Josh has some great suggestions here. Sometimes the drive to do bigger and better things forces you to want to move more quickly than you ought to - trust me, I've been there (last year was a rough one for me).<br><br>
In the end, networking is the best tool you have. And by networking I mean making friends. Don't show up to events / groups with the mindset that those people can do something for you. Just start making friends, find things you have in common, ask questions, and it will work itself out. This is also why I would put Dale Carnegie's book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" at the top of that list Josh gave. The RHCE one is a technical one, and is probably great for just that. But from a networking perspective, 'ol Carngie never misses.<br>
<br>-Kenny<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 9:43 AM, Josh More <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:MoreJ@alliancetechnologies.net">MoreJ@alliancetechnologies.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<div>This is going to come off of a bit harsh, but you're not going to find that mentor until you've put in a fair amount of work yourself.<br>
<br>
<br>
Work options:<br>
<br>
1) Find a nonprofit that needs some admin time. (Check out <a href="http://volunteermatch.org" target="_blank">volunteermatch.org</a>) <br>
2) Find a startup that allows you to do admin stuff at night and on the weekends. (Talk to Mike at <a href="http://bizci.org" target="_blank">bizci.org</a>)<br>
3) Join an open source project. (TroubleMaker can always use some work)<br>
4) Start a blog, write up what you learn as you learn.<br>
5) Pursue a degree. Even an associates would help. (DMACC, Hamilton, etc) There are funding/loan options if money is an issue.<br>
6) Pursue a certification. RHCE is pretty much the only game in town for what you want. TroubleMaker is a good option there.<br>
7) Become active in user groups. Give presentations. <br>
<br>
<br>
Learning options:<br>
<br>
I learn best from books... so here are some good ones:<br>
<br>
1) RHCE Study Guide by Michael Jang<br>
2) Time Management for System Administrators - O'Reilly<br>
3) Don't Send a Resume - Jeffrey Fox<br>
4) How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie<br>
5) What the CEO Wants You to Know - Ram Charan<br>
6) Meditations - Marcus Aurelius<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In the end though, if you're not working at least 20 to 40 hours a week on self improvement outside of work, you're not going to rise to the next level. The more you put in, the faster you move. Build a schedule. Track your time. You have to control yourself
before you can controls systems.<br>
<br>
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<div style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 13px;"><font style="font-family: Courier New;" color="#888888" size="1">-Josh More, CISSP, GIAC-GSLC, GIAC-GCIH, RHCE, NCLP<br>
<a href="mailto:morej@alliancetechnologies.net" target="_blank"><span>morej@alliancetechnologies.net</span></a>
<br>
515-245-7701 </font>
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<div style="direction: ltr;"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:cialug-bounces@cialug.org" target="_blank">cialug-bounces@cialug.org</a> [<a href="mailto:cialug-bounces@cialug.org" target="_blank">cialug-bounces@cialug.org</a>] on behalf of chris [<a href="mailto:c.rheinherren@gmail.com" target="_blank">c.rheinherren@gmail.com</a>]<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 24, 2010 08:43<br>
<b>To:</b> Central Iowa Linux Users Group<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Cialug] a question<br>
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<div><font size="2"><font face="verdana,sans-serif">I'm looking for that mentor.<br>
<br>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 08:40, Matthew Steven <span dir="ltr">
<<a href="mailto:matthew@geniusweb.com" target="_blank">matthew@geniusweb.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
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You'll also find more doors open more easily to you if you complete a<br>
bachelor's degree, perhaps in information science but not necessarily.<br>
<br>
The hard skills can all be earned on your own if you have the knack.<br>
<br>
But the ability to communicate effectively and manage relationships with<br>
people are what make the difference between a merely competent SA and an<br>
excellent one, and going to college (or apprenticing with a truly<br>
excellent mentor) can help get you there too.<br>
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<br>
> On 8/23/2010 9:25 PM, chris wrote:<br>
> > I would like to be a linux/unix system admin. Some have said that is<br>
> > crazy but its where my passion seems to be taking me. And of course<br>
> > having the skills and pay that goes along with the title, in the<br>
> 40k or<br>
> > higher ranges.<br>
><br>
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<font color="#888888">--<br>
Matthew Steven<br>
<a href="http://www.geniusweb.com/" target="_blank">http://www.geniusweb.com/</a><br>
(515) 999 0842<br>
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