Help... just got job offer - Network Administrator

Lamini

I have been leaning on getting my Network+ done (have A+) for a while, but my work keeps sending me places...

anyway, i come back from a trip, and i have a DoD contractor company that needs a local administrator to set up / maintain email / network problems. pretty much, theyre cheap, company has 1 IT guy for a dozen of their sites. so this lady has been authorized from their headquaters to hire someone (part time) to fix their computer problems. my first 20minutes there, I already solved one... ie someone couldnt check email on her computer, but if someone else logged on, it worked! so thats an account problem.


Good thing is, no one else has showed up for interviews, just me. BAD thing is, my experience with Win2003, and Exhange 2003 is so~so. My only experience is about every 2 months, I install WIn2003 on a server, set up AD, Exhange, (DNS, WINS, DHCP, Email roles). Then have 10 laptops (XP) logging in using the server and I ensure email is solid by testing. Thats it! Thats all i know about what this lady needs. Think I have what it takes? I run a pc repair business at $60/hour, but I dont want to charge anywhere near that as Im, well, not a total noob... but everything I have done related to what she needs is on a tech bench, not a real office. So my rate Im offering her is $40/hr, think I will be shooting myself in the foot here? I mean anyone can repair computers nowadays that they are so user friendly, but networking to me is hot and interesting, or im just bored of computer repair. I thought $40/hr was good because I need the experience, and #2, I dont want to charge over that since I have less than a year experience in network support. but ya talking to these people, theyre totally clueless (work on military base transportation), so maybe i should charge more...

lastly, how much harder is Server cert than Network+/A+? It really bugs me how often I run into the "do you have any Server experience?" question.

Thank you

dynamik

Would $40/hr be on their payroll, or would you be billing them at $40 yourself? There is going to be a huge difference in what you actually walk away with. While you will end up with less if you bill them yourself, a cheaper rate might be worth the peace of mind of having steady work. I'm not sure how accurate this is in your case though because I'm not sure about the specifics of taxes, payroll, etc. out in Japan.

Are you asking about the Server+ or other server certs like the MCSA/E? The Server+ is going to be in the same vein as the A+ and Network+. It seems like an A+ for server hardware. I think the MS tests are more involved than the CompTIA ones though.

JDMurray

Lamini wrote:

Think I have what it takes?

Yes, but your lack of hands-on experience means that you will need to spend a lot of overtime to diagnosing problems and implement solutions that you've never experienced before. The benefit of experience is that you have the potential to get things done more quickly and correctly. Allow for the extra time it will take you to get many problems solved.

Lamini wrote:

I run a pc repair business at $60/hour, but I dont want to charge anywhere near that as Im, well, not a total noob... but everything I have done related to what she needs is on a tech bench, not a real office. So my rate Im offering her is $40/hr, think I will be shooting myself in the foot here?

You are definitely underselling yourself. Working on equipment on a bench is easier than crawling around on the dirty floors and in dark wiring closets. You have evidence that your in-shop rate is $60/hr; on-site work always costs more. And yes, DoD places are use to paying a premium for equipment and services compared to what Joe Consumer expects.

Lamini wrote:

lastly, how much harder is Server cert than Network+/A+? It really bugs me how often I run into the "do you have any Server experience?" question.

Server+ is not any more or less difficult than A+, only the exam objectives are different. But certification does not equal experience, so make sure if having server certs without the hands-on experience is acceptable to the employer.

Lamini

yup, true to that JD. I will be spending a lot of overtime to offset my lack of experience, but in a couple months, I should be smooth sailing. $40/hr is low, what was i thinking. she found my ad on a local job search engine, which I am the only one. Im also the only one interviewed, so I have no contest. And it didnt look like she was looking for anyone else either so I hope this is a done deal.