Job Search & Hiring
How To Become a Network Engineer
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | Jan 1, 2024
Are you thinking of becoming a Network Engineer or already started your career and planning the next step? Learn how to become a Network Engineer, what skills you need to succeed, how to advance your career and get promoted, and what levels of pay to expect at each step on your career path. Explore new Network Engineer job openings and options for career transitions into related roles.
Steps to Become a Network Engineer
A network engineer sets up, develops, and maintains the computer networks within an organization. If you are good at troubleshooting and have a strong background in computer systems, you might consider working as a network engineer. In this article, we discuss the steps required to become a network engineer.
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Get your bachelor's degree.
Most employers seek network engineers who have at least a bachelor's degree in information systems, computer science, or computer engineering. Depending on the position and company, you might also need a master's degree in computer science or business administration. -
Earn relevant experience.
After you obtain a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field, you need experience working in information technology. Consider taking a job as a help desk or entry-level IT support officer so you can develop real-world IT skills. You'll likely assist senior engineers with networking tasks and work on a variety of projects. -
Specialize your networking role.
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Obtain vendor-neutral certifications.
- CompTIA A+: This entry-level certification gives you beginner knowledge about IT-related matters. It shows you can troubleshoot and problem-solve as well as support basic IT infrastructure and networking.
- CompTIA Network+: With this follow-up certification to the CompTIA A+, you gain additional troubleshooting skills and learn how to operate different types of devices. It's important to note that you don't need the CompTIA A+ certification to obtain this one.
- CompTIA Security+: This certification focuses entirely on network security and other related areas. It's a highly sought-after certification if you're interested in network security.
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Secure vendor-specific certification.
- and mid-level vendor-specific certification is the best option. The following are some of the more popular choices:
- Cisco: This company offers beginner and mid-level certifications, but you need beginner certifications to qualify for the mid-level option. The mid-level also offers six different tracks.
- Microsoft: Microsoft's Security Administrator Associate program proves you have training in Microsoft 365, while its Azure Administrator Associate program shows that you know about Azure software.
- SolarWinds: This company has one certification with two tracks.
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