Linux, Windows or Cisco Jobs?

[FoggyMtn]

Hey Ya'll

I'm considering a mid life career change. I would like to go back and get an Associates as a Network Specialst.

FIrst off, will an Associates do any good? Or is a BS required even for entry level jobs.

Secondly, they have you specialize in either Linux/Unix networks, Cisco networks or WIndows 2000 networks. Which is the most widely used and would give me the best shot for employment? I'm new to all of this. I;ve played a little with linux (very very little, like just live cd little) and a little unix on my mac.

Can anyone help me out that's either in this idustry or has any advice?

THanks abunch

rob

[John.Michael.Kane]

Speaking for myself I would get the linux, and cisco. however you need to evaluate the thech market for where you live or want to live to make sure you will be coming in with what is needed in those states or countries.

[mangz74]

Based on my experience, Unix/Linux jobs are harder to look, Cisco networks are okay but there's a lot cisco professional who are in the market already jobless and windows is just everywhere. if u want to go for unix jobs, be prepared to really dive into it. eat, breathe, and live unix. i hate to say this but the IT job market is getting too small with too many paper certified people running around.

[FoggyMtn]

Thanks for the input! Is it just personal preference? Or are linux and cisco the way of the future? Are they all used in the same applications and capacity? Or is one more suited to something than another? They're all greek to me, so I need to know what to look at to know how to decide what is used in my area.
Thanks for the help!!

rob

[John.Michael.Kane]

FoggyMtn your best bet is to find out what IT jobs are being outsourced, and what is still needed where your at in the world. you really need to research before you spend money on this feild. as the other poster said their are many who have IT knowledge be it programing,secuirty ect. who are with out work. at the very least take into account you may have to move to find work.

[FoggyMtn]

Thanks for the help. I'll have to figure out who to talk to in my area that I can trust to give me an honest answer.

Are most jobs outsourced? How big do companies or schools have to get before they have someone dedicated on staff?



Thanks again for your input, it is greatly appreciated.

rob

[mips]

...Are they all used in the same applications and capacity? Or is one more suited to something than another? They're all greek to me, so I need to know what to look at to know how to decide what is used in my area.
Thanks for the help!!

rob

rob,

The above statement is a bit scary as far as I'm concerned. Are you in this for the money or does it interest you? As with a lot of things people tend to look for experience. I have seen some fresh from exam CCNA&CCNP etc people that don't know jackshit if you would excuse my french, don't even know where to plug a console cable in or do something as simple as password recovery etc. The cisco certifications are probably the hardest out there but having the piece of paper does not make you proficient at job level as far as i'm concerned. The experience counts for a lot. If I had to give a paper cert tech a practical exam on the course content (Build&Troubleshoot) most would fail, these are things learned through experience.

At the same time I have to say that everybody has to start somewhere and getting your foot in the door with a smaller company is a great help. Then it is up to you to apply yourself and learn.

Somehow it's just not the same as say a A+ or Microsoft cert. If you have both Cisco & Linux certs then good for you as you are more attractive to potential employers.

The thing that bugs me about certs is the constant recertification, a money making enterprise imho. Sure if you do something new like VoIP or MPLS etc then it requires certs but this constant recert is bs.

[FoggyMtn]

mips,

Thanks for the thoughts... I'm looking for a change over what I do now (engine tech). I've always really enjoyed computers, and have an aptitude for troubleshooting. At this point in life, money's not everything. I'm looking for a job I would enjoy. The little research I had done indicated an above average growth in this field.

I'm a firm believer that knowledge and education are never wasted. I'd like to hope I could develop this into a career that I would enjoy, but if it's not in the cards, at least I am that much more well rounded and educated.

I guess mainly, I didn't know enough about the three to know which to learn towards (and plus, this is all just in the 'thinkin' stage). My first thought was the unix/linux, but that is just because of my personal interests.\

Thanks for your input. I really do appreciate it

Rob

[mips]

I would say the knowledge field is a lot wider in the cisco env. than Linux. The cisco environment is huge from a knowledge base point of view.

It stretches from Telco stuff like SDH/SONET, ATM, Frame Relay, x25, dsl etc which are your transport layer in a telecomms environment. Here you would learn the the cell/frame structure etc. Then you get your LAN environments, FDDI,token ring, Ethernet, atm etc and once again you learn everything. Further more there is wireless technology (bit of black magic here), VoIP, IP telephony, Storage area networks, Multimedia delivery systems, LAN switching technology. Then on top of this you add your switching methods, routing protocols, cisco internetwork operating system(IOS), Network management...the list goes on.

Really it is huge and you can specialize in many different cisco tracks. Within some cisco technologies you will also use linux or if you are into network management you will find the nms most likely runs on some form of unix.

If you are keen then get your ccna/ccnp and then do VoIP/IP Telephony as it is the future of the industry and the way things are going.

Should you need more specific info feel free to PM me.