An excellent network engineer should have considerable technical and soft skills that boost their value. A professional with multiple soft and technical skills will often enjoy a position of enhanced value, meaning they effortlessly attract potential employers. The following are the top six technical and soft skills that such an expert should highlight.
Soft Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Problem-solving skills are vital for anyone who wants to thrive in network engineering. These skills require you to solve complex technical and mathematical problems comfortably. You must also be able to apply innovative solutions to current and future issues comfortably.
Yet, metacognition is a critical component of excellent problem-solving skills. It implies that you understand your environment, thought process, and emotional responses. As you read this article, you’ll notice that metacognition enhances your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Problem-solving skills will often determine how you manage your IT infrastructure and team. They ensure that you address problems comprehensively and handle your unit with decorum. A united team will likely ensure that the systems function optimally.
Analytical Skills
Excellent analytical skills are the cornerstone of a thriving network engineering career. These skills mean you can break down complex IT issues and evaluate technical processes. These skills shall ensure that you apply the appropriate operations for specific tasks.
For instance, suppose you are in charge of network administration. In that case, you’ll monitor security threats and evaluate new technologies to help solve current and future threats to your network.
An exceptional network engineer must have unrivaled analytical skills and be adept at network administration. It is the first step toward data integrity and security. Such a professional assures an organization of effectively handling sensitive data, boosting brand credibility.
Communication Skills
Communication skills are soft skills that center on how you relate with different people in the workplace. An ideal network engineer must comfortably share their thoughts and feelings to boost the community and effectiveness at work. In brief, they must be precise and impactful when disseminating information.
Various communication components suffice: oral, written, contextual, active listening, and visual communication. While an individual might not thrive in all areas, an excellent network engineer must tick most boxes.
Excellent communication skills will help avoid multiple technical issues. It will also help minimize time and resource wastage in the long run.
Technical Skills
Systems Administration Skills
A network engineer is responsible for maintaining the entire IT infrastructure of an organization. Their role ranges from updating software and maintaining servers to being the point of contact when employees face technical issues. For this reason, system administration skills are invaluable.
Excellent systems administration skills allow you to run multiple computers on a specific network. It requires you to manage servers, run backups, manage IT infrastructure, and operate cloud technology. Understanding how to run a network or system efficiently minimizes downtime in the firm.
In addition, a professional must be conversant with different servers, allowing them to handle various server issues on time.
Scripting and Automation
Scripting and automation are skills that go hand in hand in the network engineering space. Scripting entails simple coding, a process that helps initiate automation. Examples of scripting include creating pop-up ads and chatbots.
An excellent network engineer should have mastered different coding languages, including PHP, JavaScript, Java, and Ruby. Unless they understand these coding languages, they will hardly script.
After successfully scripting, a network engineer must comfortably automate different processes. Advanced coding skills, preferably using tools like Salt & Chef, allows this professional to perform traditional network engineering tasks.
Automation allows an expert to configure local area networks and wide area networks. They can also perform routing and schedule upgrades.
At the same time, enhanced virtualization skills will help automate processes, including IT resource allocation. Alternatively, you must understand how to run an automation engine.
Firewall and Security Skills
Companies require an expert with excellent network security skills to help protect their sensitive data. A great network engineer must comfortably enhance data security by developing suitable end-to-end encryption. They must also devise a reliable troubleshooting method to solve common IT issues the organization will likely face.
Further, developing, deploying, and maintaining firewalls should be done by a network engineer. For this reason, this professional must exhibit good security and firewall skills to help deter cyberattacks.
Whether you want to hire a network engineer or become one, you must develop the core technical and soft skills mentioned above. It is the first step toward a satisfying career in the field. Above all, be consistent and wholly embrace exemplary skills.
