I dont know where to go next

kohr-ah

I am posting this in Off Topic because it is sort of related to my Job / Career but am not sure.

Long story short I am going to leave my job this year and hopefully here soon. I am the only network engineer left and the main reason I am staying is I want to get my bonus for the year. For those wondering if the bonus is worth staying for I plan on buying a minivan for my wife with it. So yes. It is.

My work isn't willing to move forward technologically and I've gotten the network very very very stable, fully monitored, automated for a large part of it (wireless and firewalls are all centrally managed now). I've fully documented the company infrastructure and made it easier to find everything about all 130 locations. Made visios for them and removed a lot of clutter. However, there is no room for growth and there is no new technologies to learn so I am ready to go. I don't want to grow stagnant. I have no position to move to. I can only move up in title.

What this is all about is I dont know where to go and what to learn next. Right now I am going through all the INE CCIE videos but with where things are in my life right now it just isn't an option. I am currently doing it to further my knowledge. I know it would make me extremely more marketable but I dont work in a large enterprise nor a var/map. I love being an engineer and would love to get it but now is not the time. I love tinkering toying, making scripts to do automated cdp neighbor mappings, etc.

Any who, I don't know exactly where to go from here to further myself as an engineer. I have an interest in data center (Which I have NXOS experience) and am considering the CCNA-DC but am wondering if there is a better path or plan to move forward with the market? CCNP-DC wouldn't follow, for now, due to we dont have the equipment here for me to practice and learn from. Just wanted to see suggestions from people who may have more experience than me.

[As you can see on the left I have the CCNP / CCDP / ACMP (Great if you use Aruba)] and at a certain point wonder if it is worth getting more certs or what I can do to further myself.

UnixGuy

What sort of role do you want to be doing?

Do you want to work in an enterprise (say a bank) with a large network? Do you want to work for a service provider/MSP/vendor? Do you see yourself doing pre-sales? Do you want to move to management? Do you want to move to a similar environment where it'll take you 1 year to learn everything and then move on? Do you want to stay longer at your position and get CCIE?

It comes down to what you want.

kohr-ah

That I do know

I want to go somewhere and grow. I already did the MSP/Consulting side for 4 years. It was great but I missed out a lot of time with my family but I wouldn't look past it depending on the role given to me as I know they all aren't the same.

I'd like to go somewhere that I can go to Senior, Senior to Architect, Architect to Manager or then go to more of a consulting role and then see where I can go from there. I have no desire to go to management as it is as I want more experience.

I manage a 4000 user base 2700 piece of equipment network alone right now but I have no-one to talk studies with, learn from, bounce ideas off of. It is my idea and we go forward. Where I go I don't want to do a year and leave I'd like to find a 5 year company at minimum.

Pre-Sales I know nothing about I'd have to ask someone that does it what the work is like.

UnixGuy

Well then this is easy to sort out, I think you want to move to design (architecture) roles. Suits your family lifestyle and will provide you with growth.

Just go ahead and apply for as many architect/design type roles as you can.


Growth is a tricky thing, you can always grow. You can change careers and grow a new skillset, but I don't think that's what you want. Architect type roles is a good match for your skills and experience.

kohr-ah

Sounds like a plan to me.

I am all about learning new technologies but in my field. Such as i love learning about nix and vms but want to learn it on the network side of things.

techfiend

I've been in this sort of situation and understand your frustration. I'm guessing a lot of people would love a comfy job where there isn't so much to do but it becomes boring to the more ambitious. It's even worse when you aren't given the chance to expand your knowledge with technology the company has a real use for.

I have a feeling it's going to happen to me again in a few years and I'll be ready to take another step up, kind of the nature of the IT field for the ambitious. Companies can either hire a quick learner and get a few years of good service or hire someone that's going to take things slow and likely not nearly as good but will stay around for many years. I see a lot more of the latter than the former except on this forum.

My 5 year goal is architect but once I get there it's likely going to get old in a few years and then what's next?

alias454

While you two (kohr-ah and techfiend) operate in much larger environments, I can appreciate your troubles too especially the part about implementing "technology the company has a real use for" but due to short-sightedness or aversion to change will not implement. I think many people like to major in minor things, that way they fool themselves into thinking they are doing something useful.