2nd IT gig: NOC technician in principle

gadav478

So...

I am being offered the opportunity to work in a NOC as a NOC tech. My first networking gig . The next meeting with the company will be with an offer letter next week. For the first 6 months, I'll work for the recruiting firm to be brought onboard afterwards. I am so stoked and can't believe it. I really wanted to get some experience in a NOC because I want my CCENT and future CCNA to have some weight.

The interview process was/is the longest I've ever dealt with. Phone screen, culture-based interview, technical interview and then paperwork meeting. Technically still not done but the next meeting is just all paperwork. The technical interview was all white-board for 1 and a half hours. Interviewer saw the CCENT on my resume and basically said "Prove it". "What command is used for this? What will be the destination MAC at this point? How many collision and broadcast domains are in this diagram? How would you subnet this diagram? How would you configure the router to ensure these two PCs (in two different VLANs) can communicate..." I won't say the process is extremely difficult but it's the first of its kind I've encountered.

I don't have a total absolute picture of my job duties, but it will basically be monitoring WAN's, Servers and Applications using SolarWinds Orion and HP Openview... Tier 1 troubleshooting, if I can't fix it, send it up to the Network Engineer.

I really want to thank everyone here at TE. You guys really don't know how much you're inspiring and pushing people to do more! Just last year I started my current role as a HDT and now I'm moving on to a NOC!

Thanks TE!

Essendon

Congratulations!! Now make the most of the opportunity and learn as much as you can. Dont hesitate to do the small tasks, put your hand up whenver you can and ask for more work. That'll get you noticed and hopefully land you a promotion or interesting projects down the road.

And your right about TE inspiring people to do more. All me certs and career advancement were achieved because of TE too.

Ismaeljrp

Great news! and good luck !

santaowns

Awesome, I am very close to a very similar position. Where are you located??

instant000

gadav478 wrote: »

Thanks TE!

I congratulate you on working hard and moving forward.

Also, I just want to say that you made me think "Thanks CareerPoint!"

Career Point College - Better Life - YouTube

^ This is one of the legitimate vidoes, but the parodies are a lot more funny.

CoolAsAFan

Congratulations! Would you mind sharing with us would-be networkers how you went about finding/getting this job? I am very curious as I mostly hear people say to get CCNA before applying for networking jobs and I hope to gain a NOC position once I get my CCNA. Thanks!

RockinRobin

Congrats!

jamthat

Congrats! Glad to see that the CCENT was recognized..sounds like it'll be a good job for you!

gadav478

CoolAsAFan wrote: »

Congratulations! Would you mind sharing with us would-be networkers how you went about finding/getting this job? I am very curious as I mostly hear people say to get CCNA before applying for networking jobs and I hope to gain a NOC position once I get my CCNA. Thanks!

@Santaowns: I'm in Maryland.

@instant000: Can't watch it right now, at work lol. 3 Letter Organizations block EVERYTHING!!!

@CoolasaFan: Just apply apply apply... try to go for upward movement, stay away from laterals if you can. There's no shame in it but if you want to do more, shoot for more.

I originally applied for a Field Tech position because I wanted more desktop support experience. The recruiter said that he had a better placement available if I wanted to hear more. From there it was just following through with the process. Just be honest, make sure that during the interview process you make it clear what you know, but make it even clearer how willing you are to learn. I stressed that I didn't have direct experience but I had some knowledge and was willing to learn the rest.

I'd say the CCENT made it harder but easier at the same time. The CCENT shined but I was forced to prove what I say I know. Study before going into your technical, just to brush up on things because if you earn a cert but don't work with the technology day in and day out, it could look unjustified.

Thanks everyone and I'll make a update post like last year when I'm there for a week.

Zartanasaurus

gadav478 wrote: »

You guys really don't know how much you're inspiring and pushing people to do more!

I think that's one of the biggest strengths of this forum. I'm constantly reading something that makes me feel like I have to step my game up. And the payoff is that you got to shine in the type of technical interview you had instead of just being a guy who memorized enough to do a multiple choice test but didn't understand enough to talk about it.

Congrats!

Mike-Mike

Congrats and good luck, you can learn a lot in a NOC. My last job was at a NOC and it really upped my market value.