Potential Job Opportunity with Network Services within my Company

[Renzore101]

Hello all,

I realize many of you here have experience networking, that being said, I am in college studying towards my CCNA certification, and also eventually a bachelors in networking. A position opened up recently within my company on the Network Services team, of which I have an interview with tomorrow! I am excited, but nervous all the same. This position will be an entry-level help desk oriented position I presume, I am just trying to get a feel for what others think may be types of questions I can anticipate being asked in the interview.

 

[beers]

Good luck! Did they give you a position writeup of what your responsibilities would be?

The questions could vary a lot, I've interviewed at places where they thought VTP and subnetting were 'high difficulty' questions, and then others where you have some guy clearly reading out of a CCNP/CCIE study guide that has nothing to do with their environment for a basic level position.

Usually you can get a good gauge from the description of the job though.

 

[Renzore101]

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:
Join The Company's award winning Professional Apprentice® program. You'll be given the opportunity to grow personally and professionally while building your resume through practical work experience with a Fortune 500 Company. This position is located in downtown at our Corporate Headquarters. Professional Apprentice® (PA) positions require a minimum commitment of 15 hours per week up to 28 hours per week.

The Network Engineer PA’s role will provide technical support for the enterprise voice and data network to address client business requirements and provide support for out-of-service events. Guidance is provided by the Manager and/or senior Team members. The incumbent will learn to complete routine requests to deliver voice and data network services including design, implementation and performance management, as well as related hardware, software and services required to provide business requirements and overall strategy.

Essential Functions

Acquisition & Deployment
• Assist network services with moves, adds and changes in HQ, , and facilities.
• Provide basic hardware and software troubleshooting in a team environment including hands-on, over-the-phone and remote controlled support;

Operational Management
• Replace failed hardware from our hardware depot / site reclaims. Open cases with vendors and ensure service levels are met. Follow procedures as defined for this process.
• Monitor the network support queue and resolve reported / proactive problems in an efficient manner to meet SLA’s.
• Help handle open cases with vendors by utilizing the vendor tools. Such vendors include: AT&T, Verizon, Bluecoat, and Logos.
• Complete service requests to meet SLA’s. Service requests include: dns, ip, load balancer, telephony needs, datacenter; port configurations, capacity planning.
• Proactively monitor alerts in Spectrum and WAN activity in Scrutinizer.
• Supply excellent customer service while maintaining detailed call logs when working with customers;
• Use effective communications to ensure clients problems are being resolved in a timely and appropriate manner;

Incidential Functions
• Assist with other projects as may be required to contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of the group.
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:
Knowledge & Experience
• General understanding of information technology
• Knowledge and/or training in areas of network services (MPLS, VOIP, telephony, ISP Provisioning, video, VPN, EVPN, WAN acceleration, firewall administration, load balancer, DNS/IP management desirable.
• Knowledge of network hardware/software trouble-shooting desireable.
• IT technical support experience desirable.

Personal Attributes
• Competent in verbal and written communications.
• Eager to learn, grow and develop technical, interpersonal and business skills.
• Motivated to contribute to the work effort.
• Attentive to detail.
• Organized and able to prioritize tasks.
• Customer service orientation.
• Ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
EDUCATION REQUIRED:
Formal Education & Certification
• Currently enrolled in college degree program and actively working toward an Associate, Bachelor or Master Degree in IT/Computer related field.
• Focus on Networking preferred.
• Graduation date on or after May 2016.
• Minimum GPA of at least 2.85.

 

[Geoff]

Is this paid? This sounds more like an internship than a career. When the requirements are "general understanding of information technology", you know it's a low end position where you will be doing basic help desk support and working often with senior members of the team in resolving issues. It also sounds like you will be involved with a lot of the physical aspects of hardware installation, and keeping tabs on monitoring systems.

For someone with a soon to be bachelors in IT and a CCNA, I'd say this is definitely a low end position. If you have no job experience in IT, it could be useful to put on your resume if you get first hand experience working with others in the IT field on network maintenance and configuration. I would not do it unless you get decent pay though.

 

[Renzore101]

Is this paid? This sounds more like an internship than a career. When the requirements are "general understanding of information technology", you know it's a low end position where you will be doing basic help desk support and working often with senior members of the team in resolving issues. It also sounds like you will be involved with a lot of the physical aspects of hardware installation, and keeping tabs on monitoring systems.

For someone with a soon to be bachelors in IT and a CCNA, I'd say this is definitely a low end position. If you have no job experience in IT, it could be useful to put on your resume if you get first hand experience working with others in the IT field on network maintenance and configuration. I would not do it unless you get decent pay though.

It is a paid internship, 15/hr I believe, which for me works while i'm in school. I am working towards my CCNA, but I still have a couple semesters left for my Associates. In September I will start a series of 4 courses that will prep me to take the CCNA, therefore I think it is a good fit for me for now. Currently I am in a help desk oriented position doing much of the same, including imaging pc's configuration, troubleshooting, ect. but I am looking for an opportunity for hands on experience with the Cisco IOS, as I have absolutely none at this point.

 

[beers]

I am looking for an opportunity for hands on experience with the Cisco IOS, as I have absolutely none at this point.

There's always GNS3 or getting a cheap router/switch off of eBay

Most of the older ones have the same commands as higher end platforms, you could configure an interface on a $20 2600XM and it'd be the same or really similar even up through CRS platforms (carrier grade) or ASRs.

 

[Geoff]

It is a paid internship, 15/hr I believe, which for me works while i'm in school. I am working towards my CCNA, but I still have a couple semesters left for my Associates. In September I will start a series of 4 courses that will prep me to take the CCNA, therefore I think it is a good fit for me for now. Currently I am in a help desk oriented position doing much of the same, including imaging pc's configuration, troubleshooting, ect. but I am looking for an opportunity for hands on experience with the Cisco IOS, as I have absolutely none at this point.

I honestly don't think you should expect to get a lot of hands on Cisco experience in an enterprise network environment when you are in that position. You'd probably hear the other admins talk about changes and projects, but being an intern they most likely won't have you actually touch equipment, and are likely too busy to explain everything they do as they do it.

 

[Cromewell]

I honestly don't think you should expect to get a lot of hands on Cisco experience in an enterprise network environment when you are in that position. You'd probably hear the other admins talk about changes and projects, but being an intern they most likely won't have you actually touch equipment, and are likely too busy to explain everything they do as they do it.

At my last company we used to use our interns to do A TON of the cisco configuration stuff. Cheaper than using us for the monkey work We'd write up the command set and what devices to put it on then send it on down.

 

[Renzore101]

There's always GNS3 or getting a cheap router/switch off of eBay

Most of the older ones have the same commands as higher end platforms, you could configure an interface on a $20 2600XM and it'd be the same or really similar even up through CRS platforms (carrier grade) or ASRs.

I'm mad I never knew about that site, I am definitely going to explore it further. I also took a look at some of those cheap Cisco switches you mentioned. For some reason I didn't think they could be had that cheap! I will pick one up soon to start playing around with.

I honestly don't think you should expect to get a lot of hands on Cisco experience in an enterprise network environment when you are in that position. You'd probably hear the other admins talk about changes and projects, but being an intern they most likely won't have you actually touch equipment, and are likely too busy to explain everything they do as they do it.

At this point I don't know exactly what is in store assuming I get the position, I just imagine that it will be more valuable experience to build my resume (specifically in regards to networking), versus the duties I am performing in my current help desk role.

 

[Geoff]

At my last company we used to use our interns to do A TON of the cisco configuration stuff. Cheaper than using us for the monkey work We'd write up the command set and what devices to put it on then send it on down.

It really depends on the company. If you are working for a small/medium business I could see that being true, but if you are a large business or one that requires high availability or security, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't allow you to touch any of the infrastructure.

 

[Renzore101]

It really depends on the company. If you are working for a small/medium business I could see that being true, but if you are a large business or one that requires high availability or security, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't allow you to touch any of the infrastructure.

Yes I definitely would not classify this as a small/medium sized business, therefore, who knows, maybe I will not be permitted to touch the network infrastructure, however other PA's told me there is a ton of hands on experience with the cisco equipment so I guess i'll find out. In my mind, at the very least i'll have broken into the team and could eventually transfer to the more critical positions once I acquire my certs.

 

[Cromewell]

It really depends on the company. If you are working for a small/medium business I could see that being true, but if you are a large business or one that requires high availability or security, I wouldn't be surprised if they don't allow you to touch any of the infrastructure.

It was a large company paranoid about security with ~7000 network devices (switches, routers, firewalls). It's all about whether you trust the coops/interns you are hiring.

In any event, we won't know until he gets the job (confidence ). You could very well be right and he gets to touch next to nothing.

 

[Renzore101]

It was a large company paranoid about security with ~7000 network devices (switches, routers, firewalls). It's all about whether you trust the coops/interns you are hiring.

In any event, we won't know until he gets the job (confidence ). You could very well be right and he gets to touch next to nothing.

Thank you for your optimistic attitude Cromewell!

 

[Geoff]

It was a large company paranoid about security with ~7000 network devices (switches, routers, firewalls). It's all about whether you trust the coops/interns you are hiring.

In any event, we won't know until he gets the job (confidence ). You could very well be right and he gets to touch next to nothing.

I guess it's good to be optimistic

I'm only speaking from my personal experience, and from what I've heard from others in the industry where typically network admins are so overwhelmed that they don't have time to sit down and explain everything to an intern, and to watch over them. But hopefully you're right!

 

[Renzore101]

Woohoo, I got the job!!

 

[beers]

Sweet

When do you start? Did they give you more of a rundown of your responsibilities etc?

 

[Cromewell]

Woohoo, I got the job!!

Called it!

Congrats

 

[Renzore101]

Sweet

When do you start? Did they give you more of a rundown of your responsibilities etc?

I start on the new team on the 22nd, so I will give an update once I get the rundown on the daily activities/ responsibilities.

Called it!

Congrats

Thanks!

 

[Geoff]

Congratulations!

 

[Renzore101]

Welp,

First day in and i'm excited to see what the future holds! Obviously the first day didn't involve much, but some of my colleagues are already throwing some interesting stuff at me that I have never been exposed to previously. Load balancers, spectrum monitoring software, scrutinizer, infoblox, PuTTY, Cisco Network Assistant, WinSCP . Will update thread as my role/responsibilies evolve.