Career Expectations/Planning Advice

My Question: How realistic are my career expectations/plan? Also, is this the best plan to reach my goals?

Background: I am currently in the process of finishing an associate's degree focused on network/communication management. I also plan to obtain my CCENT and CCNA before the completion of my degree. I currently have no job experience.

My Goals: Career in Network engineering or security (I will plan to specialize once I have real life experience and find my absolute passion.)

The Plan: Obtain associate's degree, CCENT & CCNA (This is where certification will stop until I get experience). After completion of these goals I hope to find something similar to a Jr. Admin position(Is this position obtainable with an A.S., CCENT & CCNA? *without experience*) where I can gain broad experience and hopefully slowly gain more responsibilities in my areas of interest (Network Engineering/Security).

Once I have on the job experience and I'm able gain responsibilities in my areas of interest I will begin to obtain further certification in those specialized areas. Ultimately, finding my passion I will gain experience and slowly start to specialize.

Any and all suggestions would really be appreciated. Thank you for reading

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Comments

dynamik

That actually sounds like a pretty well thought-out and realistic plan. I'd imagine you could land some entry-level job at a NOC or some place with that.

networker050184

dynamik wrote: »

That actually sounds like a pretty well thought-out and realistic plan. I'd imagine you could land some entry-level job at a NOC or some place with that.

Thats what I was thinking

Something working in a NOC could be a great way to get started and work your way up.

eMeS

well laid-out, well thought out, other could learn a thing or two from you...

MS

mikej412

dshay25 wrote: »

Is this position obtainable with an A.S., CCENT & CCNA? *without experience*

Yes -- impress your instructors. One advantage of Community Colleges is that a lot of the IT instructors also have a day (or night) job in the industry and lots of contacts. Some companies like to skip the school job placement office and go through the best instructors looking only for the top students.

msteinhilber

You have good expectations and a solid plan laid out for sure. And I have to commend you for being one of the handful that is willing to accept and expect to begin at the entry level and work on up from there. You also grasped the concept of working on advanced professional level certifications when you begin to specialize with your professional career - kudos!

I agree with what Mike mentioned about impressing your instructors. Many instructors at community colleges as well as many for-profit colleges offering bachelors degrees (evening instructors at least) do often work in the field.

dshay25

Thank you all very much for your responses (I'm very glad they are positive

). I've done plenty of research in the field and those were my perceptions but I needed to see if they were accurate.

Some companies like to skip the school job placement office and go through the best instructors looking only for the top students.

This is amazing information. Thank you very much, I will definitely act on that advice.