tech out there in the IT industry, you may not have worked with all the software they want. But if you have worked with similar tech, it’s well worth emphasising the fact that you do have those transferable skills: Alongside all the tech that you have worked with that they want.

 

4. Explain Why You’re Excited for the Opportunity and the Company.

A cover letter should also convey your excitement at the opportunity, for both the position and the company.

Highlight examples of what’s so great about the company, and what aspect of the job interests you the most. Because what really interests hiring managers is seeing your passion for your work come through the page: Something that’s often hard to convey with merely a CV.

 

5. Keep It Short.

Hiring Managers want to see a cover letter. But, what they don’t want to see is a 10 page cover letter detailing your life story, or repeating everything you already stated in your CV!

So aim to keep your cover letter to one page or less. The Hiring Manager reading your application is likely reading through many CVs and cover letters. So you want to keep yours short, to the point, and get straight into why they should give you the job.

 

6. Have a Clear Structure: Introduction, Body, Conclusion.

Your cover letter should have a clear structure that makes it easy for the reader to follow and find the relevant information: Introduction, body, and conclusion.

The introduction paragraph should introduce yourself and why you are writing.

The body of the message should discuss why you are applying for the role, and why they should give it to you. Using specific examples of your previous experience and skills to show why you’re a good fit for the job.

Finally, you should use the conclusion as an opportunity to reiterate your interest in the position and to thank the hiring manager for considering your application.

 

7. Proofread, or Have Someone Else Look Over it.

Now it’s all finished, it’s time to proofread before you send it off. When hiring managers are looking for their next Network Engineer or Cyber Security Analyst, they’re not looking for someone who has a passion for writing. But if your cover letter is riddled with spelling mistakes, it doesn’t look great, and can actually hurt your chances of getting an interview.

Another great step to take (if possible) is to have someone else look over it for you. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can help you spot mistakes you don’t even realise you’re making.

 

Cover Letter Template

But better than telling you how to write the perfect cover letter, is giving you a cover letter template to work with. Below is an example cover letter you can use to create your own individual cover letter. 

The areas marked in red are the details you will need to edit for your cover letter. Many of these areas will need to be changed for each individual job that you apply for.

 

Dear (Hiring Manager’s Name),

My name is (Your Name) and I am writing to express my interest in the (Position) role. I have (Number) years of experience as a (Your current position) and I am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution to your team.

I have previous experience working with (Skills and technologies mentioned in job posting), and I’m excited to continue to develop these skills at (Company). What really excites me about this position, is the opportunity to work with (Specific technology). I have previous experience working with (Technology), and this previous experience will be crucial to my success in the (Position).

I currently hold (Relevant/ similar certifications to those mentioned in the job posting) certifications, that will assist me in the (Position) role. Additionally, I am working towards earning (X certification), to support my own professional development, and my career goal of reaching a (Position you want to reach in your career).

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to speaking with you further about how my skills and experience will make me an effective part of your team.

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

 

Cover Letter Template Example

Now the above may seem a bit confusing. So here is what this Cover Letter may actually look like for you.

 

Dear Mrs Brown,

My name is Hames Jones and I am writing to express my interest in the Network Engineer position. I have 2 years of experience as a Junior Network Engineer and I am confident in my ability to make a valuable contribution to your team.

I have previous experience working with LAN and WLAN environments, from implementation to management, and I’m excited to continue to develop these skills at IT Solutions Inc. What really excites me about this position, is the opportunity to work with Cisco FirePOWER. While I haven’t used it before, I’ve previously worked with FortiGate, and this previous experience will be crucial to my success in the Network Engineer Position.

I currently hold a CCNA certification, which will assist me in the Network Engineer role. Additionally, I am working towards earning a CCNP Enterprise, to support my own professional development, and my career goal of reaching a Senior Network Engineer position in the near future.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to speaking with you further about how my skills and experience will make me an effective part of your team.

Sincerely,

James Jones

 

Your cover letter may contain much more information than this, referencing more of the skills that the job advert asks applicants to have. But this should give you an accurate idea of how to create your own cover letter, and how to relate your own experiences to the position you are applying for.

 

The Only Time You Don’t Need to Write a Cover Letter.

One of the only times when you don’t need to know how to write a cover letter, is when you’re working with a recruiter or recruitment agency in your industry. 

Here at Dynamic, we’re experts in recruiting in the IT Industry: Network, Infrastructure, IT Sales, Cyber and Cloud… Because we understand our market, our clients and our candidates: And our clients trust us to bring applicants to them who are right for the role. This means they often don’t ask for a cover letter, because a recruiters job is to sell you to the Hiring Manager without the need for a cover letter.

If you’re looking for your next IT position, you can look at our open job vacancies here. Or reach out to us here for a confidential chat about taking the next step in your IT career.

The post How To Write The Perfect Cover Letter in 2023 appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.

Whether you’re actively looking for your new job, have already secured your new job, or you’re just starting the process, it’s crucial that you know how much notice you need to give your employer. Because the last thing you want is to agree to a start date that you can’t do.

 

What is My Notice Period?

Your Notice period is your contractually obliged period of notice that you must provide to your employer that you are leaving. Reversely, it is the same length of period that they must provide to you as an employee, to signify termination of your employment.

How long these notice periods are can vary wildly, depending on the contract you signed when you joined the business.

Notice periods are designed to protect both you as the employee and the employer from sudden departure or dismissal. The notice period helps you to find a new job if your company suddenly lets you go. And it also helps to protect the business if you decide to leave your job. Which is why the longer you are employed, the longer a notice period usually grows. 

 

How Much Notice Do I Need To Give My Employer In The UK?

How much notice you need to give your employer will be in the contract you signed when you started your job. The typical notice period ranges from 1 – 3 months, with the average notice you need to give to an employer in the UK being 3 months. 

If your contract doesn’t mention a notice period you are still legally owed one, and owe one to your employer. How long that is depends on how long you have been employed in your current role. Here in the UK:

• If you have been employed for less than a month, you have no entitled notice period.
• If you have been employed for one month to two years, the minimum you are owed is one week’s notice. Although this is only the very minimum, and will likely be longer.
• If you have been employed between two and twelve years, you have a minimum of two weeks notice, with an additional week for each additional year of employment. So at 6 years of continuous employment, you are owed 6 weeks, and at 10 years you are owed 10 weeks, up to a maximum of 12 weeks notice period.
• If you have been employed for more than 12 years, the minimum you are owed is 12 weeks (3 months).

If your notice period is too long and you need to be released from it earlier, all hope is not lost, because they aren’t always set in stone. Sometimes employers would rather have someone gone, instead of them sticking around and shouting about their amazing new job. 

Here at Dynamic, we regularly help the candidates we work with negotiate their notice period. For advice from the experts, read here for a step-by-step guide on negotiating and reducing your notice period.

 

How Much Notice Do I Need To Give as a Contractor?

If you’re a contractor, then you have more power when it comes to deciding your notice period than most. Because you have greater control over the contract you and your employer sign.

Some contract workers choose to omit having a notice period altogether when discussing employment. Of course this is at the discretion of both parties, but there are tax reasons to not having a notice period. While it obviously decreases the security that having a notice period offers, having a notice period does risk you being classified as an employee by the business. This will in turn affect the IR35 status of your contract. 

For more information on the IR35 status of your contract, you can continue reading here. 

 

Do I Get Paid In My Notice Period?

Yes, you should be paid in full during the entirety of your notice period. This is unless you and your employer agree to shorten your notice period. Which may obviously affect how much you are paid.

You will also be paid for any outstanding holiday days that you have accrued in the holiday year. So if you have two weeks of holiday days left to use, you will be paid those in addition to your usual salary. 

However, holiday days can be used to effectively reduce your notice period if you need to leave early. This is at the discretion of your employer who has to approve your holiday leave. And of course, this isn’t necessary for everyone, but is well worth keeping in mind if you need to make a quick exit.

 

How To Hand Your Notice To Your Employer in 4 Steps

This may seem the straightforward part of the process. But there’s a few things to remember when handing in your notice to your employer:

1. Book a meeting with your employer and hand in your notice face-to-face. Explain that you are leaving, your mind is made up, and thank them for the time and the opportunity they have given you. Because you want to leave on good terms. You don’t want to burn bridges or sour relationships that may be beneficial to your career in the future.
2. You should physically hand in your notice as you resign, as well as send a follow up email. This helps covers your bases, as you want to have physical evidence of your handing in your notice to your employer.
3. Be prepared for your manager or employer to be upset about the news. Because their immediate concern will be how your departure affects them, and the business. They won’t be thinking about how your new job is a great opportunity for you.
4. And lastly, prepare yourself to receive a counter offer. It can happen right there and then or later in your notice period. But the IT job market (and any other job market for that matter) are incredibly competitive right now. And it’s your managers job to try and keep you on the team. Which means you can safely expect to receive a counter offer. And your employer will likely offer you whatever they think you want to hear.

But a counter offer is often a short term solution for employers. Statistically, you will end up leaving anyway, with 80% of people who accept a counter offer leaving within six months of accepting a counter offer. You can read our complete guide on navigating counter offers here.

 

Whether you’re just thinking about starting your job search or you’re already interviewing, it’s always good to see what’s on the market. Have a look at our open Network, Infrastructure, Cyber and IT roles here. Or speak to one of our team for a confidential chat about your career.

The post “How Much Notice Do I Need To Give To My Employer?” appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.

As we head into 2023, you might be asking what are the best networking certifications for your career? And given how much time and money earning networking certifications can take, it’s no wonder.

Here at Dynamic, we’re asked for the same certifications time and time again. To clients, they’re a benchmark. Networking certifications are an indicator of three attractive qualities to employers: your skills, your experience, and your desire to continually learn and level up your skills.

According to Skillsoft’s ‘2022 IT Skills and Salary Report’, 91% of IT Professionals here in Europe hold at least one certification. Meanwhile, research from Cisco shows that 99% of organisations use certifications to influence their hiring decisions.

The statistics show that certifications aren’t just incredibly important for your career, but that a massive number of IT professionals are continuously improving their IT skills.

So we’ve spoken to Dynamic Search Solutions’ Managing Consultants, Chris Armistead-Cargan and Mark Humphreys; two of our Dynamic recruiters who have over 17 years of combined experience in Network and Infrastructure recruitment. And we asked them to share with you the certifications that their clients most want to see: AKA, the best networking certifications for your career in 2023.

 

The Best Networking Certifications For Professionals Working With MSPs

When we asked Mark for what he considers the most valuable certificate for anyone working in a Managed Service Provider environment, he only had one answer:

 

“The CCNP Enterprise: It’s a no brainer. The CCNP Enterprise sets you up for everything you need to know about working with networks at an MSP.”

 

And the statistics would have to agree. In Global Knowledge’s 2021 IT Skills and Salary Report, the CCNP Enterprise featured on multiple regions “Top 10 Paying Certifications” lists. And the 2022 report shows that Cisco certifications are in the “Top 5 Most Popularly Held” and “Most Pursued” certifications lists.

However, as certifications become more commonplace. On average, respondents hold four certifications in their field, with 41% of them earned in the last six months. So while the CCNP Enterprise is still one of the most valuable certs to earn, it doesn’t make you stand out as much as it used to.

After earning your CCNP Enterprise, you then have options to progress further down the Enterprise route, or into Wireless, Collaboration, Data Center, Network Security and now Cyber Security. 

But for those who are working at MSPs, there are two paths that IT professionals typically follow. 

 

“You have the opportunity to go down the ‘software defined route’ or the ‘security route’. The 300 – 415 ENSDWI Concentration Exam for the CCNP Enterprise is a great way to learn SD-WAN, which is one of the hottest skills on the market at the moment. Software Defined Networks are the future, especially within Enterprise, SD-Access, DNAC

Alternatively, you can go down the cyber security route: Cyber Security is always going to be needed. Which makes the CCNP Security an attractive complimentary Cisco certification to earn alongside your CCNP Enterprise.

Cisco FirePOWER is in massive demand at the moment. And the CCNP Security can offer experience working with this, depending on the exams you choose.”

 

The CCNP Enterprise is one of the strongest foundational certifications you can earn. But if you go get your CCNP Enterprise, get another track with it and double specialise? You’re set for 2023. You’ll be able to explore new career options, progress further down your chosen career path and bargain higher salaries.

 

The Best Networking Certifications For Professionals Working With ISPs

Meanwhile, over in the ISP space, Juniper is starting to make significant gains in the market. Mark had this to say about which Networking certifications would be the best for those working in ISPs:

 

“Juniper Certifications are becoming some of the hottest certifications on the market right now, especially in the Internet Service Provider space. They are really starting to challenge Cisco certifications in terms of value, and they could put you in a great position for 2023 in the ISP space. Because Juniper is cheaper for businesses. I work with a lot of companies that have, or are planning to make the switch to Juniper systems.”

 

Looking into the future of 2023 and beyond, CCNP level equivalent certifications such as the JNCIP-SP or JNCIS-SP are two certifications that will add long-term value to your professional career, especially if Juniper continues to expand in the market. But while Juniper are making gains in the market, this doesn’t mean they’re the only ones out there. We spoke to Chris Armistead-Cargan for what his clients want to see:

 

“Yes, Juniper is cheaper, which is obviously attractive for businesses. But that doesn’t mean Cisco is dead. A lot of companies still use Cisco, and don’t want to, or can’t make the transition over to Juniper systems. 

And right now, there’s still more jobs on the market for a Cisco certified IT professional. For those who are working with service provider networks, the CCNP Service Provider is still a certification that’s going to be a significant boost to your career.”

The Best Network Security Certifications For Your Career

So we’ve touched on Security certifications while discussing the best certifications for both ISPs and MSPs. But what if you want the flexibility and ability to work at either? Lucky for you, this is where Fortinet’s NSE certifications step in. 

The Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) program offers 8 individual certifications that indicate your level of expertise with Fortinet Cyber Security systems. And Fortinet has exploded in the past few years. Fortinet has become increasingly valuable to employees and employers over the years. A trend which only looks likely to continue.

 

“Our clients at ISPs and MSPs both want Fortinet certified professionals. So earning your NSE certification really gives you flexibility in your career. Fortinet Security seems to be the hottest product out there at the moment. 

Of course they’re not the only systems out there. Cisco ASA and firePOWER are red-hot at the moment, and that doesn’t seem likely to change.

5 years ago, Fortinet wasn’t as big: But now, everyone uses it. It’s cheaper and it’s very good at what it does. So working towards your NSE 7 should be a career goal for every Cyber Security professional: But the NSE 6 is still a great certification to have”

 

The Three Best Networking Certifications for Your Networking Career in 2023

We asked Mark and Chris to summarise the three most valuable certifications to employers will be in 2023:

Mark: “The three hottest certifications in networking for 2023 are: The JNCIS-SP. NSE Fortinet 6, 7 or 8. And of course, the CCNP Enterprise.”

Chris: “For me, the most valuable certifications are the CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, and NSE 4 or 7. If they had an NSE 7, I’d want to speak to them. They’d automatically be a great candidate for a number of roles. Or if they had a CCNP Enterprise coupled with an NSE 4, they’d be a really valuable Network Engineer.”

 

Of course, we can’t tell you what is the best certification for you. That depends on the area of networking you work in, the systems you enjoy working on and your chosen career path. 

But what we can give you, is some expert insight into employers and the networking market as we head into 2023. As well as offer you advice from the experts on earning your certifications. For those looking to earn a CCNP Enterprise or other complimentary Cisco certifications, we’ve worked with industry experts to put together a comprehensive guide to earning your Cisco certifications.

The post Best Networking Certifications in 2023: Advice From The Experts appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.

Interest in remote working is at an all time high. Research from SEMrush shows that searches on Google for “remote work” have increased by over 300% in July 2022, compared to July 2021. And our own research shows that searches for “remote IT jobs” have skyrocketed in the last year, increasing by 900%.

In a recent example, Elon Musk attempted to end hybrid and remote work completely, forcing Twitter staff back into the office. We say attempted, after he reneged his own decision after Twitter staff reacted to this by leaving in droves. 

So while demand is clearly high and growing higher, is remote work the best thing for you and your career? We’ve researched the short and long-term effects of remote working, and the results are less clear cut.

 

Current Attitudes To Remote Working

The evidence shows that remote and flexible working is on the top of everyone’s priorities. Owl Lab’s 2021 State of Remote Work report found that 84% of employees shared that they would prefer to work remotely, with 5% even willing to take a pay cut.

But here at Dynamic, we’ve noticed a shift in the attitudes of IT professionals. As we head into 2023 we’re speaking to more IT professionals who are wanting to get back into the office. Rising cost-of-living is making remote work less of the economic advantage it has been previously. 

 

Remote Work and Mental Health

One of the biggest negative impacts of remote work is on mental wellbeing. In the early days of the pandemic, a study from Nuffield Health showed that 80% of Brits felt that “remote working had had a negative impact on their mental health”. 

In recent years the UK workplace has adjusted to a more hybrid and remote friendly way of working. Unfortunately, things haven’t improved when it comes to mental wellbeing for everyone. Research from Chargifi reveals that “81% of younger workers say they would feel more isolated without time in the office”: Remote working appears to have a disproportionate effect on younger workers, and this isn’t just reflected solely in mental health issues.

But the negative impacts of remote work on mental wellbeing aren’t relegated solely to junior members of the team. 

The latest data from Future Forum’s 2022 survey found that “executives reported 40% more work-related stress and anxiety, 20% worse work-life balance, and 15% less job satisfaction in the past year”. Whether these problems are due to difficulties in managing a largely remote workforce, the disconnect from the team, or having to adapt to this new style of management are less clear.

The Effects of Remote Work on the UK Workforce

Because the negative effects of remote work don’t just stop at mental health issues. It even has a documented negative impact on physical wellbeing. 

ONS statistics show that the number of people being unfit for work because of neck and back injuries has risen by 62,000 between Quarter 2 in 2019 and 2022. Again this appears to have a large effect on younger workers, with long-term sickness among those aged 25 to 34 jumping by 42%.

It is these far reaching and long term impacts that will have employers worried about offering remote work to employees. Currently there are more open vacancies in the IT industry than ever before, and in the past year employers have struggled to find the right people for their business.

But the relationship between remote work and work-related wellbeing isn’t so clear cut. Microsoft’s Future of Work Report highlights the differences, that “Remote work and subsequent work-life balance and job autonomy can improve job satisfaction, but employees may feel socially isolated, guilty and try to overcompensate”.

 

The Effects of Remote Working on Your Career

Studies show that remote working can also have a detrimental effect on your career progression. 

Remote workers are often overlooked compared to their in-office colleagues; whether it’s project involvement, being put forward for promotions or pay-rises. According to the Microsoft study, “remote work is also associated with lower perceived career prospects”. And a study from Alliance Virtual Offices highlights the disparity between the two groups:

• Remote workers are 38% less likely to receive bonuses. 
• They don’t advance as quickly in their careers as their in-office counterparts.
• And that remote workers work more! They often do 50% more overtime compared to in-office colleagues.

So not only could you be paid less overall, you may end up working longer hours… And still not advance as quickly as the competition! 

Owl Labs study shows the same, with 55% of employees saying they work more hours when working remotely compared to when working in the office. Arguments for why this is vary. Some workers feel the need to work longer hours to compensate for not physically being in the office. Meanwhile others have difficulty to separate life and work, when your home is also your office. 

 

What Recruitment Experts Think About Remote Working and Your Career

Here at Dynamic, we regularly speak to candidates who want to work completely remote. And of course, we’ll do our best to help find a candidate that works for them. Part of the service we provide, is giving IT Professionals honest and candid advice about the current market, and to support their career progression.

And as we’ve mentioned, remote working can have a negative impact on younger workers’ physical and mental wellbeing. And their career progression is no different.

 

“The senior staff in the office are the people you’ll be learning from. If they’re in the office and you’re working remotely, you’re not going to learn from them. And if you’re not learning as fast as the competition, you might fall behind and miss opportunities that should be yours.”

Mark Humphreys, Managing Consultant 

 

Of course this reflects equally on senior members of staff who want to work remotely. Without the proper processes and systems in place, when senior team members are working remotely it can be incredibly hard for the junior members of the team to learn.

 

While the statistics show that detrimental effects of remote working, this isn’t the case for everyone. For every remote worker who struggles, there are those who thrive working from home. It all comes down to you, your career path, your individual needs, and how you work best. But it’s worth baring in mind that there are serious drawbacks to your health and career to consider.

Here at Dynamic we work with a variety of IT businesses that offer remote, hybrid, in-house and on-site roles. If you’re not happy in your current role, reach out to one of our expert IT Recruitment Consultants here. Or, have a look at our open vacancies here to find a job that supports your working needs.

The post The Negative Impacts Of Remote Work On Your Career appeared first on Dynamic Search Solutions.

Cisco certifications are a massive boost to your IT career. There’s no replacement for hands-on experience. But certs like these demonstrate, and provide hiring managers with concrete evidence of, your technical skills and expertise. And because of the hands-on work you need to undertake to gain the Professional and Expert level certifications. 

Cisco offers a variety of certifications that are generally split into three categories. Associate, Professionals and Expert level certifications. Chief among them being the CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) and the CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert).

Contents

What are the different levels of Cisco Qualifications?

How much does it cost to become Cisco Qualified?

What are Cisco Qualifications actually worth?

 

What are the different levels of Cisco Qualifications?

The CCNA, CCNP and CCIE certifications outline the typical route of progression for IT professionals across the breadth of the IT industry who work with Cisco systems: From Network and Infrastructure, to Cyber Security and Software Development. 

While Cisco offers additional certifications such as the entry level CCT, we’re focusing on the aforementioned three, as these are the most highly requested Cisco certifications we see here at Dynamic, and are the three that will help you in your career the most.

 

CCNA – Cisco Certified Network Associate

The CCNA is a fantastic certification for someone who is just starting out in their IT career, and is a foundational certification that is required for many junior roles. Cisco advises having one year of experience working with Cisco systems before attempting to earn the certification.

A CCNA certification shows employers that the certificate holder understands the fundamentals of networking, IP services, security, automation and programmability: Without forcing you to specialise into one particular area of Cisco systems.

The exam itself covers the widest array of topics compared to later certifications. This is due to Cisco combining all the previous associate level certifications (CCNA Wireless, CCNA Security etc.) into one more general certification, back in 2020.

For more information on the CCNA including how and why you should earn one, have a look at our complete guide on how to prepare for the CCNA here.

 

CCNP – Cisco Certified Network Professional

The CCNP is typically the next step in your career as a network professional. It is a more advanced certification that requires a much deeper understanding of working with Cisco systems. While the CCNA isn’t required to undertake a CCNP, it is generally advised.

Unlike the CCNA, the CCNP also offers you the opportunity to specialise into the area that is most beneficial for your chosen career, whether that’s cyber security, enterprise networks or data management. 

If the CCNP is the next step in your IT career, then have a look at our complete guide here; for a breakdown of why you should earn your CCNP, and how to prepare for your CCNP.

 

CCIE – Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert

The CCIE is the highest level of technical certification offered by Cisco, and one of the most prestigious certifications in the networking industry. It recognises you as an expert in your chosen area of networking, and is an extremely desirable certification for employers.

You likely won’t find it on many “10 Highest Paying Certifications” lists due to how few there are out there. But part of the CCIE’s prestige is due to the time and money it takes to earn, and the difficulty in obtaining one. 

Given the extensive cost of attempting and the difficulty of the CCIE exams, it can take years of studying before people attempt the exam. Cisco advises having at least “five to seven years of experience with designing, deploying, operating and optimising enterprise networking technologies and solutions…”

For everything you need to know about the CCIE exam including a breakdown of the exam format, the time and cost of earning the certification, and the benefits of earning your CCIE then have a look at our comprehensive guide here.

 

How Much Does it Cost to Become Cisco Qualified

“How much does it cost to earn your Cisco Certification?” is a valid question, because Cisco certifications aren’t cheap, and only become more expensive as you progress. Unfortunately, while there is the simple answer of how much each exam costs, the cost of time spent 

Studying for the progressively harder exams isn’t so simple.

Despite the cost and time spent earning them though, Cisco qualifications such as the CCNA, CCNP and CCIE are incredibly worthwhile certifications to earn. The job opportunities and increased salaries that become available to you when you earn the next level of qualification are substantial, and these certifications quickly pay for themselves.

And businesses that are Cisco Partners are required to have a certain number of Cisco certified professionals in their business. This gives businesses yet another reason to than just their skills and knowledge.

 

CCNA Exam Cost UK

The CCNA exam, the 200 – 301 CCNA, costs £246 + VAT per attempt. This puts the CCNA exam as the least expensive Cisco certification by a large margin. However it should be noted that this is per attempt, so repeated failures can become costly.

The bigger cost of earning CCNA certification comes from the training and time you need to invest into studying for it. There are a wide range of courses online and some even offered by Cisco such as the Implementing and Administering Solutions (£613) and the CCNA Preparation Bundle (£904). These courses are specifically designed to prepare you for the CCNA exam.

 

CCNP Exam Cost – UK

As Cisco’s midweight certification the CCNP unsurprisingly sits in the middle of the three on our list in terms of price. The CCNP consist of two separate exams you must pass to become CCNP certified:

First is the CCNP core exam of your chosen CCNP certification, costing £320 + VAT. For example, to earn the CCNP Enterprise you must pass the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam. Everyone who earns a CCNP Enterprise will pass this exam. The 350 – 401 ENCOR exam is also the qualifying exam for the expert level Cisco Enterprise certifications, the CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure and CCIE Enterprise Wireless. 

Second is the CCNP concentration exam, costing £240 + VAT. Each CCNP certification has six CCNP concentration exams to choose from that allow you to specialise even further into the area of IT that interests you; but don’t worry, you still only need to pass one concentration exam.

 

CCIE Exam Cost – UK

Last, but certainly not least, is Cisco’s highest level of certification and the hardest and most expensive to obtain, the CCIE. Similar to the CCNP, the CCIE exam has two parts. 

First is the CCIE qualifying written exam, again, costing £320 + VAT per attempt.

If you have previously earned your CCNP Enterprise certification, then the core exam, the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam, would count as the qualifying exam for a CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure or CCIE Enterprise Wireless. 

So while it is not a prerequisite to earn your CCNP certification before attempting for your CCIE certification, it is the generally recommended path for IT professionals working with Cisco systems.

However, passing the 350 – 401 ENCOR exam only counts towards the CCIE certification if taken and passed in the last three years. So if over three years have passed since you earned your CCNP, then you’ll have to recertify.

 

CCIE Exam Part 2: The CCIE Lab Exam

Then comes the infamous CCIE lab exam. 

This is the only Cisco exam that must be taken in person, whereas all the previous exams have remote options. So there are additional costs such as accommodation and travel costs that should be factored into the actual cost of taking your lab exam.

The CCIE lab exam costs either £1,300 or £1,500, depending on where and how you take your exam: 

• You can take your CCIE lab exam at one of Cisco’s nine Lab locations around the world, costing £1300.
• You can take your CCIE lab exam at one of Cisco’s more numerous Mobile Lab locations, costing £1500: These are temporary lab locations with specific dates on which you can take your CCIE lab exam, so look here for scheduling information.
• Finally, you can take your exam at a Cisco mobile lab and opt to BYOD, ‘Bring Your Own Device’. This makes your exam cheaper, at £1300, and gives you the comfort of taking the exam on your own hardware. It does mean however, that there are certain requirements your hardware must meet.

The CCIE, as the most senior of the three, is the most expensive by far. This is even before you take into consideration the numerous other costs: travelling to a Cisco Lab location, CCIE training courses and learning materials, buying or renting hardware for you to practise lab scenarios on, and the fact it takes on average 2 – 3 attempts to pass the CCIE lab exam.

Earning your CCIE certification can cost upwards of £10,000 over time. So it’s wise to be absolutely certain that you want to dedicate so much time to your speciality, instead of broadening your skillset with a complimentary, second CCNP.

 

How Much is Cisco Certification Worth in the UK?

So we’ve discussed how much Cisco qualifications cost to earn and it can certainly be a lot: So are Cisco certifications worth it in 2022?

According to Global Knowledge’s Salary and Skills Report, IT professionals who obtain new certifications see an average salary increase of £10,000. This quickly offsets the financial cost of any new certification. And later certifications like the CCNP and the CCIE aren’t just any certification. These can come with huge financial gains and increases of employability.

Tied to this increase in salary, is the opportunities that come with receiving new certification. Between two candidates with similar years of experience, skill sets, proficiency in technologies, one with a CCNA and one with a CCNP Enterprise Infrastructure; for hiring managers it’s a no brainer. 

Of course, earning new certification is more than just a financial gain. In fact the top three benefits IT professionals saw of receiving certification training were improvement in the quality of work (49%), finding their work more engaging (32%), and being faster at their job (27%).

IT certifications indicate that an individual is motivated to put time, effort, and money into improving their job performance: Attractive qualities to employers, aside from just the skills and knowledge that come with certifications.

CCNA Salary – UK

The average salary for a CCNA holder in the UK is £35,000. Of course, this is subject to variability based on multiple factors including: location, years of experience, other complimentary certifications you have, experience with other technologies and of course, your chosen career.

Lets look at a Network Engineer for example, a role that typically works with Cisco software. A Network Engineer could see a salary range from £25,000 at entry level, to up to £50,000 depending on experience and other factors.

Here at Dynamic, the jobs we hire for that require a CCNA regularly offer as much as £45,000, occasionally even higher for more specialist positions with additional complimentary certifications and skills. However, to reach higher salaries and more senior positions, you are likely going to have to gain higher levels of certification; such as the CCNP.

 

CCNP Salary – UK

The CCNP is the next logical step in the career of an IT professional working with Cisco systems, and qualifies you for more senior positions and the higher salaries that come with.

The average CCNP salary here in the UK is £48,000, a sizable leap from the average CCNA salary. However this is lower than the roles we recruit for here at Dynamic, with CCNP certified Network Engineers regularly earning upwards of £55,000.

Earning your CCNP certification allows you to specialise more into your chosen field, compared to the more general CCNA qualification, which is reflected in the differences in salary ranges when compared to the salary ranges of CCNA. Those with many years of experience working at a CCNP level or with multiple CCNPs can earn as much as £80,000. 

 

CCIE Salary – UK

The average CCIE salary in the UK is £71,000. This increase in salary is much larger than the salary increase from CCNA to CCNP, and reflects just how exclusive and desirable a CCIE is to an employer.

Earning your CCIE certification can raise your pay ceiling to upwards of £100,000 depending on experience, location etc. For example, roles such as a Lead Network Architect that are willing to pay up to £120,000 for an architect with a CCIE. With the average that we see being around £80,000. Although this is likely to only increase as time progresses.

And of course the benefits of earning a CCIE aren’t just financial. Because of the CCIE certification’s exclusivity and desirability, it gives you much more bargaining power in your current role, as well as looking for a new job. This could be flexibility in working, the technologies you’ll get to work with or the projects you work on.

So, CCNP or CCIE?

There are some arguments to be made in the debate between CCNP or CCIE. Whether it is more valuable for your career to go for the prestigious CCIE or a second CCNP. Earning your CCNP certification is no small accomplishment. But earning a CCIE is an altogether different challenge and can take over your life for a year or more.

The traditional path for someone working in Network, Infrastructure and Cyber Security has always been fairly straightforward; earn your CCNA – CCNP – CCIE in your respective career route. But it may be worth expanding your skillset and earning a second CCNP in complementary technology instead of working towards your CCIE certification.

Mark Leary, former Directing Analyst of ‘Learning & Certification Services’ at Cisco, discusses the advantages of earning multiple CCNPs. “A double major in networking and security is a very valuable thing”. 

The traditional route was to progress through the certifications, earn a CCIE, and become an expert in one area. But Mark argues that the IT industry has evolved and it’s important to factor this into your career plan. “The biggest permanent change of the pandemic is that networking and security teams are working more closely together. If you ask IT executives, someone who’s very good at both is more valuable to them than someone who is great at only one thing.”

Earning your CCIE is a difficult and long endeavour. But it can be incredibly rewarding. And for more reasons than just the financial reward. But whether it’s more worthwhile to aim for your CCIE or a second CCNP depends on you, your career goals, and the ever changing IT landscape.

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So you’ve been offered your dream job. But… it doesn’t come with your dream salary. It can feel disheartening to think you’ve wasted all your time, interviewing for a job with a salary that doesn’t end up meeting your expectations. But it’s not time to throw in the towel just yet.

Because while it may be scary, an offer is negotiable. We negotiate salaries on behalf of our candidates every day. And we’re here to give you the 9 steps on how you can negotiate the salary you deserve.

If you are looking to negotiate a pay rise for a job that you are currently working in, we have a separate guide here to ask for a pay rise here.

 

How to Negotiate a Salary In 9 Steps

1. Make Sure You’re Being Offered a Fair salary
2. If you’re looking to be paid higher than the average salary for your position, you need to be creative with your argument.
3. Consider the business’s circumstance: can they afford to and can they afford not to pay you more.
4. Look for remote jobs with a higher salary than the one you’re being offered
5. Create an evidence based and compelling argument for why you deserve to be paid more. 
6. If there are more things to negotiate than salary, negotiate them all at once.
7. Set out clear expectations for your desired salary. Or if they can’t offer a higher salary, what would you accept instead?
8. Have a plan beforehand what you will do if they reject your request.
9. Let someone do the negotiating for you, by working with an IT recruiter.

 

1. Make Sure You’re Being Offered a Fair salary

Salaries are changing constantly. And with the current state of the job market and rising inflation, the average salary for your job a year ago may have risen significantly since you last looked however many months ago. And there are a few different ways in which you can check this online.

Salary Comparison Websites: Websites like Glassdoor, Reed and Indeed all have their own individual salary comparison tools. By using a few of these you can get a general salary idea of the position you’re applying for.

Job Boards: For a real time and accurate idea of the salaries you can expect, you can do your own research and look at live adverts on job boards. Job boards like Indeed can be a great resource due to the amount of roles they have, but a specialist job board in your niche will give more accurate salaries. For example, if you’re an IT Professional working in the Network, Infrastructure or Cyber Security industry, you can use the Dynamic Search job board for research into salaries. 

Speak With An Expert: One of the best resources you can use for salary research is to speak to a recruitment consultant in your niche. These are people whose job it is to understand their marketing inside and out, and they can give you an accurate idea of the salary you can expect, taking into account location, years of experience and market demand for your skills.

 

2. Why Do You Deserve To Be Paid More Than This?

But let’s say you are being offered the market salary for your position. Then you might need to give more thought to why you deserve to be paid more than the industry average. Here are some examples of a few of the different things you should consider:

Location

Location can be a huge determining factor in negotiating a salary. Depending on the location of the role, you could easily make a case for why the higher cost-of-living means it is essential that you are paid more than the national average.

Do You Have More Experience Than They’re Asking For?

If the job description is asking for 2 – 3 years of experience and you have 3 or more, you can be in a strong position to argue for a higher salary. The company will have budgeted for the job advert and position with the experience in mind. And if you have more then they’re asking for making you the strongest candidate, then you can use that as a strong case for why you deserve to be paid more than originally advertised for the position.

The Same Again With Skills

Use the same logic again for skills as experience. If the job description asks for some skills as “desirable but not essential” and you have them. Or if you have additional, complimentary skills that will help you in your job. You can argue that this makes you qualify for a higher salary by being more effective in your position. 

 

3. Can The Business Afford What You’re Asking?

Can They Afford To?

Something to consider before you step into the negotiation is can the business afford to offer you more. This is essential for setting relevant expectations on what to expect.

Some businesses will be more flexible with the salaries they offer. For example, with international network agencies there can be layers and layers of red tape for a hiring manager to navigate in salary negotiations. Or there can be no option for negotiation at all.

Can They Afford Not To?

An alternative angle for your argument could be on whether or not the business can afford not to pay you more. Is the business looking to hire immediately or do they need the position filled ASAP? If so, then this puts you in a greater position of power. 

Have they brought on a new client that needs extra hands to work on, or has someone left that is putting the team under pressure? Whatever the reasons means they might not have the time to restart the hiring process.

 

4. Look For Remote Jobs With a Higher Salary Than You’re Being Offered

A SEMrush study shows that “remote jobs” has increased in monthly searches by over 234%, from July 2021 to 2022. While “remote jobs near me” has experienced a staggering growth of 654%.

Here at Dynamic we’ve firsthand witnessed the amount of remote working opportunities increase in reaction to this demand. And remote salaries for the same jobs can have a large discrepancy based on the location in the UK that the company hiring is based.

If you can demonstrate that there are higher salaries out there for the exact same job you will be doing, you can create a case for why they should be offering you more. But it’s important here to stress that while yes, you could apply to those jobs, you want to work for the company you’re interviewing with. And that’s why you want it to be them that offers you the salary.

 

5. Create an Evidence Based Argument For Why You Deserve to be Paid More

When negotiating a salary offer, we would advise that you keep your argument factual and backed up with evidence. Because while it is a personal request to you, cases based on emotion will be unlikely to sway your future employer’s decision. Instead, use statistics and data to argue the case for why you’re worth a higher salary than they’re offering.

Similar to how you should structure your CV: Use examples of how successful you have been in  your previous work. If you can show examples of times where you’ve won new business in your previous role at a Managed Service Provider and relate it to your new position, you’ve got a strong argument for why you’re worth the extra money. 

Of course not all examples are as clear cut as this. So you might have to be a bit more inventive with your argument…

 

6. Negotiate Everything You Need To All At Once

Before you open up negotiations about salary, consider if there is anything else that needs to change as well. This could be anything, from hybrid working to a bigger holiday allowance. 

Because you should negotiate all of these at once, instead of one after the other. Because you don’t want your future employer to think that you are taking advantage of the negotiations and moving the goalpost further and further, just to see how much you can get. 

You want your employer to know that you are available and interested, and that if they can meet your expectations you’ll accept.

 

7. Set Out Clear Expectations: But If They Can’t Meet Them, What Would You Accept Instead?

Sometimes a higher salary simply isn’t possible. It could be not in the budget for the company for that year, or outside of company policy to pay more than your colleagues in the same position. 

So you may want to consider beforehand if you would accept anything instead of an increased salary. This could be financial such as a potential bonus scheme for new business acquisition or a higher pension contribution: Or something to support your work-life balance, like hybrid working or more holidays.

Because while it may not be the answer you were looking for, it’s worth considering if any of these alternative options are as good as a higher salary.

8. Have a Plan Beforehand What You Will Do If They Reject Your Request

To give yourself the most confidence in the negotiation, you should prepare yourself for what you’re going to do if your attempts to negotiate a salary fail. If your request isn’t met would you consider accepting the offer anyway? Or would you decline and continue your job search?

We would advise you to continue with any other interview processes that you are currently going through, to make sure that you have the most amount of options. And to be open with the company that has made you the offer of the situation. Because showing that you have other interested parties may influence your potential future employer’s decision to offer you a higher salary…

 

9. Let Someone Do The Negotiating For You

Not everyone is comfortable negotiating a salary. Which is why it can be helpful having someone who can argue your case for you. 

Here at Dynamic we do the negotiating on behalf of our candidates. If the salary isn’t quite right for one of our candidates, we’ll fight their corner for them. Because it’s our job to represent the candidates we work with to the best of our ability. 

 

So if you’re working in the network, infrastructure or cyber security industries and looking for support through your journey, you can reach out to us here, for advice unique to your individual situation.

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