My new job quest!

Otherground
1

Okay, lemme give you run down on my career

1 year Compusa (hardware)
1 year Dell (senior level tech) (1 month of training)
2 year part-time oncall parts (field tech)
2 years military with 3 months of electronics / 5 months of Computer Networking / Crypto

Know enough to know what I know and what I don't know and won't bullshit around either.

Less than 35 hours left for BS in Management Info Tech degree

Certs: A+, Net+, Security+, Should have CCNA / Worthy of countless MS certs - Basic jack of trades (graphics - light prog - hardware - soft - etc.,) Basically meaning there isn't much out there that you couldn't teach me - Good fundementals with Net Security and Administration - Still light on *nix, but getting there. M$ guru / hardware guru for sure

I'll be fresh outta the military and I have a contact with a VERY reputable person at Cisco who deals with almost every large scale Cisco purchaser in the South and every Cisco reseller in the area.

So - I will actually have a lot of jobs thrown at me. I am gonna be getting a nice disability check for a long time, so pay isn't going to be all that important.

If I were to find a job that will give me the MOST knowledge / resume candy, what kind of position do I need to look for?

Company size:
Company type:
Systems (What I should try to get into)
Gov't - statework - or private? (No secret :()

I have a job on the table right now, 100% travel, basically a software/hardware integration company that sells Emergency Response in one touch - Basically a system that will notify anyone and everyone that needs to "know" Ran on M$ Software - Small Tech Support Staff / Small IT Staff / Lots of Soft Engineers / A few travel techs / Liason for travel techs, etc.,

Doesn't seem like a bad gig, but I know I am worth something and I SHOULD look for something "better" Be advised I would also like to work a little bit more on "business skills" and "management skills" and hopefully try to work my way up the corporate ladder.

What kind of advice would you give to a peon like me :)

If anything, I find myself as a great communicator already when it comes to mixing tech with management, and I know my social skills exceed the norm that is in the IT world and will use this as much as possible to my advantage (Not an ass-kisser)

Shoot, I'm all ears....

Also - I have 20k in GI bill to use for Certs
And 2-3 years of Voc Rehab that pays for college tuition in full and then some.

-Fin

2

Oh yea

If this also helps

I am a RESOURCE GURU - if someone needs to find an answer to something, even if its over my "head" I still manage to find it.

I am extremely trainable.

3

fin, why don't you just post your resume

4

I need to get a "professional" one together again :(

5

You should find a job that allows you to continue your degree. These days, if you want to be in management, you have to have a degree, preferably a Master's, MBA, or Ph.D. There are a few exceptions, but normal people need their degrees. If you just go to work, you may never go back to school.

Also (and this may just be me) I like to hear that a prospective job candidate wants to finish his degree. It shows he wants to improve himself, which is what I want.

6

Well, the good thing is, alot of the grad education will be paid for. So, at least I have that hurdle out of the way.

7

Yea, gotta love the short lived military stint

Hey, it was good though, and is gonna do alot for me later in life, and as well as the resume.

8

Fin,

I can't recommend medium-sized school districts enough. They usually have a small do-it-all staff, which means you get to play with a wide range of technologies. Try to find a school district that's large enough to need decent network equipment, but small enough that you're not pigeon-holed in a specific duty.

School districts usually get passed over by high-level techies. (Because of the generally lower pay) Go in there knowing your stuff, and they'll treat you like a king.

I've learned more in my 3 years at the district than I ever thought possible.

9

Hey, being ex-military would make me a show in as well.

Does it matter if your county that you are working in is the 13th richest in the nation? Or nah?

Lol, but you are right, I shouldn't worry about what they pay would be if I got enough knowledge from it.

I'm sure finding little kids trying to hack around internally would be fun.

10

if I were you, I'd work on getting clearance. that would really set you apart from the rest.