Questions for Network Administrators

[BafflerMeal]

Hello everyone.
I'm doing some research into a few careers, trying to decide what I want to do with my life. One that I've been interested in is Network Administration. Naturally though, researching online can only get me so far, and to get a better idea of what the field is like, I'd like to pose a few questions for anyone on here that either currently works as a network administrator, or has experience working as one.

1) What's an average day like?

2) In general, what are the most difficult/most enjoyable parts of the job?

3) What's the most common way people get into this field?

4) Is there anything about the job you wish you knew when you were still going to school or just starting out?

5) What can someone do with a 2 year degree? what about a 4 or 6 year degree?

6) What other computer related careers would you recommend I look into?

Naturally any advice not covered by these questions is welcome. Thanks in advance to everyone who helps me out on this.

I'd also like to say I'm new here so if I've posted this in the wrong place I hope you'll forgive me and direct me to a more appropriate category.

 

[Ralston18]

1) Generally a balancing act to troubleshoot and solve problems, do upgrades/expansions, document, report to managers, report to customers (end users). Prioritizing and delegating.

2) Most difficult: dealing with people. Most enjoyable: dealing with people. Leaving the human factor out then most difficult is troubleshooting some intermittent issue. Most enjoyable - finding and fixing the problem.

3) Worked with many people, at all levels, who entered the field from any number of paths. It was their skills, abilities, and personal drive/interests that got them to where they were.

4) I was lucky and had a good overall background. What many new techs lack are good writing and verbal communication skills. Take some writing and speech classes. Especially if you wish to get into management level work.

5) That is up to the individual. I had non-degreed people who could do more that those with high level degrees or certifications. The experience versus education arguments. Depends on what the employer needs. Sometime the needs are contractually imposed. And too high of a degree might even go against you when applying for what is deemed a lower level position.

6) You must follow your interests. And they will change. Again there is no absolute path that will lead to a happy, lucrative career. It takes, time, work, good mentors, and some luck.

Overall advice:

Read as much as possible. Online job offerings, technical white papers, User Guides/Manuals. Books on business management. Take classes or seminars as circumstances permit. Broaden your skill set. Set up a network at home as a lab to experiment in and learn from. Set some short term goals and some long term goals. Evolve and modify those goals as you go along.