Eman’s CCIE Flyer – July 2008

What a trip my pilgrimage to Networkers was! I drove from Delaware thinking it would be a good idea since I had a stop in Raleigh for meetings in RTP at Cisco HQ. Heck it was only 1,000 miles or so! I would spend the night Sunday in RTP and have my meetings on Monday then travel on to Orlando pumped up from the positive discussions I was planning with the Cisco folks I had on my agenda. Monday turned into a single morning meeting due to some scheduling issues I found myself free before 10:00 AM!

WOOHOO! I was off to Networkers much sooner than I thought.

The nature of my business has me on the phone constantly so I was still scheduling interviews and processing offers and bugging the help in London. So a productive drive down Interstate 95 South kept me very enthused about my trip and this was just Monday! Soon I was feeling the miles and received an email from Scott Morris, who I had told I was going to look for him when in Orlando. I got an email from Scott asking me if I had made to Networkers. I responded that I was on the way and about 3 hours out. He got back with me letting me know he was at ipexpert’s get together for CCIEs at Ker’s Wing House, and a few exchanges with him on my iPhone (in my best one-handed driving the car at 80 miles an hour style), resulted in me being added to the guest list. Thanks to an email exchange between Wayne Lawson, the founder and president of ipexpert, and Scott I was ready to rock. When I arrived in Orlando I drove directly to the Wing House and was thrown instantly into the CCIE Agent’s dream come true. A large gathering of CCIEs I was truly in heaven! Most of these gents were eating wings and drinking a variety of libations. The crowd included a whole bunch of CCIEs who already knew me from the internet, ITWorld, LinkedIn, Network World, my blog and my CCIE Flyer! I had one of those great experiences where faces and names were connected, from introductions that originated across the virtual landscape. What a great time I had making new contacts and meeting old ones. The gals serving up the suds were giving the Hooters’ Girls a run for their money. I was even served one ice-cold Heineken delivered from the cleavage of one friendly young lady who could make a pin-up model blush. The folks at ipexpert did a great job attracting a nice crowd of CCIEs. I met Matt Brooks VP of ipexpert, who along with Scott Morris were logging folks into the party, handing out T shirts and shaking hands. The event lasted into the night and I will go on record as saying it was a stupendous success and a wonderful event to start my first trip to Networkers with.

I had a fun meet with a CCIE in my network, I am happy to now call a friend. Ramy Sisy who used to be a trainer at CCBootcamp and Dual CCIE was at the Wing House and our encounter started by my asking him why he was dressed like a pimp. It was all good fun and continued into the next day at the Main hall of the convention and the evening’s Cisco sponsored CCIE social at the Nascar Sports Grille on Main Street, Universal Studios. The convention floor was a real nice layout. There were many companies represented and a lot of great information. I was not registered for any classes so I was enjoying the event for the spectacle it was.

The CCIE social at the Nascar Grille was another CCIE Agent dream event. I was told I could not recruit while there or I would risk expulsion, so rather than risk being tossed out on my ass I complied. I had a wonderful time meeting even more CCIEs. I was very pleased to speak with Charlene, the first female voice CCIE. She is a very smart lady and I am happy to have learned that her career is a rewarding experience. There were groups of CCIEs dressed in company colors and they almost looked like middle aged baby boomer, gangs. They hung out together and some even seemed aloof to the other CCIEs gathered at the event. I guess not all CCIEs are created equal. After the Nascar event I hosted 10 CCIEs for drinks at the Hard Rock Café. We took over one end of the bar and had a great dialogue about CCIE salaries and each of their towns. One of the guys was from Alaska and three were from Germany. We all had a lot of fun swapping stories and then called it a night.

I departed Orlando Wednesday morning for the long drive home. I had accomplished what I had traveled there for and did not see any reason to stick around for much more. I did not manage to hook up with my friend Erik the proctor from Brussels or Ken a Florida resident in my network, who I exchanged voice mails with several times those 2 days. Sorry I missed you maybe we will hook up next time.
I was contacted by one of my clients during my drive with the news of Scott Morris joining Internet Experts answering my question about a comment he made to me in an email, about him no longer working for ipexpert. This was quite a move and commented on by a few of my network members it is also carried on the internet in a few articles. I think some really old song like Radar Love or Afternoon Delight was playing from some top 40 oldies radio station in Georgia when I had the call. If I ever hear either song again it will be too soon.

A BIG THANKS TO CISCO AND THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO ORGANIZED THE NASCAR SOCIAL. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND I HOPE CISCO REWARDS YOU WELL FOR YOUR GREAT WORK!

Many thanks to CCIEs 2879, 5804, 17706, 16810, 5804, 15770, 13229, 19709, 17844, 14432, 19153, 6374, 17321, 8759, 15255, 4713, Joseph, Charlene, Eric, Matt, Jeremy, Wayne, Robert, and there are many more names I cannot recall from Networkers. These and many more CCIEs have allowed me into their networks and I am humbled by their skills and spirit. To be a part of nearly 3,000 CCIE’s networks is a huge honor and I thank you all!

CCIE Mixer
RTP

This event is being planned for September I will let you all know when. We are also in the planning stages for a return to London, Brussells, San Francisco and Dallas. We keep firmly to our rules that there is no recruiting, training, or sales. I am providing a CCIE networking venue which is free and allows you to connect with other CCIEs and some up and coming CCIEs. My invitation list is pretty good so far and I hope you will reach out to me via email if you would like to be added. Remember this is NOT A RECRUITING EVENT, so don’t be afraid that we will steal your team from you or try to solicit you to leave your company. My goal is for each of the attendees to come away with new members added to their professional network and that each of these events is larger than the last.

Thanks Ethan Banks for Sharing Your Touch of Grey
(June 24, 2008, 09:19 PM — Published in ITWorld)
(Lyrics by Jerry Garcia)
Must be getting early, clocks are running late.
Paint my love a morning sky, it's all cold.
Dawn is breaking everywhere, light a candle, curse the glare
Draw the curtains I don't care, but it's all right
I will get by, I will get by, I will get by, I will survive.

Every Silver lining has a dark cloud according to Jerry Garcia in this song. For Ethan Banks that silver lining was passing his CCIE lab. The dark cloud came by way of a blogger who is very passionate about certifications and how they are achieved. Because Ethan Banks (CCIE # 20,655) spent his time sharing his experience through his blog he became an easy target for criticism.
A few weeks ago Ethan was assailed as a cheater by Robert Williams, CEO of
CertGuard, for the use of Test King and Braindumps as study tools. Braindumps,
as I understand them, are simply the documented recollection of individuals
who have taken an exam. These are available on the internet and seem to be widely
used. I don't think Braindumps have all that much value as a tool for cheating
as they provide information about the areas to study. The CCIE lab is not passed
by memorization but on experience and knowledge. So when Mr. Williams made his
accusation, many of the CCIE bloggers and readers of the blogs were inflamed.
The internet is such a wide-reaching and powerful medium that bloggers often
do not realize its real strength. When we convey our passions in a public forum
there will be those who disagree and those who may even be hurt by our strong
opinions. Our words can also come back to haunt us.
Mr Williams words were considered a harsh attack on a hard working and very
bright star in the CCIE blogging community. When I was growing up I was taught
that calling someone a cheater was a very harsh criticism. Mr. William's words
are still echoing throughout the internet and it is still a topic of conversation
here at Networkers.

The impact that most worries the people at CertGuard is that Mr. Williams'
words will impact their business. I want to state clearly that CertGuard provides
products and services much needed in the IT industry for creating a standard
for certification, and they are not villains. (See the rest of this article on-line at http://itworld.com/opinion/53299/thanks-ethan-banks-sharing-your-quottouch-greyquot)

CCIE Agent Rules of the Road

Achieving the status of Cisco’s Only Authorized CCIE Recruiter came with one strict rule and that is never to solicit a CCIE to leave one Channel Partner for another or to/from Cisco Systems. The fact is I will not go and seek out the CCIEs already with Partners or Cisco to leave for another role. If you are with a partner and actively searching and you reach out to me that is a different story. I always keep these activities confidential, remain available for questions about careers, your employer and anything I can contribute to your CCIE journey.

Current Searches

I am looking for immediate placements in Irvine and Palm Springs, California, Boston, NYC, New Jersey, Chicago, Arkansas, Virginia Beach, Michigan, and I have just begun receiving new roles for Canada.
The hottest areas are Voice, Security and Pre-Sales engineers. CCIEs are needed for some roles to help a growing Premier Partner reach Silver or Silver reach Gold but not all roles are CCIE exclusive. I am also looking for Technology Sales Executives in all locations.

Looking for a mentor? Let me know where and I will be happy to provide an introduction to a CCIE near you.
I have a request from a future CCIE voice for a mentor who is going through the preparations or has recently achieved CCIE voice certification. If you are available to lend a hand or shoulder please let me know.

Looking for a speaker for your technology class or organization? Give me a call.

CCIE positions now available all over the globe. CCIE Agent™ Eman (details available on the Cisco Talent Portal https://secure.partnertalentportal.com) is supporting numerous Cisco Channel Partners in their search for CCIE and Cisco engineers. CCIE Agent™ Emmanuel Conde has the distinction of being the only Cisco authorized CCIE recruiter because of his relentless support of CCIEs as they develop their career goals and strategies (his blog www.ccieagent.com). The current positions Eman and Bridge Resourcing Solutions (www.bridgeresourcing.com) are looking to fill are located throughout the globe, so if you are thinking globally about your career you should consider discussing your plans with Eman. Some of these roles could be located in your backyard. Eman does not work as a recruiter in the classic sense; instead he works as a career agent, investing in your career to further the cause Cisco Systems as they grow and the demand for Network Engineers increases to support this growth. If you are a CCIE, CCNP, CCVP, CISSP, CCNA or preparing for any of these highly prized Cisco certifications your career will benefit from the support of the CCIE Agent™. To contact Eman send an email to eman@bridgeresourcing.com.