Network Admin requirement

Angie629

Hi, guys,

I'm planning to obtain a CCNP in order to apply for network administrator, but I have no idea what other things I need to know.
Do I need to know about other operating systems, other server platforms, or some scripting languages?
Please list all that you can think of, preferably, what you already know.

thanks

laidbackfreak

Difficult one to answer without a specific job descritpion in mind. I've seen Network Admin roles describes as a mixture of Windows\Linux\Cisco as a combined role or as seperate skillset for each area.
If as I gather your looking for a cisco based role then CCNP and anything else (Firewall\Server\Scripting skills) you can bring to the table cant hurt. It really comes down to the role being advertised and what areas you want to be in.

apena7

I agree with LaidBackFreak.
Also, run a search on your favorite job board with 'CCNP' as a keyword. You'll soon get an idea of what are the most common skills required for network admin jobs in your area.

mikej412

Angie629 wrote: »

I'm planning to obtain a CCNP in order to apply for network administrator, but I have no idea what other things I need to know.

It depends on the job -- it can vary.

Do you already have networking experience? Do you already have a CCNA?

phoeneous

mikej412 wrote: »

It depends on the job -- it can vary.

Do you already have networking experience? Do you already have a CCNA?

Yeah, do you have experience Angie629?

Having a ccnp without any realworld experience is pointless and will probably get you laughed at by the employer.

Selfmade

i guarantee if Mikej412 had all his certifications but no real world experience, employers would fall over themselves to hire him, sometimes people pursue education while not working simply because they can, so when their education is done, they can apply it in the real world.

There's some people who go for the CCNP before finding a job, there's people that go for it after just having A+, Network+ and CCNA

it's all just personal preference

listing a CCNP on your resume can get you some offers.

kalebksp

Selfmade wrote: »

i guarantee if Mikej412 had all his certifications but no real world experience, employers would fall over themselves to hire him

I guarantee that you are wrong. If someone with all Mike's certifications and zero experience on their resume applied for a network engineer job their resume would/should end up in the trash can.

mikej412

Selfmade wrote: »

i guarantee if Mikej412 had all his certifications but no real world experience, employers would fall over themselves to hire him

You have a future in Stand Up Comedy!!

I survived a Contractor Massacre, Employee Massacre -- and got to keep the "monthly bonus" not to quit my contract early as a pay raise when my contract was extended yet again -- and the resume that got me this contract predates any of my Cisco Certifications and is only based on EXPERENCE and PERFORMANCE. But the CCVP did suck me into the voice group (and another project) after my original contract was completed.

Selfmade wrote: »

listing a CCNP on your resume can get you some offers.

It might get an interview -- if you have experience to back it up.

Or it could get a job offer from a consulting company that needs an "suit" at a customer location to drive up the billable hours -- and to take the blame when the job doesn't ever get done.

jeanathan

sometimes people pursue education while not working simply because they can, so when their education is done, they can apply it in the real world.

Angie629 I am doing the same here. I started out with a plan in the year 2000 to get experience as soon as I could and progress towards Linux+, CCNA, MSCA, and a college degree.

I can honestly say I have used my Linux, Microsoft Active Directory, CCNA, and CompTIA A+ skills to the utmost at work. I am doing the CCNP to shore up my weak area.

I get turned down on interviews after telling people on the phone that I have a CCNA with limited Cisco specific experience. 3 projects of Cisco only; that's it. With the CCNP I would expect to get further applying for a Entry/Mid level position in Cisco or as a Network Admin than I currently do.

So ya I think a little experience or entry level cert with Microsoft and Linux would help, but the CCNP is kind of a bellwether of the Network Admin.

rsutton

Angie629 wrote: »

Do I need to know about other operating systems, other server platforms, or some scripting languages?

You should try and learn what interests you. Most companies will either be using Windows Server, Linux/Unix or a combination of both. I'm a Network Administrator and I spend more time working on Windows Server 2008 than I do with networking equipment.

networker050184

You are spending too much time thinking about job titles. A "Network Administrator" at company A may do the exact opposite of what the "Network Administrator" does at company B. Look for a job that describes the kind of position you want and try to work your way up to have those qualifications. No one is going to hire someone with no experience to run their show.

The person that said just certifications and no experience would get you a nice job is dreaming. If all it took was certifications there would be no jobs available. There are plenty of unqualified people with an alphabet soup of certifications out there.

shodown

I agree with the poster above about hiring mike. If he had all those certs and no experience I would deff hire him. Would he be touching equipment, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO. He would start at the bottom of the pit, but i'm sure he would move up as he has a good foundation. I'm sure he would move on, but thats a part of the game, but if he stays for 2-3 years good for us.


The reason. Bidding on contracts. If I can say I have a guy with X-Y and Z certs it makes us look better, also to keep you partnership status you need guys with certs in certain areas. I would much better have a guy that got them and just can't find a job to gain experince vs having people in the company **** them(I've seen this at more than a few places)


I have adding my opnion from a tech guy and a guy that knows this is a business. Pls free free to flame or add on in other ways.

RobertKaucher

Selfmade wrote: »

i guarantee if Mikej412 had all his certifications but no real world experience, employers would fall over themselves to hire him, sometimes people pursue education while not working simply because they can, so when their education is done, they can apply it in the real world.

As you can tell you are getting a lot of push back on this point and I thought you were saying this in sarcasm at first.

I will tell you what, I got my MCSE Security and my MCITP Enterprise Admin with very little real world experience and found it very difficult to even get the interviews for entry level network admin positions. It was not until I figured out how to properly hilight my actual experience that I began getting more notice.

ipconfig.all

You need to know of the nos (network operating systems)

and also you need at least 3 years of I.T experience if you want to become a network administrator.

Angie629

Thanks a lot for the input guys. I actually don't have much network experience at all, but you've gotta start somewhere, somehow (hence the "how do you get your experience when everyone is asking for experience" thing). I don't plan to apply for network administrator in the beginning, but of course, it is my ultimate goal in the end.

I'm currently writing my first resume to start at entry level, though I really don't know how far will it take me. I was also wondering how much a college degree weigh in the resume.

PS: I don't have a college degree right now but I'm about to wrap up my CCNA