LX-103

Linux+ has been my hardest class at school so far even though it only feels hard when I get into the certification exam.

I have failed in 3 times. That can hurt. The worst part is, you have to wait 2 week to take the test again after the second attempt. My first attempt I got a 340 out of 500. Second attempt was 370, and 3rd attempt was a 480. No one has direct proof, but it is expected that each question is worth 10 points so I may have failed by 2 questions.

In the world of IT, you cannot get frustrated by failure. I know people that failed the test twice. I know people that failed their CCNA R & S 4 times before passing but passed both Linux exams on the first try. I really enjoy Linux and would like to do more with it one day. For now, I'll just be happy passing my exam on Friday. 4th time's a charm.

The Job Hunt

At this point I have my CompTIA A+, Network+ and Security+. What I do not have is a job?

Fear not, it is all temporary, but it can make me anxious as well. My prior job at a tech support representative was valuable work experience, but it can be difficult to explain that to a prospective employer.

At my last interview, I was asked if I handled switches, routers, and firewalls. The best answer that I could muster is that I'm very familiar with them, but never got to use them in a work environment. How can one get experience if one cannot get hired to gain this experience? Hopefully this position that I really want is willing to take a chance on me so that I can show that I can get up to speed quickly.

Otherwise, I am looking at other help desk jobs where I can at least get an opportunity to do some more advanced stuff. At least that way, if I am taking a job that might be "below me" at least I can use it to boost my resume. We shall see.