Unhappy with job; what do I do?

So I have been at the cable company 9 years. I went through roles of Residential help desk, phone provisioning, business support, enterprise support and now have been at the NOC for the past 9 years.

I complete my bachelors in computer information systems in November, have my A+/Net+/CCNA certifications. I am testing for Server+ in the next few weeks, and then I was thinking doing CWNA, then CCNP, then CWNP. After that probably do LPI and work towards MCITP for fun.

I want to find a position where I'm not stuck in an office at a desk all day long and I can go on site troubleshoot gear at some type of data center, and manage/maintain it.

I am unhappy where I'm currently at, but where do I go with my career? Do I stick it out and hope for an opening in our engineering group and continue with my certifications? Do I apply outside of the company? Looking to get my start, and not currently finding it.

Any advice based on your experience?

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Comments

NetworkVeteran

doodguy wrote: »

I want to find a position where I'm not stuck in an office at a desk all day long and I can go on site troubleshoot gear at some type of data center, and manage/maintain it.

Typically, the people who go on-site and do simple installs/upgrades, and the people who troubleshoot complex issues, are different sets of people. I would say you first choice is which direction you'd prefer to go in. With the former, you're on-site interacting with new people everyday. With the latter, you're in an office or working from home, but you will also have more career/salary growth opportunities provided you're willing to work hard at it.

Do I stick it out and hope for an opening in our engineering group and continue with my certifications?

If you want to join the engineering group, you find out the requirements are, and do what's necessary to qualify. Once you've done that, you can join whichever engineering team (internal or external) has an opening.

doodguy

NetworkVeteran wrote: »

Typically, the people who go on-site and do simple installs/upgrades, and the people who troubleshoot complex issues, are different sets of people. I would say you first choice is which direction you'd prefer to go in. With the former, you're on-site interacting with new people everyday. With the latter, you're in an office or working from home, but you will also have more career/salary growth opportunities provided you're willing to work hard at it.

If you want to join the engineering group, you find out the requirements are, and do what's necessary to qualify. Once you've done that, you can join whichever engineering team (internal or external) has an opening.

So for salary/career advancement you suggest I stick it out where I'm at and wait for engineering opening right?

Zartanasaurus

doodguy wrote: »

So for salary/career advancement you suggest I stick it out where I'm at and wait for engineering opening right?

I think he was suggesting you find out what the qualifications are for an engineering role then go meet those qualifications. Not wait until one is handed to you at work. Once you qualify yourself you may get one where you work now or you may get it somewhere else.

doodguy

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

I think he was suggesting you find out what the qualifications are for an engineering role then go meet those qualifications. Not wait until one is handed to you at work. Once you qualify yourself you may get one where you work now or you may get it somewhere else.

I gotcha. Most of the qualifications I have seen are Bachelors in computer info systems/science/etc w/ CCNA preferred. I have both. Trying to build beyond that to see where it gets me.

W Stewart

Find a datacenter job. As an admin, I do everything from troubleshooting web servers through ssh and rdp to accessing them at a physical console. We've got two guys that do most of the installs and racking servers but every now and then on the night shift I might do a RAM upgrade or diags or something. I'm sure our network engineer gets to do some hands on stuff with our networking equipment as well but the majority of it is going to be remote unless something on the network breaks.

lsud00d

I 100% advise you to look for a job at a new company. It will be a breath of fresh air, you (should) make more money, and you will look back and say "why didn't I do this sooner?"

kohr-ah

I would say look to see what is out there without letting the current place know that you are doing so.
Not saying you have to quit but why wait it out without knowing if that position will come when you could go do what you are desiring to do?