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ashtoash · Mar 21, 2005, 12:58 PM

I could easily pass the ACSA : Apple Certified System Administrator course at the cost of about $150.

Is it worth it? I've looked everywhere for mac os x sys admin jobs in los angeles california. I can't find any! Am I don't something wrong? I don't see any on monster, hotjobs, and all the usual suspects. You'd think with "hollywood" here there would be plenty of jobs like this?

Anyone have this certification and care to comment? I don't mind paying the $150 for the certification but it doesn't look like there is any big name jobs listed anywhere...

Is there a special site I should be searching? Anyone have links to job posts asking for apple system administrators? I know I could probably find something but I'd like to see listings to at least see that there will be stuff around without going door to door.

lol

ManOfSteal · Mar 21, 2005, 01:08 PM

I would say it is definitely worth getting. What kind of industry are you looking to work in? I'm sure quite a few "Mac" school districts need ACSA/ACTC's, I know of a couple that were in the Chicago-land area at least awhile back.

I'm impressed that you say you could "easily" pass the exam. It's no cake walk, that is for sure. I know a few people myself that have that cert, some who work at Apple as System Engineer's and others who I know personally from work experiences and they all say it was very, VERY difficult.

ashtoash · Mar 21, 2005, 01:26 PM

go ricky you know me from the past, got you some domain names ;-)

I'm prepaid to take it but I don't see any jobs asking for it? point out any jobs on any major job site asking for this? Also I'd rather not work for a school. I mean so i get the certification, what next? I don't see any jobs listed. I'd like something specifically that is "Mac OS X sys admin needed!" but I just dont' see anything like this.

ManOfSteal · Mar 21, 2005, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by ashtoash:
I mean so i get the certification, what next? I don't see any jobs listed. I'd like something specifically that is "Mac OS X sys admin needed!" but I just dont' see anything like this.

That doesn't surprise me. You aren't going to find a lot of job listings, or any currently, for an ACSA specific position. However, with that said, you will find jobs that are looking for Apple certifications of some kind. If I were an employer and I had a list of people to choose from for a job, a few had their ACPT/ACDT certs, and others had those as well as the ACSA, I'm going to give more weight to somebody who has the ACSA certification (depending on the job needs of course). So even though a job may not specficially require or say that an ACSA cert is needed, it indirectly says a lot about the person if you have it. Make sense? It can only help, and will in no way hurt your chances of landing a job is the way I look at it.

ashtoash · Mar 21, 2005, 01:45 PM

Are there no specific Mac OS X jobs for admins? I can find like 200 million for windows

I guess i just wanted a job where i was in charge of mac os x machines. I know all the studios have people who are the mac sys admin, but most of them are idiots. Wonder how they got hired...

ManOfSteal · Mar 21, 2005, 02:39 PM

Originally posted by ashtoash:
Are there no specific Mac OS X jobs for admins? I can find like 200 million for windows

Are you willing to re-locate at all? Just looking around the LA area?

ashtoash · Mar 21, 2005, 02:49 PM

Only Los Angeles area, i don't mind commuting as many computer jobs are hollywood, irvine, and such...

wdlove · Mar 21, 2005, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by ashtoash:
Only Los Angeles area, i don't mind commuting as many computer jobs are hollywood, irvine, and such...

I wish you luck with the exam, should you decide. Hopefully you will find a challenging job soon.

ashtoash · Mar 21, 2005, 03:10 PM

I'm going to take it in 2 weeks. I'm still looking online for jobs using the knowledge. I already do this type of stuff but... certification can't hurt i guess.

typoon · Mar 21, 2005, 04:04 PM

Where can I find the study guides for this? I want to study and take the test. I don't wnat to come accross the wrong way but you guys should/might want to look into starting your own Mac consulting firm or something and work as a contractor for companies that need some work on OS X server or would like to impliment it in there companies. If you are able to that is. It would definitely be a challanging business to get into since many companies are probably hooked on Windows. But it could be a profitable one.

goMac · Mar 21, 2005, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by typoon:
Where can I find the study guides for this? I want to study and take the test. I don't wnat to come accross the wrong way but you guys should/might want to look into starting your own Mac consulting firm or something and work as a contractor for companies that need some work on OS X server or would like to impliment it in there companies. If you are able to that is. It would definitely be a challanging business to get into since many companies are probably hooked on Windows. But it could be a profitable one.

I took classes towards my certification. Apple will usually hire someone to run them locally.

Paco500 · Mar 21, 2005, 07:41 PM

Originally posted by ashtoash:
I'm going to take it in 2 weeks. I'm still looking online for jobs using the knowledge. I already do this type of stuff but... certification can't hurt i guess.

To back up what the man of steel asked, and to possibly save you $150, what leads you to believe you can easily pass this? This is not to question your intelligence, experience or knowledge, but certification exams are generally not a cake-walk. In years past I have gotten a few Apple (as well as other) certifications, and for every one of them, I was wildly prepared. I spent weeks with study guides and practice exams and talked to as many people as I could who has taken the tests.

You may have done all this, or you may just be super bright, so you may pass with out issue. But in my experience, it's not the brightest, most experienced folks who pass the exams- it's those who prepared.

frido:mac · Mar 22, 2005, 09:35 AM

I already did half of the ACSA Test (Server Stuff, client stuff comes in May) and it was definitely NOT easy.... even if you work with OS X server on a daily basis in a mixed Windoze/Mac/Solaris-Environment.

Looking forward to the ACSA Client test, we�ll see how that goes...

Bye, Frido.

ThisGuy · Mar 22, 2005, 10:43 AM

Originally posted by ManOfSteal:
Are you willing to re-locate at all? Just looking around the LA area?

Do you find it funny that nobody can spell either of your names correctly?

ManOfSteal · Mar 22, 2005, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by ThisGuy:
Do you find it funny that nobody can spell either of your names correctly?

Yes.