Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
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What does it actually take to become a network engineer today? In this episode, 15-year veteran infrastructure engineer Kevin Nanns (@adjacentnode) strips away the corporate fluff to give you the honest roadmap for building a successful tech career.
If you’re feeling completely stuck grinding away at a tier-1 help desk resetting passwords, or you’re exhausted from collecting IT certifications like trading cards hoping for a breakthrough, this conversation is the reality check you’ve been waiting for. Kevin shares his own journey from a school district help desk to engineering massive enterprise networks, breaking down the exact tactical shifts you need to make to bypass the entry-level bottleneck and unlock six-figure infrastructure roles.
We also dive deep into his most contrarian views, including why traditional physical home labs are a massive waste of money, what nobody tells you about the real value of a CCNA, the toxic "LinkedIn cringe" ruining mainstream career advice, and where artificial intelligence is genuinely shifting the workload versus where it’s just overhyped vendor marketing garbage.
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YouTube: youtube.com/@Adjacentnode
Listen to the Life in Uptime Podcast: lifeinuptime.com
🔗 Don’t wait—click here to start your tech career journey: thebeardeditdad.com/itcareeraccelerator
Exclusive Career Resources
✅ Weekly Insider Tips: https://thebeardeditdad.ck.page/55f710292b
🎧Listen to The I.T. Career Podcast HERE:
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Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
#NetworkEngineer #ITCareer #CCNA #HelpDesk #TechCareers #adjacentnode #Networking #cybersecurity
Meter: Visit meter.com/itcareer to book a demo
What does it actually take to become a network engineer today? In this episode, 15-year veteran infrastructure engineer Kevin Nanns (@adjacentnode) strips away the corporate fluff to give you the honest roadmap for building a successful tech career.
If you’re feeling completely stuck grinding away at a tier-1 help desk resetting passwords, or you’re exhausted from collecting IT certifications like trading cards hoping for a breakthrough, this conversation is the reality check you’ve been waiting for. Kevin shares his own journey from a school district help desk to engineering massive enterprise networks, breaking down the exact tactical shifts you need to make to bypass the entry-level bottleneck and unlock six-figure infrastructure roles.
We also dive deep into his most contrarian views, including why traditional physical home labs are a massive waste of money, what nobody tells you about the real value of a CCNA, the toxic "LinkedIn cringe" ruining mainstream career advice, and where artificial intelligence is genuinely shifting the workload versus where it’s just overhyped vendor marketing garbage.
🎙️ CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST
TikTok: tiktok.com/@adjacentnode
Instagram: instagram.com/adjacentnode
YouTube: youtube.com/@Adjacentnode
Listen to the Life in Uptime Podcast: lifeinuptime.com
🔗 Don’t wait—click here to start your tech career journey: thebeardeditdad.com/itcareeraccelerator
Exclusive Career Resources
✅ Weekly Insider Tips: https://thebeardeditdad.ck.page/55f710292b
🎧Listen to The I.T. Career Podcast HERE:
➡︎YT: itdad.info/ytpodcast
➡︎Apple: itdad.info/apple
➡︎Spotify: itdad.info/spotify
Disclaimer: Some of these links are affiliate links where I'll earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
#NetworkEngineer #ITCareer #CCNA #HelpDesk #TechCareers #adjacentnode #Networking #cybersecurity
