recent job interviews

elvant

After earning my CCNA, I'm happily applying for some networking jobs, thinking to start my networking life in passion. But only to learn that things aint getting any better.

Obviously, with my CCNA, getting in an interview seem to be much easy than before. I'm able to get shortlisted from most of the jobs I apply and 3 of them had call me for a face-to-face.

The first interview was a position in System Engineer, in a IT firm doing project on IT infrastructure. They did a lot of turn key projects from small to large corporation which involve alot of routers, switches, and some servers installation. The job fit my bill totally, even though the interviewee stressed alot on working long hours and off-office hour on-call. I just want to get experience, fast. After the interviewee discover that mine experience moslty involve in helpdesk on desktops and have limited exposure on routers, switches and servers, he started getting uneasy. He said he not doing Cisco products often, due to its price tag, moreover, router form other vendors have a different configuration.

The second interview was a position as network administrator, a moblie ISP, subsidiary of a large local developer. The job is responsible on internal support in their corporate floors and doing projects on network service for clients. He request experience on Linux and SQL scripting which I do not have.

The 3rd one comes out as a success. A technical support at a reseller selling various brand of firewalls. They currently only have 2 people in the team. I'm feeling that they just want someone with certificate in order they can put it in their profile for better sale prospect. (I can tell from the their name cards). I'm struggling to take this job or not. I just affraid that, at the end of the day, I only learn a certain brand of firewalls but not a broadend technolgy on networking involving routing and swithes.

I'm currently stuck in a job as a sys admin but actually doing only helpdesk on dekstop. My company is a engineering firm, management do not have concern on big invest in IT facility, a small server, dsl router w firewall and client AntiVirus are those the most luxurious items in my deparment. They do not even want to install a mail server.

I wish I could proceed my career into supporting servers and network in a larger scale. Thats why I'm start getting cert to prove that I'm really have passion in this field. I heading straight to the MCSE track after the CCNA. But currently pause for 2 weeks, confuse on continuing the study or not. Afraid that it would not get any better. "Passion on continue learning" in the resume doesn't getting much attention from the employer.

Do you think I should take the 3rd one or keep looking. Sorry for this lengthy words

Ahriakin

If all other factors are okay (Pay, Environment etc.) I'd say take it. Certs are great but you will be hamstringed without experience, especially in Network Engineering. If it's a relatively small team you have more of a chance to help shape the position. They may only do Firewalls now but if you push your own training towards other products you may help your company sell those too, expanding your own experience in the process.
If you want a position that gives exposure to multiple technologies then you should be aiming for growing small-mid size companies, those with enough resources to have the equipment but are only just getting their IT strategies together. You'll have to have a fairly broad and experience background to compete for those kind of positions in the first place.

impelse

Take it. After a while your getting exp with diferent technology, because they are selling equipment you will face many customers with diferents equipments and requirement, later you will see if you stay with them or will go to another company.

dps

If you have good people skills then I'd say take it. You will inevitably deal with difficult customers and if you have the patience to do this then go for it.

Of course, you have to consider your "ROI's" too: Pay, Experience, Location, Job/Company Stability.
Otherwise, stick to your current job and keep on sending those resumes. You will definitely land that great job.

elvant

Thanks for the reply, guys
The company is smaller than my current company (20-30 people I guess). The pay is actually the same as my current job and the office is very near to my house. They offer performance allowance base on the off-office hours work.

Quote impelse
Good point, I think sometime we have to change to get the answer. If it is not suitable, then change again.

Thanks again