What's needed to move from user support tech to network admin?

First post! Hope this is the right place.

I'm a 19 year old, I just got my very first job working at a company of about 250 people as the user support tech. Just three people here, me, the network admin and the director. I handle all the help desk tickets and help the network admin do stuff as well. I went to vocational school for IT for three years for networking and security, so I have a good knowledge of windows server, v-sphere and what not. I'm going to go take my A+ soon as I already paid for the educational discount for the cert during school.

Do you think I could move up to network admin somewhere? What certs do I need? How long is too long for staying at my current job?

Thanks!

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Comments

TechGuy215

One word, Experience!!!

As you will soon discover, rarely in IT can you come in at a admin/senior level position without first proving yourself. You've taken the first step and earned an entry-level HD position. If your overall goal is to eventually become a net admin I would suggest doing the following:

1. Excel at your current position, give 100%.
2. Let your co-workers know you are interested in moving up. Asks for additional task that may be more geared towards the role of a net admin.
3. Continue to learn. Read, watch videos, labs, labs, and more labs.
4. Certificaitons will help as well, A+ is a bare-minimum. Look to vendor specific certs, in your case a net admin would want to have some of the following certs: Microsoft, VMware, Citrix, CISCO, etc... You may also want a few vendor neutral certs under your belt as well...such as Net+, Sec+, CWNA, etc...

Bottom line is you get back what you put in. Just put forth the effort, and you will be rewarded.

geekboss

Oh trust me I always ask for more tasks. I help the network admin quite a bit. I have access to the servers and work on then as well. How many years should I expect before I should look elsewhere? I don't know if we will have an opening in the forseeable future to move up. I'd like to be a network admin in a few years becausee that's what I went to school for. only making 30k a year kinda of sucks. But again I've only been here four months.

YFZblu

If there's no possibility of advancement, you should be looking to leave sooner rather than later.

geekboss

YFZblu wrote: »

If there's no possibility of advancement, you should be looking to leave sooner rather than later.

And why is that? Is it possible to move up to a network admin from a help desk guy with the proper certs and experience? It doesn't sound like the network admin is going to be moving away anytime soon. I took his job and he became the net admin. Is staying a couple of years too long in your opinion?

DoubleNNs

Our opinion doesn't matter. It's your opinion. Do you want to stay a few years at your current position? If you do, then go ahead.

But if your net admin guy isn't moving away any time soon and that the only position at the job you could move up to, it would be faster for you to get a related position by leaving and going to another company. Whether you wait 3 months or 3 years is ultimately up to you.

However, if you want to move up sooner than later, you could always start pasively applying and looking now. At the very least, looking at jobs in your area that you'd like to have would inform you on what skills/experience/certs you should be pursuing. Then once your credentials are in check, move to a higher position.

YFZblu

geekboss wrote: »

And why is that? Is it possible to move up to a network admin from a help desk guy with the proper certs and experience? It doesn't sound like the network admin is going to be moving away anytime soon. I took his job and he became the net admin. Is staying a couple of years too long in your opinion?

Is it possible? Yes, I think so. I spent nearly 3 years in the helpdesk and I regret two of them. IMO, for those looking to advance, getting a helpdesk job is your foot in the door. Your goal after that should be to build your skillset up, and move on asap.

geekboss

Thanks all! I'll see how things work out. Guess I'll keep working on my certs and hopefully find a networking job in a year or two.