1st I.T Job Networking or Help Desk?

Hi Guys,

Been lurking around on the forums for a couple of weeks now and would just like to say how glad I am that I found such a great community.

I am being made redundant in August, so will be going back into business for myself doing aerial & satellite installations just to earn some cash. Depending on how the business goes (deep recession here in Ireland at the mo)I reckon that I should be able to spend around 30hrs per week studying, so can hopefully crack-out a good few certs before Christmas, I have assembled a small CCNA lab and have a pc setup with Virtual box on it.

I would like to get into networking as I am a more hand-on kind of guy, but have no real experience in I.T so plan to take the following certs : Network+, CCENT, CCNA and maybe Linux+. Is this a good path to take? Do I have any chance of even getting an interview for a junior networking job with these certs & no experience? or I am resigned to the fact that Help Desk is really my most realistic chance of finding my first I.T job, in which case should I concentrate on MS certs to get my foot in the door?

Thanks for any suggestions and advice that you guys might be able to offer me.

Simon

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Comments

MeanDrunkR2D2

Pick up the A+ first as that will be your cornerstone to your new career. Even though it's highly likely that you'll end up in this position, use the experience to your advantage and move up with the company you join.

Asif Dasl

There was a deep recession - much like everywhere else. Have a look at US, Canada, Euro, UK, Australia, Ireland GDP data. I know nothing about your qualifications but maybe for you it would be better for you to go to the UK, Australia or Canada. I would do the CCNA skip Network+, and then ask recruitment agencies what's out there. You probably will have to go Help Desk first. Linux pays bigger money than Windows, so if you are starting out maybe start learning Linux, it's harder to do it the other way around.

GeeGeez0rz

TheCableGuy wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Been lurking around on the forums for a couple of weeks now and would just like to say how glad I am that I found such a great community.

I am being made redundant in August, so will be going back into business for myself doing aerial & satellite installations just to earn some cash. Depending on how the business goes (deep recession here in Ireland at the mo)I reckon that I should be able to spend around 30hrs per week studying, so can hopefully crack-out a good few certs before Christmas, I have assembled a small CCNA lab and have a pc setup with Virtual box on it.

I would like to get into networking as I am a more hand-on kind of guy, but have no real experience in I.T so plan to take the following certs : Network+, CCENT, CCNA and maybe Linux+. Is this a good path to take? Do I have any chance of even getting an interview for a junior networking job with these certs & no experience? or I am resigned to the fact that Help Desk is really my most realistic chance of finding my first I.T job, in which case should I concentrate on MS certs to get my foot in the door?

Thanks for any suggestions and advice that you guys might be able to offer me.

Simon

I recently read somewhere that there is a huge demand for Linux guys. Might be worth a look into.

First IT Roles seem to be 1st line/helpdesk type positions. Its worth it to get the experience and the foot in the door. If you manage to get in with a good company, there are always opportunities to move upwards within the organisation.

Its always a catch 22 when in this position. If you go for the certs, atleast its showing you have understanding, motivation and initiative.

Good Luck!

zenhound

With those certs in my area you'd probably have a good shot at getting into a NOC position, which can feed into more advanced positions in either networking or server admin. You would be safe skipping the Network+ if you're going to do the CCNA, but if you have no experience it might be worth reading a Network+ book because it might be more foundational knowledge that you may or may not have. But save some money and skip the cert.

However, not everywhere has NOC positions available, so who knows. Most places do have helpdesks which is one reason they are seen as the default entry level position.

NightShade1

Well my first job was on a NOC a junior pos, i just had a ccna at that time

TheCableGuy

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies and advice, I think I am going to keep on pursuing the networking track as this is what I really want to do in the long-run, but will have to maybe do the Network+ & 70-680/70-685 first just to get my foot in the door and then concentrate on the networking certs.

I pick things up pretty quickly and I have read that the win7 exams are not easy, but do you think it is possible to do the 70-680 & 70-685 in four months with a virtual lab setup?

Simon

N2IT

The command center in St Louis recently was openly marketings NOC spots for 2-3rd shifts. All you needed was to be able to pass a security clearance and have your CCNA or Juniper equivelent.

To this day there is no better certification for a entry - junior level it technician. It can be leveraged in so many ways.

If all you ever got was the CCNA you could advance through the ranks of IT, IMO. The key is to network and know your stuff.

Simon yes you could get those 2 in 4 months with standard aptitude.

MickQ

Hi Simon. Self employed IT consultant here. Started just before the builders went bang. You can see I've a few certs under my belt and all. My advice? Charge for all the extras in the Sat install (extra cable, poles, cleaning up the cable running, etc.). As for the jobs, even I'm having problems getting my foot in the door and I've been working with computers for 15 years. I'm starting to brush up on my Linux (been a while) and possibly SQL. It'll be easier for you to get a decent job if you have Linux than having to get CCNA, A+, Sec +, MCITP and then starting.
Also, I'm looking at getting out of the country. I've a family to feed and it's nigh on impossible thanks to the banks and the politicians.
Don't get me started on that stupid treaty.

PS. Companies in Ireland want you to be masters of a wide variety of skills, not just networking, or servers, but servers, networking, DBs, messaging, virtualisation, compliance... you get the idea.

MeanDrunkR2D2

If you hit the 70-680 and 685 hard, it's very easy to go and get those certs done and out of the way in 4 months. Study hard and often and you'll get to that goal quickly. I took the 680 not that long ago, but took a longer time studying for it as I didn't have a rush to get it done and took 6 months to finish up just that test. Had I studied hard I would been able to get that in less than 2 months. It's not that hard of a test if you use as many resources as possible and put the time in.

TheCableGuy

N2IT, Wish we had the opportunities over here that you guys seem to have in the states in the networking area.

MeanDrunkR2D2, Thanks for the info of your experience with the win7 exams, certainly gives me confidence that if I were to go that route, hard studying and plenty of labbing should see them achieved in a reasonable time frame.

MickQ, I understand your pain with the Politicians! You say that it might be easier to get a job if I have Linux, is this because it makes you standout from the crowd? I have also considered leaving and going back to the U.K, but the wife has a small business here and its going Ok'ish, but we have agreed that we will look at where we stand in the New Year.

I am still undecided as which path to take, but you guys have given me plenty to consider. I will work on the Network+ for now so at least I have something on my CV for when my job ends.

MickQ

If you're a qualified sparks, you might want to see what Fás has in the line of structured cabling. The network+ will be tied into that, and if you can follow up towards the network providers like UPC, maybe. I don't know what you'd need with them, but it wouldn't hurt to give them a call and ask.
Also, check out the jobs sites. See what companies are asking for in the line of work that you'd like.
I'm working on my Linux because I want to shift towards the heavier end of networking, eg. NOCs. Most of them are asking for it so that they can bundle you in with the sys admins (I suspect). Unlike the states and many other places, in this country you really do need to be a master of all trades (like a small/medium business). Either that or be a specialist.

TheCableGuy

I am a City & Guilds qualified Aerial & Sat installer and have worked for Sky contractors in the past, and have recently qualified in Fibre optic splicing/maintenance and Air Blown fibre installation with C&G and Fetac. As you advised I have contacted a couple of the main players in the industry but as my instructor told me at the time, they are all waiting at the moment for the Eircom upgrade tenders to be finalised before they start taking people on. I have looked into doing the BICSI ITS level1 installer cert as well, due to the fact that network infrastructure installation and support is really where I want to be.(i am a more hands-on kind off person)

Having just written and read the above paragraph in response to your reply Mick, I think I have realised that maybe I should just follow what interest me which is networking and infrastructure and just see how the cards fall. At least if it is something I want to do, then studying should not be a grind. So maybe it will be Network+, CCENT, CCNA & Linux+ or at least until I change my mind again

Thanks for making the waters a little less muddy.

Mstavridis

If you want to get into networking the best way is not to focus on one type of technology, let your employer know you can do it all. I have knowledge in Juniper, Cisco, BSD, and many other types of equipment and proved it by setting up multiple vpns for my current employer on the day of my job interview. This being my first network job, I had helpdesk job before this though. Im still waiting for that pfSense cert, I am all about pfSense routers/firewalls.

I would get Juniper certs but I am going for microsoft ones right now as they will get me a raise.

Best of luck on your certs, take the CCENT first (it is harder then the network+ but it will make everything easier in the long run).

Asif Dasl

TheCableGuy wrote: »

I am a City & Guilds qualified Aerial & Sat installer and have worked for Sky contractors in the past, and have recently qualified in Fibre optic splicing/maintenance and Air Blown fibre installation with C&G and Fetac. As you advised I have contacted a couple of the main players in the industry but as my instructor told me at the time, they are all waiting at the moment for the Eircom upgrade tenders to be finalised before they start taking people on. I have looked into doing the BICSI ITS level1 installer cert as well, due to the fact that network infrastructure installation and support is really where I want to be.(i am a more hands-on kind off person)

Has the Eircom fibre rollout not already begun, no? They are already rolling out the fibre 150Mb download, 30Mb upload packages but maybe that's only in Dublin? Would you know if they are also doing this down the country too? That would surprise me.

From what I've read elsewhere there is some work in that line of things (here and in the UK) but it's not the Cisco line of work, but if it paid well then who cares, you've got the qualifications for it. Think I read it took 2 weeks to do the course?

EDIT: What speeds are that fibre capable of carrying?

MickQ

Good advice on the Juniper certs. I have one, but my background in programming really helped in that - Juniper is BSD (think Linux) based.
Cisco is great for learning networking, but of course is centred about themselves.
I'm with you on the hands on. Nothing beats a bit of phsyical work rather than burning your brain sitting in a chair all day.

I saw that Amazon (Blanchardstown) are looking for cable monkeys. Not sure what the pay is like. It might be a foot in the door to learning more and working your way up the techie ladder. It could also give you a better insight on what's expected of what kind of job. Of course, you know yourself, in this country that varies from employer to employer more than the weather.

TheCableGuy

Mstavridis, thanks for the advice on the CCENT and Juniper, I had looked at them and other vendors as well. Just thought I would start with Cisco as they are the market leader and then progress on to the other players in the game. Looks like I am going to have to build myself an Olive box to add to my rack!!!:D

Asif, Eircom have undertaken trial runs on their fibre roll-out, but were waiting until they went through the current administration process to undertake the full nationwide deployment of fibre. They are obliged by the state to bring fibre infrastructure to the majority of the country over the next couple of years, and then make that dark fibre network available to any service providers who wish to use it. From what I have been told, it is this network ownership that will be the saving of Eircom. The two fibre courses I did were two weeks long in total,and were mainly practical. My course tutor believes in people getting as much hands-on training in splicing & blowing fibre when onsite with him unlike other courses that are mainly class room based. I also had about five weeks of home study to do before attendance.

MickQ, thanks for the heads-up on the Amazon position, I will look into that. No problems here being a Cable Monkey if it gets me where I want to go! Hope things improve for you on the consulting side.

Simon

Asif Dasl

Thanks Simon for the info,

Really thought we had learned the lesson of giving the infrastructure to Eircom years ago though.. Eircom owned all the bloody phone exchanges and held us back on the rollout of ADSL and that was to prop up Eircom from collapsing from competition back then too. If it truely is nationwide then I'll let by-gones be by-gones as long as it happens.

MickQ

No bother Simon. Actually Juniper have a good intro on networking on their site (free when you register). It never hurts to have multiple sources of teaching the same topic.

As for the eircom thing, I can't wait until they bring on the national water company, and then have to allow other companies to use the infrastructue as per EU competition rules. Vote me for dictator.
Ps. congrats on hitting 700 posts, Asif.

TheCableGuy

With the network being open to other service providers, they cannot make a f**kup of it this time. Its ok fobbing of the average domestic customer but when you are dealing with major players in the service provider market, they wont stand for a sub-standard network service. The same thing happened with BT back home, they were told to open up their network and exchanges by the government (they were paid for by the tax payer after all) and eventually it brought about a better service for the domestic customer. Bring on the competition boom and maybe we will get the same speeds and service that our Scandinavian cousins get

TheCableGuy

MickQ El Presidente!!!!!! You have my vote.

Will look into the Juniper site, seems stupid that i had only read about Juniper on this forum and Google and not their own site