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Promoted!

Kai123Kai123 Member Posts: 364 ■■■□□□□□□□
I was gonna have a big, open-hearted monologue about my journey to my goal that I set out about 6 years ago. I wanted to do this because techexam's has been instrumental on my path to my humble role of...NOC Engineer!

I studied Comptia's while working in retail. I quit the job to work in a tiny phone repair shop, which lasted 3 months before I quit (father-and-son business and full of drama). I spent 6 months unemployed while studying and then 6 months doing an internship (very basic system admin stuff).

At this point I had 3 Comptia's, 6 months experience after the internship ended but still no luck. There was a period of two weeks which alot happened.

Firstly, I gave up. I started applying for retail jobs and thought, I'll try and be a retail manager since at the time it felt like it was the only thing I'd be able to achieve and live my life as someone who tried and failed (and gave up). There was one employer nearby who always had NOC roles up, of which I pretty much harassed the HR assistant about for years about it. I sent an amazing e-mail selling myself for an internship but had to cancel the interview because I was sick of working for free (I was unemployed for almost a year at this point, so in hindsight it would of been a good decision but I was sick of working for free at this point).

I'm pretty sure it was the same day I sent an e-mail saying I had to cancel the internship interview that I received an e-mail that I was accepted to a part-time local college for the CCNA for free. Great! I'll get a job in retail to cover me for the year (it was drawn out but figured it would be fail-proof, and I'd be certified). About a day after this the HR lady of the company I cancelled the internship interview for said they had a position anyway, and if I'd like to go for it.

The interview went amazing. The role was just to take calls (very low volume, and no silly call-centre rules), log tickets and be a buffer to the NOC Engineers. They offered me the role there and then and would accommodate me for taking the part-time CCNA classes.

The role morphed into NOC Engineer-lite (but the title and role stayed the same). Our NOC is 80% troubleshooting 20% monitoring, and the NOC Engineers are to troubleshoot up to the point of making a change, of which they go to T2 to process. I've learnt so much over the year and I'm barely scratching the surface. The first 6 months of the job was feeling like a fraud, finding my feet and being overwhelmed. In the last 6 months, the panic of the phones has gone completely, and covering for NOC shifts while people are on holidays or sick has allowed me to demonstrate that I'm capable of doing the role.

Someone put in their notice, I applied and was offered the role. I start at the end of this month. Its shift based (perfect hours for me) and the bump in pay is insane (for me at least). I really wanted the role even before I really knew what it truly was, but now its happening, and I can start planning for something new.

TL : DR - I got promoted. I tried not to write a wall but it was very cathartic. This forum is amazing, and the attitude developed here will set you apart once your finally doing what you want to do. Just never give up and you will finally get rewarded for your hard work!

kai.

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    DeathmageDeathmage Banned Posts: 2,496
    Good luck mate. I completely agree, being a member of this awesome forum is like a certification upon itself. icon_wink.gif

    Just don't tell Johan. icon_razz.gif
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    AUKAN18AUKAN18 Registered Users Posts: 2 ■□□□□□□□□□
    Congrats to you. You don't give up in your dreams. I have the same experience right now I had my AAS degree in IT ON Security but I have still don't get a work for in IT field and I'm still studying for my security + cert exam and currently work as an Marine Electrician.
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    yuddhidhtiryuddhidhtir Member Posts: 197 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congratsicon_thumright.gif and Good luck for the new position.
    “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment; full effort is full victory.”
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    fuz1onfuz1on Member Posts: 961 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats! My fav kind of post! icon_cool.gif
    timku.com(puter) | ProHacker.Co(nsultant) | ITaaS.Co(nstultant) | ThePenTester.net | @fuz1on
    Transmosis | http://transmosis.com | LinkedIn | https://linkedin.com/in/t1mku
    If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it. - Epictetus
    The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows. - Buddha
    If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you. - Unknown
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    Dakinggamer87Dakinggamer87 Member Posts: 4,016 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Congrats!!

    Good luck on your future journey icon_thumright.gif
    *Associate's of Applied Sciences degree in Information Technology-Network Systems Administration
    *Bachelor's of Science: Information Technology - Security, Master's of Science: Information Technology - Management
    Matthew 6:33 - "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."

    Certs/Business Licenses In Progress: AWS Solutions Architect, Series 6, Series 63
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    coffeeluvrcoffeeluvr Member Posts: 734 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Congratulations and Good Luck with the new position!!
    "Something feels funny, I must be thinking too hard. - Pooh"
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    KrusaderKrusader Member Posts: 109
    Congratulations.
    2018 Goals
    AWS & Linux Knowledge
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    Chev ChelliosChev Chellios Member Posts: 343 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congrats mate, great job!
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    coreyb80coreyb80 Member Posts: 647 ■■■■■□□□□□
    Congrats and keep working hard!
    WGU BS - Network Operations and Security
    Completion Date: May 2021
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    iBrokeITiBrokeIT Member Posts: 1,318 ■■■■■■■■■□
    Great post, congrats!
    2019: GPEN | GCFE | GXPN | GICSP | CySA+ 
    2020: GCIP | GCIA 
    2021: GRID | GDSA | Pentest+ 
    2022: GMON | GDAT
    2023: GREM  | GSE | GCFA

    WGU BS IT-NA | SANS Grad Cert: PT&EH | SANS Grad Cert: ICS Security | SANS Grad Cert: Cyber Defense Ops SANS Grad Cert: Incident Response
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    joshmadakorjoshmadakor Member Posts: 495 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats!
    WGU B.S. Information Technology (Completed January 2013)
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    prdemonprdemon Member Posts: 54 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I love reading post like this. Congrats brotha!
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    KoreKore Member Posts: 75 ■■□□□□□□□□
    Congrats on moving forward!
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    RuminusRuminus Member Posts: 56 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Woohoo! Congratulations. Always good to see someone getting ahead.
    WGU Classes Finished: GAC1, WFV1, UBC1, EUP1, EUC1, TCP1, COV1, CJC1, CUV1, CQV1, IWT1, TPV1, CTV1, C173, C185, ABV1, C179, C697, C698
    Program (BSIT-NA) completion: 80%
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    lsud00dlsud00d Member Posts: 1,571
    Congrats @Kai123! Sounds well-deserved icon_thumright.gif
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    Kinet1cKinet1c Member Posts: 604 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats dude, good to hear you're making progress! Keep up the good work. icon_thumright.gif
    2018 Goals - Learn all the Hashicorp products

    Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity
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    dustervoicedustervoice Member Posts: 877 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Congrats. wonderful write up..well done
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    gadav478gadav478 Member Posts: 374 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Hard work pays off. Congrats for not throwing in the towel!!!
    Goals for 2015: CCNP
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    greg9891greg9891 Member Posts: 1,189 ■■■■■■■□□□
    Congrats .......I agree, tech exams has helped my Career alot!
    :
    Upcoming Certs: VCA-DCV 7.0, VCP-DCV 7.0, Oracle Database 1Z0-071, PMP, Server +, CCNP

    Proverbs 6:6-11Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
    When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep, So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler And your need like an armed man.
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    nascar_paulnascar_paul Member Posts: 288 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Congratulations and Great Work!
    2017 Goals: 70-411 [X], 74-409 [X], 70-533 [X], VCP5-DCV [], LX0-103 [], LX0-104 []
    "I PLAN to fail!" - No One Ever
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