Taking my first step in the Job world
Hey People!
Well, I have been studing networking for a really, really, really long time now. got cisco certed when i was 16, now expired, couldnt find a job... too young, no experiance. but for some reason i just got offered a job as a network admin for the city. I mean experiance is priceless so im going to take it.
but as much as i studied, and learned i cant come up with the slightist thing do to first when i enter that job. so I ask those whom are network admins for there company to give me some advice....
how should i start a normal work day?
what things should i keep in mind?
what do they (emplyoer) want to see?
or any other tips would be helpful. thank you!
Thnx, i just need a little adivce!
Re: Taking my first step in the Job world
Quote:
i cant come up with the slightist thing do to first when i enter that job. so I ask those whom are network admins for there company to give me some advice....
how should i start a normal work day?
what things should i keep in mind?
what do they (emplyoer) want to see?
or any other tips would be helpful. thank you!
Thnx, i just need a little adivce!
First thing to do is make sure you arrive earlier than anyone else. This way you can have a couple of cups of coffee in you before the (L)users start making ridiculous demands of you. ;)
Seriously though, I doubt any employer is going to expect you to jump head first into decision making right off the bat. Take a little time to get to know your network. First, ask for all documentation that was done by your predecessor. Then read it. It may help you figure out why some of the decisions have been made in the past. Check out your server rooms and wiring closets. Make sure you know where all your key pieces of equipment are and what they do. It sucks to make what you think is going to be a "minor repair" on something unimportant and find out that you just bounced the server that payroll was using to print everyone's checks. Users don't like things like that too much.
Do's
Always smile and be nice to the users, even when they want you to do something that you are sure a minimally trained rat on crack could do. They are just trying to do their job, and when their computer prevents them from doing it, they are going to take it out on you.
Haggle with vendors.
Get three quotes.
Be on time, be neatly dressed, have a good attitude about working, even if the rest of your world is falling apart. (this is a good do for any job.)
Be honest about what you know, and what you don't. I'd rather have one of my guys tell me "I have no idea how to do that, could I get some help?" Then have him say "Yeah sure, I'll get right on it" and because he doesn't know what he's doing, screw things up.
Document everything you do. Use something like VISIO to make pretty little pictures that a drunken monkey could understand. Everyone will love you for it.
Don't
March into the bosses office after three days of being on the job and proclaim "This network sucks!!!"
Tell a user you will do something for them and then not get around to it. Users will hold it against you forever
Reboot ANYTHING unless you know who's connected to it at the time.
Complain, unless you already have a better solution all thought out.
Yell at a user or call them stupid. To them, you are like the janitor or maintenance man. If their trash is full, they call the janitor, if their light bulb is burned out, they call the maintenance guy..........If they need a new printer cartridge they are going to call you. Even if you have a job title like "Super Duper Uber Diety of Technology Who Will Not Change A Print Cartridge!" Explain very patiently the proper procedure for getting a printer cartridge changed, and that it doesn't involve you. You may have to explain this concept fourteen times to some people.
Anyway....good luck on the new job, and congrats!
