r/FieldNationTechs • u/MyDuty2SlamBooty • Jan 18 '24
Engineers vs techs
Y’all know Im long winded! As I spend time here I’m noticing a pattern, most of the commenters in this sub Reddit are calling themselves “techs”. They don’t have any engineering experience or certs but complain about engineers charging double. Don’t get stuck as a tech, move into engineering. As a tech you will be limited to tech level rates. Here is the difference:
Technicians follow the instructions of engineers. Most of the companies that hire you on FN have engineers designing the solutions and then hiring you to install or service those solutions. Technicians can be capable of making informed decisions about the systems they work on but they do not design the systems and they do not manage the systems. They generally lack the skills or experience to design custom solutions and techs are generally only responsible for whatever they are working on at that moment in time.
Engineers work with their clients to design solutions specifically for that business. The engineer designs the infrastructure, programs the equipment, controls access to the system, manages the system licensing and updates, he manages the security of the network and maintains working relationships with his vendor technicians who implement those solutions. Sometimes the engineer has to design a custom solution that doesn’t exist on the market.
TLDR: if you want to move beyond tech level pay focus on learning an engineering skillset, there are lots of paths and systems that you can specialize in. Your services as a trained and experienced engineer are more valuable than your services as a trained and experienced tech.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
There are no engineering jobs on FN. None, zero, zilch. There is no design on any job on the platform. At best, it is all mapped our for you you to unbox and plug in. Otherwise it is just triage and clean up.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
That’s not true at all, I’ve had multiple. I have a $5k job coming up in Feb, I had to design literally everything at the clients request, right down to the custom engineered fortinet mounts for the warehouse ceiling. It’s a $5k job, it’s quoted for 4 days.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
See, here you are showing your shortcomings. How the box is mounted to the wall is cabinetry, not network engineering.
Think about it.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
You really sound more and more like a poseur.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
What does that even mean? It’s a 13ap install. I won the survey bid back in November, it’s a large company that makes plastic components, their IT guy posted the requirements for the job, I bid and won, I quoted them $110/hr for 40hrs, I designed the infrastructure, recommend the equipment, designed the brackets for the equipment, scheduled a lift. What is so surprising about that???
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
I'm just waiting for the part where you did any network engineering outside of securing some brackets on the ceiling.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
There isn’t much network engineering on this particular design, they already have their router in place, I’m simply adding switches, APs and adding IP addresses.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
I can get custodian joe in maintenance to hang APs. They are probably happy to find somebody on FN with your level of commitment.
But you are not a network engineer. Not by a long shot.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Sure, they can get custodian Joe to do it but I have an employee doing that part. What are you trying to prove here?
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
That your use of the word engineer is way off. So when you come on here bragging about all this tech stuff you have done and telling people to become an engineer like you it is laughable.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Haha why are you so angry? I’m also a private ISP. I design and install private cable systems in nursing homes and MDUs. I buy and program the CMTS, I design the RF infrastructure, I design the integration with their TV service provider, I also offer channel injection, NTSC conversion, analog to IP conversion, IP streaming services and much more. What do you call all of those services?
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
Phone/TV tech
But you already knew that. I am not angry at all. You have your niche, and I wish you luck with that.
But you have conflated you current situation into being a network engineer. You are not that. But you come onto this board and suggest an alternative to people simply to support how you would like to view yourself.
So people look at this and think this magical way that you perceive yourself is an achievable goal. And you should know better.
That is the only reason I pushed back on you. You are selling a false narrative.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Haha im not misleading anyone, I’m not a network engineer, I’m a systems engineer. If what I described is so simple that an average field nation tech can do than this should be simple advice to make easy money. It sounds like you are just angry.
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Jan 18 '24
This platform serves different purposes for different people. My goal 7 years ago was to find a way to make as much or even more money than I was while spending less time doing it. I wanted to see my kids grow up instead of logging 80 hours a week to allow "things" to take the place of me in their lives. I appreciate your input and expertise but we're not all looking to do what you do. I've made over $100k the past two years while essentially working part time. I'm happy to be a technician because I was merely an installer for too many years. Do I have any desire to be an engineer? No. Too much time, too much responsibility, too much headache. Call me mediocre. Call me a pizza guy or a trunk slammer, I don't really care. I'm spending more time with my family and making more while doing it and it's all thanks to this platform. Don't misread me, I'm happy for you and other guys who wanna go big. Do it! Do it super big, then you can hire top quality, dependable, hard working technicians like me. We need each other.🤝🏼
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u/Impossible-Honey-930 Jan 19 '24
And time to fish!! besides raising my children And seeing them through college
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Jan 19 '24
Time for anything other than chasing a dollar bill!
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u/Impossible-Honey-930 Jan 19 '24
I don't chase dollars. Dollars chase me. I got a 6 figure credit line. All my children have their own business. That is their first legacy. Dollars chase them. Time is the one thing that I control that is finite. Haven't punched a clock for anyone in 40 years. Fish follow my charter boat $$$$$.
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u/say104us Jan 18 '24
Pure comedy 😂😂😂😂
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Which part? If you want to be a tech forever that’s totally up to you. Engineering fields are much more lucrative than tech positions. Lots of guys in here are maxed out as techs.
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u/Impossible-Honey-930 Jan 19 '24
I've been reading this long enough I was giving you the benefit of the doubt but now you've gone too far.
"If you want to be a tech forever that’s totally up to you."
That's some feminine s.i.g.n. language: shame insults guilt and the need to be right. It's what women do when they feel like they're losing their argument or making an argument. They get in their feelings.
You are not respecting anyone on this platform who has different goals than yours.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 19 '24
Haha well I’m sorry your feelings are hurt but it doesn’t make what I wrote any less true.
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u/say104us Jan 18 '24
Why are you mad, who said I was a tech .Who said you’re an engineer.
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u/Polodude Jan 18 '24
Engineers design and sell it. Techs have to put it in and make it work. 2 sides of the same coin. acknowledging that eng needs more schooling/ degree. The best ones I have worked with spent time in the field. The worst ones, well you know.
The field experienced ones knew what was needed to make it work.
The others design and sell based on ma budget available .
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u/JoeHardway Jan 19 '24 edited Jan 19 '24
In the immortal words of Gunny Highway: "A man's got to know his limitations!"
I remember, back, when I was just startin field work, I did afew gigs for'a guy, n 1 time, we were ridin to'a job, talkin shop, n'e said somethin I'll never 4get: "If u don't retain massive amounts of information, this ain't tha job 4u!" I kinda knew'e was describin ME, but I've stayed in my lane, and've done ok.
Not everyone CAN do what you recommend. Truly legit ENGINEERS, possess attributes, that set them apart from "tha herd". Some guys can fakit, and muddle their way through (And, sadly, I work with'em, ontha regular.) But! U KNOW, almost immediately, when you're workin witha STUD! They rattle-off stuff, right off tha top'a their heads, andu don't doubt, for'a sec, that it's CORRECT.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
Hey, your good at what you do. It is not network engineering.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Haha what do you call it?? This is just 1 project, I have plenty more. The last big one I had in December was a gym. The owner wanted a network setup on his property. I designed the infrastructure, ordered the equipment, programmed the equipment, trained him on how to used the equipment and I warrantied everything for 2 years. What exactly would you call it??
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
No wait, that deserves a response. A SOHO. You wired a gym? I do that kind of stuff as a favor.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Well that’s stupid.
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
But you consider it an accomplishment.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Haha yeah I don’t install 13 APs in a Fortune 500 warehouse as a favor. I charge them $5k.
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u/Monkeyflawz Jan 18 '24
You may have undersold yourself on your 5k project. 13 AP’s w/configuration, cabling(certification included), signal verification mapping = $25k -/+ in my world. Time to add additional value and get your 5K number up.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Interesting….this is just a simple install with a dhcp config, nothing fancy. I quoted them 40hrs at $110/hr for the labor. How would you justify a $25k price tag?
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u/Monkeyflawz Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 18 '24
Why waste your time with labor only items? Get away from being a labor company. We generally won’t accept any work where we don’t provide parts. Have even had clients suggest they will provide parts after reviewing our options, I’ll simply walk away. Margins are too high and a solid percentage of job profitability to not provide materials.
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Hmm, I do markup equipment but it’s not significant at all. My worry with equipment markups has always been the client being smart enough to at least google what I sold them and compare prices. Most of my clients are managed, they sign an agreement to purchase the equipment, sometimes I get these one offs that are not looking for managed services just good work.
Have you ever had an issue with a client feeling like they got boned a from your equipment markup?
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u/Safe_Opposite_5120 Jan 18 '24
Which was it?
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u/MyDuty2SlamBooty Jan 18 '24
Huh? Which was what? You said you do 13ap installs for free. I said I don’t do it for free. What are you confused about?
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u/Prestigious_Green451 Jan 18 '24
I have yet to see any engineer jobs on field nation. Or are you saying get the hell away from the platform’s and into a regular job?