How to get into Network/IT

[6172crew]

OK so some of you will remember I was going back to a tech school to get some certs and try to get a job in IT.

I was on a VOC Rehab program through the VA which they saw I had some experience at the telephone company working on Frame Relay/ATM circuits and paid for 8 months of school.

During that 8 months the school had me get the basic A+, Network+ and I was also able to get my CCNA. The CCNA was no joke, but I have it now.

So, the VA program dropped on Jan1 and my room mate sold his home and it should be closed in a month or so and it's time to get a job. I have dropped my resume to just about every help desk/noc/network jobs out there but from what I understand there are CCNPs out there who are willing to take the lower paying jobs so I'm not sure I will land work in the Bay Area or Sac.

Part of the VA deal is they have a person who is contracted with them to help guys like me find Fed jobs and when I was talking with her she said if I was willing to move she could find a job no problem but IT is broken down to Silicon Valley and she never really said the other parts but after looking at Dice and other places they are TX and places on the east coast.

I have 2 sons here in CA and get to see them as much as I want so moving doesn't sound all that great but I may have to do that.

Any ideas for a new guy? Do you really need the B.S. in IT? Seems like they all want a college degree.

[EdinKali]

It is really tough right now for IT in the Sac area. The bay area is much better if you want an IT job. In 2008 I got laid off(company was sold to a competitor who laid almost everyone off) and I was out of work for 4 months before I found this job(and I had 11 years of IT experience behind me).

This job will likely end end a month or so(customer is moving everything to the east coast) so I'll probably be looking again soon. More and more companies are moving out of CA. In fact if I include this job, 3 of my jobs have moved out of state(2 to Texas).

With the economy worse now than it was in 2008 I am expecting to be on unemployment for at least a year unless I get lucky. A couple of my former co-workers have been out of work since March of 08.

If I can't find anything by the one year mark I will consider renting a small studio in the bay area and work there during the week and come home for the weekends.

If that doesn't work then I may consider selling my house and moving my family to a free state like Texas or Viginia that also have a decent amount of IT jobs available.

[bigmike82]

**** the college degree, and a pox on those HR weenies that demand them on their job postings. Sorry. That's a sore point for me. A bachelors is never going to hurt your job search, but there are very, very, very few programs that will actually give you any skills you can use in IT. The best bet is a business major, IMO.

Finding a gig in IT can be a very difficult proposition. You really need a good network, and you also need to stand out from the crowd. You've got your certs, but what makes you more desireable than the the guy next to do? THAT is what you need to think about in order to get ahead. For me, it's always been the extra-curricular stuff (such as 2600, defcon, ISSA, OWASP, and so forth) which has allowed me to point to specific items that 99% of the competition didn't have. Attending stuff like that will also get you some great contacts, which is probably the best way to get a job.

I wish I could say there's something magical you can do to get a job *now*...but I don't think there is. You need to build up your network, and work on getting your resume to stand out. Having the certs is good, but not having the professional work experience behind it is going to hurt you badly.

Having a home lab to screw around with also helps a lot, but since you don't have a job currently, affording one might be tough.

All I can say right now is check Craigslist, apply for any jobs that look halfway decent, and spend a lot of time getting your resume/cover letter in order. If you'd like to PM me either or both, I'd be happy to take a look and give you some feedback.

[6172crew]

PM sent Mike

[GlockGuy]

I'm in the IT business myself and have a couple of suggestions.

Get involved in local computer/networking clubs. There was a very active Novell users group in Sac. Great for networking, and offer to assist on projects "just to get some experience." The reality is, nobody will let you work for free. You show your abilities, get experience, and make some gas money.

And, find a local non-profit and donate your time doing IT functions, or even training computer users on the basics. Great contacts (most of the local business "movers & shakers" are heavily involved in non-profit/charity work), and it can lead to work. You never know how a job offer will come to you from someone you made a favorable impression on.

I'm in Lodi, if I can be of any assistance to you PM me. Good luck, and stay focused on your goal.

[jmlivingston]

There's bound to be a Cisco User's Group nearby, great way to meet people. Often there will be a couple VAR's that attend, and they are required to have certified people on staff to maintain their partnership with Cisco. They'll also frequently know of customers who are looking to hire. As a benefit you also get to learn about technologies that businesses are adopting! Great way to keep on top of things while you're job hunting.

Keep pounding away at Monster, Dice, etc. Make sure your resume looks good, my experience in regards to cover letters is mixed.... I'm not convinced that it does much good when looking for a technical networking position. A good cover certainly never hurts, but a poorly written one can kill an opportunity quite quickly. Don't just search the postings, but make sure your resume is posted online. Hiring agencies have an ability to query and search those resumes without posting their jobs online.

Most high quality network jobs go through a recruiting process using outside firms or sometimes an internal recruiting organization. If you get in contact with a recruiting firm you need to call your recruiter at least weekly, if you're not calling they'll think you got a job elsewhere. The whole squeaky wheel thing applies here. They should also give you feedback on your resume and cover letter.

The idea of contributing time with local non-profits sounds like a great way to network. On the flipside, I'm not sure how valuable Craigslist would be for this type of job search.

John

[bigmike82]

"I'm not sure how valuable Craigslist would be for this type of job search"
Exceedingly valuable.

Maybe not if you're trying to break into the giant corporations, but there remains a wealth of opportunities on CL.

[Corbin Dallas]

I hate to break it to you, but without at LEAST a bachelors degree, you're up against people who have YEARS of experience AND a degree in the field you're trying to get into.

If the hiring manager has YOUR resume and a resume of some with experience and a degree, you can bet your last dollar the resume with the degree will get the position.

I do NOT have my certs, but I have years of experience and a degree. I still get passed over for senior jobs because I don't have that piece of paper that says I'm a bookworm.

[chee_seen]

I'm glad I'm out of the IT business. I had 8 years of unix and db experience and a computer degree. Its a tough market out there. We are a dime a dozen especially here in the bay area. I remember I was told I was one of 300 applicants for a network position. Most of the time you never hear from the employer. Sucks!!!

Networking out will help you get a job since most jobs are "hook ups" from people you know. Since you are new to IT, I suggest you find a internship. I know many who got into there first job from it. The bad thing is normally you get internships from colleges. And yes a college degree helps.

Quit IT and get into the medical field like me. Most people who work in the medical field are certifications like nurses, techs. Only doctors have degrees. Most certification programs are like one year to two years. That would be the best way to go and money is good. Lots of OT.

[danito]

(Me: 16 years of IT experience) Important areas I look for when hiring IT staff are expierience (Put the time in, either through paid consulting gigs or volouteering for clubs and charities, which also looks good on the resume and helps you get the hands on you need to master your craft. Know your stuff. Certification are good and may get you a second look, but knowing your stuff can set you apart if you do get an interview. The market is flooded with people trying to retool with PAPER certifications.

Experience and knowing your stuff will set you apart

[Fay BUddha]

Everything everybody said was good info but to add my own 2 pennies ... have you thought about joining IEEE? The student cost is $40 to join and you get the opportunity to network with others in the area.

http://www.computer.org/portal/web/studentoffer

[jb7706]

Glockguy hit on it, UG's are a great place to meet and greet with those in IT in an informal environment. Check out Pacific IT Pros, VMware User Groups, even TiVo user groups etc. I know you are looking for the Cisco stuff, that's not my area of expertise but I'd bet there has to be one near Sac. Just remember that the UG's are informal, but you are being evaluated the entire time. Be yourself, but be and dress professional.

[6172crew]

Just a quick update:

I had some suggestions from members about my resume and was called within a few hours of fixing it. This is a 1099 job doing a cut over on pre-config Cisco gear but I'm hoping to get to talk with some other people about more work.

Its a very small job (2 days for 4 hours a day) first day is installing hardware and the second day for turn up. At least I will be able to add this to the resume when I'm done.

[lazyworm]

For me as a hiring IT manager, your hands on experience and personality
(attitude) is WAY more important than your education and certifications.
The less the company needs to train you, the more appealing you'd be.

Until you find your job, I'd suggest you spend at last a few hours a day
doing/playing/trying something IT related at home. Coming up with
a list of tasks you'd likely encounter in the positions that you'd be applying for.

e.g. Desktop support
- install/fix/configure apps
- install/fix/configure printers
- OS install
- home access (vpn, dial-up etc)
- access to file server
- virus/trojan
- anything security
etc...


NOC
- server up/down/slow
- network up/down/slow
- service up/down/slow
- process/procedure (SLA, notifications, troubleshooting, maintenance,
change control, documentation)

non-technical
- how to talk to a less technical person
- how to talk to a non-technical person
- how to deal with idiots
- how to deal with irate idiots
etc

good luck!

[tba02]

+1^8 to what lazyworm said,

Also, offer to volunteer for a group or cause you like, and see how you can help in technical (and other) ways. That really builds your personal network, which is where the offers will await.