Just some Thoughts

RATTLERMAN

Just some random thoughts. Every year about this time I take time to plan for the upcoming year. I try to review my goals to see where I stand.
This year has been tough on a personal level due to death in my family.The problem i am facing is one of is it really worth it to rack my brain getting certified and sending resumes to companies that want you to have experience in everything and dont want to pay a fair salary. I enjoy IT but I am getting tired . I guess i am ready to stop doing desktop support. Sorry to vent

DirtySouth

Do you want to stay in IT, but do something other than desktop support? If you weren't doing IT, what would you do? Any other interests?

RATTLERMAN

I enjoy IT and the fact that its never the same day to day but what ai dont like is the BS you have to put up with. When interviewing i run into types of hiring managers. The one swho grew up with computers who had the trs 80,commodore 64 who eat sleep drink computers and have no respect for certs I get the certs to validate my knowledge. i am not one who is a cert junkie. Irespect the game... i get certs because i have a non-It degree and i view them like electives that i wouldhave taken in college.i understand that you have to crawl before you walk but i guess iam tired of crawling. i want to become a net or system admin and eventually work in security. I just cant get over the hump into those areas. i have a state job that give me plenty of hands on and the network guys are right next to me and i usually understand most of what they are doing but these guys are ot going anywhere soon. i guess i just have to keep studying and sending out resumes. again sorry to vent

Breadfan

frustrations. I have been doing tech support for about 5 years and cant seem to break into network admin security either. I have slowly gotten the certs and had shied away from MS certs just b/c of the recert process seemed never ending, etc. and the paper cert dilemna and I also wanted to get some solid experience on my belt before getting bigger certs so they would mean more.

Now it seems (just as it looks like you feel) that its harder and harder to break in due to the BS. So far my knowledge is limited when compared to my coworkers, but I know that I havent had the opportunities or chosen the same paths as they have (plus I know I am dependable, have never called in sick, and am honest) and that's something they DONT have. One day soon I am hoping someone will take a chance on me and give me the opportunity to shine.

I am the only one I know in my family who believes I can do network security and that keeps me striving for me. believe in yourself rattlerman and your abilities but know your limitations (and be willing to admit them) and the break(s) will come for you (and me hopefully).

Good luck

RATTLERMAN

I hear ya,I know I am going to be ok I like you dont see the need to have the name brand certs on my resume untill i get a job that will let me use them. besides the tests cost too much ... i had that problem when i passed the old ccna.. couldnt find a job that wouldlet me use it so i let it lapse. this time i am just going for the MCSE AND MAYBE THE MCDST to validate my current experience, possibly recertify with the CCNAwhen i move into a better position

DirtySouth

I hear ya, Rattlerman. I too want to break into the Network/Infrastructure side of things, but without the official work experience its difficult. I think you're heading in the right direction, trying to get certs. If you've been at your current job for long enough & you don't feel there are any good opportunities for advancement, then keep looking. Don't give up.

Its funny...I'm telling you the same things I have to constantly remind myself as well.

Breadfan

about to break the bank . now i am just glad that MS certs are cheaper than comptia ones.

I thought about the MCDST but I am trying to move UP so I am studying for 70-270 instead and hoping that will validate my knowledge more than the comptia exams and mcdst would

I am also going for MCSA only and then hopefully ccna and then maybe CCSP as I am hoping to "specialize" somewhat in security and that can be my niche so to speak and differentiate me from other applicants going for the same job

At this very moment I just put my newly updated resume and cover letter into the mail to apply for a network admin job at a small company down the street from my house. I have not applied for any network admin jobs until I received my MCP status but the ad only wanted 1 years experience and I have 5 in IT (even if its only tech support related). I figured that I would give it a shot anyway since they are a small company and only want one year. Hopefully this would not be too far over my head

MrD

Yeah, Cisco Rules!

RATTLERMAN

They way i see it ... I need one shot at a network admin job that touches infrastructure equipment from the config side. The state agency i work for only lets me t-shoot the basics like reboot the equipment and we work with a noc on the telco side. i am going to revise my resume to reflect the network t-shooting portion of my current job.Rright now it emphasizes the desktop support side. It looks like most employers are looking for a combination of skill sets from customer support to break/fix to network connectivity. i get to touch different areas but not enough to call myself an expert in any of them.

Breadfan

I have heard it's a good way to get experience, etc. blah blah blah. Only problem is that where I live there have been a lot of layoffs and everything and that is a little unsettling I guess. I have heard mixed things about working with our state agencies so I guess I havent really tried

So they only let you do basic things and not the "good stuff" huh? is that reserved for higher level coworkers or is that just the way your boos wants it? I ask that b/c I just left where I was and took my current contract job b/c he kept "promising" he would give me more than the basics but in the end he would always give it to my coworker who (in my opinion) was unreliable and was absent a lot, etc. I guess have sour grapes, but I showed interest and I volunteered but my main responsibility was the data processing side and was the life line of company and he deemed that more important than my growth (cant blame him i guess)

so what is your next step? are you studying for mcsa or renewing your ccna?

RATTLERMAN

Going to finish mcsa 270-290-291 either use A+/Net+ combo as elective or Security + since I am interested in security. Jury still out on mcdst since i have been supporting xp and all here at work. Plan to put these certs on revised resume and put it out there and see what happens.Depending how i fee i might renew ccna since net + maps closely to the test . IMHO the security + looks good and it lets people know you are interested in security but from security professionals that I know the jump from MCSA to security is a big one if you are not a net admin right now. The state agenncy i workfor wont let me touch the good stuff I guess they know what will happen if they do.. so the plan career wise is to use mcsa etc to get a junior netadmin job somewhere then finish mcse while on the path to net security. in the meantime between time i will work on my soft skills i.e customer service,public speaking, writing skills(you should see the bad grammar on our helpdesk tickets)

LOL excuse my run on sentences

blargoe

It seems to me these days that the best way to break out of tech support only jobs is to either find a smaller consulting or mom-n-pop that does it all, or swallow your pride and accept temp or contract positions. I did the first option.

Breadfan

I took the Security+ BEFORE the Net+ only b/c they were about to revise it to the current N-003 and wanted to make sure I was taking the most current exam. I am interested in security and that opened my eyes to a lot of things. It's a tough exam only b/c the pass/fail mark is so high and you must know your stuff. If you had previously passed the older ccna then the net+ should be a breeze for you.

I dont know what your current title is now but since you are "in" an IT dept and considered an IT pro, taking the MCDST I think might be a step down for you. My .02 is get the A+/Net+ out of the way if you want to use it as an elective though I believe if you want to do the MCSA:Security (as I am) you only need the Security+ as far as comptia exams go and then the MS exams.

But if you have time and the $$$ then go for the A+ and Net+ because the knowledge learned there looks good and will definitely help you in the ccna and ms exams.

RATTLERMAN

Yep.Bread I just want to take my time and increase my knowledge in IT
My IT dept doesnt know I have a degree in economics and finance not that it matters. Its so hard being humble because my supervisor and the infrastructure manager think they know it all.Once i get the theory down all i need is the hands on. I always think big picture .... so the way i see it i am using this job like a training camp to add extra skills that i didnt have at my other previous jobs. The one thing that i like is that when someone thinks i am beneath them.. i break my neck to prove them wrong