#CiscoChampion Radio S2|Ep 27. Getting Started in I.T.

#CiscoChampion Radio is a podcast series by Cisco Champions as technologists. Today we’ll be talking about getting started in I.T. with Cisco Champions Rowell Dionicio and Justin Parisi. Our guest hosts this week are Networking Academy members Tim Harmon and Nick Saylor.

Listen to the Podcast.

Learn about the Cisco Champions Program HERE.
See a list of all #CiscoChampion Radio podcasts HERE.
Ask about the next round of Cisco Champions nominations. EMAIL US.

Cisco Champion SMEs
Rowell Dionicio, @rowelldionicio, Network Engineer
Justin Parisi, @NFSDudeAbides, Technical Marketing Engineer

Networking Academy Guest Hosts
Tim Harmon, @harmont2004
Nick Saylor, @SalsaBeard

Additional Networking Academy Members
Jason Lachowsky
Sergio Salas
Zoe Rose
Nathan Pan
Ben Shirer

Moderator
Rachel Bakker (@rbakker)

Highlights
Up and coming skills for new professionals
Getting your foot in the door
What hiring managers look for
Overcoming lack of experience
The most important tools you’ll need to jump start your career
Networking and Tech Groups

Twitter Handles
Rowell Dionicio: @rowelldionicio
Ben Story:@ntwrk80
Chris Brown: @ChrisKnowsIT
Nick Saylor: @SalsaBeard
Zoë Rose: @5683Monkey
Justin Parisi: @NFSDudeAbides
Timothy Harmon: @harmont2004
Chris Hildebrandt: @childebrandt42
Mike Onan: @Michael_ONan
Mike Ellis: @v2Mike
Stewart Goumans: @WirelessStew

Transcripts
Jason Lachowsky:
Some colleges offer it [Networking Academy] through cont ed, some offer it on a credit basis
Zoë:
I take Netacad Canada through College
Sergio Salas:
true. here in Devry it is credit based.
Zoë:
(part of my diploma)
Zoë:
What about getting started for women in IT?
Zoë:
Did you always want to be in I.T.? Or was there an ‘ah ha’ moment?
Sergio Salas:
Any starting certifications to stand out for an entry level job to get into the industry ?
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: What do you consider an up and coming skill for network professionals?
Zoë:
Q: was there any a time where you felt lost, and what did you do to fix it?
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Prime example of an amazing “woman in IT” is Fish!
Zoë:
Q: What’s a big ‘no no’ for I.T. professionals?
Kim Austin:
Hooray for English majors.
Jason Lachowsky:
Sweet. Justin, you’re my hero!
Nathan Pan:
Can you discuss about moving into management after working as a technical engineer? What skills do you believe that IT managers need to be successful?
Mike Ellis:
Your write about that!
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Big “no no” would be burning bridges…never know when the low guy (or gal) may become your boss one day
Justin Parisi:
ENGLISH IN THE HOUSE
Mike Ellis:
jk You’re right haha
Justin Parisi:
co-sign on burning bridges
Ben:
Firefighting time… ttfn all.
Sergio Salas:
Q: How valueble is being bilingual or more in the I.T Field
Sergio Salas:
I started CCNA disovery in Sophomore
Sergio Salas:
still doing it as senior in college.
Zoë:
Q: was there ever a time you felt overwhelmed, and how did you combat that? Network of I.T. professionals you know, googling, etc?
Stewart Goumans (WirelessStew):
You can start at any age
Chris Hildebrandt:
I started programming in 7th grade.
Justin Parisi:
there is no shame in googling
Justin Parisi:

Rachel Bakker:
Great job keeping the questions and answers flowing in chat!
Zoë:
For me it was working as a Tax Assistant and Receptionist haha
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: what would you recommend to a experienced developer looking to transition to a networking role?
Jon Hildebrand:
One of the things that helped me out dramatically was my first tech job in college.  I worked as field tech support for the university I went too.  Nothing tougher than dealing with emeritus faculty!
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Look for volunteering opportunities…help non-profits with their IT. May be something mundane as printers, cable runs, etc., but it is all experience that you can utilize to learn with.
Zoë:
Q: Did you always want to be in I.T.? Or was there something that you originally wanted to be (like Astronut-Rocket-Scientist!) but then you changed plans and decided to do IT instead?
Zoë:
Maybe mention the person asking it
Sergio Salas:
Thanks
Nathan Pan:
Can you discuss about moving into management after working as a technical engineer? What skills do you believe that IT managers need to be successful?
Mike Onan:
Zoe – I was always great with technology related things but was turned off by so many jobs being outsourced overseas. I tried to go to college for business and eventually turned back to technology. Now I work at Cisco as an SE and the business knowledge I picked up along the way really helped
Q: How would you combat being young or with less experience
Sergio Salas:
^ good one.
Nick Saylor:
STEAL!! ^^^
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Nathan- having worked my way up in current org Network Admin, Engineer, etc., for past 12 year, to current Senior Network Operations Manager position, I have found the ability to manage projects (and documentation) necessary to be a “good manager”. Of course customer service is also very important, be that end user, TAC, CxO, etc.
Ben Shirer:
What is the best level to start at, job wise, if you have a CCNA, two years programming experience, and a previous engineering career in an unrelated field?  I want to get into IT but I don’t know how low I will have to start on the totem pole, so to speak
Jason Lachowsky:
Thanks. Great response.
Sergio Salas:
Like moi
Nathan Pan:
Awesome thank you Chris!
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Mentoring is also a very valuable resource as well; wish I had a mentoring opportunity coming up the ranks
Priscilla Oppenheimer:
Hi everyone. I liked the question about women in IT. It helps to know that the shortage of women is a new problem. In the 1980s the computing field was about 1/3 women. In 1984, 34% of CS grads were women. So don’t let anyone claim that women don’t belong. Nobody here would say that, but there are people out there still who think that way.
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: How do you stay abreast of current technology issues and trends? How valuable do you think this is to your work?
Zoë:
Q: What’s more important; the hard skills/certifications or the soft skills and ability to learn ? (I think second, but I figured it’s a decent quesiton)
Nick Saylor:
Totally soft skills
Jason Lachowsky:
@Chris Are you accepting mentee applications?
Sergio Salas:
Count me in .
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Always…feel free to hit me up on twitter (@ChrisKnowsIT)
Ben Shirer:
I’ll take mentoring gladly if it is being offered
Zoë:
Q: how would you go about finding a mentor? As there isn’t a lot of women doing IT where I’m from, what would be the best place to look?
Sergio Salas:
Q: Are there any online groups for networking such as facebook groups, forums ?
Priscilla Oppenheimer:
To find a mentor if you’re a woman especially go to the Grace Hopper Conference for Women in Computing. Also the systers mailing list is terrific. http://anitaborg.org/get-involved/systers/
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: (If you’re involved in hiring) what is the one most important question you want candidates to answer?
Stewart Goumans:
Zoe you are not alone when it comes to women in IT.   There are many in Canada
Zoë:
Q: What, do you think, is ‘I.T.’? How would you define it?
Sergio Salas:
awesome, thanks.
Mike Onan:
There’s a lot of good things on the Cisco Communities forums with people that like to help
Stewart Goumans (WirelessStew):
Ben Shirer.  I was in grade three
Justin Parisi:
Zoe: there are lots of women in tech orgs, twitter groups, etc
Ben Shirer:
To everybody in chat:  I am hoping we could steer the questions towards how to go education to getting a job
@ChrisKnowsIT:
9th grade- helped “upgrade” the typing class tyepwriters to a new thing call Token Ring with desktop computers…
Priscilla Oppenheimer:
I liked connecting things together. Then when I started learning about protocols, I was hooked. I love the fact that so many protocols behave the same way that humans communicate.
Justin Parisi:
social media is a good place to interact and meet other women in tech
Zoë:
Q: How important (clearly huge but a good question for someone listening) is the People Network you have, like other professionals you know that you can ask for help (outside of mentors)
Justin Parisi:
no people = no IT
Justin Parisi:
you need people and they need you
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: What is the coolest thing about being a Cisco Champion?
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Here’s a good starting place for people to following on Twitter- http://networkingnerd.net/cisco-live-2015-twitter-list/
Zoë:
What’s Justin’s twitter handle?
Sergio Salas:
Q : How would you admit being wrong to your boss?
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Ex- I have a network tech that learned the hard way about port security. We took it as a learning opportunity; showed him how to setup lab\VIRL
Justin Parisi:
to my boss? I own it. You live with mistakes and learn them; mention how you would prevent it happening again
Priscilla Oppenheimer:
In answer to the question about going classes to getting a job: it’s all about your people network. It’s not what you know; it’s who you know. I wish it wasn’t that way, but it is…
Ben Shirer:
thank you for your response Priscilla
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Priscilla +1
Zoë:
Q: What’s the best thing about IT?!?
Ben Shirer:
Can I only ask questions via chat?
Zoë:
(besides #ALL THE THINGS)
Ben Shirer:
I hear a lot of silence and I would like to talk over phone if permitted to do so
Zoë:
we’re closing soon
Nathan Pan:
What do you guys think about the Internet of Everything? How will that influx of devices connected to the internet make our jobs different? What are some challenges that will pop up as a result of the IoE?
Zoë:
^^ ditto
Sara Shreve:
Nick and Tim are hosting the conversation Ben. Just ask via chat
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Best thing about being a Cisco Champion- the opportunities (tech, social, CLUS, etc.)
Ben Shirer:
OK thanks for the clarification Sara
Jason Lachowsky:
Q: How do we address security and privacy in the IoE?
Sara Shreve:
np
Zoë:
Q: security of BYOD
Zoë:
ha
Zoë:
Note to Rachel: can you save the chat and send me a copy?
Zoë:
I’d like to go over it later
Zoë:
for twitter handles and such
Mike Onan:
Nathan – The influx of devices will be a key driver to SDN. So it may be less about command line on routers/switches and more about orchestrating devices together
Jason Lachowsky:
right click, select all, Zoë
Sergio Salas:
nice gaming references
Nathan Pan:
Thank you for your insight Mike!
Jason Lachowsky:
I’ll send it to you
@ChrisKnowsIT:
Random advice- make nice with your local Cisco office (if you have one). They have many lunch and learns that are very helpful.
Zoë:
Also any sort of nerdy group
Sergio Salas:
^ thanks
Jason Lachowsky:
hmm… that a great idea
Zoë:
I’m a member of Skullspace
Ben Shirer:
What is Skullspace?
Zoë:
Winnipeg’s Hacker group
Jen Miller:
Great stuff!  Hi Dream Team!!!
Zoë:
Q: Conferences importance
Mike Onan:
Jason – To add to my last comment to Nathan. IoE will drive SDN and within that security policies will be put in to place. I see most of the current data center technologies being used for orchestration of devices and policies outside the data center
Sergio Salas:
Thanks guys .
Sara Shreve:
Great Job Nick and Tim!!!!
@ChrisKnowsIT:
PS- Dream Team did AMAZING job at CLUS!
Zoë:
Miss everyone!
Sara Shreve:
@sashreve
Nathan Pan:
Good job you guys!
Nathan Pan:
Bye Ben!!
Sara Shreve:
#CLUS
Nick Saylor:
ILOVE YOU DREAMTEAM!!!
Ben Shirer:
Great to see everybody again!
Zoë:
#CLUSFamily
Justin Parisi:
thanks everyone!
Sven Kutzer:
#CLEUR
Jason Lachowsky:
looking sharp, Nick!
Mike Onan:
To anyone looking for help/advice or just someone in the IT community you can find me @Michael_ONan and I’d be happy to answer any questions
Jen Miller:
Dream Team rocks!
Sergio Salas:
gracias.
Jason Lachowsky:
Great job everyone