[RESOLVED] Frustration with IT

[ZeroInterruppt]

Hi there I know this probably isn't the best place to post this..but what the hell. I'm a new hire for a rather large IT dept. in a big corp. Basically my main thing is my absolute frustration in dealing with the beaurocracy of some companies. NOw due to my age (I'm 22 and the youngest of my companies IT staff) I continuously get black balled whenever I submit ideas or suggestions for ways to improve the IT dept. And the networks here. Now I do realise that I'm still new, and to them I may be young, but I have more experience dealing with computers and working in the computer industry then HALF of the people I work with. I've been in the field contracting and working since I was 14. Yet for some reason due to my age and a couple of other small superficial things, I notive I get "passed over" in favor of other workers who are merely "Paper MCSE's?". I was just wondering what anyone else thought about this, or if they found themselves discriminated against or blackballed due to their age or background. Personally I think you shouldn't care about how many certs or the age of a person but rather how well they work. I never noticed this was a problem for myself until I started working here.

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Peace Through Zen blood!

[pcshark]

Don'cha love it when the people who know the least about technology dictate how it should be used?
I was in a similar situation. I found that growing a beard made me look a little older and so people started taking me seriously. ( http://www.geocities.com/pcshark/about.html )

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R. Bret Walker, CNE

In space, nobody can hear you fart...

[This message has been edited by pcshark (edited March 20, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by pcshark (edited March 20, 2000).]

[cordon]

At the moment frustration goes with the business.

I used to be tech support at a college, The head of IT didn't know anything about computers and did not listen to the people who were hired to advise him. He made purchases without consulting his staff, he queried purchase orders made by the staff inceasantly. My contract was temporary because 'there was no budget for a salaried position', yet this manager was happy to blow £1,000 on systems I could have built for £600 because they came with 3 year on site tech support. Most of the systems I had to troubleshoot were almost 10 years old.

Last month they were advertising for 'internet operatives' at 20% higher salary than they payed me. What the hell is an internet operative, and how come they get payed big bucks?

Enough griping from me. Some lessons in management management:
If you have a good idea, submit it in private to another member of the team, preferably the head of the team. That way they get the chance to consider it without bruising any egos. Your ideas may seem great to you, but there may be aspects of the problem that you're not taking into account. Be prepared to compromise and don't be too pushy (unless it's a jaw dropping money saver / maker). If you keep pushing your ideas, you will only alienate people. If you want to really get into the interpersonal politics, listen to other peoples ideas and try to create a compromise with them. Bring individuals over to your way of thinking through charm rather than logic. If all else fails bring about a situation where your idea is the only solution to a problem (don't try this out, IT IS JUST A JOKE)


[This message has been edited by cordon (edited March 20, 2000).]

[ellingtond]

If all else fails, go find another job.

You guys are too young to waste your good years working for a company (or school) that doesn't appreciate good people. If this is a large company, and you do have "Skilz," go somewhere else. . .this is the time when you should be the most adventurous.

Look at it like this; a lot of people take a job making good money, but with no upward mobility, so 5 years from now they are still getting paid the same. . .thus less than they deserve. Look for the job that may not pay well but they appreciate good people and there is a lot of room for advancement/responsibility. (Maybe a smaller company with growth potential. . . it is really easy to get lost in a big company. You sit around waiting for people to retire or die. Besides, I laugh at people that get so worried about starting salaries. . . .it is the ending salary that is important

I bring up the issue of money because I know that when I say quit your job, the fact that you need the money may be the biggest objection. . . at 22, that is the LAST thing to consider when looking for a job. . .

Good luck!

[pcshark]

I agree completely. When considering a new position at a new company, it's always important to think of your career as a whole. What does this job have to offer? What perks are there? If it doesn't pay much, do I at least have the potential to garner a lot of experience? I've taken jobs that paid crapola to get experience, and jobs with lower starting salaries but a high ceiling for upward mobility. Presently I've got the best of both worlds...a good salary, terrific bennies, tons of experience, training, certifications, and respect from peers and management to boot. If you can find this kind of job, grab it. Otherwise, consider each company as a paving stone with which to build your path toward such a position.

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R. Bret Walker, CNE

In space, nobody can hear you fart...

[WildTech]

Do what I did Zero...........start your own shop. If your lucky and do good work you will quickly get a customer base. Then you can set your own rules, set your own salary, and best yet be in charge. That way when the boss is an @$$hole you can just tell him so without the risk of losing your job. I tell myself to stop pushing so hard and what an @$$ I am 10 times a day.

But serious, I worked in a family business for years. And even amongst family, the politics is ridiculous. A job is what you make of it. True, some circumstances make a job less bearable and sometimes unbearable. I gotta go along with the other guys. If it sucks that bad, take a chance and find another job. No job is worth turning your life into a living hell. Good luck buddy.

WildTech

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I'd rather be lucky than smart!!