IT Certifications and Careers (Official Discussion Thread)

[Rayzah]

Government always hiring for IT, with some remote. USAJOBS.gov

Do they really have remote positions for civilians? A lot of their positions seem to be for veterans. Idk … them applications take hours to complete and weeks if not months for them to get back to you

 

[BlaxOps]

Do they really have remote positions for civilians? A lot of their positions seem to be for veterans. Idk … them applications take hours to complete and weeks if not months for them to get back to you

Yes they do have civilian remote. No prior service needed. Their hiring time can be long if they don't specify direct hire. Sometimes they just collect applications. Just set up an account, set up your alerts and you'll get daily emails with positions.

For IT they put a bunch of degree, certs requirements, but don't let that stop you from applying. The resume scoring may get you an interview with the right keywords. Just be honest what you list.

Also, some remote may include a percentage of travel. Very nice for those who want that.

Select mission critical, and apply for those first. They really need people.

 

[Rayzah]

Yes they do have civilian remote. No prior service needed. Their hiring time can be long if they don't specify direct hire. Sometimes they just collect applications. Just set up an account, set up your alerts and you'll get daily emails with positions.

For IT they put a bunch of degree, certs requirements, but don't let that stop you from applying. The resume scoring may get you an interview with the right keywords. Just be honest what you list.

Also, some remote may include a percentage of travel. Very nice for those who want that.

Select mission critical, and apply for those first. They really need people.

Good looking. I’m give it another shot

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

Had an interview for system admin,don't think I got it, vibes were off and I stumbled on a question

Had another interview for a different company, went better

Just got am email letting me know I have another company interested

 

[JT-Money]

Do they really have remote positions for civilians? A lot of their positions seem to be for veterans. Idk … them applications take hours to complete and weeks if not months for them to get back to you

A ton of Government IT jobs get scooped up by contractors. I would look at getting on as a contractor. If the government people you work with like you. They can pull strings to get you a Federal job much easier than someone applying off the street.

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

A ton of Government IT jobs get scooped up by contractors. I would look at getting on as a contractor. If the government people you work with like you. They can pull strings to get you a Federal job much easier than someone applying off the street.

I have two possible jobs I maybe got offers for

One is as a contract employee for TSA doing contract IT work, where I know I'll get to touch cisco switches and will require a security background check that will take a month and pays $62000

The other is a support desk job where I'm not sure how it will compare to the support desk job I'm doing now, but will pay $75000

75k sounds nice, but I'm wary of taking a job with similar job duties I'm at now, because how will I show I've grown?

 

[JT-Money]

I have two possible jobs I maybe got offers for

One is as a contract employee for TSA doing contract IT work, where I know I'll get to touch cisco switches and will require a security background check that will take a month and pays $62000

The other is a support desk job where I'm not sure how it will compare to the support desk job I'm doing now, but will pay $75000

75k sounds nice, but I'm wary of taking a job with similar job duties I'm at now, because how will I show I've grown?

They really screw over IT contractors on pay with the Feds. It's the reason why I left Federal contracting.

But make sure you'll actually be configuring Cisco switches at TSA. I worked for a different agency once and was told I would be configuring switches and packet shapers. But all they had me doing is racking them in network closets and datacenters. While someone else in another state was actually configuring them. I quit after less than a year of that crap. The government is really good at dividing up technical job duties between dozens of people.

 

[Data-Hawk]

Damn man. Freaking failed. 1st time I've ever failed an exam.

I was so confident I was going to pass....Errrr. This exam had so many drag & drop. Put things in the correct order, fill in the blank of scripts and a ton of Github questions.

Rescheduled for 6/9. I'll take it much more seriously this time around.

Re-took the AZ-400 exam today and ....

and I passed!!! Thank God. Damn I truly hated this exam. The first exam where I studied so much of 4 - 5 areas the most and they end up being the least on the actual exam..


WTF. I know it was just updated in March or May but damn There's no practice exams( and I just paid $99 for Measure Up exams ) out that come close to the actual exam ( not even MS Free Practice exams ).


1st 10 - 15 minutes in and I'm like shyt here we go again. Getting hit with shyt I didn't even study for.


After this crap. I may do something easy like Security+ or something lol.

 

[BlaxOps]

They really screw over IT contractors on pay with the Feds. It's the reason why I left Federal contracting.

But make sure you'll actually be configuring Cisco switches at TSA. I worked for a different agency once and was told I would be configuring switches and packet shapers. But all they had me doing is racking them in network closets and datacenters. While someone else in another state was actually configuring them. I quit after less than a year of that crap. The government is really good at dividing up technical job duties between dozens of people.

Truth.

 

[Mirin4rmfar]

Isn't doing federal contracting the best thing to do these days? I am thinking of spending some time preparing myself and starting hitting up these federal companies in D.C. They got like 3000 cyber security jobs up there compare to 200 out here.

I have friends working at some good tech companies and right now they are pushing India/Romania heavily with their head counts. I am even starting to see HR roles etc. in India. Where I work, it is all India and Romania...they need to meet share holders demand.

 

[BlaxOps]

Isn't doing federal contracting the best thing to do these days? I am thinking of spending some time preparing myself and starting hitting up these federal companies in D.C. They got like 3000 cyber security jobs up there compare to 200 out here.

I have friends working at some good tech companies and right now they are pushing India/Romania heavily with their head counts. I am even starting to see HR roles etc. in India. Where I work, it is all India and Romania...they need to meet share holders demand.

Working for large government contractors at the corporate level is ideal. Hired for a contract isn't IMO.

 

[JT-Money]

Isn't doing federal contracting the best thing to do these days? I am thinking of spending some time preparing myself and starting hitting up these federal companies in D.C. They got like 3000 cyber security jobs up there compare to 200 out here.

I have friends working at some good tech companies and right now they are pushing India/Romania heavily with their head counts. I am even starting to see HR roles etc. in India. Where I work, it is all India and Romania...they need to meet share holders demand.

You normally go the Federal contracting route because it's an easier route to getting a Federal job. Federal Contractors don't have the kind of job security most think. I routinely saw contractors dumped once they made too much compared to the size for the contract.

 

[slikkp]

You normally go the Federal contracting route because it's an easier route to getting a Federal job. Federal Contractors don't have the kind of job security most think. I routinely saw contractors dumped once they made too much compared to the size for the contract.

Not to mention the base year + yearly renewal shyt when the government customer is holding it over the contract companies head as some sort of negotiation tool.

 

[Formerly Black Trash]

I got the TSA job
Didn't get the other one...I understand
I thought it was for a different position and I was kind of aloof but tried to clean it up
We had good convo

 

[semicko82]

I got the TSA job
Didn't get the other one...I understand
I thought it was for a different position and I was kind of aloof but tried to clean it up
We had good convo

Congratulations