Good evening everyone!
A couple of months ago, I made a decision to again take more control of where my IT career was going. Here is that post for those that may have missed it:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1825028
Spark notes version: I've been using ESX since version 3.5, though it's never been my "main" duty professionally. I've kept my home lab up over the past few years, and also began using the Hands on Labs as well to learn about products I couldn't (still can't) afford to purchase for my own use. I decided I wanted VMWare to be more central to my career.
I got my VCA very quickly and easily. I've been studying for my VCP as much as I can in the evenings and weekends, though with my work schedule that was going much slower than I had wanted. My present employer was moving my career farther from doing "actual" IT work and down a path I was a bit resistant to - moving into Solution Architecture, with a plan to make me an Enterprise Architect in "a few years". While a valid and interesting path, it wasn't a path I wanted to be on, and honestly didn't feel ready for yet. With my VCA and decent history with vmware, I sought to get in somewhere that I could do more of what I believe I want to do.
A lot of cards came into play with my current employer - "downsizing", "budget cuts" are becoming the norm, and as an Engineer recently forced into an Architecture role I'm not yet able to fully execute on, I could see a potential for me to be "downsized". I kicked a few things into high gear, and put out feelers for a path out.
I was getting a lot of offers for jobs that didn't interest me, and a few that didn't fit me at all. Through all the sifting, one opportunity stuck out at me - a short term contract working with a well-known company, working with what I believe would fall under the medium size of vmware infrastructures. They're implementing vCAC, which I'm only familiar with in a lab setting. They have many other projects in motion for IT, some centered on VMWare others not.
I interviewed with them, under a title of "VMWare Engineer". Luckily, my experiences through the years carried me through the interview well, though obviously I'm very "light" on vCAC. Even still, they decided to bring me on board and let me show them how I can contribute - they have other experts handling the actual vCAC deployment, so I can't bung that one up, but I can learn from it!
Tonight, I accepted their written offer, and will be starting on 10/6. If I prove myself well enough, the contract will be extended, with a possibility of also being converted to FTE.
So, tomorrow I put notice in with my present employer, and will also cease my evening and weekend working, so I can put more time in on my home lab and the Hands on Labs. In two weeks I'm unlikely to learn very much, but at least I can attempt to get more useful information into my head, and then quickly apply it to a real life situation to solidify it all.
I'm very, very excited about this opportunity, and also a little nervous. I've never done a contract based role before, so that's a new experience for me. I'm also a little nervous that, even though I've worked with ESX a lot in the past, my lack of vCAC experience may hold me back. Only time will tell though, and I know I can learn quickly, so hopefully it all plays out fine in the end.
In any case, I don't know most of you at all, but I thought I'd share my little "success" story as it plays out in real time. Some of you have offered help and did in fact help me via PM in various ways. To all of you, thank you. Your thoughts helped me along. I have a LOT to learn, especially since there's so much to vmware that I haven't been exposed to, and as some of you pointed out, you can't just be a one-trick pony in this world. I'll learn what I can from this job, and continue to push myself and learn on my own time as well.
A couple of months ago, I made a decision to again take more control of where my IT career was going. Here is that post for those that may have missed it:
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1825028
Spark notes version: I've been using ESX since version 3.5, though it's never been my "main" duty professionally. I've kept my home lab up over the past few years, and also began using the Hands on Labs as well to learn about products I couldn't (still can't) afford to purchase for my own use. I decided I wanted VMWare to be more central to my career.
I got my VCA very quickly and easily. I've been studying for my VCP as much as I can in the evenings and weekends, though with my work schedule that was going much slower than I had wanted. My present employer was moving my career farther from doing "actual" IT work and down a path I was a bit resistant to - moving into Solution Architecture, with a plan to make me an Enterprise Architect in "a few years". While a valid and interesting path, it wasn't a path I wanted to be on, and honestly didn't feel ready for yet. With my VCA and decent history with vmware, I sought to get in somewhere that I could do more of what I believe I want to do.
A lot of cards came into play with my current employer - "downsizing", "budget cuts" are becoming the norm, and as an Engineer recently forced into an Architecture role I'm not yet able to fully execute on, I could see a potential for me to be "downsized". I kicked a few things into high gear, and put out feelers for a path out.
I was getting a lot of offers for jobs that didn't interest me, and a few that didn't fit me at all. Through all the sifting, one opportunity stuck out at me - a short term contract working with a well-known company, working with what I believe would fall under the medium size of vmware infrastructures. They're implementing vCAC, which I'm only familiar with in a lab setting. They have many other projects in motion for IT, some centered on VMWare others not.
I interviewed with them, under a title of "VMWare Engineer". Luckily, my experiences through the years carried me through the interview well, though obviously I'm very "light" on vCAC. Even still, they decided to bring me on board and let me show them how I can contribute - they have other experts handling the actual vCAC deployment, so I can't bung that one up, but I can learn from it!
Tonight, I accepted their written offer, and will be starting on 10/6. If I prove myself well enough, the contract will be extended, with a possibility of also being converted to FTE.
So, tomorrow I put notice in with my present employer, and will also cease my evening and weekend working, so I can put more time in on my home lab and the Hands on Labs. In two weeks I'm unlikely to learn very much, but at least I can attempt to get more useful information into my head, and then quickly apply it to a real life situation to solidify it all.
I'm very, very excited about this opportunity, and also a little nervous. I've never done a contract based role before, so that's a new experience for me. I'm also a little nervous that, even though I've worked with ESX a lot in the past, my lack of vCAC experience may hold me back. Only time will tell though, and I know I can learn quickly, so hopefully it all plays out fine in the end.
In any case, I don't know most of you at all, but I thought I'd share my little "success" story as it plays out in real time. Some of you have offered help and did in fact help me via PM in various ways. To all of you, thank you. Your thoughts helped me along. I have a LOT to learn, especially since there's so much to vmware that I haven't been exposed to, and as some of you pointed out, you can't just be a one-trick pony in this world. I'll learn what I can from this job, and continue to push myself and learn on my own time as well.