Linux / UNIX career path?

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I've been an avid user of these systems for a couple of years. I feel they're more stable and enjoy the incidental benefit of not getting Windows viruses.

So far, I have an Associates Degree in Applied Science (Cyber Security), but I'm having difficulty getting into IT without experience. Also, I have run many Linux distros plus FreeBSD on my computers. Right now I'm studying a book on CompTIA A+ since for some reason industry or at least human resources wants to see that piece of paper.

I just wondered if anyone has any suggestions beyond the obvious Linux+ Exam or even suggestions for good jobs in this field. Should I be a database guru MySQL guy? Could I just help keep a Datacenter running? I wondered if I should relocate as well. Right now I'm in the Upper Penininsula of Michigan and wouldn't mind getting out of here.

Hopefully someone can give you more hands on experience advice specific to the systems you're talking about...

I just wanted to throw in that I got my current job as a system admin after writing for years on my blog about the topic (of asset management and reporting related to facilities). I don't really have any applicable experience on this system, just an interest of the potential uses. But, I established myself as someone passionate for it, because I wrote on it so much. It kept me in the mind of a guy who is well connected in the industry, and that's all it takes.

I still don't know much SQL either, but, I've attended the free SQL Saturday events in my town, volunteering to be a room monitor at the last one, and tweeted on the event's hashtag, I had a couple people reach out to me about potential jobs after the last one (I wasn't remotely qualified, so I didn't do much more than say thanks and introduce myself, didn't apply... but, it's nice to know that, once I learn more, I've at least introduced myself to people that could use those skills, as I never would've met them otherwise.).

Interesting take on networking.

Maybe I just need a good opportunity to prove myself. Either by writing or finding networking opportunities to meet people in person such as trade conventions. Or try to find a LUG (Linux User Group).

Unfortunately, I'm in the remote Upper Peninsula part of Michigan staying with my retired parents, so my location is horrible.

For now, a PC Shop in town is kind of letting me job shadow or be an unofficial intern. Maybe something will come from that.

Yeah, I found out during my time as a cad monkey, that it's not so much being the perfect social butterfly, it's just about being there enough that people recognize you as a known quantity, and you make yourself accessible and somewhat approachable.
User groups are easy to stand out in if you make the conscious decision to. Yeah, location is a bummer at times, if there's not a lug near you, is there an online places that takes that role for folks who don't have or can't start anything locally?

That's an interesting idea. I would like to be involved with a group in person where I can bring along my Linux Laptop, but maybe I should see if any regional LUGs have an online discussion presence such as a forum. I figure the main market I should aim for is Green Bay, WI, so maybe I should see if any LUGs there have forum posting or chats.

Even if there's not an established group that meets regularly in person, you might be able to hook up with people online at a regional (or larger level) and arrange a one-off or annual event. Less organization needed, but, still a chance to try it out.

I was posting to an online user group (for cad) and met a guy who lived locally. He was willing to start a group, find speakers, secure funding and locations, etc, but, didn't want to handle the finances or the meeting setup. That's how I got involved in user groups in the first place. I was in the background most of the time, but, to some people, that made me more approachable than the more outgoing leader. Even though I never got another job in that industry locally, I did introduce a lot of people who ended up working together, and I feel pretty good about that... and I realized how easy it is to get involved. Every community I've dabbled in has been pretty professional and accepting.

I would suggest starting to work with "enterprise" distributions of *inx. Teach yourself how to administer a LAMP stack, learn about virtualization vmware or citrix most likely. If you have a spare pc setup a VM server with either xenserver or vmware esxi. Look for contract work that can be remote work if you don't live in a place that has much opportunity. See if you can get an internship at a local ISP, school as an system admin or help desk. The local computer shop having local clients might give you opportunity to find local small business that might not need full time IT but could use someone for a project. Find a recruiter who can help you, try to find a way to bypass the "HR" department when trying to find an technical job, they look for the certifications because that is what they read about as how to hire technical people.

Now you mentioned 2 different paths. Where I work we have system admins that take care of supporting and running Linux. What I do is a database administrator of Oracle and SQL Server. I find that there is a lot of contract work and jobs for SQL Server admins. So if I had to advise a good way to get in the industry would either be a sys admin or a database admin. Also I don't know of a lot of places that use mysql. We have one instance of it here where I work.

Thanks for the feedback, I haven't been by this thread in a while. I've finally caught a break and I've been offered a job for Tier 1 NOC Technician. I should be a lot of networking support. Even stuff as simple as PINGs or remoting to routers to fix them or simply reboot them.

I don't know. Proving yourself might be a matter of getting your work out there in some form or other. I use PythonAnywhere which has free accounts that come with bash shells. I'm finding the Amazon EC2 machines to be pretty nice places to expand and practice Linux skills too. Just my 2 cents.

My advice would be to pick a specific IT path and become an expert at that one particular role. Depends on where your strengths and interests lie.

I just started in a large IT department and everyone there is a specialist in a narrow field. We have network admins, sys admins, security experts, helpdesk, DBAs, IT project managers, BAs, developers. At my last job there was only 3 of us at first so we were covering all the bases but that made us generalists and not experts in any one area.
I'm now just focused specifically on development and learning everything there is to know about specific programming languages.

Linux/Unix knowledge is always useful and an A+ certification is almost mandatory if you're on the hardware/systems end of the IT spectrum, but really wouldn't apply so much to the SQL/programming side.

Don't get what autism has to do with this post ,just keep throwing out applications and networking.

Sweet! Congrats. Hope it's going well?


I agree with Tori, specializing might be better.
I'm technically a SysAdmin, but, really a generalist. I'd be making more money if I specialized in a database or programming. Oh, data analysis, too. A real data scientist or analyst is worth $$.

Not that great a job, but was hoping it would get me in the industry at least.

It's doing phone support for customers to troubleshoot their Cable Internet modems. The company covers a lot of states and I'm having trouble with some of the southern accents or understanding some people on poor phone connections.

I have wondered for a while if I could have Audio Processing Disorder, especially in situations like this. I've had people in past jobs ask me if I'm hard of hearing.

Ah, that's rough.
I hear EVERYTHING, and when I mention that I find it difficult to speak with people on the phone, people always seem shocked, like, I've got good hearing, so I should love the phone. I just have a harder time comprehending speech over the phone. Lack of lip movement, too many background sounds, anxiety about missing visual cues? I dunno. It stresses me out, though.

I have a referral now to see an Audiologist some I'm working on setting that up. If a test definitively shows I have an issue, that might be considered a kind of disability in the context of this job and we could work something out or come up with another arrangement.

As it is, I'm told I'm behind where other Techs normally at this point. I'm not sure if part of that is just hearing related or if part of it is I'm just not as good at multi-tasking. Basically, it's awkward as hell for me to talk and type at the same time.