You want a rewarding career in technology, such as software engineering or networking. What certifications would you consider? Although we’ve already discussed entry-level certifications here and there, it never hurts not to think outside the box.
Glassdoor recently conducted a survey to compile a list of top 25 companies that pay the highest base salaries for software engineers. Guess who pays the highest? While Cisco, Google, Yahoo!, etc. Although they made it to the top of the list, they were outshined in the end by Juniper Networks.
Glassdoor’s website has the complete list.
These figures make Juniper Networks worth a closer inspection. These people are really sitting on a goldmine?
Even if your job application is not ready for Juniper Networks, Juniper’s Network Certificate Program is something you should consider. This is something you should consider. Let’s first look at the company.
Juniper Networks, Inc.
Juniper Networks was founded in 1996 and went public in 1999. In September 1998, Juniper Networks began shipping its first product, M40 Router. It had 30% of the core router market by 2000, largely at Cisco’s expense. These two companies were always competitors, despite Cisco’s larger market share.
Since its inception by Pradeep Sindhu (a principal scientist at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center), Juniper has been a solid company. He brought in talent, secured investments, and developed innovative products which resulted in Juniper having one of the most successful public offerings in its history. Juniper’s stock rose by 190% during its first day as a publicly traded company.
The company designs and sells high performance Internet Protocol network products. Juniper’s main products are the T-series and M-series routers, EX series Ethernet switches, and SRX security products. Junos, Juniper’s network operating system, runs on all of their products.
Is Juniper really a great company to work for?
We wish we could share our personal experiences on this one! It doesn’t sound bad. Fortune Magazine named Juniper one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2009. Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Company List in Networking Communications ranked the company 4th that year. Juniper received the Association of Support Professionals’ The year’s ten best web support sites award from 2006 to 2011. It’s not bad, isn’t it?
But there’s a question we can’t help but ask: How do they pay the highest salaries? Although Juniper’s stock is attractive, it’s not the only one doing well. Cisco has more market share than Juniper. How can these guys afford it?
Experts agree that Juniper pays salaries that are higher than the industry average to attract and retain talented employees. Juniper’s internal spending management is a major factor. There’s less ‘pizzazz,’ and less Google-style office fluff. Salaries are the primary motivator.
What about Juniper certifications?
The Juniper Networks Certification Program, (JNCP), consists of two areas: Junos-based tracks and platform-specific multi-tiered tracks. These certifications validate your knowledge and skills in various areas of Juniper’s technology.
JNCP is similar to Cisco Certifications. It offers various tracks that range from Associate to Expert. Three tracks are based upon the Junos operating systems, while others cover different aspects Juniper platforms or equipment.
The following levels are available for each track:
Juniper Networks Certified Associate
Juniper Networks Certified Specialist
Juniper Networks Certified Professional
Juniper Networks
