You should not be preparing for Cisco certifications with outdated and old published books as testing has changed a lot. Get on Cisco’s website and see the recommended study material. You also need hands on command line knowledge. There should be online simulators look for them to get hands on. Cisco certifications are worth their weight in gold. If you can get to CCNP level you will definitely be on the road to some good paying jobs if your work skills are good. You will also need firewall skills and certs as well. Good Luck.