Career Advice

[Iqbal]

OK, guys. Not sure if this is the right forum, but I would at least appreciate your input on this one.

Some Background: I studied EE at Cape Tech (now CPUT) and worked as an tech for a very long time, doing some design, some schematic capture and some PCB layout. I felt like I was stagnating, so I got a BSc in CS through Unisa. I did some in-house desktop programming for an engineering company, and for the past year been a web dev, and I have enjoyed this very much. Problem is, I miss the "engineering setup" - being closer to the metal, I guess. Also, it feels like I'm spending much more time dealing with non-tech people, which I don't particularly enjoy.

I was wondering whether it would be feasable to try to get into a telecomms company with my background.
I have considered going the CCNA route, but don't know if there are many jobs where coding and networking overlap much (in South Africa, at least).
Do you think it would help my cause to get some manner of Linux certification? RedHat or LPI ? (Professionally I've only worked with Windows and the .NET stack.)

TLDR: I like coding & tech, I don't like people. What should I do to make decent money?

I suppose I should also mention that I'm a pale male in his 30's...

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[skimread]

Pale with a name called Iqbal?

 

[guest2013-1]

TLDR: I like coding & tech, I don't like people. What should I do to make decent money?

Welcome to the real world of IT, and why I hate it even though it's one of my passions. Unfortunately, in all aspects of IT, you'll be faced with working for/with/having to speak to idiots.

I'd say maybe try and change things up and become a male prostitute

 

[its Just me]

I'd say maybe try and change things up and become a male prostitute

Gotta agree with Acid, plenty of idiots out there unfortunately.

Either a male Prostitute, or a Hitman. I would personally go with the hitman option, since you pale ( pale people blend in pretty easily ) thus you won't be noticed.

 

[hellfire]

What aspect of telecoms do you want to get into?
Where do you reside?

 

[Iqbal]

What aspect of telecoms do you want to get into?
Where do you reside?

I don't know where the good jobs are in telecomms - this is basically my question. I was wondering whether you could combine the sort of work that a CCNA/CCNP type guy would do with coding.

I'm in Cape Town.

I would consider becoming a hit-man, but I'm still waiting for my damned firearm license...
Prostitution is not something I have considered before, on account of the fact that I would have to deal with people more than I do currently.

 

[hellfire]

Telecoms is vast - fixed line providers (Telkom, Neotel), VOIP and business telephony (Du Pont, VOX), cellular (MTN, Vodacom etc), microelectronics (Siemens) and many, many more.
You probably need to see what offices the various telecoms companies have in CT and start isolating what you would be interested in.

 

[zippy]

What about working for the SPCA ?