First Frustration

I had just obtained the Network+ and Security+ from CompTIA and I thought that I would at least be able to obtain an entry-level job at local companies. I was in for a rude awakening though.

At the time, I was only vaguely familiar with Linux and had a passing knowledge of Windows and Active Directory. I had a lab setup and was working in it at least an hour or two a night. I was enrolled at Champlain College and also had certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and ISC2. I thought that even though I did not have any professional experience, I would be able to find some kind of IT opportunity.

Then I hit the a wall. I applied to at least 5 jobs every week. I was motivated and knew that I had to succeed no matter what. Most of my applications did not receive any form of reply and half were met with the generic "We are not going to proceed with you at this time." The employers that I did get the first phone interview with ended the hiring process when they realized I had no professional experience, which was on my resume.

I could have kept my job until I graduated and then started to look for a job, but I needed an entry-level IT job right away. My plan was to work a help desk style job while I was in school and then when I graduated I would have the certifications, degree, and experience. If I didn't have three children at this time, I might have given up here and stuck with my dead-end job that allowed me to just barely get by. How could I let my children see me give up, though? I had made a plan and wanted to show them that anything is possible if you are willing to sacrifice for it.

I started applying for any job that was related to IT. I spent almost as much time during this period working on my resume as I did studying. I was determined to take my frustration from this experience and let it fuel me. From that point on, every interview I had I always made sure to ask for some form of feedback or advice. I printed a copy of the Michael Jordan quote "I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." and taped it to the inside of my bedroom door. It was my only real motivation on some days.

These failures were my missed shots and I knew that eventually I would sink that buzzer beater.