So I wanted to ask a few people who are in the profession and not on a study groups, certification, etc BBS about what they think about the future in regards to Internetworking. With out getting into all the little details I have been getting ready to try and finish my CCIE. Its been about 3 years since I have really had steady, or any contracts. The other day I was talking to my head-hunter who usually has been good at finding me contracts and he was saying that he does not believe this part of the industry will ever come back. Now I should state that I don't just want to achieve the CCIE for a job as it is more of a matter of a person achievement but I still have to wonder if this is a pointless cause? Everyday I find being away from the technologies only kills the skills I have while of course playing havoc with my personal life. Maybe it is even some crucial point I am missing I don’t know so I just wanted to post this. I know there are a few CCIE's and professional on this board I just don’t know all of you by name(nic).
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The Future For Network Profs...?
- Thread starter Humanjava
- Start date
I agree. It'll never be back to the times before the bubble burst. What's your goal? If you want to become a CCIE so you can earn x amount of dollars, then you might be barking up the wrong tree. Are you absolutely certain you want to become a CCIE because it's a personal challenge? If so, go for it...you do have to make a lot of sacrifices financially,in your personal time, and social life. Tell yourself that you may not get a stellar job afterwards...is it still worth the sacrifice? I found the entire experience very rewarding, which is why I'm attempting a double-CCIE. Will it increase my pay? Probably not...but it's something I want to do.
It's really a question only you can answer. I can only tell you from personal experience that it takes its toll, but it was very rewarding. I also looked at it as more a beginning than an end. Basically, every time I found an answer to a question, the answer would lead me to another five questions so I actually feel like I know less now than I did a few years ago.
Another thing to consider is how long you can keep at this pace? I put in very long hours, and spend most of my personal time reading and improving my skills continously...that's the price of being good at what you do. Believe it or not, I work more now than when I was preparing for the exam. There are quite a few CCIEs out there who regard the certification as the be-all end-all of networking...if you come across anyone like that, chances are they don't really know shit.
It's really a question only you can answer. I can only tell you from personal experience that it takes its toll, but it was very rewarding. I also looked at it as more a beginning than an end. Basically, every time I found an answer to a question, the answer would lead me to another five questions so I actually feel like I know less now than I did a few years ago.
Another thing to consider is how long you can keep at this pace? I put in very long hours, and spend most of my personal time reading and improving my skills continously...that's the price of being good at what you do. Believe it or not, I work more now than when I was preparing for the exam. There are quite a few CCIEs out there who regard the certification as the be-all end-all of networking...if you come across anyone like that, chances are they don't really know shit.
The CCIE really is about accomplishment!. I figure that I can not move on to the next thing until I finish what I started. That’s just the type of person I am even if it kills me. As I have much free time I do spend hours and hours working and preparing for the exam. I don’t expect it, or do I want it to be the end all of things. I don’t know what the path will be after that of course of action/accomplishment but I will cross that road when I get there. As for the money of course I don’t expect to get to the salary or rates I was at but not even finding tech support jobs makes me a little insane. The honest answer is I have gone over every thought at least a few hundred times and come up with I don’t have any answers but I do have many concerns. Its not easy to loose so much of what you worked for hoping one day with some hard work things will start to sort themselves out. Best work I have done in the last year has been driving for a catering company, and not to be arrogant, but I do believe that I would be of more use elsewhere.
As I said going on the Certification sites and such always tend to not give some true answers, if any.
As I said going on the Certification sites and such always tend to not give some true answers, if any.
I agree with Balzz. I don't have my CCIE but I do have my NNCA.
The pay bands for 'upper' tier IT professionals have plateaued (and shrunk somewhat) but I believe the need for people with this type of expertise will be constant. As with most jobs, success is often a matter of timing. Firms may not want to pay their own people what they are worth in terms of education and experience but paying someone else (third party professional services) seems to fit it these days. Give it another 2 years and it may reverse.
The most rewarding part of my job is learning new technologies (answers always generate more questions) and attempting to predict and plan for the future. The best network engineers and architects always seem to know just enough about whatever technology and recommend solutions that fit the future - always with the cost benefits in mind. IT is always an enabler and network is the key and most important of all IT infrastructures. When it comes to problem solving, application development and network connected hardware the network folks are the first people who are consulted (or bitched at). I still get a chuckle examining packets and explaining the results to the folks who wrote the app in the first place.
Just believe that you can sell yourself no matter what the business climate and you will be successful.
The pay bands for 'upper' tier IT professionals have plateaued (and shrunk somewhat) but I believe the need for people with this type of expertise will be constant. As with most jobs, success is often a matter of timing. Firms may not want to pay their own people what they are worth in terms of education and experience but paying someone else (third party professional services) seems to fit it these days. Give it another 2 years and it may reverse.
The most rewarding part of my job is learning new technologies (answers always generate more questions) and attempting to predict and plan for the future. The best network engineers and architects always seem to know just enough about whatever technology and recommend solutions that fit the future - always with the cost benefits in mind. IT is always an enabler and network is the key and most important of all IT infrastructures. When it comes to problem solving, application development and network connected hardware the network folks are the first people who are consulted (or bitched at). I still get a chuckle examining packets and explaining the results to the folks who wrote the app in the first place.
Just believe that you can sell yourself no matter what the business climate and you will be successful.
