Continue your education.
Expanding education beyond networking can lead to new opportunities. Certifications coupled with experience can be a powerful combination, indicating to potential employers that you have passed a common industry measuring stick of knowledge and performance. And while a four-year degree in a related field is probably a necessity for obtaining a network management position, an advanced degree, specifically in a business field, can open additional doors.
You may already hold some technical certifications related to network and server administration, such as an MCSE or a CCIE. Before considering another technical certification in your field, stop: You have already established yourself as a technical guru, so why pour gas on the fire? This is the point in your career to expand beyond the cables, the servers and the routers and learn other aspects of IT.
However, a niche certification, such as for a database, may not help much either. What you're looking for is more of an umbrella certification -- verification that you are proficient in aspects that touch the entire IT organization.
One example of such a certification is in information security, since it involves every facet of IT by definition. There are several such certifications available, including ISC 2's Certified Information Systems Security Professional; I recently wrote an article about my pursuit of the CISSP. I can speak from experience that earning that certification has opened doors.
Another useful certification is in project management. Consider that many IT projects involve multiple technology and corporate departments. Managing all of those resources and necessities can be complex. A project management certification such as the Project Management Institute's Project Management Professional shows that you have key skills.
Pursing an advanced degree, such as an MBA or a master's in computer information systems, may not be necessary for a network manager position. But if you are planning to climb further and are looking at possibly becoming a CIO in the future, it becomes a necessity. If CIO is your eventual goal, start work on that advanced degree now.
Networking brings it all together.
Obviously, some of this advice can apply to other areas of IT, but in many ways, advancing up the networking ladder is unique. As the network manager, you're the interface between the job you once had and the rest of the corporation. Networking literally touches every department, every server and every connection; it's what connects people and resources together.
The primary goal as a network administrator may have seemed simply to get people and resources talking. However, the network manager must merge technology with business goals, available budgets and risk assessment to achieve the desired solution at minimal cost. If you understand that the technology is but a part of being a successful network manager, you're ready to explore the next step.
Keep in mind, though, that management isn't the destination for all, or even most, network administrators. "Some techs are not suited to management and should go the specialist route; others make excellent managers, and yet others will need to go sideways to get ahead," explains Jeff Theunissen, an infrastructure specialist at Data#3. "The best thing to know is what you want to do."
Greg Schaffer is a freelance writer based in Tennessee. He has more than 15 years of experience in networking, primarily in higher education. He can be reached at newtnoise@comcast.net.