LeeMac

iTrader: (1)

Forgive me for being nosey but im in a simmilar situation and also consider myself well paid for what I do, but as im not in IT, I want to be, you say youre well paid, what exactly is being well paid in IT (seen jobs 15k to 35k+).
Ive seen a job :-System Support Technician
Any idea what does this job involves.

[Edited by LeeMac - 4/3/2002 7:12:46 PM]

ADP

Hi Guys,

need some outside opinions on this one please!

Well I've been in my current job since September - I got the job through my best mate which is why this is a bit hard as I dont want to let him down.

I consider myself well paid(certainly for what I do) so am obviously reluctant to leave........however......... basically I have next to nothing to do. Im working in a small friendly IT consultancy with no pressure etc however, Im starting to go mad obviously due to my lack of things to do. Most of the people are programmers - Im not and was brought in to do "support" the problem being I dont have nearly enuff to do and am hence thinking of leaving.

I have reasonable Unix skills(Solaris/linux/Irix) good networking skills/windows stuff reasonable grasp of all sorts of things. However I dont really know where to go what to do?

Anyone got any ideas? Should I just sit in and watch the clock tick by, or is it time to sack it off and move on to something else even if it might mean a pay cut?

anyone reading/replying thanks

Andy

Darren Thompson

Sounds like a dream job to me, Scooby outside, well paid and a good company.................Heaven.


You could ask if you can get involved with other aspects of the company while you are quite.

Daz.

fast bloke

I think about this on a weekly basis. At the minute I get paid loads for being available. Occasionally the **** hits the fan and I have to work. Most of the time (>90%)i surf and post here. I always wonder if I would enjoy a more challenging job for less money. I don't think I would. The only reason I work is for money, and if I had enough money I wouldn't work, so I don't think I could take less money 'just for the challenge'

Chris L

Andy

Been there done that!! Used to work for a friend of mine a few years back - not something I would choose to do again. Nearly cost me the friendship amongst other things!

I've also been in the position of being fairly well paid but doing bugger all (sounds great, but try it for 6 months - it will drive you insane).

Things to consider:

Have a chat with your mate - explain the situation. You should at least give him the chance to make some changes - i.e. give you more responsibility. If he wants you to stay - he will listen and help.

What do YOU want to do? You say you've got Unix skills and some networking skills. You have a choice - develop the Unix side - maybe move into programming or develop the networking side - perhaps Pre-Sales or maybe specialisation in a particular area (Network Security (basically what I do Pre-sales and IT security)

You are working in Reading, so no shortage of IT companies then

If things don't change then I would seriously consider moving - the market isn't great at the moment, but there are jobs out there. It doesn't hurt to get you CV up to scratch, circulate it to a few agencies / companies and see what the response is - hell do a couple of interviews if they offer them - you can always turn them down!

Best of luck

Chris

ADP

Yeah everyone thinks great! little to do. Seems great for about 2 days, but you have to keep the persona of being busy. Nope Im going mad, I want to be busy with a purpose.

everytime I kick up about it I get some fob off ideas that generally keep me busy for another 2 days, ie "build a company intranet" so a few days later its done!

Phill

The job does sound a little bit too much, like doing nothing. Can you not take up some training and get a CCNA under your belt or something similar.

Failing the training, then indeed as the chap above said get involved in as many aspects of the firm as they will let you, if you wish to climb the corporate ladder eventually you will require business skills as much as IT skills, get all the experience you can mate !!

Good luck,

Phill

SWRTWannabe

Maybe the first thing to do would be to talk to a superior. If you tell them the problem, they may well be able to do something about it - for example if the programming interests you, they may offer to train you so that you can contribute to the development team.

That seems an easier approach that going out to find a new job, but at the end of the day if there is nothing to do, then moving on may be the best thing, else you will just sit and stagnate. (And before you know it you will spend all day Scoobynetting!!)

Hope this helps, and all the best!

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

tough one i know, im in a similar position. I know exactly how u feel, Im very close to losing it due to the boredom. But I find things to amuse me on the web, that passes a few hours at least Good well paid jobs are hard to come by these days, so I would definately try to keep it. Having said that, youre in an ideal position to shop around for another job, and take holidays for the interviews etc If youre unsuccessful or dont like the new company then u still have your current job to fall back on in the meantime.

ADP

fast bloke 11000 posts - yeah you really must spend your days here.

I think Im a bit like you - ie needed for when things go wrong.

Perhaps I should just chill out a bit? I have to say, no one has asked why Im not more busy and Ive had no complaints.

mmmm er

fast bloke

I used to worry about getting found out doing nothing and getting paid off, but I've decided to take their money as long as they are willing to give it to me. People tell you job satisfaction is important, but unless you love a job sooo much that you would do it on a voluntary basis, then you have to admit that a large part of job satisfaction is down to the money. As above, I would try to get involved in other aspects of the company. If you have the skills to build an intranet youself, then this may be a skill that the company can sell on? As they are already carrying your cost for your current job, they can sell your skills very cheaply to open up a new market from their perspective at no additional net cost. Careful with this though - That is how I got where I am today

LeighJ

ADP,

I'm in the same position. Work for a small IT consultancy, which is busy (ish). I find myself with nowt do at some point in most days, usually about 9:30 when I read my email. I like the company and it's values, but it can get a bit too much. So, like Fast Bloke said, were developing a new side to the business, multi media development. It's still technology based, so we don't need to learn a whole new set of skills. It will kick off at the end of summer, so I the meantime, I've got all summer to carry on what am doing, then a new challenge to look forward to at the end of it. I'll still be doing my old job, but in a much reduced effort, which is really what I'm doing now. Will have more to do, different challenges and more money!

Everyone's happy.

Cheers,

Leigh

ADP

so Im not the only one in this position it seems.

I think in the mean time Im gonna develop my already fine web surfing skills and also rack up a crazy number of scooby net hits too.

Maybe keep my eyes open without going on a mission for something else and bide my time a bit.

BOB.T

If your not happy just do one, I was unhappy in my first job for about 2 years, leaving was the best thing I ever did, I haven't looked back since

I've always moved to better jobs with more money too, which is nice

In the meantime, have a look in the muppet forum, that'll get your post count up

Bob

RichB

Keep the job and start learning stuff, I am in a similar position to you and am bored $hitless most of the day.
Get on to http://www.webmonkey.com and find some things to learn.
Best to stay employed and find something you want to do next and then leave...

ADP

Could we form a company here, perhaps well call it www.bored****less.com (actually it probably exists already!)

not sure what itll do yet....answers on a postcard

perhaps it can just be a site for people who are in our position - it could provide loads of time wasting games and chat forums etc

God Im a genius sometimes

ScoobyJawa

Been in this situation for about a year. The day goes on scoobynet. There is the occasional bit of work but not to occupy loads of my time. I'd far rather be busy. I'm thinking exactly the same as you. While I don't do much I try and do a few other bits and bobs like playing with SQL Server etc just to get my skills up a bit - trouble is then the pull of scoobynet comes along!!!

I'm in the same area geographically as you with similar skills, I've been keeping my eye open but there ain't alot around the M4 corridor at the moment

ADP

Its hard to find "stuff to do" sometimes and be motivated to do it.

I always find that if theres no purpose to a self learning project then very rappidly the interest and enthusiasm dies.

ie if your sat thinking oh what can I do, then you think I know Ill teach my self javascript. fine, 10 exercises later though your sick of it and cant see the point. you really need a reason and a goal.

bioforger

iTrader: (1)

This motivates me, reason-mortgage payments, goal-step up the property ladder/marriage/kids... oh and a P1

RichB

ADP - You are correct about needing a goal.... Can't you find someone who needs a website or something... Thats what I did and got some beer credits for it too

Bajie

Stay.

P1Fanatic

Im in the same position working for an ISP in their 24*7 NOC. I work shifts and sometime nights r real slow with nowt to do but means u have time to read up on training stuff like CCNA/CCNP etc or do as I do an watch TV, eat, play games online or just surf. I too wonder what it would be like to move a higher pressure job with more challenges but then I look at what I actually do and what I get paid for it and it brings a smile to my face. Dont get me wrong - we have some days where it all goes Pete Tong and I regularly miss out on lunch cos its so busy. I think thats why we dont get so much grief when it is quiet as it balances it out against the stressful days.

Plus Im working for a huge multinational company which gives me a certain amount of job security. Waiting has paid off and we are moving towards a centre of excellence for the EMEA region and are taking over interesting stuff like Firewalls and VPNs. It will be a hard slog over the next 6 months or so but at the end I will have a lot more stuff to put on my CV should I want to leave.

Plus I get to work in the same office as all my uni mates - cant beat it

Simon.

darlodge

Andy, I am (like many others) in the same position as you. I have nothing to do most days and only just manage to fill my days with crud. If only I could check Scoobynet at work!!.

I have been at my job for a Small IT consultants for over 3 years and get paid bloody well for what I do (well don't do actually) and baring in mind my age. The only reason I get paid so well is because I am so important to the company (without wanting to blown my own trumpet). I took over as Office Manager over a year ago as I know so much about the company and also provide infrastructure support to our Operations Team. I am however looking elsewhere for another job basically to provide me with a goal for me to work towards. My current employee has been giving me false promises for over a year and I know that until I move I am not going to be happy (career wise). The only problem is that new prospective employers see my age and salary on my CV, laugh and then throw it away. Hmm, I think a pay cut may have to be in order.

My suggestion is to knock together a CV (if you have not already got one) and start mailing it out to agencies in your local area. As others have said there are decent jobs out there, they just need finding.

Let me know what you do.

Hope this helps
Darren

ADP

I have to say Im startled by the number of people in a similar position to me.

I moved from a shift style job into my current job - wanted out of the nasty hours and to get my weekends back, so mission achieved and also took a good pay rise at the time (8k). doing shifts gave me far too much time to think/stroke watch tv - felt like my life was wasting away.

As someone else mentioned, the promises made in the job interview did not transpire so Im now left "thinking". the problem is you dont know what is round the corner, we have lots of things in the pipe line, so Im going to have to wait a bit, and see what happens with various pending contracts. If these look like they will bring work my way then Ill probably stay.

However in the mean time, a brushing up of the CV may be in order. I had loads of responses last time I stuck it on jobserve, so may try again.

cheers all