From: keith tokash (ktokash@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Jun 01 2008 - 13:52:17 ART
There are several strategies for a fresh CCIE with no big hardware experience.
My pick would be:
1. Find a hardcore operations gig - lots of CLI time in a complex, or at least
busy, environment with 6500s, 7609s, Junipers, GSRs (if people still use those
nasty things), Nexus 5k/7k once those start rolling out in production, those
BFRs of Cisco's that run IOS XR (name is on the tip of my tongue...), and if
you want to stay in the enterprise environment versus going ISP, Netscreens,
ASAs, and Checkpoints. Maybe even pick up some Foundry along the way so you
can warn people away from them. Avoid at any cost easy jobs in big companies
that have so much bureacracy that you only need 10% of the time your boss
gives you to complete your work. That way lies stagnation.
2. Take less money to gain the hands-on experience. A CCIE will probably
never have to take less than 100k in LA, unless you're working at UNICEF or
some other place that actually does some good, hence has no money.
3. Jump ship as soon as you feel you've learned everything you can, which may
take 6 months, may take 18. This is optional. I love where I work, so after
2.5 years I have no plans to leave. But to get a fat raise you either need a
title change to something that CPAs are impressed by (Architect, lead,
manager...), or a fresh offer letter. Counter-offers are for suckers.
A guy at a SANS conference in 2000 told me, "unless you've spent at least a
couple of years in operations, you got no business being in design [sic]." At
the time I was in design, and had very little operations experience, a fact he
did not know. I didn't take it personally, and meditated on that comment. He
was completely right, the dot-com bubble has thrust me far above where my
knowledge and experience would have landed me in a healthy economy. I'm not
at all shooting at anyone here, just saying that there is absolutely no
substitute for hands-on, hardcore, tossed-in-the-deep-end experience. And
think about it this way - the monetary sacrifice to get this experience may be
taking 120k instead of 135k. Big whoop, stay home an extra night each month.
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> From: joe@affirmedsystems.com
> To: divineone@divine-wind.net; ccielab@groupstudy.com
> Subject: RE: CCIE payrate in Los Angeles
> Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 03:34:41 -0400
>
> I was joking friend...
>
> So we do agree!
>
> I just finished a 28 hour marathon network overhaul and I'm home firing up
> dynamips. Don't let your skill set get weakened, even for a few hours to
> sleep.
>
> I was offered a whopping $112k a year for my Jedi skills in NYC just the
> other day... the economy is $@&ked! That was at a fortune 25 company!!!!
> There are like 1000's of CCIE's out of work... Citigroup, Bear Sterns,
BofA,
> Wachovia, Merrill Lynch, Morgan, Hedge funds, these guys are bleeding cash
> and are dropping IT engineering staff like there's no tomorrow... lots of
> smart guys with no dojo looking for work right now...
>
> That's about $2800 every two weeks after taxes... that MIGHT fill up my gas
> tank, and put a few groceries in my house... LOL
>
> Guys, hit the books harder than ever if you want to swim through the next 3
> or 5 years...
>
> -Joe
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
> Roger
> Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 3:05 AM
> To: ccielab@groupstudy.com
> Subject: RE: CCIE payrate in Los Angeles
>
> Man I hate to disagree with Joseph (and I don't all that often)
>
> If you are brand new CCIE, and I see that you have less then 5 years exp
> in large-mid size networks I won't pay better then 110-125 (with bonus).
>
>
> I have seen about 3-7 CCIE's recent in about the high 18xxx's & 19xxx's
> they've been able to answer CCIE questions however their real world
> problem solving has made me offer them much less. Reason: if they do not
> have a wide breath of experience (2 of them never worked on Cat65XX)
> more time in training and supporting them will be required from team/me.
> We had one that said he had worked a lot of 6509's and was a nice guy so
> I took him to our server room as part of the interview and asked him
> about some of the gear as I pointed it out. He couldn't tell me which
> blade in the 6509 was the sup.
>
> HOWEVER if you are going to work for a cisco vendor (gold silver etc) or
> you have 6+ years, then Joseph is about right, well I hope he is =)
>
> Good Journey!
> Roger
>
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: RE: CCIE payrate in Los Angeles
> > From: "Joseph Brunner" <joe@affirmedsystems.com>
> > Date: Sat, May 31, 2008 10:49 pm
> > To: "'R.S. CCIE'" <r.s.cciestudy@gmail.com>, "'Cisco certification'"
> > <ccielab@groupstudy.com>
> >
> >
> > $140,000 with 20% bonus in writing.
> >
> > Anything less and I'll say lance Armstrong has more cajones than you, LA
> > cabronito Vato!
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nobody@groupstudy.com [mailto:nobody@groupstudy.com] On Behalf Of
> R.S.
> > CCIE
> > Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 1:04 AM
> > To: Cisco certification
> > Subject: CCIE payrate in Los Angeles
> >
> > What would be the minimum offer (as an employee) should a brand new CCIE
> > accept without hurting the CCIE prestige ? And this brand new CCIE only
> has
> > experience on 2600, 3800 routers.....etc. No experience on those BIG
> horses.
> >
> >
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