Hey Guys,
Just want to chip in this thread since I went a bit different route than most of you guys. I'm a networking engineer as well but I went the niche route (well, any other vendor than Cisco would be considered niche I guess). I also have absolutely no desire to work for a big corp or govt. I obviously won't say no if I have to, but I've always preferred much smaller companies, and in a few years I should be all set on my own anyways.
I have worked mostly for small consulting firms and I think that this is a much better way to learn your trade when you come out of school than getting straight to big corp. You get to tackle very different projects and play with much more diverse gear. There is also the fact that you are usually involved either when something is wrong or when there is something new to deploy. Your troubleshooting and architecture skills should develop accordingly, as well as your social business skills (customer facing, defusing situations, presentations, etc). Before long, if you can make a name for yourself, you will start receiving offers left and right anyways so even if you intend to work in a big corp, I think it puts you and your skills on display in a much more efficient way.
Just want to chip in this thread since I went a bit different route than most of you guys. I'm a networking engineer as well but I went the niche route (well, any other vendor than Cisco would be considered niche I guess). I also have absolutely no desire to work for a big corp or govt. I obviously won't say no if I have to, but I've always preferred much smaller companies, and in a few years I should be all set on my own anyways.
I have worked mostly for small consulting firms and I think that this is a much better way to learn your trade when you come out of school than getting straight to big corp. You get to tackle very different projects and play with much more diverse gear. There is also the fact that you are usually involved either when something is wrong or when there is something new to deploy. Your troubleshooting and architecture skills should develop accordingly, as well as your social business skills (customer facing, defusing situations, presentations, etc). Before long, if you can make a name for yourself, you will start receiving offers left and right anyways so even if you intend to work in a big corp, I think it puts you and your skills on display in a much more efficient way.