Feeling overwhelmed, need input...

CompUBug

I'm feeling mentally exhausted and overwhelmed and can't tell if I have a just reason to feel this way or not.

So in short, I work for a company who is a solution provider.

Initially they were going to provide a solution to a major cellular carrier which would allow them to provide more efficient monitoring tools to check logs of their servers, pull configuration, error checking, server status (online or in error status), CPU usage, storage capacity, ect ect..

So in this department, they continuesly pull in major projects but the agents and my entire team are mostly just customer service reps. They are trained mainly to create a case and forward it to an engineer. I specifically have done much more involved work in previous jobs, mainly as in configuring Routers, Switches, VLAN's, routing protocols, checking logs, static routes, ect ect.

What they have asked all of us to do is to go learn Python, Linux Red Hat, Docker, Mongo Database, MongoPy. I have worked with Linux, but I have never touched Python, Mongo, SQL, MongoPy, and the deeper I looked into Python the more I realized this was quite involved. I have NEVER been a computer programmer. I took courses in it after High School and absolutely hated it and dropped it for my major. Well now its as if I need it. I actually learned a good bit of Python, HOWEVER; it is so involved that it is about the only thing I can realistically learn at one time and everything else is getting shut out. The job I'm in isn't giving me any clear direction as to what they want me to make in Python, nor am I given any kind of template or idea as to how these servers actually function or have I seen them in action and the deeper I go the more I realize... there is no way I'm going to learn all of this within a reasonable amount of time, let alone Linux, Mongo, ect on top of it... eventually..my studies slowed down on these subjects.. I felt they were being too unrealistic... and then I completely stopped and concentrated 100% on CCNA. CCNA is my goal anyway, I am most apt toward configuration of routers and switches, but not so much writing scripts for servers and although I do have intentions of learning Python, I really want my CCNA first because its been one of the big things holding me back from getting a higher paying job (Companies have told me my resume looks great, I have the education and experience but they really need the CCNA.)

Well, what happened is, they dropped the entire project (meaning had I have learned all of it, I would not have beenable to use most of it) and now they are switching to a IP-Video project hosted by major television providers and want us to look at their DNCS servers and tell them what we could write python scripts for. I know these servers are using Unix and I haven't written scripts in Unix. I personally have never seen any of these servers in person nor have I logged into them or do I know how they work. They're not providing any kind of documentation or training other than a few general commands and the file locations of certain system properties...

The thing is, it isn't that I "can't" do it, but that if I learn all this stuff, it will take 100% of my effort and there's a chance they may drop the project again.. where as I can't even focus on my CCNA while learning this because its just too much.

Another thing that is happening is when I get to this point, I become super frustrated because I realize how far I have to go and how much of these systems I have to learn within a relatively short amount of time and I end up shutting down and I do neither Python or CCNA

But what are your opinions.. am I being unrealistic and am I just not applying enough or what do you feel? I'm not sure what to feel.

shochan

Sounds like they took on a project w/o know wtf they are doing & throwing the stress back on the employees to figure out. Piss poor mgmt IMO. Throw it back in their lap and remind them of what they originally hired you to do there. However, be prepared to stand up for yourself & point out that it truly is unrealistic for what they are asking. You may want to give your 2wk notice right then and there. Seems they need to hire specific ppl or outsource it to contract work if they really want to stick to their project goals.

CompUBug

shochan wrote: »

Sounds like they took on a project w/o know wtf they are doing & throwing the stress back on the employees to figure out. Piss poor mgmt IMO. Throw it back in their lap and remind them of what they originally hired you to do there. However, be prepared to stand up for yourself & point out that it truly is unrealistic for what they are asking. You may want to give your 2wk notice right then and there. Seems they need to hire specific ppl or outsource it to contract work if they really want to stick to their project goals.

Would it be a bad idea to mention the name of this company on here? You would be very surprised who it is.

I actually have already made a huge complaint between my boss, and my staffing agency management. They were working some members 80 hours a week and paying them for 40 and were looking to do the same to me and I flat out told them no and was ready to leave. I ended up getting a few members in management in trouble over it as well so they ended up isolating me into the night shift and more - less forgetting about me.

I have been looking for another job, the main thing holding me back now is the CCNA (most companies I've been applying for say they need it, I'm also not entry level when it comes to Network Admin).

I have another offer in Austin TX paying way more, for much less of a headache as well that I am highly considering relocating for.

JoJoCal19

CompUBug wrote: »

Would it be a bad idea to mention the name of this company on here? You would be very surprised who it is.

I actually have already made a huge complaint between my boss, and my staffing agency management. They were working some members 80 hours a week and paying them for 40 and were looking to do the same to me and I flat out told them no and was ready to leave. I ended up getting a few members in management in trouble over it as well so they ended up isolating me into the night shift and more - less forgetting about me.

I have been looking for another job, the main thing holding me back now is the CCNA (most companies I've been applying for say they need it, I'm also not entry level when it comes to Network Admin).

I have another offer in Austin TX paying way more, for much less of a headache as well that I am highly considering relocating for.

Pour every waking minute (at work and at home) into knocking out the CCNA. Since you're on night shift you should have a ton of time to devote to it and knock it out in a month.