Linux fan from Manchester seeks advice

[Casey Callendrello]

Believe it or not, a good place to look is the Boston craigslist.  There 
are a good amount of people looking for the experience you profess.

http://boston.craigslist.org/


--Casey Callendrello

>Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 11:03:46 -0500
>From: Jim Sheldon <jim.sheldon at gmail.com>
>Reply-To: Jim Sheldon <jim.sheldon at gmail.com>
>To: gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org
>Subject: Linux fan from Manchester seeks advice
>
>Greetings all,
>
>My name is Jim Sheldon, I'm 24, I live in Manchester, this is my first
>post.  I found out about the GNHLUG at Linux World when I met two
>gentlemen at the GNHLUG booth on Thursday.  I am very interested in
>meeting other Linux enthusiasts in New Hampshire.
>
>I was going to make this post in the "jobs" list first, but I don't
>think it would fit, since I'm really just looking for information
>right now.  Here is my background:
>
>* BS in Information Technology from UMass Lowell
>* Certificate in UNIX from UMass Lowell
>* A+ certification
>* 6+ years of Linux/*BSD tinkering on my own
>
>I'm also working on the LPIC I certification.  I took the first test
>at Linux World on Thursday, but I haven't received the results yet.
>
>Here is my situation, I want a career in some form of UNIX, but all of
>my work experience has been with Windows.  I run Linux/*BSD on
>everything I can get my hands on.  My handheld, which is a Sharp
>Zaurus SL-C750, even runs Linux (pdaXrom actually, check out
>www.pdaxrom.org, it's incredible).  I also run a website and an
>internet radio station off a Debian box in my apartment.
>
>For the past 3 years I have been working as a contractor, and now as a
>full-time employee, doing desktop support over the phone, and on-site,
>for one of the largest cable companies in the country.  This company
>is almost 100% Windows.  I don't have any friends or family in the
>business, and my professors that I had for my UNIX courses in school
>won't respond to my emails.  At this point I honestly don't know where
>to turn, or who to ask about this.
>
>I know that I want a career in some form of UNIX, but I don't know
>what kind of company would hire me, where they would be located, what
>they would be looking for, or what kind of position I should try for. 
>I'm not a programmer.  I took C/C++ courses in school, I enjoyed them,
>but I don't think I have what it takes to be a programmer.  I enjoy
>working with hardware the most, putting systems together and getting
>them up and running.  I also enjoy writing scripts (shell, perl, php)
>a lot, and automating processes.  I assume this would mean I should
>try for some kind of system administration position, but I don't know
>where to start.
>
>I would really appreciate any advice that anyone could offer me.
>
>Take care,
>Jim
>
>  
>