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What would be a great job to get "my foot in the door" for Network Administration?

I am currently about to receive an associate's degree and was going to go onto getting a Bachelor's degree.

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The FAQ makes it rather clear that this site is for those who not only already have not their foot in the door but are now working inside. – John Gardeniers Jan 19 '11 at 3:01
My apologies. I guess I'll come back in a few years. – Joshua Burton Jan 19 '11 at 3:04
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Don't let that comment run you off... – Joe Internet Jan 19 '11 at 4:00
Yeah, stick around. The site is great exposure even if you aren't yet the sysadmin you want to be. – ErnieTheGeek Jan 19 '11 at 4:05
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If you're just starting out in IT, then take anything decent (ie, no crappy companies) and learn all you can about the net admin portion of that job. While doing this, continue to work on your own with whatever resources available that fit your learning style - books, online courses, VirtualBox test networks, etc.

Another possibility if it appeals to you, is to look for apprenticeship training in low voltage systems. You'll end up doing a lot of hands on stuff, but you'll get paid to learn, and would have a foundation to build on.

For example: http://www.njatc.org/training/apprenticeship/installer.aspx

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+1 it's less about the specific job as it is the company. Get into a decent size company with good practices. Nothing is worse than companies who don't value IT and cut all kinds of corners they shouldn't (but don't know any better...). – Chris S♦ Jan 19 '11 at 3:45
installation work is good, it gets you familiar with the equipment, standards and especially layer 1, which can be VERY important in troubleshooting issues later. I can't tell you how many brilliant techs fail to solve certain problems because they don't even consider wiring as an issue. – MaQleod Jan 19 '11 at 5:34
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