Sys Admin interview

srj

I landed an internal Sys Admin interview! This might be a long-shot, but here are some of the details:

I decided to switch careers on June 21st of last year. That was when I picked up my A+ book. I spent about five months studying for the A+, Network+, and Security+ (never took the Sec+ test sadly), until I was hired for a Help Desk position. Everything has been going great for the last ~7 months. I've showed up early almost every day and stay late most of the time. I try to take on any difficult projects that I can. Most importantly, I've been taking ownership of the projects that I'm given.

I've been contracting with the expectation that a permanent Help Desk position would come up in the future. I was surprised to find out that a Sys. Admin position opened up. My manager said that they thought I could be a candidate for this position. I was kind of taken back by the fact that they were asking me if I'd like to apply for it.

The position is going to be a lot of patching (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and maintaining the imaging systems. I think it will be a step in the right direction for me. I will have a lot to learn given my experience in the field, but I've proven to the company that I'm willing and able to learn anything thrown at me.

Anyways, I just wanted to get this out. Anyone looking to change careers, it can happen quickly if you have the right attitude and the opportunities present themselves. I'll write back as I get into the interview process (a bit shorter of a process probably considering I'm internal).

kohr-ah

Awesome! That shows your hard work paying off. Even if you don't get it for some reason it shows you are going in the right direction.

Let us kknow how it goes!

linuxlover

Good news, they obviously saw your work ethics and a desire to learn and I'd say you have good chances of landing that position. Hit the books even harder, no time to rest and enjoy your career advancement. Think of it as you already got the promotion, you're just going over there do discuss some things before you start. Keep us updated.

bub9001

Work ethic goes a long way, and you have shown this to your employer. I made the switch a few years back to IT, and hit the ground running. It has paid of well for me as well.

Keep up the good work!!!

srj

Thanks everyone! Most of my weekend is being devoted to learning Spacewalk and WSUS so that I can go in and at least be able to talk about the basics. I think I will be even more motivated if I get into this position. Things had been getting a bit stale previously.

srj

I have been offered the position! I expect to receive the actual offer in the next couple of days. I officially started in November, so if all goes well I will have gone from brand new in the field to Sys Admin in 8 months. I'm looking forward to the new position!

cyberguypr

Congrats!

linuxlover

Congrats, that's good progress. Once you start working as sys admin you're really going to have to study hard.

puertorico1985

Congratulations! Don't lose that passion to keep learning and growing!!!

100k

That is great. Hard work does pay off. Keep at and there is no telling where you can go!

coreyb80

srj wrote: »

I have been offered the position! I expect to receive the actual offer in the next couple of days. I officially started in November, so if all goes well I will have gone from brand new in the field to Sys Admin in 8 months. I'm looking forward to the new position!

Congrats, now that's progress!

lsud00d

Congrats @srj!

Take the patching aspect very seriously...the highest paid contracts and some of the most important aspects of high level positions I've seen recently have been related to patching. Of course these are for global companies but if you're open to relocating in the future these positions are always in need as it relates to vulnerability management which is of growing concern to big business.