I am in a Bind!

For the past about month I have been doing a lot of applying to networking jobs. In the recent past there was a position opening within my company but I did not get the job

Anyway I kept applying but haven't had a ton of luck. So my Director approaches me yesterday and asks how I would like to start working with our Network Operations team maybe an hr or 2 a week to start building my skill sets. Naturally I accepted that with out even blinking. This would be a perfect opportunity to really get my feet wet with the technology and be able to put on my resume that I have some real networking experience.

Here's the kicker.

In my lye of looking for another job... A recruiter just calls me today asking to talk with me and he thinks I will be a great fit for a networking job coming up with a company, he had submitted me to the company and they wanted to schedule an interview. I figured what the heck, an interview never hurt anybody.

Well now I am in kind of in a toss up. I am trying to weigh what I should do should I get an offer with this place I am interviewing with. I really would only take it if it was a great deal, however I don't want to burn bridges and I feel like my director was really trying to look out for my best interest. I just don't know how well I will be immersed in with the small amount of time I am working with the network team at my current company and/or if that could even develop into a job.

Am I crazy for taking an interview / considering leaving if the gig ends up being great? My thoughts are I want to gain as much valuable experience as possible while I am still young.

Thoughts?

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Comments

N2IT

I think you are smart to explore a FULL TIME networking gig. You have your CCNA which shows me you are serious about networking, at least enough to spend a time and money on that certification. 1-2 hours a week is weak no offense. You want to be immersed in the technology that's how you will learn and become a networking professional.

Plantwiz

Not to be cliche, but pray (to whichever or whatever god, gods, or God or the like you believe).
Sleep on it and pray some more. Trust your gut.

Burning bridges is NEVER good. And interviews can be used for practice and just refuse the job if it is offered.

Honestly, it is a good prediciment to be in. Only you can know what feels right in your heart.
My answer may not bring you the immediate answer you seek, but you simply need to talk (out-loud) or in a forum what you are thinking, but I'll bet you already know what you want to do.

ANd if all else fails...ask your mom or dad for their thoughts. No matter how old we grow, their opinion usually seems to matter in the end.

eserfeliz

Danielh22185 wrote: »

Am I crazy for taking an interview / considering leaving if the gig ends up being great? My thoughts are I want to gain as much valuable experience as possible while I am still young.

Go on the interview. If they offer you the job, take the offer in writing to your director and see if he can offer you something better (full-time network position, salary upgrade). If he can't, shake his hand. If he can and you want to stay, then you stay.

I wish you nothing but luck.

drkat

Depends if the recruiter submitted you for a contract gig... I'd interview and see what they're all about and what type of work you'd be doing.. and then compare that to what you'd be learning at the NOC.. compare the 2 and see which interests you more.. an hour or two a week is a good start to get your feet wet and see how you wanna approach your networking career. I'm assuming you're in an IT role now with them?

jibbajabba

Def. go for the interview at least. You never know how the agency sold you to the company. Maybe they think you got 20+ years experience and about to pass your CCIE. Just saying as I got interviews where it turned out they were told I am a hotshot in SQL Server but my CV doesn't even mention anything about that.

So go there, listen, ask questions and take it from there. If you are still young and you'd get the position then I'd take it. Getting networking gigs without previous experience is hard as it is and it might take months or years until you get full exposure in your current job.

YuckTheFankees

I would definitely take the full time network gig if it was offered to you. But since you haven't had the interview yet or an offer, I would just relax and wait on thinking about the issue.

Mike-Mike

I am in a similar position as the OP, not the exact, but in the ballpark...

here's how I play it..

if you like your current job, and you trust your director that you will get some NOC experience, you are in a great position. Go on the interview, and ask for a lot of money, if they say yes then you win. If they say no, screw it, you have a job you like already.

things to consider: staying in house, and getting networking experience is a sweet deal. What if you take the new job, and you suck? they could fire you. In your current gig, if you suck at Networking, you still have your day to day job to fall back on....

what if you HATE networking.. studying the CCNA and day to day NOC duties are a different deal.. at least in your current role you get a shot to feel it out before jumping blindly to a new company...

other things to consider, your own company may lowball you on the pay for a NOC job, since you are in house and they will see it as them doing you a favor by hiring you in...

but I say, stay at your current role, and keep fishing for jobs

veritas_libertas

I would take the full time gig if it's offered to you. As N2IT said, you really do want to get immersed in networking if it's what you want to do. I should hope that your director would understand, it's business. I work to provide for my family and to advance my career.

YuckTheFankees

Mike-Mike made a great point about your current company low-balling you since you're already in-house..just be aware of that.

KenC

I think you've already decided that you'll take the other gig if it is offered to you and the conditions are right - you're just feeling bad about it - that will pass. As for burning bridges, if your boss is that unprofessional, then there is nothing you can or should do about it (more likely he/she will wish you well).

N2IT

Yuck and Mike

I think that's the rule and not the exception.

KenC makes a very good point.

Daniel333

Follow the money.

techdudehere

If you're making good $ where you are and have some seniority, then I'd say tread carefully. I never ask an employer to match an offer. If I am going to take another offer, then I'm going to take the other offer. I've heard of too many horror stories with people doing that and getting let go. Recruiters often sign people up for contract gigs, I would never recommend someone leave a full time position for a temp to hire one. There's just too much that can go wrong. Plenty can go wrong even with a full time position. I know of one company that fires about 30% of new hires in the probation period. They feel like if they bring in a bunch of people and try them out they are gaining something. They don't care that they just cost someone a job they had been at for years or that they might lose their house now. Be careful when switching jobs. Research the company. Try to find people who USED to work there as opposed to people who currently do and find out why they left. Finally, get as much money as possible when going in because right now what they start you it is probably where you will stay for a long time.

Danielh22185

Thank you everybody for the advice. I interviewed and the company and they offered me a position. My current company actually still has yet to setup some time to shadow with our engineers here or even inform me of any progress being made about it. I think they realized I was getting tired and wanted to set me up with that to keep me around but I believe a company needs to act on something like that in good time not make a blind promise. I think I took the best route for my progression in my career. I will be immersed in the technology involved and I am going to learn a TON. I made the right decision.

Mike-Mike

Danielh22185 wrote: »

I made the right decision.

agreed, congrats

N2IT

Congrats on the new job. Yeah I've been in those situations before where they provide nothing but false or empty promises and use very subjective terms like, really soon and hang in there.

Once you start to get to that point without any real succession plan in place it's time to flee.

quinnyfly

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I see this as an excellent opportunity for you. Now you really do have the best of both worlds, the only thing you need to do is make it happen, I would also go to the interview. Some would see this as risk, personally, I'd see it as a growth opportunity.

All the best.

veritas_libertas

Congratulations on the new job

tprice5

If your boss is geniunely looking out for your best interest then he will be glad to see you take a job in a position he knows you want. Take what you want and do it professionally. Give him plenty of heads up to allow time to replace you. Offer to stay on until a replacement is found. It is just about how gracefully and respectfully you handle the situation.
My gut tells me you'll be able to take the new job and leave on good terms.