8th Layer Archive

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September 30, 2001

Intro to The 8th Layer

Well, I finally got the bare bones of this blog in place and I can put my first post down. Since I lack a bio on my homepage - let it suffice to say that I'm yet another Network Engineer who has waaaaay too much time on her hands thanks to the dearth of positions and the massive layoffs in the industry.

I'm hoping to find work soon. I've been hoping that for quite a few months now... I guess the best I can hope for now is to find some type of suitable underemployment to get by on until I complete my many machinations for the future.

I already have my MCSE (NT 4.0) and I'm in the midst of studying for the Accelerated Exam for W2K. Although I have much more time, I find it harder to study for tests while unemployed. I had planned to get my MCSE 2K by now. It's so hard to study and stay motivated when your greatest accomplishment of the day is helping people for free. I don't mind being helpful. It's just harder when you're doing for free what you used to do for a large salary. Don't get me wrong - I like helping people. I just enjoy it more after I've put in a paid 8.

I'm also a CCNA. I had planned on taking the tests for CCNP by the end of the year. But like I said, it's hard to study lately. It may sound weird and unfocused to be studying for two exams at the same time, but that's the way things have developed. I'm finding it a little easier to pick up the Cisco book than it is to pick up the W2K book. Perhaps it's because the CCNP is a step up. The W2K cert is just an upgrade to a cert I already have.

I've often thought of ditching the MCSE cert when it expires and just focusing on the Cisco stuff. But...from what I've seen, I'm probably more likely to find (under)employment in the LAN area than the WAN area. Pity that the more you know, the more limited you are when searching for a job that meets your abilities. It's only a dream that it would be possible to find a job that's challenging. These days a position that is advertised as "challenging" means that you're going to be expected to do the work of 3-5 people (so they don't have to pay those salaries). It used to mean that the company works with cutting edge, leading edge, or bleeding edge technologies. Aaaah, the good 'ol days...

Oh yeah...I almost forgot. I had also started the paperwork to get my degree from Exclesior college. All I needed was the enrollment fee and I would be on my way to a degree. I've been trying to get a degree since my first semester at Providence College in 1978. And here it was, almost in my grasp. I was evaluated and only needed one more year of credits... But without full-time employment, I won't be able to get a loan for the enrollment fee. Guess that's why I almost forgot it - seems pointless to plan for something like that at this point.

Posted by BlueWolf on September 30, 2001 03:08 PM