When Should I Leave My Job?

jasonwall1212

So i landed a "network engineer" role when i got out the military a few months ago getting paid a good amount of money...Sweet right? Well after working here for a couple of months , i am starting to realize this isn't a true "network engineer" role. More like a Verizon Fios Remote tech lol. Most of my day consists of telling customers to turn off their router on and off or copying and pasting templates on routers. On a occasion ill troubleshoot some simple VLAN issues . Thats about it. This place also has no room for growth at all.

I do have my CCNA and I'm almost done with CCNP , but im scared if I stay here any longer my skills will start get worse once i finish studying for my certification. I feel bad leaving the place so soon because i just got here , but at the same time i know this isn't going to help my career out. At this point in my career i feel like i need atleast a Jr Network Engineer role , not some keyboard monkey.

cyberguypr

That sucks. DO NOT feel bad. You gotta look out for yourself, becuase no one else will. See if you can get more repsonsibility, although being so new may not help your case. If that is out of the question, then moving may be appropriate. My only word of caution is to not make a habit out of switching jobs too quick. On here or there is OK, but if you do it a few times in a row it may raise eyebrows.

UnixGuy

Agree with Cyberguypr

It's a tricky situation...if you find a role now that will give you the necessary experience and you can stick with it, then maybe a move might be the right thing to do

scaredoftests

Nothing wrong with sending out the resume out to find a better position...

volfkhat

[h=2]When Should I Leave My Job?[/h]
In your case:
As soon as you can find something better.

N7Valiant

When? 2 weeks after you sign your Offer of Employment and put in your 2 weeks notice.

I just do it as a courtesy. Unless my employer maliciously makes my life miserable, I generally don't see a reason to flip them off on the way out.

BigMevy

As a former military member myself... I've always felt guilty leaving a job. You feel like when you get picked for a spot or you sign up you're obligated to fulfill a role there. One thing I've learned after getting out is that the civilian life is much different. There's a few pieces of advice I'd give you.

1. Work hard play hard - doesn't apply to civilian workforce. Forget it. My first job out was as a contractor for a 6 month position. I did all the work in 2 weeks, the boss came by and saw me learning other stuff and asked the status of my work. My supervisor told him I had finished it all. Rather than being impressed and hiring me, he called my company and my contract was cancelled that night. As a contractor you're nothing more than a mercenary. In a full time position it's a little different, but if you get carried away the only thing it will land you is more work in the same amount of time. Not saying to milk it, just balance things with your real life or you'll burn out quick.

2. Don't burn your bridges - Reputation and word of mouth can go a long way in this industry. Don't work to the point where you burn out and quit in a Jerry McGuire-esque kind of way. It will bite you in the ass at some point. Always be professional, and if you have to leave give your notice and earn your pay until your last day.

3. If your job is affecting your personal relationships, it's time to move on - I'd stuck with something in the past way past time. I started sniping at my friends and room-mates, not even realizing how miserable I was. One of them pulled me aside and told me, it was time to find something else. I got into a new job within 3 weeks and it made a big impact on my relations.

4. If you stagnate in a position, look for opportunities to grow. If it's a good company, it's worth expanding into management, project management, whatever. If it's not a good company then sure, look for something else. No harm in leaving to better your own position.

That said, for your situation it sounds like you landed a gig where you won't learn anything new. I'd just start putting out the resume as the others have said, and as I mentioned, give your notice and don't try to piss anyone off on your way out.