Suggestions on what more to learn for a sys admin job

[WarmAndSCSI]

Hi all!

Just wondering if anybody wants to give me any advice on where to head from here; basically what to learn next to gear myself towards getting hired as a sys admin for a large corporation once I get out of college (many years from now). I'm 14 right now and here's my current experience and achievments (any advice is appreciated):

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Languages: C, C++, Visual Basic, VBScript, CFML, JavaScript, TSQL, XML, HTML

Operating Systems: DOS (All versions), Windows 3.0, Windows 3.1, Windows 3.11 For Workgroups, Windows 95 (OSR2), Windows 98 (SE), Windows Me, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Professional, Mac OS, RedHat Linux 6.2, RedHat Linux 7.1

Software: Microsoft Office (95-XP), Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 Professional, Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, Internet Information Services (4.0,5.0,5.5), Microsoft ISA Server 2000, Active Server Pages, COM/COM+/MTS/DCOM, Active Directory and ADSI/LDAP, Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Collaboration Data Objects (CDO), Apache Web Server, Apache Jakarta, Apache Tomcat, Adobe Photoshop 6.0, Adobe Premiere 6.0, Jasc Paint Shop Pro 4/6/7, Avid SoftImage XSI 1.5, Corel Bryce 5

8+ years using Microsoft Windows operating systems.

4 years running Information Systems for my current business ION WebDesign

4 years assisting people with computer problems and working for free - including work at my school

4.0 GPA through all of K-9 grades (currently haven't started 10th grade yet)

Multiple honors awards for high grade point average

Consecutive science and math awards throughout school

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EDIT: forgot to list C and CFML and link "ION WebDesign" to my site

 

[SWirth86]

Certifications maybe? A+? MCSE? Beats me, I'm only 15......

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

I'm also half-way through a CCNA course and am wondering if I should find the money to take the test after (or before) I'm finished with the course. The material is easy compared to some of this stuff and I'm thinking I should go ahead and maybe finish everything on my own time.

 

[RGN]

You just typed out a VERY impressive list. It is also impressive that your 14. *honest opinion* My thoughts are that you need to contine with studies in *ALL* those areas. I don't know you, I don't know your family. Maybe you are all geniuses, but *my opinion* is that you could not *know* all of those *throughly* enough to be a professional in *any* one of the many fields open to you.

I think you need focus, and you will go FAR, REAL FAR. I commend you for your skill set, and I hate the thought of competing with you in the future.... But I have a head start.

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

I don't have any money to pay for those tests. I could probably pass most all of them except for NCE and Unix certs. I'm about to install RedHat again on this old Compaq box once I get a Pentium i166 MMX processor for it.

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

It doesn't help that I live in Middle-Of-Nowhere, AR either... There's NOTHING here. Who has even HEARD of Yellville, AR??? NOBODY

 

[SWirth86]

Originally posted by: TheUnhappyCamper
I don't have any money to pay for those tests. I could probably pass most all of them except for NCE and Unix certs. I'm about to install RedHat again on this old Compaq box once I get a Pentium i166 MMX processor for it.

Get a job to pay for the tests, or borrow money from your parents. Thats what I would do.

 

[Mucman]

Know how to trouble-shoot... My resume is probably half the size of yours and I am 22, but I can trouble-shoot things that I have no clue about . I pretty much have
a fundamental understanding of computers and how they work, and the same goes with operating systems... I've done C++,java,VBScript, and PERL... but the largest app I've ever done was only about 2-3k lines of code... enough to get stuff done, but not enough to say I know it...

So if you are the master of google, that's enough in my books

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

I definitely know how to troubleshoot after 2 years of keeping Windows servers up