UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Hello all,

Im about to graduate with a degree in computer science. I think i've found my 'niche' in unix and would like to take it up as a career. I hope you dont mind answering a few questions.

How hard is it to get the foot in the door?

Whats the best way to get the foot in the door?

Assuming i started learning unix a few weeks ago, How long does it take to get proficient enough to do entry-level work proficiently.( i know this is relative but roughly speaking give an estimate)

thanks for the advice, I this might be in the wrong section but since this is the advaced and expert users forum I thought what better place to ask.

what do u mean by "entry level"? getting ur foot in the door... if your university has job placement help, thats the first place i would go for some help. talk to your university and see what they can do for you.

All i see - bar one or two- are job ads for mid-senior unix adminstrators. how does someone with no experience in the field gets into it when everyone is looking for guys with 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 years of working knowledge . I would like it for some of you to share you story so that i may draw from it. if its not too much to ask.

your best bet is to start in mor eof a midlevel unix support role, which would give you on paper experience working with unix and an easy path to becomming a unix admin.

Now the question that I would like to know is how much should a unix admin expect to make. on average...

Check this site for your question regarding salary.

It depends on a number of things, such as geographical location, unix distribution you know, etc.
A lot of the ads you see are frequently written by hiring managers/recruiters, so it isn't necessarily that an ad accurately describes a job.
Most of the people I know in the field started as either support desk or NOC - I started in a NOC myself . Usually, the knowledge level of the support desk or NOC doesn't go beyond that of a regular user.

Ex: In Solaris, if you know this part well, you can do support desk or NOC:
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/806-7612

Knowing this part well will make you an entry-level admin - even without knowing the GUI crap - :
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/doc/817-1985

As for the money, it depends on what you do, when you do it, and who hired you to do it. There are shift differentials, bonuses for or paid on-call, etc... security oriented work usually pays higher... be prepared to do app support as well.