o yes... the problems have being straight out of school. i know because i am/was still there. i've found the hardest thing is not what you know but getting into that first interview. usually employers are looking for 4-6 years experience in unix sys admin admin type work. so how do you get there? i still have yet to figure that out. but what i can tell you is you have to be patient. most likely, you won't get that sys admin job right from the start (unless you know someone). i have been a sys admin for 2 years (3rd year out of college). my first year as a linux admin was nothign more then a glorified operator. my next year as a solaris admin was because i found the right company at the right time. they needed someone and they couldn't find a unix admin. i just happened to know a good deal about unix from my studies, reading and as everyone else has said... doing. unfortunately, the project got cut and i was well.. back in the market again. currently i am a hardware engineer. its not pure SA work but it teaches me a great deal about architecture and i get to expand on my OBP (forth) commands as well as other unix commands. i've had nightmares about HBAs from this job!
point being, you got to be patient about getting to those SA jobs. Or you have to really be smart in your unix knowledge. read as much as possible and always have servers at home to work on. keep up with technology and read the forums. its hard to find a good job right now. so again, be patient. my recommendations for you:
- read and execute. know your commands and different ways to get the info you need.
- learn apache, php and mysql.
- look at the big companies that have the money and resources to allow individuals to learn and grow with the company. small shops need the experience now and don't have time for you to catch up.
- submit your resume to everything. you need to get exposed to all types of employers and their silly questions. unix interviewers like flex their unix knowledge. don't be scared. just be honest and always always seem eager to learn. tell them how you can find info you dont know. if a guy is a real jerk to you in the interview, just think about how big of a jerk he will be when you work there.
- look up unix interview questions. i've had people read off a list of questions straight from the internet in front of me.
- be patient. it will happen.
- become friendly with your professors. they have some industry ties. look for the ones that used to be in the industry. my assembler prof. got me my internship at IBM.
- find a head hunter. they can really help out. however, keep the head hunter within the technology market. their are a million tech hiring firms out there. i'm sure you can grab someone to help you out.
- read read read!
hope this helps somewhat. it really is a crazy time trying to find a job out of school. its not fun and can be really crappy at times. just stay positive. you'll make it happen.
