IT Job Rant [Long] (1 Viewer)

[Leila Dougan]

In light of Kirk's post, I wanted to add that I'm currently seeking an MBA (with an MIS concentration) degree. It sounds a bit hypocritical I suppose but what I was getting at above is that most AA and BA IS degrees, aside from actually CS or engineering, are not really necessary. If you already have the IT knowledge and want to get into management, then by all means, get an MBA.

 

[DonRoeber]

I'm a senior unix systems administrator at a large ivy league private university in Philadelphia, and our department is doing well. We just hired three more people, so we're now fully staffed (and have a programming group, woohoo!).

Things are interesting in the education sector. Because the way our accounting works, we're three years behind the rest of the industry. Which means that while the .com bubble was bursting, we had a lot of money. We're just starting to feel the recession now, and have been told that we won't get more than a 2% raise this year. I doubt we'll see any layoffs though.

Ron, to be honest with you, I don't have a degree or any certifications. I've always been very agressive in my switching of jobs, often taking jobs that initally seemed out of my grasp. But I got the job, and did my job well. After awhile, I got bored, and switched jobs to do something more interesting. Now I have a decent resume, great contacts, and get paid very well. In the future I'll probably "retire" from IT, go back to school, and do something completely different. When I interview people, I don't look at thier certifications or anything like that. I grill them on whatever is on their resume. If you write down that you know sendmail, I'm going to ask you sendmail questions until one of us admits that they don't know any more about the topic. So know everything on your resume cold. My least favorite inteviews are with those who put down every thing they've ever heard of, and then I have to try to find out what they actualy know.

 

[Kirk Gunn]

Wow - so many IT folks, so little time.... Great points Leila - nothing beats experience. A good interviewer can determine "paper MCSEs" from the "real McCoy" in a heartbeat.

After re-reading Ron's point, I didn't mean to imply that he needs to stay in school. As Kyle appropriately suggests, social networking is the way to go. But that doesn't necessarily mean networking outside of your work. Actively engage the senior IT staff in other departments for their feedback with some of your helpdesk calls. Example: You get a call that a database cannot be accessed. If the end result was a network crash, engage the network team on how you could have detected this on your own (i.e. - pings, traceroutes, etc). If a server crash caused you a lot of helpdesk calls, engage the server team and see how you could have alerted them in a more urgent manner or at least helped them with the initial diagnosis.

Everyone loves an eager learner and you will soon discover yourself climbing the ladder. Make sure the folks on other teams know you are anxious to work your way out of the HelpDesk.

 

[Cary_H]

I am a manager in a completely different field of work. I have close to 30 years of experience in many jobs that all link to my main career.
I got where I am by a combination of work ethic, luck, gift of gab, and just enough knowledge to be dangerous.
I left my last job 'cause I saw little opportunity for advancement in the near future with my employer, and was sick of the overtime required to keep my head above water.
My current job has me overseeing 10 others. It is far more difficult than I ever imagined it would be. I've always led by example, that is, I would never delegate to anyone something I wasn't willing to do myself. This is how I gained the respect I had in the past. Here, I have to start all over again. I've always been easy going, but when I ask to have something done I don't expect to have to ask a second time. What it comes right down to, I'm not a disciplinarian by nature. My role is that of good cop, not bad cop. Good cop isn't always effective and I can't pull off being the bad cop.
If I can offer any advice it would be this. Make sure to learn every aspect of any and all systems you are exposed to. Pick the brains of those with other skills. Develop a reputation as a keener, but not at the expense of others in the process. I have seen a very competent friend of mine burn one or two too many bridges with co-workers on the ladder to the top. He had to go elsewhere to advance his career and has killed all hope of being re-hired back home.
Maintain good relationships, gather together everything you might need down the road, and keep an eye open for opportunity when it comes knocking.

 

[LDfan]

Kirk,

Seeing that you are in the DC area I have just 2 words for ya, "Federal Government". I left an IT job in the private industry and recently came aboard with the federal gov't. Much much better. 40 hours a week, kickin benefits etc. The gov't has done a good job with keeping up with technology too. It used to be that most federal agencies were way behind the times but not anymore. Plus the salaries are very good, especially the gs-12/13/14 levels.
http://usajobs.opm.gov


Jeff

 

[MikeAlletto]

This is the state of computer jobs in Austin. Lots of empty buildings, lots of unemployed people. Before all the chaos I was getting 10%-20% raises every year. Then massive layoffs, and only a select few remain with no raises so far. So it isn't me

 

[Tim Markley]

It doesn't sound like you know much about the IT industry. Not only have I not gotten a raise, I'm making significantly less than I was 3 years ago and it has absolutely nothing to do with my skills/experience. I'm a computer programmer and I work as a contractor. 3 years ago there were a ton of contracts available for IT people as well as permanent positions. Now there are very few and there's also many IT people out of work, meaning that the competition for the few open positions is very high. Because of this, companies typically low ball you when it comes to salary. I've cut my hourly rate on each of my last 2 contracts (both long term). I'm now looking for a new contract or permanent position and the pickings are slim. I've been doing this work for 15 years and I love it but the current market has me frustrated. I keep hearing that things are getting better but I'm not seeing it yet.

 

[Patrick_S]

I would never profess to be an expert but I have worked in the industry the past 15 years.

I guess I have been lucky since I have gotten a raise all but one of those years and I have never had to take a pay cut.

The only reason I didn't get a raise that one year had more to do with my relationship with the manager then anything else.

I guess everyone’s mileage differs and I have just been fortunate in my decisions.

 

[Ron C]

Thanks for the experiences. I'm certainly not at the point at quitting my job, although days are tough. I try to be efficient as possible working. I'm usually one of the top call takers per day. Today I probably took 120 calls. Mostly because 9 people decided to call out and then there are those who try to take as much aux time as possible. I had to work through lunch too, then come home to find out my car was towed (now I’ll have to pay impound fees, towing costs, court costs, and take off a day of work to get it back). Not exactly a good day.

Unfortunately I have very little time to socialize/make contacts in the company. I'm sure there is plenty of opportunity (I work for the largest pharmaceutical company in the world), but it’s hard to take advantage of. It could always be worse, I could be working at a fast food restaurant making min wage and doing manual labor =

 

[John S]

Only IT guy in a 5 different state offices company ovr 300 users. 70 hour per week. No overtime pay ever.

No MBA, but I am considered a V.P.

For me using the term Burn Out, would be like calling the Pope a little Catholic. lol


I am going to go live as a hermit in a shack in the middle of nowhere New Mexico in a year or so.

I hate technology so much anymore, I can't imagine any job IT realted could be any better or worse period. I just need to be done with it all.

 

[Jason L.]

Personally, I would rather work at a fast food restaurant than do help desk if they both paid the same.

Ron, Ron, Ron:

You my friend, are a sap. If you are still working help desk after 2 years, you will never leave the help desk. I don't care if you take 1,000 calls a day. Your cubicule must be made of straw because you have been pigeon-holed. People above you are going to hold you down in order to protect their spot.

And yet you soldier on. Working hard when others are playing hooky. Frantically taking as many calls as you can, while others stroll on at a leisurely pace, even though they probably make the same salary as you. Working through lunch while others get to enjoy a break outside. You probably have major stress and ulcers to boot.

Get a clue. Get your MCSE/CCNA/whatever and start looking for another job.

 

[Mark Romero]

JasonL, that's not very nice. The guy works hard. No need to call him a sap.

 

[chris_everett]

OK, I'll bite.
Another managers perspective:
The salad days of IT are over. Deal with it. I'm not saying it's no longer decent emplyment, but your not going to get rich becuase you can spell java. Believe it or not, a lot of people still have this expectation, I know, I've interviewed them! If you've moved past this, your far ahead of the market.

If your working 50+ hours a week you need to examine emplyment law in your state. An employer can't just say "your salaried" and work you to death. Start to cut back your hours SLOWLY, make them set priorities, and soon you will be working reasonable hours. Introduce the words "I already have a commitment" into your vocabulary. Document your overtime, and if they fire you find an attorney. If you really are managment, then do your job and manage! There's reasons your spending that many hours at the office. Find em and fix em. In my experience people become _much_ less productive if they are working much more than 45 hour weeks. If you don't have the authority make some changes, then your not managment, no matter what your title says.

For those looking for work, personal contacts and networking are what most new hires are based on. Spamming your resume won't get you very far.

 

[JonZ]

I do IT work and Im sick of it.

Ive taken a pay and benefits cut this year,so my attitude has gone from shit to worse.I do what I have to and no more.Ive started bringing books to work.

Im so done with this place.

My g/f is all over me to go back to school but I have abosultely NO IDEA what I want to do.

 

[John Perry]

Isn't computer and IT work sort of cyclical? Up when new technology comes out and down as while it stays the same until the next wave?

I certainly feel for people who have to go backwards in their chosen career path but to me it would seem that in that case a change in skill set would be in order. If your skills are not in demand you aren't going to get paid well for them.

I can't feel bad for a some of the IT personnel that I have had to deal with over the past few years (we are not an IT company). Many of these people thought that their sh** didn't stink and could not even remotely understand the concept that our company didn't sell IT services and that their job was a supporting role to those that did develop our products. Since I'm still here successfully developing products and many of them are gone I'm sure that they know it now.

 

[MikeAlletto]

This is an extremely important thing to learn. If you already put in a full work week then they spring something on you for the weekend you should have no problem telling them that you can't do it because you have plans. Its none of their business what your plans are. If you are busy, then you are busy. As far as I'm concerned I work during the week. If they want me to work on weekends there better be some kind of compensation. Whether it be more vacation days or bonuses.

 

[Sam Posten]

Step #1: Say no to microsoft products, especially buggy virus traps like Outlook...

Sam

 

[DonRoeber]

I'm a unix admin, and have no real interest in Microsoft products, but c'mon. There are LOTS of buggy software packages out there. Microsoft has problems sure, but many are due to poor administration, as well as poor software design. I deal with buggy and insecure unix software all the time. So take it easy on Microsoft.

Also, very often, it's not really an IT workers decision wether to use a given software package or not. Many things are mandated, and there isn't anything you can do about it. It stinks, but sometimes you just have to make the best out of the situation you're given.

Oh, I'm a Microsoft shareholder

 

[Kirk Gunn]

Amen to that. All the VPs headed to Redmond one week.... the following Monday we were a "Microsoft Premier Customer". Every Sr IT lead tried to dissuade it, but it was all for naught.

Luckily we have a contract for escalated MS tech support, and we use it quite a bit.

 

[MikeAlletto]

And then there would be even more unemployed people.