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Advice Me Please

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Hi,

I a, working as a Tech. Customer Support before that I was working as a Programmer.I am actually a Lotus Notes Professional in Development.

Actually I am planning to do my Lotus Administration but I also have plans to do MSCE Course.

I am worried because I am not sure which will fetch me a Good Job & Carreer beacuse both the Course has its advantages & disadvantages,moreover the courses are costly.

I would be glad if you could just help me out of this situation.

Regards

Aravind

Topic

Depends

In reply to Advice Me Please

What do you like? Sitting in cold server rooms on weekends banging your head on a rack, or blindly staring at a monitor looking for a problem for hours on end?

Really, I and am sure many others on this board went through the same tough decision. I started out programming, and lost interest fast when I networking started to grow (for me 1987). The decision for me was easy, in that I loved building the stuff, and got just angry at the programming stuff. Developing and maintaining networks (not the maintains so much) is a very fulfilling career.

In my experience, network guys get more freedom, slack etc. This is partially because they spend soooo much time doing what they do. Programmers go home @ 5:00. Most network guys have enough long-night story?s to fill this server up. The freedom though is great. I have worked for several large co, with campus networks, where if I felt so inclined, I could leave for hours on end with out anyone ever caring. I wondered sometimes, ifI didn?t come in until my pager went off, who would care.

Programmers get better-defined goals, and time tables (in general). They work on a project with a well-defined deliverables on tools that change slowly, and that they know well. By this I mean that VB is VB, Notes is Notes. A Notes programmer is rarely asked to develop using VB, and the version of Notes he learned on will not change much throughout much of his career. Network admins are asked to work on systems as varied as Unix/Netware/Win etc. Very different indeed.

Last word go into Notes development. We need more of it.

Nono? Forget I said that, I need another jr. tech, Networking.

Depends

In reply to Depends

All I can say…is perfectly put “tbragsda”. I started Desktop Database Dev in 1989…since 1996 I have been level 2/3 tech, net admin. Everything you say is true!

Reply

In reply to Depends

Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for your Reply

In reply to Depends

HI,

Thanks for your reply.Though I know a bit of Networking I am still havn’t decided whether to Join or not to join Networking(MSCE).I do love networking but Employers look for Consitentsy despite he is Certified guy.They need experience.

It REALLY Depends

In reply to Depends

About Notes Development….that’s a tricky one.

I’m a certified Notes developer and Domino Admin. My particular market thinks poorly of Lotus Notes/Domino. I’m transitioning to Java to find better employment. This place says it needs Notes developers, but only if you have 3-5 years experience and you are willing to work your butt off for $35K/yr. MSCEs are not longer paid well here either, so you can’t win if you move here.

I’ve gotten lukewarm responses for my credentials in other markets, but they rather hire people already in those markets than to pay relocation costs.

Talk to the headhunters and see what choices would be best in your market. Ironically, your best choice may possibly be a next-level glorified network tech than a developer, depending on many factors too numerous to list. If you don’t know your local headhunters, then get to know them ASAP! They will get you in for opportunities that would not normally be available to you.

[Author]

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