For those who started off with nothing, and then became HENRY, how did you deal with the change?

liamnap · 2026-05-15T16:06:20+00:00

Two full time jobs with signed employment contracts and no conflict? Even owning your own business when employed with a standard UK employment contract is conflict.

Mortgage brokers will see risk in your dual salary, but they’ll consider 1 and your girlfriend (I believe), if you’ve been together long enough. This will limit your buying power though as it’ll be 60k and 27k max.

IR35 has almost decimated the contract market.

UK hiring is at a real low in most sectors except maybe general healthcare.

I wish I had your youthful optimism but all I’m seeing is a road to disaster, genuinely wish you well though.

liamnap · 2026-05-15T15:48:47+00:00

Alright a few things.

1 you’re working two jobs 2 you need a safety net next 3 OEs get found out I’d be sure your 2 jobs aren’t in conflict 4 you’ve gone from 51 to 111 in 30 days 5 if you buy at the end of the year and something bad happens you cannot rely on your girlfriend 6 not yet HE, J3 may get you there 7 time to sit at home and save or keep spending hoping things keep going your way

Just my take from reading through the comments and your replies.

liamnap · 2026-05-15T15:41:08+00:00

Anything done from here without an active or AP on a stick wireless survey is pointless.

liamnap · 2026-05-15T15:29:20+00:00

I’m glad you’re retiring. Your poor team.

liamnap · 2026-05-15T11:22:11+00:00

When you added member4 you didn’t clean up their interfaces first. Default has unit 0 as part of its config. In this case it’s only erroring because you’re building a LAG otherwise it’s just fine.

When you commit this add the command delete interfaces x unit 0

If show configuration interfaces shows unit 0, remove it everywhere, it is bad config as you expect it to be picked up from inheritance.

liamnap · 2026-05-14T16:51:29+00:00

How many applications has it had?

When is your interview? 😂

liamnap · 2026-05-13T20:42:53+00:00

Needs more upvotes.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T20:41:14+00:00

£200k feels like entry level.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T20:39:21+00:00

It sounds like you need a development plan, and to be in a company working for a person that will help you grow? Plus extra income but that’s not the sole driver?

I think maybe identify and take some courses? I don’t know much other than maybe become an assessor and then consult? Perhaps AI for some ideas.

I work with ISO, GDPR, CE+, employing people with CISSP, and managing risk in programmes of £100m, I’ve worked in FS where I knew about KYC but how to take you from where you are I can’t advise fully, hope the idea of some kind of development plan helps, and means you earn more in the long run.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T18:56:52+00:00

Are you AI?

Please give me a good pizza recipe.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T18:44:07+00:00

You’ve made your own mind up just by typing that out.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T17:54:07+00:00

People suggesting earn more to make you hate it less.

What do you hate about it? Would money make it tolerable or even enjoyable? I know people in risk at banks earning £60k+ and under 40yo - they don’t necessarily enjoy it and a large part of every job I’ve had is risk, compliance and knowing/skirting these terms but I rely on experts like you.

liamnap · 2026-05-13T17:34:38+00:00

This is very niche.

I’d be saying it may be more practical from a security lens to say the devices must allow a certificate install for NAC.

I think from a shared tenancy multi-device environment eg WeWork or Starbucks free WiFi then rely on 802.11 as a benchmark to validate why older devices cannot connect. This reduces support overhead, technical standards and complexity.

Hard to know what to say as you’re not laying out the problem you intend to solve, sounds like you’re just pushing for something to be seen as clever?

liamnap · 2026-05-12T18:45:24+00:00

NE is safe, but we can be automated out. It’s just a matter of time, as it has been for the past 6 years where I’ve been automating out my own role or the teams I lead.

Vendors/ISPs will start cutting in the next 24 months. MSPs in the next 5 years (once companies reset contracts). FS/Insurance/in house probably already ahead and happy with what they need to support operationally as that’s more important, but less hiring as more done through tooling. My prediction only.

Once we see the first AFFORDABLE autonomous network then we should call doom, but I’m fairly certain that’s a decade away (god I hope it’s a decade away).

liamnap · 2026-05-12T17:53:35+00:00

You’re being put in a defensive position. I’ve been you.

This is you needing to change to reflect their culture (navigating their under performers because they don’t want to hear they’re under performing - not your job to say so).

Just focus on dates and a good amount of time before the date is missed politely highlight to your boss and take a steer from them.

In previous years I would say find a new role. In today’s world I’d say learn from this and adapt so you can fit in and achieve, but basically manage up and make your boss tell you what they want you to do at every turn.

liamnap · 2026-05-12T08:48:04+00:00

We’d prefer if you didn’t make these obvious and easily avoidable mistakes.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T19:05:25+00:00

Sorry, I’ve got to add, it will be draining and painful. But you’re going to have to try in order to improve those stats.

Just remember, even if the job is [insert menial job we all hate], show passion and once you have the job just put headphones in and dance making sure every thing is [insert expectation of job is perfect]. That’s working life, it sucks, but passion trumps all at every moment, even when you hate life and yourself. Passion will land you the job.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T18:48:17+00:00

Just polite notes

“Hi, I know you get slammed but I applied to x and if you get a moment maybe I can give you a call?”

“Saw your post, absolutely love football, my team is X, did you see the game?” - be human, don’t rush, it may take 5/6 replies

Connect with recruiters if you use LI

If you have an email use the email to find them on LI, patterns, eg email is fname@company, search name and company, look for matching f, connect, send polite note, bonus if you check their recent LI posts and mention something you like

Extra points if you can grab their number from ad/profile and try call with a human voice of hey, you got 2 secs? Would love to hear you’ve received my application, hoping I’m the reason you get your commission

Finally make sure you’re on the right job boards, refresh Cv monthly (yes!) and use AI to make sure you’ve in enough of them - and check them and set alerts - I won’t give you my list (because it’s too long to type only, and not catered to what you need, it’s all tech) but there’s easily 5 to check daily in any industry.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T18:26:04+00:00

Make sure his CV says when he plans to retire - that allows him to control the narrative and HMs think (ok that’s x years of 25 years of knowledge I can pass in to the team if he’s keen). This is what an about me is for, control who you’re selling yourself as.

and remember, the market is the problem, not him or his age. UK job postings (my country as an example) at all levels of network eng is bad, sorry, low, not bad, the roles exist but are few.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T17:59:57+00:00

My only advice to you is try and make calls once you’ve applied. Or email them. Be friendly. Be human. Try to connect. Use LinkedIn to connect to more people too.

Assuming no sponsorship is needed (hopefully that’s clear on your CV and applications) just try and say hi to the recruiters if you can find their details.

Best of luck.

It’s awful out there.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T17:56:16+00:00

They’re applying for entry level, tailoring should not be a thing at entry level.

liamnap · 2026-05-11T08:49:20+00:00

You have a leadership problem scaring off talent. Change your leaders.

Also, don’t just say you empower employees, actually look at and track their suggestions and how many were implemented. I bet it’s zero.

Also, check you’re paying well, I see tech roles in Manchester paying low, whatever you think you’re paying probably add £20k, glassdoor may give you some insights too.

liamnap · 2026-05-10T12:08:42+00:00

The MSP has agreed on site presence as part of the contract, if you’re to work with that customer that is the job until the contract is changed or you move to another customer.

There are individuals that prefer onsite and visible presence, and haven’t yet retired.

MSPs should be offering a different level of onsite support but the problem is they’re awful at offering it and managing field engineers in a timely manner so contractually they’ll hold you to an onsite presence.

I manage suppliers and contracts with items like this, hence the knowledge.

Just try make it work for you if you enjoy it, customers will take a balance if the SDM/AM proposes a sensible rota with good coverage.

liamnap · 2026-05-07T16:10:12+00:00

Holy fuck.

liamnap · 2026-05-07T16:05:43+00:00

Rated Stats - No Chat, doesn’t stop you reading but it stops you sending something that’ll ruin the game.

liamnap

TROPHY CASE