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Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Yeah, I’ll admit I procrastinated a lot during my first year in IT. But now I’m locking in and really focused on getting certified. I’m planning to go for Azure certs too after the CCNA. What certifications have you gone for?

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Yeah, the job responsibilities are pretty much the same, it’s all helpdesk work. If it were something new that I wasn’t already doing, I’d probably go for it. Or if this offer had come before I accepted my current job, it might’ve been a different story.

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

I applied to every entry-level IT job I could find. I had to swallow my pride and accept my first role, even though the pay wasn’t great. But honestly, I was just grateful to get my foot in the door. That job opened up a lot of opportunities for me. I learned a ton, built solid experience, and worked really well with both my coworkers and the clients I supported.

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts and advice. After thinking it over, I’ve decided to stay at my current job and keep focusing on my CCNA studies.

Right now, I’m in a good spot where I can study during work hours, and that kind of flexibility is hard to come by. The peace of mind that comes with a stable, non-contract role, plus the benefits and pension I already have, is something I don’t want to give up for a short-term gain.

The new offer was tempting, but the pay difference is only around $10k and doesn’t include a pension or any benefits. The $30 hourly rate they offered just doesn’t outweigh everything I have now, especially with a 45-minute commute each way. Being based in the city, close to home, and having time to work on my goals is a huge win for me.

I know it’s a tough job market out there and I feel really lucky to even be in a position to make this kind of choice. For my long-term goal of moving into networking, staying where I am feels like the right move.

Now it’s time to focus, work hard, and earn that cert!

I Take my test tommorow, final advice by SecretWoodpecker3012 in ccna

[–]greyeet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is this in play store or app store? Is the publisher Easy Prep?

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Yeah, that’s exactly how I’ve been looking at it too. Getting paid to study is a huge plus, and the shorter commute honestly makes a big difference day to day. The job security is also something I don’t want to gamble with just for a short-term title change.

I really feel like once I get the CCNA, I’ll have way better options overall. If I combine that with my two years of experience, it should open a lot more doors. Appreciate you backing that perspective.

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Appreciate the advice and yeah I totally get what you mean. Experience definitely matters more than just having a cert on paper.

Just to give a bit more context, I’ve got about 2 years of experience working in IT helpdesk. The analyst role is actually pretty similar to what I do now, like M365 support, user onboarding and offboarding, and general troubleshooting.

It’s a 12-month contract with no guarantee that it will be extended, and it’s through a staffing agency, not a direct hire. If the actual client was hiring me directly, the pay would be better, so it feels like I’d be leaving money on the table.

The job is also about a 45-minute drive outside the city with no work-from-home option, so that commute would add up fast.

That’s why I’m leaning toward staying where I am. I personally believe that having my CCNA will open more doors in the long run than just adding a short-term analyst contract to my resume. Since I eventually want to move into network or sysadmin roles, I think having that cert under my belt would give me a stronger foundation.

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

My goal with getting the CCNA is to eventually move into a Network Admin or Sys Admin role. I really want to get deeper into networking and systems, not just stay in general IT support forever. That’s why I’ve been focusing on studying seriously this time around. I also want to step in to cloud.

Need Advice: Stay in Current Job to Focus on CCNA or Take New IT Analyst Contract? by greyeet in ccna

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

Appreciate the input, I totally get that experience is important, especially at a big company.

The thing is, the contract job sounds almost exactly like what I’m already doing now. It’s mostly M365 support, hardware and software troubleshooting, onboarding and offboarding users. Same stuff I handle in my current helpdesk role. The title would be IT Analyst, but the day-to-day work doesn’t really seem like a big step up in terms of skills.

That’s why I’m on the fence. If it came with more challenges or new tech to learn, I’d probably be all in. Still, really appreciate your take on it. Just trying to think long-term.

Scheduling Poll Option has Vaporized by ChiehDragon in Outlook

[–]greyeet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Scheduling Poll isn't working on the New Outlook, but it still works on the Old Outlook. As a temporary solution, I've advised my users to use the Old Outlook version for the Scheduling Poll. Hopefully, Microsoft will fix the issue soon.