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What You Need to Know About a Career as a Network Engineer
By Amy Armitage
Network engineering is a process in which an independent contractor or company will
determine the internetworking requirements for switched networks and then develop and
implement the hardware or software in order to meet the needs of the system's users.
Network engineers are the spines of the computer infrastructure for any business. The
larger businesses have the ability to employ several network engineers whereas other
smaller businesses often hire a consultant who is summoned only when the network has
problems or needs an update.
In order to join the team of network engineers, you must have the necessary skills as
well as a love of computers. As with any other career, you also need to follow certain
steps in order to accomplish your goal. These are the top five requirements needed to
become a network engineer.
1. While you're in college, take another computer related field. Although it's called
network engineering you don't need an engineering degree. You also have the option of
studying a totally different major or minor than information technology (IT).
2. While in school, try and hook a job in the campus IT office. Some colleges hire
students as IT support techs that work in the dorm and classroom environments. The job
usually counts as part of your computer studies and it is a great opportunity to build up
your resume.
3. Learn how all different types of operating systems work. This is important because
there are many businesses that use different systems for their computers and company
laptops as well. Make sure to familiarize yourself with all of them, otherwise you will
not be the broad-based network engineer that companies will hire.
4. If you get an internship, try and pick a company that specifically has an IT
department or is an IT consulting firm. There are a lot more students majoring in the
computer-related industries these days. That's why the experience you acquire needs to be
a cut above the rest.
5. Communication is a key element in a networking engineer's career. Therefore, if this
is the profession that you choose, you will often be working with others that are not as
tech savvy as you will be. You need to be able to speak your special lingo in laymen's
terms. If you have a problem with communication, perhaps taking a communications skills
class can help you improve.
There are the chosen few that have had the ability to become engineers without a
college degree. These individuals have been able to use their innate computer knowledge to
gain some success in the field. However, they are usually in the minority of network
engineers because many who study on their own will lack other essential skills needed
for this profession.
Employers looking to hire a network engineer will most likely go for the one who holds
the degree. They want to hire an engineer that will be able to adapt to many different
scenarios and handle various issues that might arise. Network engineers that hold degrees
have the upper hand because they know how to tackle any situation due to their advanced training.
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