New NOC position

eLs

Hey guys just needing some advice on what to do.

I received the noc position over 2 weeks ago and so far I figured out everything they need to do and its not what I thought it would be. Its just only monitoring networks and emailing to escalate thats all. Nothing else and the pay is not that great especially now I found out on the low what the other new nocs offer pay was. I lowballed myself but it just kind of sucks now I was willing to let go of a bit pay to better my networking career but thats not going to happen.

The benefits are great though but so far I'm just using weekend shifts to study up my cisco ccna certification in the mean time. Can't really study during the work days though because of hectic alerts that time. Now I'm wondering what to do should send out resumes for other IT work that pays better and if something bites take it even though I'll probably have only like a month or 2 if a job offer happens.

Now if I stay ill try to study up during work to get my CCNA which will take me a couple of months and then apply to networking jobs that will surely pay more and be what I want and by that time have made a few months in this job to put it on my resume and use as reference.

What should I do? I mean dont want to seem like a job hopper so I will dismiss this position on my resume since I just started for new jobs that contact me now.

Am I wrong to do this? Regardless I need money so staying until I find something is what a sane person would do especially in this economy. This job is my first real IT company (did small shop IT work for years while I pursue my bachelors in IT) so this is a dilemma. I was hoping this will teach me a lot in networking to better my goals but it definitely it is not.

goldenlight

I say tough it out till something better comes along. In the mean time continue your studies to keep yourself grounded.

eLs

I almost forgot how job searching was with my resume I probably wont get anything for a while so I guess until I get my CCNA I'm stuck. I was looking into junior or entry level analyst jobs requiring bachelor degrees and some IT understanding but I will see what happens.

Dakinggamer87

Gain some certs and keep your eyes out till somethibg better comes along.

tecke

As the others have said use this as a time to ground yourself and continue your studies while working and perhaps after you get higher level certs you can look for internal opportunities into higher level roles.

Good luck!

gbdavidx

where do you live?

Haunt

It's interesting that you posted this thread because I'm applying to a NOC position right now and I'm a little worried that it would turn out to be what you described with not much hands-on work and mostly monitoring/escalation instead. I would want to quit to if I were you but like the others said, you should stick it out for the benefits and keep searching for other opportunities and working on your studies.

I'm curious to hear from you how the position was described to you (either by them or the job description) and whether they gave you the impression that it would be hands-on tech work when it really wasn't?

Maybe you can take a look at a thread I posted about the NOC position I'm applying for and tell me if you think it would be similar to your situation with no real hands-on work and monitoring/escalation instead? Check it out here:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/90039-salary-range-noc-position-based-job-description.html

eLs

Live in NYC...

Your does sound more technical by the job description but it is still monitoring networks I believe. I guess the good thing is I can put NOC in my resume and I am using the common monitoring systems like solarwinds for circuits. Doesn't take long to figure it out all. Just trying to understand the clients who have first priority over others and when one is not to be bothered with is the problem. Documentation is not up to par which throws off new guys and experienced guys sometimes which sucks.

I'm going to keep studying my cisco ccna in the mean time and just keep working here and do my best. I'll send my resume to higher paying jobs like once in a blue moon in the mean time for fun and see if anyone bites but not worry about it.

astrogeek

I was working at my company's NOC for a little while and I pretty much had your exact reaction, I was expecting it to be way more technical but ended up feeling like it was just a call center and issuing tickets. With that said I would stick it out for at least 6 months. Try to see if you can move up within the company to a more advanced position, and if after 6 months nothing happens then at least you wouldn't look like a job hopper if you did find something better.

A NOC seems like a good place for someone to start their IT career, but I thought it was kind of a mindless, boring, daily grind type of job - like living in the movie Office Space