My first job was pretty sweet. Part time at the local library, doing tech support for the librarians and helping patrons with their computer problems. I got to take care of their computers, their server, design and run the website etc. I also got to work with the other techs in my region because all of the libraries funded a homegrown MSP for our internet, network, database, mail etc. I stayed there for years, eventually working for the library and the MSP. At that point it was more software roll outs, managed migrations, helping with more difficult troubleshooting issues for other libraries, support for specialized software etc.

My current job, a decade later, is mostly infrastructure with some help desk, and devops for our legacy platform. I've designed and deployed networking solutions of different kids, adopted a change control ethic, and improved my documentation skills. I've also become proficient in *nix and OSX, and have implemented a few continuous development/improvement methods including deployment scripts, installation packages, within an automation framework like jenkins. I recently completed a migration from on MSP to another for our VOIP service during our busiest season without a single issue, and I'm getting ready to add my own architecture to the network (some *nix dhcp, dns, maybe a VPN server). Right now we're still using out of the box functionality for some of that stuff.

I don't know my 'career' has kind of been equal parts exciting bull ride and spectacular shit show of "OH GOD WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO AND HOW DO I FIX IT." So yeah, started out part time in the public sector, now in private sector working with the tech I always dreamed of working with.

I would probably just ignore this post. I think it's doing more for me than you at this point. I kind of like to use these posts as a means of self reflection.