need help,kinda confused with the job title in order to apply for the job that I want

I just graduated and currently looking for a job. I have got my CCNA, and a few COMPTIA's certs. Naturally I want to get a job that has something to do with network ( just pure network stuff : where I can work with Cisco switch and router mainly). Naturally, the job title would be Network Engineer. However, after I browsed the job description, almost all of them need someone who has atleast 3 - 5 years experience with network related stuff.

What I want is the entry level job for that. Do they have a different job title for entry level network ? also what is the difference between NOC Technician and Network Engineer? are they similar or what?

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Comments

Danielm7

Titles vary wildly between companies. What is an engineer at one company might be helpdesk at another. Generally though, you don't have any working experience, you aren't going to get an engineer level position. Look more into the NOC tech level stuff. From what I've seen it usually goes something along the lines of helpdesk > admin > engineer > architect, maybe steps between, also depends on what type of jobs you are looking at but no experience it would be next to impossible to jump up that much for your first job.

galaxyexpress

Thanks. So should I be looking for NOC Tech job first and gain few years experience before I actually can get Network engineers job?

Speaking of helpdesk support, I had done that kind of job as a part time before I finished my degree. What I did basically just fixing a broken computer, fixing OS, and basic network stuff. I realized that there was no future in that particular job because the experience that I am going to get will have nothing to do with actually working with network stuff like actually getting hands-on experience on cisco switch and router.

I hope being NOC Tech will provide me a way to get an experience with Cisco networking equipment.

networker050184

Sometimes you have to suck it up on the lower level jobs before someone will give you a chance at getting your hands in the routers and switches.

galaxyexpress

networker050184 wrote: »

Sometimes you have to suck it up on the lower level jobs before someone will give you a chance at getting your hands in the routers and switches.

That's the thing. I have done that sort of job before where I came from. I am an international student , so if I don't get a job in here (USA), where I can be specialized right away from the start it would be hard to prove my worth in order to get sponsored from the company.

So yeah, I am kinda in a deep trouble here because they don't accept people that wants to go to that sort of thing unless I have like minimum 5 years of experiences and there's like probably like 1% entry level job for network engineer , even if that is the case, the minimum requirement is still too high.

I don't know if I have to risk myself to get a helpdesk support job, that would probably lead me to nowhere and therefore I ended up not getting sponsor from the company because that kind of job is sort of replaceable and hold less value than people with actual technical skills. At this point I feel like CCNA is kinda worthless because they care less about certs and more about experience.

sorry for ranting but yeah , that's my situation right now.

bgold87

It's going to be pretty tough to get an Engineer role with sponsorship with no relevant work experience. I'm not saying it's impossible, but most likely you're going to have to start off in a NOC role and work your way up for a year at the least I would think. I'm not even sure you could build enough valuable skills in that time frame to get sponsorship. If I were in your position I would be reaching out to everyone in the industry I know and try to get and "IN" at a company. That's going to be your best bet.

I don't think the CCNA is worthless, but it's still entry level.

EDIT: I just read that you have done this work before, why aren't you counting that as experience?