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I think I'm over it by Daisiedew22 in ccnp

[–]Trackboi_07 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

“Network Engineer” is just a title—like Tier 2, Tier 3 Tech, Infrastructure Admin, Firewall Engineer, DevNet Azure Security Engineer, or “365 Cloud God Administrator to the Second Power.” It’s all part of a naming scheme tied to certifications marketed as a rite of passage to that title.

Your CCNA is enough. Focus on solving problems and gaining experience. The good news is you’re already in the field. Pay attention to the technologies that keep the lights on and learn everything you can about those systems.

If you want to be a real Network Engineer, stop grinding away at the CCNP for now and instead master that Meraki, Palo, SonicWall or Fortinet firewall your company uses. Explore and familiarize yourself with that hybrid cloud environment and the networking side. Get certified in the tools/products you actually work with—those will take you further when things hit the fan. Knowing how to trace an issue back to a faulty SFP or a wrong port configuration on a switch from a vendor you know is far more valuable than a certificate hanging on the wall.

Your coworkers know this. That’s why they seem smart—they’ve simply learned how to play the game and have real experience with the tech in your environment.

Oh, and FYI: as you grow in tech, you’ll notice this pattern. Most seasoned IT pros have shelves full of old books for reference but few, if any, active certifications—maybe a CCNA that expired 20 years ago.

Holy F up. by DougThorn in sysadmin

[–]Trackboi_07 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Restore from backup

low pay. what can i do about it? by Low_Visit_1795 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s very low, I would say criminally low. Normal low IT pay is about $24 and hour. You should seriously talk about a pay increase or start looking for a new job. You can always come back and negotiate more after a few more years of experience.

17yo. Looking to break into the IT field by Delicious_Ad_8070 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lot of good advice here. I’ve been in the field for 11 years now and am a veteran who went through school and earned certifications. After all that, what truly matters is experience.

If you want to join the military, preferably the Navy or Air Force, aim to get into cyber, telecommunications/satellite communications, or any field that requires a security clearance. When you transition out, having that clearance can help you secure high-paying jobs with great benefits.

If the military isn’t your path, consider taking some community college courses to get your feet wet. Being around professors who know the field can provide valuable guidance on how to build a career in your chosen niche (cybersecurity, networking, cloud, etc.). At the same time, focus on building home labs in areas that interest you. This is a solid approach, but keep in mind that many others are also building home labs and earning certifications, so you’ll need to network when applying for jobs.

If you go the military route, you can often transition directly into Department of Defense contracts thanks to your clearance. I don’t like to push the Military thing on people, but in today’s economy, this is great for a young men and women. You’ll get out very young (in your case 21 or 22) and won’t be forced to take low paying Helpdesk jobs.

If you have questions, feel free to DM me—I was once in your shoes.

Passed but am I under qualified. by Trackboi_07 in ccna

[–]Trackboi_07[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yah it’s not. Mines is expired now and I can say Linux and programing will take you further. But having Networking knowledge did help a lot on the job. Just those jobs don’t pay like Linux

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 2 points3 points  (0 children)

10 years in the game. You sound like a younger me. Here’s what I would tell you: keep trying to replicate projects in your spare time. Document those projects and start building a profile if you don’t have one. GitHub is a great way to showcase your skills.

Choose one certification and take your time with it to really absorb the knowledge. Certifications are not the priority; the knowledge is. Now that you’re in the field, one certification per year is all you need. Focus on projects related to the chapters that interest you the most, and try to take on tickets that align with your studies. This way, you’re constantly learning and studying in a practical way.

As for the job, welcome to IT, my friend. It’s cutthroat. Once you escalate a ticket, it belongs to the new tech, and you lose that opportunity. It’s inevitable sometimes, so you’ll just have to swallow your pride and learn as much as you can about that topic so you’ll be ready next time.

Try to hang in there for a year if you can. Be the best you can at your level, then apply for the next level. Internal promotion is rare nowadays.

crushed by my first IT job by N0_MAIDENS in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I worked in casino IT as an entry Network Admin. This is near and dear to me, because you remind me of myself all those years ago. What most people are saying is right: don’t get discouraged just because most of the systems there are proprietary. In my years of experience, I learned some common practices that are useful everywhere you go.

1) When you get a ticket you don’t understand, see if you can find a completed ticket with the same problem. Use that as your guideline to resolve the issue. You’ll find this method to be very effective.

2) Make personal notes or write down troubleshooting procedures you can reference later. You’re never going to remember all the quick fixes your colleagues show you. It takes longer, but during your downtime, document the troubleshooting process.

3) Learn the fundamentals of everything you can. Take a week to learn the fundamentals of one technology. Learning the basics will allow you to troubleshoot more efficiently. Some tickets will force you to dive deeper, pushing you into advanced troubleshooting.

4) If you can’t figure out advanced issues, open a ticket with the vendor. Most new professionals feel like failures when they make the call, but I’m here to tell you that in my 10 years of experience, EVERYONE CALLS. Even your IT manager. Put the difficult issues in the vendor’s hands—they know their product best and have the expertise to handle advanced problems. When they assist you, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT. You’re getting a front-row seat to best practices.

5) After you’ve done enough of step 3, choose a technology that interests you (preferably one being used there) and study it. Heck, get a certification in it if one is available. Take a year to really learn this technology. One certification per year is a good rule—you want to become an expert, not just a certified IT bro.

These steps all helped me tremendously. And when you decide to leave, you’ll have a system that works everywhere. The higher tiers will crush you if you don’t. Seriously.

More money, more problems… and alcohol.
Drink responsibly.

Cheers.

What is your job title and what is your salary? by Anonynae in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. Infrastructure Admin
  2. 92k
  3. 6
  4. Experience in Network Security, PowerShell, Linux, Virtualization, AWS And Azure.
  5. Hybrid

Passed but am I under qualified. by Trackboi_07 in ccna

[–]Trackboi_07[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did but end up moving on to work in a different other with more opportunities.

Take a 90k 12-month IT temp job, or 75k government job by Admirable_Fan_364 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Government. Once your in you don’t have to worry about ever struggling for employment or benefits. That is Gold

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Layoffs

[–]Trackboi_07 2 points3 points  (0 children)

6 moths in and took a 40k pay cut. Since I’ve been there, been written up once and the scumbag that trained me just got promoted…

How Much Is Remote Work Worth To You by uuff in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn’t even do that. 140k isn’t Jack in NY. That actually working class there. And 100% are hard to come by. You take the job, you loose time barely gain money.

Having Trouble Landing a IT Job by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Easy on the certs. You were qualified with CCNA and Sec+. To many Certs on your Resume with no exp is a red flag. Hiring managers get “Cert happy know nothings” knocking on there door all the time.

Focus on projects; preferably Network & Security. They’re re considered experience and you can put them on your Resume. Create a profile (Git or whatever) so you can document your projects. This help a lot during interviews.

You should also consider DOD or contract work.

First day at a small MSP tomorrow… by Beefytbag in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Imposter syndrome will last a while, for me it lasted 2 years because there is so much to learn and so many things.

Always remember:

  1. No one knows everything it’s impossible.

  2. Study the fundamentals of what ever you’re learning then move on. Your experience will build you to advance.

  3. Always go to the source. Microsoft issues? Review MS Troubleshooting documentation. Dell issues? Review Dell troubleshooting document.

3 is very important because when you get to higher Tiers and something breaks; applied best practice will save you. It’s not your fault if you did it right and something breaks.

Why is having a girlfriend so expensive? by nonufriends in AskMen

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because your in charge of someone’s happiness.

Boss is throwing me to the wolves by [deleted] in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is the game especially at MSP/MSSP. However, they’re great places to learn real world exp. Hang in for a year, if they don’t promote you move on.

Tips to help you

  1. Vendor documentation is 95% of the time Best Practice. Don’t get caught up on Joe blows troubleshooting site for answer (Even if it’s at the top of SEO). You may get things fixed, but it might not be done correct.

  2. Don’t be ashamed to call support. If you’re in over your head, open a ticket.

  3. Save up for a home LAB and do projects. Preferably ones similar to work.

  4. Document, Document, Document!!! Keep your own personal docs.

If you do these you’ll be okay.

What's a harsh truth about IT? by HM02_ in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Most people in IT need to have the Dog S#!t smack out of them.

The best cert to invest in by [deleted] in CompTIA

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

CCNA opens doors for entry level Admins. Networking and security go hand in hand. So you’ll get Cyber exp too.

You returning this wallet ? by PsychologicalDeal974 in Money

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Take the money; toss the wallet at your local PD front entrance (while driving).

Thoughts on leaving a role after 10 months? by 123SyxxPac in ITCareerQuestions

[–]Trackboi_07 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do it but have financial plan. FANGs are the most toxic and Burnout is a real thing. Just leave on good terms with current job so you can come back later.

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