Kent Davis worked as a mortgage originator and processor. But, the truth is that he didn’t love his job. It was hard to leave because of the money.
Kent was unexpectedly laid off, but he knew that the bad things always turn into good things, it was just a matter time. He says, “You have to keep it positive.” With this mindset, he knew he had a choice and that an opportunity was right around the corner.
After much soul searching, he decided to leave the mortgage industry. Kent explains that he was used to dealing with finances and getting people loans, but he decided not to make that his calling. “I made the switch because IT is my calling,” Kent says.
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Kent was an IT and computer enthusiast since he was a child. Although he never intended to enter the field professionally, Kent was the go-to guy for his friends and family. He called himself the “resident techy”.
He began to research his options and looked online for IT programs. He saw a Facebook advertisement for NexGenT’s CompTIA Net+ course. He signed up for the course and was impressed by the amount he was learning through the online videos. “I liked it so I signed up and went to the full-fledged course and did the rest with Jacob and Rob. Kent states that the instructors are very good at communicating information and keeping your attention.
So began his journey to change his career field through the Zero To Engineer program.
Stay Motivated
Online courses require discipline, it’s not a secret. Kent quickly found the right plan to help him stay accountable in his studies.
Terry Kim’s instructions in the course intro helped Kent create a vision board. He divided it into three, six and one-year goals. He wanted to complete Net+ in three months and CCNA six months.
Kent was not fortunate to lose his job, but he took advantage of the extra time and dedicated approximately 6 hours per day to the course material. His new full-time job was to level up.
Quick Tip from Kent – Although it might not work for everyone, I enjoy making notecards to help me organize the material. Even the acronyms. It won’t break down “APIPA”, it will just mention it in the question. It was helpful to quiz myself on smaller topics. I also purchased a CCNA book, which I went through and highlighted for later review. It was really helpful to highlight.
Related: NexGenT Gives $5 Million to IT Course Scholarships during COVID-19
His First IT Job: Being Hired
You can get there by perseverance and repetition. Kent sighes with relief at the end of his search. After completing the course, Kent began to search for other opportunities and submitted over 100 applications.
From the first phone interview, Mytech Partners, Inc. was the company that Kent heard back from. Kent was particularly drawn to this call because everything about it felt right. Their values were perfect.
Kent tells us that he had to complete an online assessment after his first interview. “This thing was brutal!” Kent was given a 75-question technical test and was given 45 minutes to complete it. Kent’s hard work, study habits, and good grades helped him score an acceptable score. He was called within two hours to interview for an in-person job.
Related: 4 Qualities that Will Prove to An IT Hiring Manager You Are a Great Fit
The skills test didn’t end there. Kent was required to whiteboard technical topics during the interview to show his ability to communicate what he knew. He didn’t sweat a bit – the NexGenT instructors thoroughly reviewed his skill during the course.
Kent says that the interview process was difficult but he thought it was a good idea. A company must feel confident in the abilities of a candidate to secure a job as a Tier 2 Service Desk Technie. “It was a great start to my interview. I felt like I connected with the engineers interviewing me, who are now my peers.”
Kent was able to conquer every interview and challenge, and was therefore job-ready.
IT Adaptation
Kent spends a lot time on the phone. He deals with calls, works on projects, and builds network diagrams. “Things change every day, whether I’m on site or on the phone.”
“When life closes one door, it opens another.” This is true for me.
Kent Davis, NGT ALumniWith so many different jobs, he’s gaining a lot of experience. He says he’s trying to absorb as much as he can. He tells us that he has installed hardware in his first 30 days. Kent admits it is a steep learning curve, but he is happy to be earning money to learn as he progresses in his new career.
It was a big leap for him – moving from the worlds of mortgages to IT was not an easy task. Sometimes, it was difficult to know where to begin. It is crucial to know what you need to do in order to make the change. It’s easy to see why [NexGenT] has it laid out. You just need to follow the path they have outlined.
He trusted the direction he was being guided in, followed his vision board timeline and achieved the position he had worked so hard to obtain. He has a strong foundation that has helped him to easily understand all aspects of networking.
Career Change:Life Change
It is true that if you are unhappy in your life, there are always options.