RE: redhat-list digest, Vol 1 #7615 - 12 msgs

["Richard Gardner" <richard gardner varian com>]

Hehe,

There is more than enough office politics here in the US too ;-)

My own case in point, I got started in tech by working at the bottom
rung, a grunt in a NOC chair for 2 years, with only previous experience
as self-taught.  I worked for 10 years in Physical Therapy - you say
physiatrist, I say tomato =)  Short story is that I got hired onto as
perm where I last was working in the NOC here at Varian, based primarily
upon my networking experience and knowledge, limited Linux tinkering
knowledge, and willingness to be trained over time as a Novell Junior
SysAd in lieu of (what I wanted) becoming a Linux Admin.

My boss was very supportive and within the first month handed me 3
X-300/330 boxes to setup with Linux, for installing the new linux flavor
of Novell E-Directory (hence getting OTJ training for both
"environments") while accomplishing a practical project goal for him.
He then later retroactively sent me to get training in E-Directory/NDS
administration, and then the "Rapid Track" RHCE course (which I failed
horribly)

Then, that boss left due to politics, and my coworker took his place.
She wanted/wants to be deferent to her boss - who basically put the
clamp down on what we should do.  So, now while I still get to do what I
have arleady been doing, the possibility for extending my career the way
I had planned with my last boss, is now gone.  But, at least the new
bosses at least understand those frustration, and are enabling enough to
allow me to continue to get certified, as long as the classes/cert's are
nearly related to "Desktop support" and/or the projects I already have
going.

My suggestion to anyone is that if you learn cover to cover, the
McGraw-Hill/Osborne "RHCE Study Guide" and the Prentice Hall-PTR "Linux
- Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition" books; that would be a great base
of knowledge, cheap on the pocketbook.  Get a junky ol' PIII to play
with and install, configure, re-install, configure, etc etc etc over and
over, break it, extend it, learn it, know it, live it...

Meanwhile, just "get in" the door... If you can afford to... just get
any related job - in my case it was being a NOC monkey.  Then, either
through that job, or job-hop after putting in your requisite year until
you get a job that will then pay for the formal classes and
certification sittings...

Regards, Richard.


"Oh dear, if only the world could really be this way .....  good certs
should *help* here as I think you acknowledge......     I just think how
many times I have missed jobs to what may be termed a "conehead" (as in
weed) due to a higher tolerance threshold of office politics, and lower
chance of revealing neglegance from higher up or those close by ...

At least in AU, I can tell you often an interview is a "look see" at how
you fit into the political landscape, nothing to do with skill, & to be
frank, I feel this is why the US often casts a shadow on other nations,
there is an ability to just "get things done ..... dammit" :) 


Regards

Greg Wright"