Mind numbing job

[ßracius]

Until I make a job being a B.A. computer dude I am slugging it out in the trenchs. I take around 40-50 calls a day, when I get home I can bearly play a video game unless I have had three beers and then I start coming around. What about you guys that are doing the same or some of you golden techs that still remember <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> the front line days.

[TheLow1]

I am doing the same, I spend my free time studing for my MCSE. I also am thinking about a motorcycle. I hear that it is very relaxing to drive, gets the mind off things.

[Joker1]

Originally posted by TheLow1:
<STRONG>I am doing the same, I spend my free time studing for my MCSE. I also am thinking about a motorcycle. I hear that it is very relaxing to drive, gets the mind off things.</STRONG>

so long as you dont splatter your mind all over the road

[ilovetheusers]

I'm doing this now. I usually have 2 to 3 Martinis per night. I don't mind it but I'd rather be doing desktop or field work. I'm really nice to most people and one of like 3 or 4 competant people where I am so it doesn't behoove anyone to get me into the position I want. I'm not looking at any certs right now, I hate 'em. There are 2 MCSE's I work with that couldn't tell you zip about computers in general. Still, the companies love them. Sigh.

[Milenko]

I used to be the only tech at a local computer shop. Fixing machines, doing phone support, you name it. It royally sucked. As we all know, the general public consists of mostly morons, and I talked to almost all of them on a daily basis.

Now I'm the head technology guru at a local school and it's paradise compared to where I was at last year.

While working at the computer shop I kinda thought I was stuck there cause the computer market is tough here, but I stuck with it and now i'm making twice what I was for doing half the work. So stay with it ya'll!!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[Scuba]

Befor i even started to WORK with computers i used to work the summer picking Abocado's.
We used to pick Avocado during the day and Play Xwing During the night.

When i went to sleap i used to dream of Xwings Flying the Avocado Plant and Blasting the Abocado fruit's on the tree's......

[Carlitos_Way]

Originally posted by Milenko:
<STRONG>I used to be the only tech at a local computer shop. Fixing machines, doing phone support, you name it. It royally sucked. As we all know, the general public consists of mostly morons, and I talked to almost all of them on a daily basis.

Now I'm the head technology guru at a local school and it's paradise compared to where I was at last year.

While working at the computer shop I kinda thought I was stuck there cause the computer market is tough here, but I stuck with it and now i'm making twice what I was for doing half the work. So stay with it ya'll!!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"></STRONG>


That's great!! Im glad to hear about fellow techies coming up in the world. Hope to be there one day myself...working at a school...where my ex-girlfriend works...cause I still love her...*sob*
<IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">

[Lt. Columbo (formally Joevegany@..)]

I work a Helpdesk in N.Y.C. First tech job... really cool the first month or so, but mind numbing really fast.

Reset NT password, Outlook personal folder gone,Reset NT password, My mouse is stuck, Reset NT password, the sun is glaring my monitor,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password

waiting for desktop slot to open... should happen soon.

<IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

[WesFlash]

I work Help Desk for a company with offices all over the USA. It is alot of password resets. Then there is the "this thing is so slow" calls in which the user has painstakenly tried to run more background applications than the computer can handle. It reads like a list of programs rarely run, but they had to have it installed. Virus outbreaks are fun because we get to see who the gene pool should put on probation or bar from entering at all.

[Lt. Columbo (formally Joevegany@..)]

Virus outbreaks are fun... we just got the "Check this" virus again about a month ago.
Also, someone from our Client/Server unit wrote a script to change user's rights accessing shared network drives... and it back fired. Yesterday, our desk got hundreds of calls from E/U's who couldn't access any of their mapped drives.
Wow... the *&^% hit the fan !!!

<IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">

[Lt. Columbo (formally Joevegany@..)]

WesFlash, question:What are you guy making out there on the Helpdesk...
You can E-mail me if you prefer.

Curious.

<IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

[Drone2903]

Originally posted by Joevegany:
<STRONG>...Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password,Reset NT password

waiting for desktop slot to open... should happen soon.

<IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0"></STRONG>
ROFLMAO.

I'm head of a group responsible of all regular installations. The posted delay between a demand and a installation is 12 days. We average 2. And help desk complains when we cannot reinstall a station within 2 hours. Oh yeah, we have the joy of handling all services calls the desk cant fix:

beside passwords that dont reset, you have:
- word does not work
- mouse "
- Office "
- printer "
- Internet "

THE DESK SOLUTION: FORMAT & REINSTALL THE PC.
<IMG SRC="smilies/mad.gif" border="0">

[Asterchild]

Yea! This thread is one of the reasons I finally registered on this forum.

I will not be presumptuous and say that I have you all beat, but I have it bad. I am stuck in the front line trenches. I work at a local Best Buy as an AV/PC tech. I know how people feel about retail techs, but you will have to trust me that I'm competent. The way things are setup is I have no privacy to work. I take technical calls, help customers, help customer service, upgrade and repair things, keep tabs on third party repair, I've figured roughly ten things I have to be doing at any one time. The system BBY has setup drives me to maddness. Every day I bust my *** for measly pay. My job is mind numbing and mind splitting. I've been working at BBY for almost two years, and I get burnt out sometimes. Right now those burnt out days are coming quicker and quicker...nearly everyday now I go home exhausted mentally and emotionally. SPENT. Not the good I accomplished something today, but the SPENT I got nothing done today feeling. Ok enough of my rant. Felt good. Must work through college...must survive. Great thing is I have no idea what I want to do <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

--Aster

[Major Kong]

My day job ranks right up there with used kitty litter and navel lint, but it pays real well and the benefits are excellent. My pastime job I love but it pays bupkus, but keeps me out of bars and if I may add with my family! <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[CinderElmo]

IT support is like war - hours of mind numbing boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror and adreneline.

Some days I do nothing but surf, pick up the phone and say "uh huh, did you try rebooting, call me back if that doesn't work (never calls back)", physically walk to the server to "look productive", then go back to surfing. Some days I wonder if my brain isn't going to implode from the mind numbing dullness...but when the paycheque arrives it is ALL better (at least temporarily).

<IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

[kingtbone]

Originally posted by CinderElmo:
<STRONG>Some days I do nothing but surf, pick up the phone and say "uh huh, did you try rebooting, call me back if that doesn't work (never calls back)", physically walk to the server to "look productive", then go back to surfing. Some days I wonder if my brain isn't going to implode from the mind numbing dullness...but when the paycheque arrives it is ALL better (at least temporarily).</STRONG>

Hmmm, do you work in my office? Wait, are you me? That is just about exactly what I do all day. Except that I go to the water fountain to refill my water bottle instead of go to the server to look productive.
<IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[TheLow1]

Originally posted by Joker1:
<STRONG>

so long as you dont splatter your mind all over the road</STRONG>

ROFL HAHA!!

[Lt. Columbo (formally Joevegany@..)]

No... that's me !!! Either it's
1. no action at all... and the garden variety moron calling, and of course he/she hasn't tried a cold boot; or...
2. everything is going wrong, and you can hardly think straight.

We'll that's why they call it "work" I guess.

[ßracius]

I was growing a Bonzi tree but the damn thing died of boredom. I think I am going to get a gold fish or an insane monkey. Either of the two are so dumb that they won't notice

[Lt. Columbo (formally Joevegany@..)]

Hahahahhhah. LOL !

<IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[Apathy]

I was growing a Bonzi tree but the damn thing died of boredom. I think I am going to get a gold fish or an insane monkey. Either of the two are so dumb that they won't notice

ROTFLMAO

My job is the same way but different. I trouble shoot all the time, fix the problem most of the time. But most of the time I wonder what the call was about when I'm done. Think I will get an insane monkey for myself.

Insane monkey. I can't stop laughing at the insane monkey. AHHH. He's attacking me. Damn insane monkeys.

[brutalgroove]

Rarely am I tempted to respond to this type of inquiry-but I must say I was appalled ( and not in the least suprised )by the number of fellow tech support types that are less than enthusiastic about their daily interactions with John Q. "dead from the neck up" Public. Not a night goes by I don't wonder how I managed to force myself through another 12 hour stretch of thankless, mindless and endless attempts to support (by phone ) inkjet printers on behalf of a major mfg. who we'll just refer to here by it's initials, the first of which is an "H"...
Perhaps the saddest realization I have come to , as a result of this job, is that the stupidest buy the mostest and can afford the bestest.
Brothers and sisters, I feel your pain...

[unknown4x]

hmm what about answering tech calls from people everyday at a computer shop and having the only problem be:
(transcript of a call)
Customer:Hi, i just bought one of you new computers, i try to turn it on but there's no screen.
Tech: did you connect the monitor (check off monitor in mind...)
Customer:Uh, how do you connect the monitor?
Tech: You connect the blue cable from the monitor to the connector that has 15 holes in it. its under the where the sound is...
Customer: Hold on... i need to find it
(15 minutes later)
Customer: I found it...
Tech: Now turn on the computer...
Customer: Nothing happens, it lights up green but the screen is blank...
Tech: Did you plug the computer in?
Customer: I connected the monitor cable like you said to.
Tech: What about the power cable?
Customer: I plugged the monitor to power already.
Tech: The computer has to be connected to power too.
Customer: Oh, i see... Hold on.. i have to find the cable
(15 Minutes Later)
Tech: OK, now turn the power on.
Customer: Yay, it started.
Tech: Thank you for calling xyz computers, we hope you have a nice day...
Customer: It says Keyboard not detected.
Tech: Have you read the manual?
Customer: It said it will work out of the box...
Tech: (thinking to himself, OMG)... READ THE DAMN MANUAL.
Tech: Thank you for calling xyz computers, we hope you have a nice day...
(Hangs up)
(Next Call)
Customer:Hi, i just bought one of you new computers, i try to turn it on but there's no screen.
Tech thinks <IMG SRC="smilies/frown.gif" border="0">note to self: our computers require hook up after out of the box)
Being a tech on the phone is a mind numbing job...

[RH0RT]

Some days my job is exciting, then I get at least one day a week where nothing happens and I'm bored out of my tree :-(

What can I say? "Some days you're the dog, others you're the lamppost"

[eenge99]

I used to work for a local government agency, worked 2 hours and surfed for 6. That got real old fast! Moved out of state for a year to work elsewhere and just recently moved back to work for a large company.

Hang in there, it gets better as long as you take a risk every once in awhile. Learn what you can and when you top out, find a company that will pay you what your skills are worth.

My $0.02

[CinderElmo]

I work for a manufacturing company as the IT person and I admit I do little yet make quite a bit. However, it always amazes me that the people out on the floor slogging it out on the factory line seem much happier than me...and I KNOW they are doing even more mind numbing stuff than I am.

Hell over the course of human history men have been slaving doing the same $hit day in and day out for their entire lives (farmer, cobbler, street sweeper) and here I am sitting in the AC with a cush job making top dollar and yet I complain.

I don't get it. <IMG SRC="smilies/confused.gif" border="0">

[Cygnus]

I feel for all of you tech-support guys. I have a couple of friends that do it and I hear horror stories all the time. I feel fortunate to have never done it myself. I have to do phone support as well but its nicely balanced with bench work, service calls, and network installation so the monotiny isnt there on a daily basis.

[Carlitos_Way]

Mind numbing job...got that right. Although that could be due to the A/C humming along all day. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[tegwilym]

At my last job I was the IT guy for a .com company before I got laid off. Can you imagine running a business with Windows 98?? ARRRRGGG!!!! <IMG SRC="smilies/mad.gif" border="0">
I basically became the "CTRL-ALT-DEL" tech. I would reboot someones computer, then go back to my web surfing.

Now I have a similar job in another company down the street, and they use Windows 2000 Pro mostly. It is so stable that thing are very similar to my last job.

I'm not complaining, at least I HAVE a job these days!

Tom

[ComputaDorka]

I support a computer lab at a Community college and I got everything taking care of itself so I got all day to get bored and surf these forums. Breaze job but pay isnt good...might move to higer position soon.

One lady called and said her monitor had some pixels that went bad. I went and looked and there was some spit on her screen. I cleaned it off with a kleenex and fixed the pixels.

[CinderElmo]

One lady called and said her monitor had some pixels that went bad. I went and looked and there was some spit on her screen. I cleaned it off with a kleenex and fixed the pixels.

Now that is a new one! I bet she felt like an A$$ after you "fixed" her pixels! <IMG SRC="smilies/cool.gif" border="0">

[kingtbone]

Originally posted by ComputaDorka:
<STRONG>One lady called and said her monitor had some pixels that went bad. I went and looked and there was some spit on her screen. I cleaned it off with a kleenex and fixed the pixels.</STRONG>

This may be the funniest story I've heard all week <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

[ßracius]

I always thought that spit was a clear color. Was she drinking the blood of a new born lamb after the computer god had come down and spread a pleague on her hard drive?