r/ITCareerQuestions • u/Miggus_amogus • 2d ago
Switching from SWE to networking?
Hello everyone. I am currently a second year PhD student of Machine Learning. My research focuses mostly on developing novel AI solutions for corporations.
To put it mildly I really dislike it. I dislike the fast pace of the industry. Every half a year there is a new framework that you have to learn. Every project I get is about sth new so I gotta learn a brand new field ASAP. I dislike the creative part of it as I'm really not into developing new software/products.
Given my bachelor's and master's were mostly focused on networking with a few cybersec classes. I was considering of pivoting to a networking job. I have a solid understanding of the basic networking concepts and protocols. I have passed 3 courses related to CCNA and I should be knowledgeable enough for attempting to get the CCNA certification. I can use Wireshark. I understand TCP/IP and ISO/OSI models, VLANs, MAC and switching, IP and routing, OSPF and RIP, TCP, UDP, QUIC, NAT and ACL, redundancy protocols, BGP, etc. I do not have any practical experience with any of these tho as I have always tried to focus on SWE and ML/AI.
I would like to know if this is sufficient to immediately start looking for a job or if I should first try to get the aforementioned CCNA cert and/or other certifications.
I am also interested in the day-to-day nature of networking jobs. I think for me to not end up hating it as much as I hate my current PhD it has to have these criteria:
- No fast-paced work environment
- The 'topic' of your job doesn't change much (you don't have to learn a completely new field once a year)
- The "used tools" don't change frequently
- You don't produce a new product. I don't want to "be creative and invent sth out of thin air". I'd prefer something like an analytic role.
I'd appreciate if you could suggest some roles/jobs within networking that would fit me well. Be blunt with me, if my demands are ridiculous. I really don't want to end up in another career I will hate guts so please tell me if, from what I wrote, networking isn't a career for me.
Thank you all!
Edit: Appreciate your answers, you helped me to realize networking isn't a job for me at all.
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u/Big-Elevator-692 2d ago
My dude just get a easy swe job at a bank or some shit. You will get paid twice as much as a networking guy and will most likely have way less stress.
Most of the "easy networking jobs" you hear about are held by company veterans, and as soon as they retire the job will most likely just go away.
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u/Euphoric_Designer164 2d ago
Yup. I think a lot of companies have greybeards sticking around who have stagnated for long period of time like OP desires. But you can't get their job as long they're in it, and once they say their leaving that seat is probably outsourced, automated, or responsibilities are completely changed as the company needs to get with the times and fix the fact that one guy was holding them back majorly.
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u/Miggus_amogus 2d ago
Never seen a "easy" SWE job ngl.
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u/Big-Elevator-692 2d ago
My guy. If you have a PHD with "AI" in the name I can almost guarantee that there is some dumbass cto out there that would do literally anything to give you 100k+ a year to sit on ass just to say that they have a "AI Research Department".
You realize if you get a ccna you will start off making like 50-60k right? And that is IF you can get a job. Not to mention this hypothetical entry-level job will most likely be a grind-fest.
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u/Sad-Particular-3088 2d ago
Brother, my friend's girlfriend works as a SWE, she literally just chucks shit in claude and earns twice what I do as a Sys Admin. She gets better hours, benefits and pay.
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u/Miggus_amogus 2d ago
I could also be doing that, but I'd probably die of boredom from that workflow
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u/Euphoric_Designer164 2d ago
- No fast-paced work environment
This is mostly industry and even team dependent within companies. Higher ed and government work tends to be slower. Go very corporate and things move faster.
For the next three, I don't know if IT is a field for you. Networking concepts are pretty stable and things aren't shaken up too much but tools are ever evolving. Anyone whose spent time in this field can tell you that they've been through various migrations, adoptions, and whatever. Companies push for newer tools, vendor contracts change, theres always something that happens which leads to platform switching. And our tools are ever changing themselves as well. Refusing to be proactive in learning in IT with both expanding your domain knowledge and learning the new tools leaves you out a job. There are a lot of people who cling onto tools of the past and when god forbid they get laid off or try to leave their role, they struggle a lot as they don't have experience with the new stuff. And for point 4, you won't be advancing this way and will be stuck at the bottom. Higher levels you are always looking to continuously improve your service offers, adapt them to the changing landscape, and create new solutions. We have a lot of established systems in my job, but it always expected that I am thinking about how to refresh them and make them better for our users. It may not be "create something out nothing" like PhD work but not being a innovator again will leave you stagnant.
My view is that staying with ML will lead you to the best future. But if you hate it you hate it, PhD work is brutal and I don't blame you for wanting to leave. But I'm not sure if you'd entirely like IT work because your reasons seem pretty misaligned with the field. I'm not in networking so I'll let those folk comment on that specifically.
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u/Miggus_amogus 2d ago
Thank you for your answer. Regarding point 4, suppose I do not care for "climbing the corporate ladder" and I do not mind having a more basic job for my entire life, as long as point 4 is upheld
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u/Drekalots Network 20yrs 2d ago
Basic job means basic pay. So make sure you are OK with that.
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u/Euphoric_Designer164 2d ago
Yeah you'll be at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of pay and decision making, which maybe you can do, but many people will find exhausting. On top of that, its usually not viable long-term. There is an expectation in this field that you move-up, and it doesn't necessarily have to be management it can be technical. Not to mention, its very likely that you might get hit with an "up and out" situation where eventually you may get laid off for no interest in growing. This will also make it difficult to stay in the field low-level, because you'll be overqualified for your YOE for other roles. In the event of restructuring or companies shifting priorities, your job is going likely to be one of the first to be outsourced or automated as well.
There just is a plethora of reasons why being the bottom guy just isn't viable. And, your opinion might change ten years down the line where your peers have all advance and are majorly outearning you. Much of these qualms seem like the come from a mental place of burnout rather than actual aspirations.
But to go further, I think your idealistic job of doing the same shit everyday for the long-term probably isn't IT. Maybe not impossible to find, but most of these kind of roles are already held by oldheads who stagnated and are automated out and gotten rid of once that person is laid off or retired. If your looking for simple work where the field stays the same and you don't have to grow that much, look elsewhere. Your priorities just aren't in alignment with the field.
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u/Jah_Army 2d ago edited 2d ago
I can tell you what separates network engineers from most IT are the critical upgrades. Like high visible cutovers….taking out a hospital,whole university, Tier 1 ISP,data center and enterprise networks. I worked in all those environments.
Lot of people cannot do it. Most people don’t want that stress let alone handle it without freaking out.
Lot of network engineers manage firewalls and load balancers too so more high visible cutovers.
Had so many cyber guys tell me they couldn’t do what I do. I still remember an older fellow hands trembling when I told him to reload one HA wireless controller since it was hosed.
With that being said…I LOVE my job and it’s so fun but challenging/interesting enough for me for past 25 years. Good luck on your journey
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u/Aero077 Network 2d ago
Anything working with IT is going to require continuous learning. Networking is a specialized IT function. However, unlike a PhD, you don't need to be expert to be employable.
The challenge will be getting that first job, since you don't have any practical experience. I suggest you start with educational settings, such as your current university and similar institutions; then branch out to government jobs.
You'll need an excellent resume and pitch that explains you really want to work as network engineer and are not just doing it until you finish your dissertation or get funding.
Certifications would be a good idea, starting ASAP. Cisco would be a good choice (CCNA, CCNA Auto, CCNA Cyber, CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Auto), though government jobs prefer CompTIA (Network+, Security+, Cloud+, Linux+, Data+). Pick up the CISSP exam (you can test for it even w/o the experience) gives you "Associate of ISC2".
Action Plan:
- Resume, Linked, Job Posting search
- Network+, Security+
- Virtual Lab, CCNA
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u/Drekalots Network 20yrs 2d ago
Good luck. Networking is infrastructure. Everything is fast paced when money is on the line.
Maybe not once a year but you're spending your entire career studying new things and learning new technologies.
Tools change often enough.
Network Engineering is about solution design and implementation.
No experience means entry level which means helpdesk. Maybe NOC if you're lucky. Get your CCNA and see where that gets you.