Member Avatar for RuffNight

I have another 18 months until I am discharged from the military but thought I'd get some input from IT professionals to point me in the right direction so I can be successful in the networking field of IT. I have over 10 years of experience working with computers (support & network issues for family & friends), but unfortunately, lack the professional working experience sought out by most (if not all) hiring managers.

Information about me:

* Working as an Avionics Technician specializing on communication and navigation systems in the U.S. Marine Corps. At the time of my discharge (June, 2012), I will have 5 years of experience.

* Pursuing a B.S. in Management with a minor in Electronics Systems Technology. Graduating in May.

* Hold a CompTIA A+ certification and will soon start studying for the Network+.

* In August, I will apply for Boston University's MBA/Information Systems Dual Degree Program.

I am planning on applying for supervisory and management positions rather than entry level ones (technician), but what do you think my chances for success, taking my limited experience in account, are? Any other advice will be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Adam

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vedro-compota commented: ++ +0

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Actionable plan for and others in the same position. The short roadmap below builds technical credibility, verifiable experience, and management-ready skills before separation. ’s suggestion to get broader IT feedback is useful; is right that the remaining time can be used effectively; ’s welcome is noted.

First 6 months - focus on verifiable hands-on work. Treat a home lab as the primary proof of skill: set up a small virtual environment (virtual routers/switches, a Windows or Linux domain, basic services like DHCP/DNS, VLANs and inter-VLAN routing). Document each lab as a one-page project (goal, topology, key commands/configs, outcome). Aim for a vendor-neutral networking cert early to structure study and show baseline knowledge.

Months 7–12 - raise the credential level and add process knowledge. Target an engineering cert (CCNA or equivalent) and a service/process credential (ITIL Foundation or an intro PM class). Pursue short civilian IT roles that create professional references: campus helpdesk, volunteer sysadmin, contractor/transition internships when available. Whenever possible, capture measurable outcomes (devices supported, uptime, mean time to repair, budget or time savings).

Final 6 months - translate and target. Convert military bullets into civilian resume lines that state team size, responsibility, tools, and outcomes; use plain language and quantify results. For supervisory hires, hiring managers expect both technical ownership (projects led) and people skills (scheduling, training, vendor control). An MBA/IS strengthens medium- and long-term prospects, but in the near term prioritizing documented projects, a couple of recognized certs, and solid references will make the strongest case for supervisory roles in small-to-medium employers and contractor firms.

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Member Avatar for AndreRet

Welcome to Daniweb.:)

I'll ask the moderators to move this to our IT Prof Lounge, you'll get more feedback from there.:)

Member Avatar for WASDted

welcome and good luck!

Member Avatar for vedro-compota

hi)
18 months - it's quite a lot) you could easily pull up the knowledge. Learn the requirements of specific companies - and try to learn the necessary questions)) good luck)

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