Position for Linux/Ansible

[spurs]

Hello guys

I have a lot of passion for Linux /Ansible and these are my main skills.

I'm about to graduate from 2 years CST program and I've got around 8 months of experience as a Tier 2 End-Point Support Technician (Internship 5 months and part-time 3 months at same company). I have RHCSA and studying for RHCE now.

I really want to start my career as Linux-related jobs, but there are not many Linux sysadmin positions where I live.. are there any positions which I can utilize my Linux/Ansible skills? I don't mind learning more skills (For ex, devops demands CI/CD, programming language skills, but I'm not sure if I can get a devops job without experience). I heard about SRE as well, but sounds like i need to have previous experience in software area.

Or, should I start my career with my current position? like Tech support stuff. Honestly, I just don't want to do that because I wanna work with Linux environment.

This is time to make my direction and I'm a bit confused.

Please give me some advice and tips!

[Chetan_Tiwary_ · Accepted solution]

Hello @spurs !

Thanks for reaching out !

There is no "one size fits all" option here and neither is a tailored approach solution to your problem. It rightly depends upon location, MNCs, job vacancies , required skills, personal considerations and constraints and the path that one wants to navigate. 

However, there are general advises based on available information and experiences that one can share or get from people across the industry - you can use one as a navigation compass but the path is for you to choose and embark upon. 

Your passion for Linux and Ansible { and therefore Openshift  }  can help you prepare for roles like : 

• Cloud Engineer
• DevOps Engineer
• Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)

There are other roles as well which utilises these skills like system admin roles, programmer analysts etc. 

I would recommend you to start networking through social media sites and look for opprtunities that best suit your goals and meanwhile prepare for the job role ( interviews ). Example, get that RHCE and focus on upskilling your linux and ansible expertise level - look for containers and openshift as well - these days the traditional linux admin roles have evolved to a role that encompasses - Configuration management tool like Ansible, container orchestration tool like Openshift/ K8s and cloud platform like Openstack / AWS / GCP / Azure with atleast one scripting language skill ( bash / python ). 

Grab with whatever you can to start your journey and earn that prestigious experience - which is much more than just software skill sets - like ITIL processes, effective communication , team work, networking, industry insights  etc. and with time you will be able to grab the desired role. 

[spurs]

I really appreciate your reply!
Yes, as you mentioned the job positions can be very vague depending on my circumstances. Especially, where I live, Canada doesn't have many Linux positions. Not even single Jr.Linux admin position.
My concern is should I start working as tech support before I get a Linux related jobs? I've got so far 8 months of experience as Tier2 End-Point Technician. (I know 8 months is nothing, but as I pursue Linux jobs I'm not too sure if I need to get experience as tech support more and apply for Linux jobs).
Next is, the jobs you mentioned Cloud Engineer
DevOps Engineer
Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
These are actually what I would be happy to work and happy to study to get one of these positions.
Currently studying RHCE and after that probably will study K8s.
However, again I'm worried there are not many Jr positions..
Lastly, networking! Yes I know it's crucial, but never done networking through online. I mean it looks too obvious..if strangers suddenly ask me and talk to me about the job.. it seems that they are begging for the jobs.. so I wanna know how to approach to the people for networking in online.

[Chetan_Tiwary_]

@spurs I understand your concerns ! Thanks for asking it here. 

Here’s some networking tips you can ponder for starters :

How do I connect with people online?

If you’re not sure how to start, here are a few things to consider:

1. Find people who are currently working on the roles you’re interested in. This can be done by searching LinkedIn for hashtags related to the roles you want to apply for, or by following the companies that are hiring for the roles you want.

2. Send a personalized message to the person you’re looking to connect with.

3. Make sure to introduce yourself and why you want to connect with them.

4. Include something specific about the person’s work that you like or admire.

5. Be genuine and open to learning from the person.

6. Ask about their career journey and how they achieved their current position.

7. Offer to help the person in some way, such as sharing their article on social media or writing a blog about their work.

8. Be ready to provide feedback on the person's latest project/blog posts/ career updates etc.

9. Be active and friendly on the SM - it is such a pwerful tool that you can utilise not only for networking but also for things like industry updates, new buzz things, skill paths considerations, learnings, content contribution, making friends, know about companies and their employees and the life at certain compaines , feedback , saying thanks to people who have helped you in your life and career, appreciate your colleagues and contribute to a cause you belive in etc. 

[spurs]

That's a very specific step that I can utilize easily!

Appreciate it!

[shashi01]

@spurs 

Going for your RHCE is an excellent choice and following up with Kubernetes will set you up for the cloud and DevOps landscape, where Linux skills are in high demand. Don't be too concerned about the apparent lack of junior positions; focus on roles that ask for 1-2 years of experience, as your current work may well count towards this.

Networking online is more about building relationships than directly asking for a job. Use platforms like LinkedIn to interact with content from industry professionals and join forums and communities related to your interests in Linux and cloud computing. Contributing to open-source projects and participating in online tech communities can also significantly boost your visibility and connections in the industry.

Consider reaching out to professionals for informational interviews to learn about the industry, rather than with the immediate aim of getting a job. Also, attending local or online tech meetups and conferences can be a great way to connect with people in the industry.

[spurs]

Great, Thank you so much.

At least, now I know what to do for further study (RHCE, CKA).

I get what you meant by networking as well. It's not about asking job, but about asking questions about the career or skills or something like that.

I much appreciate your answer!