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There was a thread on the PCCB where we talked about changing careers. I know @Joestradamus was in the thread. Can't remember who else. Just wanted to give an update. I passed my ICND1 cert and now preparing to set up a date to take the ICND2 cert. I know I could have taken the composite exam but I know if I break it down into pieces I will do much better. Hoping to schedule it sometime in mid August. Once I get that I plan to start looking for a job that doesn't have to do with naked women :p

 

So anyone else with a change of careers this year?

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16 hours ago, The def star said:

There was a thread on the PCCB where we talked about changing careers. I know @Joestradamus was in the thread. Can't remember who else. Just wanted to give an update. I passed my ICND1 cert and now preparing to set up a date to take the ICND2 cert. I know I could have taken the composite exam but I know if I break it down into pieces I will do much better. Hoping to schedule it sometime in mid August. Once I get that I plan to start looking for a job that doesn't have to do with naked women :p

 

So anyone else with a change of careers this year?

Right on man! Congrats! My CCNA R&S is going to expire in 3 weeks, I still have my CCNA Sec I need to do (part of school) so hopefully I can pass it on time, otherwise I'll end up taking a crack at doing the composite this time around. I've been installing a few ASA's at work so hopefully that hands-on experience will help me a little bit. I need to upgrade my GNS3 server and continue practicing though. Anyway, good luck with ICND2!

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned in that last thread, but I've experienced a slight change in my career. I got bumped up to IT Manager, apparently I've been doing a good enough job that they've given me a chance in this new position. So first time in a management role, I love and hate it. New experience is great but now I'm seeing my technical side not being used as much which is sad.

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2 hours ago, Joestradamus said:

Right on man! Congrats! My CCNA R&S is going to expire in 3 weeks, I still have my CCNA Sec I need to do (part of school) so hopefully I can pass it on time, otherwise I'll end up taking a crack at doing the composite this time around. I've been installing a few ASA's at work so hopefully that hands-on experience will help me a little bit. I need to upgrade my GNS3 server and continue practicing though. Anyway, good luck with ICND2!

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned in that last thread, but I've experienced a slight change in my career. I got bumped up to IT Manager, apparently I've been doing a good enough job that they've given me a chance in this new position. So first time in a management role, I love and hate it. New experience is great but now I'm seeing my technical side not being used as much which is sad.

Thats great news that you got promoted! Management is it's own set of skills and challenges. I used to be a manager of a pizza hut. The pay wasn't worth all the bull shit that came with it so I decided to find a new profession. Ended up becoming a strip club dj :p I much prefer doing what I do now over managing. There have been opportunities at my job to be part of management but I was much happier just DJing. I make almost as much as the managers with less the stress lol. You becoming management you can see if you enjoy it or not. Definitely give it time. I think having day to day experience on the equipment definitely helps with the certs. Good luck with renewing your CCNA. Let us know how it goes along with your Sec cert. That's one I will tackle after the ICND2.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I completely tossed my old career out of the window two years ago. I was so burned out and tired of walking into the same ol office building doing the same ol shit. I ended up becoming a truck driver for Coca Cola. Set out to see America. I’ve been to 39 states and seen a ton of people. Now though, I stay around Virginia and Pennsylvania. 

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On 7/16/2018 at 1:52 AM, Remarkableriots said:

A friend of mine was a teacher but now she teaches teachers so she doesn't have to deal with kids anymore.

 

I will more than likely make that progression with my work background.  Or management within Education.

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  • 2 months later...

I just passed my ICND 2! Man was i shitting bricks during my exam but I'm so relieved because I might have a job opportunity coming up soon and really helps if I have my CCNA so I can leverage more money. I still have to do the Security cert but this was the thing holding me back from actually changing careers. 

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1 minute ago, The def star said:

I just passed my ICND 2!

Grats!

 

I've considered career changes in the past, but a combination of factors stop me.  It's mostly the risk and the near guarantee of less money.  I'm in a very...specialized field.  I'm good at what I do, but what I do isn't common.  So any career change I'd make would basically be starting over entry level in whatever it is.  And that loss of income would hurt my family and I can't stomach the risk that it doesn't work out even though sometimes I just don't want to be here anymore.

 

Basically I need to win the lottery so I can open a shooting range or a bar or something. :P

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45 minutes ago, Slug said:

Grats!

 

I've considered career changes in the past, but a combination of factors stop me.  It's mostly the risk and the near guarantee of less money.  I'm in a very...specialized field.  I'm good at what I do, but what I do isn't common.  So any career change I'd make would basically be starting over entry level in whatever it is.  And that loss of income would hurt my family and I can't stomach the risk that it doesn't work out even though sometimes I just don't want to be here anymore.

 

Basically I need to win the lottery so I can open a shooting range or a bar or something. :P

One of the biggest reason I went for a career change was that I was finacially in a better place to go back to school. Before I with a mortgage, bills and taking care of my family I had to work all the time. Once I got better situated and made more money at my current job it allowed me to go back to school. I hadn't been in school in over 16 years lol. I would definitely recommend to try something different when you are in a better place financially. Being stuck doing the same thing over and over definitely sucks 

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17 minutes ago, The def star said:

One of the biggest reason I went for a career change was that I was finacially in a better place to go back to school. Before I with a mortgage, bills and taking care of my family I had to work all the time. Once I got better situated and made more money at my current job it allowed me to go back to school. I hadn't been in school in over 16 years lol. I would definitely recommend to try something different when you are in a better place financially. Being stuck doing the same thing over and over definitely sucks 

 

Really good to hear.  I'm about a week away from applying for some good old further education.  

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 10/9/2018 at 1:03 PM, The def star said:

I just passed my ICND 2! Man was i shitting bricks during my exam but I'm so relieved because I might have a job opportunity coming up soon and really helps if I have my CCNA so I can leverage more money. I still have to do the Security cert but this was the thing holding me back from actually changing careers. 

Congrats! It really is a huge relief when you see "PASS" on the screen. Best of luck when you pursue CCNA:S, that shit is still kicking my ass right now.

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On 10/24/2018 at 11:03 PM, Joestradamus said:

Congrats! It really is a huge relief when you see "PASS" on the screen. Best of luck when you pursue CCNA:S, that shit is still kicking my ass right now.

Have you taken it yet. I schedule my exam for December 1st so I'm gonna start re-reading the book and doing practice exams up to the test date.

 

 

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On 10/28/2018 at 11:30 PM, The def star said:

Have you taken it yet. I schedule my exam for December 1st so I'm gonna start re-reading the book and doing practice exams up to the test date.

 

 

Actually took it earlier today in the afternoon. I passed! Was really tough, though, you have to be really careful interpreting cisco's questions as they can be tricky. Hardest part was just remembering all of the info being thrown at you when you're studying, as its just SO much.

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Great Job.  I have to complete the CCNP Troubleshoot to finish off my CCNP.  I’m more about completing the AWS Certs though through Udemy because I feel that a lot of the networking side is gone get offloaded not the cloud in the next decade..and there’s a lot of Cloud Network Engineering positions opening as of late.  

 

Very easy to do the AWS stuff too.  Hit up Udemy sign up for an $11 course and you can set yourself up with an AWS Account for free and start playing around with it.  

 

Would be really great if Arlington does win the Amazon HQ2 bid.

 

I’m just doing this IT stuff until my kids graduate form HS though...after that I’m probably gonna try and work for an NGO like the World Food Program.  

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On 10/30/2018 at 11:20 PM, Joestradamus said:

Actually took it earlier today in the afternoon. I passed! Was really tough, though, you have to be really careful interpreting cisco's questions as they can be tricky. Hardest part was just remembering all of the info being thrown at you when you're studying, as its just SO much.

Congrats dude! Yeah man the last question is extra killer because you know that a pass or fail comes up next lol but I guess that's a good thing that you know right then and there of your results. I think the CCNAS is gonna be a little tougher in that you need to remember exact answers where as the CCNA is about knowing how things work. When i took mine a big chunk of it were labs. Which was actually something I did a lot of going into the exam. It's great to know that you accomplished it!

 

2 hours ago, Alpha1Cowboy said:

Great Job.  I have to complete the CCNP Troubleshoot to finish off my CCNP.  I’m more about completing the AWS Certs though through Udemy because I feel that a lot of the networking side is gone get offloaded not the cloud in the next decade..and there’s a lot of Cloud Network Engineering positions opening as of late.  

 

Very easy to do the AWS stuff too.  Hit up Udemy sign up for an $11 course and you can set yourself up with an AWS Account for free and start playing around with it.  

 

Would be really great if Arlington does win the Amazon HQ2 bid.

 

I’m just doing this IT stuff until my kids graduate form HS though...after that I’m probably gonna try and work for an NGO like the World Food Program.  

Yeah I have been looking into AWS as I see it a lot in job requirements when I have been applying. I will definitely look into it once I get the CCNAS done with. It's never a bad thing having too many certificates :p I have been thinking of looking into Cisco Collaboration as well. Lots of things changing in the networking field.

 

Speaking of Amazon I have applied to a distribution center that's like a city over from where I live. I got an email back that will hopefully lead me into an interview. I also have a friend that knows some one at an IT staff firm that is lining something up for me. I am coming into this field at level entry so I definitely need to get my foot in the door and earn that experience. Good luck on the CCNP! I see that a lot of the 6 digit figure salary jobs out here.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After a ton of procrastination, I finally started to study for my CPA license. I really just needed a good push to get started. Thankfully, my employer recently made me hate my job even more which did the trick.

 

Good news is that I am enjoying it quite a bit. I’m sure I won’t enjoy the anxiety around the tests but I am at least 6 weeks away so no need to think about it. 

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  • 1 month later...

I finally got a job in IT! I just got hired for an L1 service support position. Just had my first week there and I have been enjoying it. A refreshing environment than what I am used to. Everyone is super friendly. Even when I went to my interviews I noticed people just making conversations in the elevator even when on different floors and departments. I'm really glad that I chose to make the career change sooner than always holding it off because I didn't feel ready to go back to school. I definitely recommend anyone that wants to find a better place to work to make that effort. 

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3 hours ago, The def star said:

I finally got a job in IT! I just got hired for an L1 service support position. Just had my first week there and I have been enjoying it. Much a refreshing environment than what I am used to. Everyone is super friendly. Even when I went to my interviews I noticed people just making conversations in the elevator even when on different floors and departments. I'm really glad that I chose to make the career change sooner than always holding it off because I didn't feel ready to go back to school. I definitely recommend anyone that wants to find a better place to work to make that effort. 

I've been tasked with reading an 800 page "cram" book to get my A+ cert. If I do this within a week (kind of joking, kind of not) I can get into the IT department at my work.

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5 hours ago, The def star said:

I finally got a job in IT! I just got hired for an L1 service support position. Just had my first week there and I have been enjoying it. Much a refreshing environment than what I am used to. Everyone is super friendly. Even when I went to my interviews I noticed people just making conversations in the elevator even when on different floors and departments. I'm really glad that I chose to make the career change sooner than always holding it off because I didn't feel ready to go back to school. I definitely recommend anyone that wants to find a better place to work to make that effort. 

Right on man! Where at if you don't mind saying? I just got hired for a Jr Network Engineer role with an MSP, I start in a few weeks. Same salary as my current gig! It's going to be my first role as strictly just networking, so I'm excited for that.

 

2 hours ago, Nokt said:

I've been tasked with reading an 800 page "cram" book to get my A+ cert. If I do this within a week (kind of joking, kind of not) I can get into the IT department at my work.

Fuck. That's two exams and a HUGE amount of information. I took the previous version 5 years ago and it took me about 3 months to knock out... it was such a drag. It's good to get your foot in the door but it becomes useless almost immediately after your first job. Worthwhile for you in this circumstance, so good luck!! Professor Messer has good A+ videos in case you want to listen instead of watch reading. I also believe Udemy has an A+ course that goes over Mike Meyers study guide.

 

-edit-

typo,  ha

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20 minutes ago, Joestradamus said:

Right on man! Where at if you don't mind saying? I just got hired for a Jr Network Engineer role with an MSP, I start in a few weeks. Same salary as my current gig! It's going to be my first role as strictly just networking, so I'm excited for that.

 

Im working at the Taco Bell corporate offices in Irvine. I work in this building.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Nokt said:

I've been tasked with reading an 800 page "cram" book to get my A+ cert. If I do this within a week (kind of joking, kind of not) I can get into the IT department at my work.

 

The software portion is a killer because Windows settings/features/services have somehow gotten more disorganized and fragmented over the years, and search/Cortana isn't 100% reliable.

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  • 1 year later...
On 7/12/2018 at 8:39 AM, gamer.tv said:

After working as a Teaching Assistant (main job) since April I'm looking to apply for teacher training this October working with 4 - 11 year olds.

 

Quite the bump, but I was stalking through my own profile and saw this post. I'm now 1/3 of the way to becoming a teacher and will hopefully have a job come September. 

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Finishing my 3rd year teaching English in Japan. Money isn't great but I'm a lot happier here than I was at home, and I can't ever see myself leaving tbh. Switching to teach high school this year, so after a couple of years experience doing that I should be able to find a decent private high school to work at for actual money. 

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