How to Become A Network Engineer

How to become a network engineer? For starters, you will need a degree in either computer engineering, or information systems, or computer science. Most employers require a Bachelor’s degree, though pursuing a MBA is highly recommended. Here is why: network engineering jobs are among the most sought out and best paid ones, and offer numerous advancement opportunities. Understandably, senior network engineer positions do call for a MBA degree.

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Freelance Network Engineer Jobs

The fact that freelance network engineer jobs are projected to keep increasing at a steady pace is not the best thing about the vocation. In itself, it merely translates into you not having difficulties finding an open position; it doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best of salaries. What does, however, is the opportunity to go fully freelance.

How do freelance network engineers earn the best of salaries? There is no mystery to that, either. Working remotely simply means that you are not limited to your place of residence. You may pick any job-literally anywhere, work at your own pace, and get paid instantaneously.

The best place to start looking for your next job is an online engineering marketplace. There are several such platforms available, with Field Engineer being top-rated. The system is simple: you only need sign up, upload your credentials, and specify your skill set. The platform is fully automated and will keep providing you with daily job offers. Better still: Field Engineer is available for iOS and Android. Look up your next job whenever, wherever. The marketplace currently lists more than 15,000 certified engineers from 137 countries worldwide.

Finally, if you prefer project-based work, turning global is only natural. All businesses need network engineers; it’s up to you to pick best offers in line with your preferences.

Becoming a Freelance Network Technician

Becoming a freelance network technician is, perhaps, a slightly easier task than becoming a network engineer. Whereas the latter calls for a degree, the first may be achieved through certification. Since network technicians are in high demand in every company, many businesses offer certification to their employees. That is a far easier way than choosing among the offer yourself, and it automatically guarantees a better position. Needless to say, businesses certify professionals for the actual in-demand positions.

How to Become a Network Engineer After Working as a Network Technician?

Since network engineering covers a number of job positions, switching between related professions is not so rare. Network technicians should not find it difficult to expand their field of expertise either by pursuing further academic studies or obtaining additional certification.

For example, the VCP5-DCV (VMware Certified Professional 5 – Data Center Virtualization) certification is a perfect solution for professionals looking to expand their data center networking and cloud management skills. The certificate is recognized high and low; not to mention that cloud computing is a rising trend.

Another good example is the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) Data Center certificate. Being what it is, it doesn’t call for further elaboration. We will just add that all engineers looking to perfect their technology architecture skills should definitely consider getting the credential.

Various career paths may be chosen along this particular line of occupation. Network engineering is a rewarding profession. It is common practice for the engineers to get promoted to similar IT positions. Network administration is one such choice, and implies hardware installation and maintenance, network performance monitoring, and assistance with the network design process. Other choices include infrastructure architecture, data center test engineering, data center safety, and electrical engineering.

As for senior positions, an entry-level data center technician may, in time, become a data center maintenance planner or a control systems staff engineer.

Maintenance planners are the exact opposite of what everyone imagines network engineers to be. Certainly they spend a good deal of their day in front of the screen, but their role is to maintain contact with clients on a regular basis. And that is just the beginning. Maintenance planners oversee projects from start to finish, making sure these are executed efficiently and in a timely manner. There is a lot of planning and scheduling to take care of; providing own technical expertise to boost the process is often called for.

Control systems staff engineers are seasoned professionals overseeing critical infrastructure and providing technical support across the board. All kinds of urgent situations are addressed by them; they manage entire teams and handle procurement issues. Due to the nature of the job, control systems staff engineers are usually required to have previously accumulated 10+ years of experience in network engineering and to hold a relevant degree.

How does one get promoted? The first step towards achieving that goal would be completing an internship. Merely obtaining a degree is of little use if you have zero experience. The good news is that many Bachelor programs offer internships. Getting certified is another way. Many employers hire certified engineers. On top of the certifications mentioned above, there are also various choices offered by software vendors, notably Microsoft and Red Hat.

Landing Network Engineer Freelance Jobs

Landing satisfactory network engineer freelance jobs is no more difficult than getting permanently employed in the neighborhood. With appropriate qualifications and skill sets, you will be able to find a remote position to suit your schedule in no time. Many engineers prefer in-house jobs to commuting on a daily basis, but freelancing does not necessarily imply that.

Project-based jobs are to be had with numerous companies, especially those managing large-scale engineering projects. Some engineers like traveling, so they choose projects in different cities and countries. Some prefer committing to a steady, permanent job. Some choose to work from their comfortable homes. Whichever category you happen to fall into, one thing is certain: there is always an open job for a skilled network engineer.

How to Become a Network Engineer: Instead of a Conclusion

By now, you probably already understand how to become a network engineer. Everything considered, you may choose among a number of paths. Remember that the career grants countless specialization choices; simply pick the one that calls your name.

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