The I.T. Career Podcast

What It Actually Takes to Become a Network Engineer Today


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What does it actually take to become a network engineer today? In this episode, 15-year veteran infrastructure engineer Kevin Nanns (@adjacentnode) strips away the corporate fluff to give you the honest roadmap for building a successful tech career.

If you’re feeling completely stuck grinding away at a tier-1 help desk resetting passwords, or you’re exhausted from collecting IT certifications like trading cards hoping for a breakthrough, this conversation is the reality check you’ve been waiting for. Kevin shares his own journey from a school district help desk to engineering massive enterprise networks, breaking down the exact tactical shifts you need to make to bypass the entry-level bottleneck and unlock six-figure infrastructure roles.

We also dive deep into his most contrarian views, including why traditional physical home labs are a massive waste of money, what nobody tells you about the real value of a CCNA, the toxic "LinkedIn cringe" ruining mainstream career advice, and where artificial intelligence is genuinely shifting the workload versus where it’s just overhyped vendor marketing garbage.

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adjacentnodeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/adjacentnodeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adjacentnodeListen to the Life in Uptime Podcast: https://lifeinuptime.com/


🔗 Don’t wait—click here to start your tech career journey: https://thebeardeditdad.com/itcareeraccelerator/


Exclusive Career Resources
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🎧 Listen to The I.T. Career Podcast HERE:
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Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

#NetworkEngineer #ITCareer #CCNA #HelpDesk #TechCareers #adjacentnode #Networking #cybersecurity

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The I.T. Career PodcastBy The Bearded I.T. Dad - Dakota Snow

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