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New job or promotion?

CDelapena2

Hey guys I'm looking for a bit of advice. I correctly work in a NOC where I was hired for my CCNA. It's a good job but 60% of the stuff I do here is satellite related and not Cisco related. This is my first job and I'm nearing the 1 year mark. Would you guys suggest to try and get promoted to the next tier or should I look for another job that allows me to get more experience with networking? What do you guys think?

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Comments

NightShade03

You have to look at the company as a whole...titles, job training, room to grow. Often times people will find that their job isn't challenging them enough but stay for the perks instead. If that isn't the case then look to see what some of the others above you are working on. Are they really handling more Cisco related tasks? It is probably harder to get promoted than find a new job just one year in....but that's just my .02

MSP-IT

It never hurt anyone to apply. If something comes up with better experience, pay, opportunities, why wouldn't you take it? You need a healthy amount of selfishness, IMO. Always look for better opportunities, no matter your situation.

CDelapena2

Thanks for your replies.

The thing is I'm almost done with my CCNP and I've only got a year of experience. Is there really a chance for me to find a job where I could do things like OSPF/BGP/EIGRP/HSRP/etc? I just want to know if I'm in over my head finding a job like that with such little experience. And if I can't then staying in this company is my best bet. Also, the tier above me doesn't really do a lot more Cisco related tasks. It's actually not too different from what I currently do except for elevated privileges.

dave330i

In general, you'll move up faster by switching company vs. promotion.

About7Narwhal

dave330i wrote: »

In general, you'll move up faster by switching company vs. promotion.

I believe this is very accurate. For example, I just left a company a while ago to get a better opportunity. Now the old company has a new position open I am interested in and might apply towards. Had I stayed in house, they never would have let me even apply for it, but now I have applicable experience because I left and learned somewhere else.

CDelapena2

Thank you for your replies

bermovick

I worked about 1.5 years in a NOC - also hired because of my CCNA, yet did almost no networking (was mostly voice - SIP trunks and call manager).

I studied and got my CCNP like you're doing and then started looking elsewhere as there was almost no chance of things changing (despite a year of offering to do more) - it took about 6 months (I purposely got my CCNP before my 1-year anniversary), but managed to snag a network engineer job, so yeah - it's possible, but I don't know how rare my story is.

I'm not getting to work with any of the BIG TOYS, as the network is fairly simple and none are needed, but I have been able to implement OSPF (the network before I started was strictly layer 2 with a single layer 3 switch bridging vlans), and my current submitted proposal would let me implement HSRP, so it's all good (and I still get time to study)

natx

i would suggest you get an offer in writing, then talk to your current employer about options

CDelapena2

Wow berm that's exactly the position I'm in right now. I sure my situation works out as well as yours did