Brain Dead Work

Sie

I know we all get brain dead work that we dislike but currently thats all i seem to be doing, im planning on asking managers (other teams) for more work that stimulates me and atleast uses some skills.

(recently someone put their 2 cents in and has moved work to another department)

Im not very diplomatic on how to word things and just tell them like they are so im asking for a little advice on how to word:

I feel like i wasting my time and my brain is slowly melting and dripping out my ear can you please give me something more challanging to do that requires more skill than a monkey.



You get the idea, whatever i write keeps sounding like im being patronising or big headed. I am the first to agree i be no way know everything but the work im doing is belittling me.

(I can reference work i have been doing to them prior to this change to show what im capable of)

Cheers in advance.

PS: Sorry this is also my daily rant if it seems a bit ...well you know....

sthomas

I would just ask if you can take on a couple more challenging projects or see if you can assist others with there projects.

Kaminsky

Actively show an interest in other work that is going on around you and make sounds like "oh that looks really interesting... i used to do something like that when ..." and leave the "requires more skill than a monkey" (although it made me chuckle) to the private discussions with the people doing those roles so that they might speak up for you.

You have to get them to notice you and want to bring you into their teams to work with them. Not easy but doable. Just needs good social skills.

Sie

Sorry in the delay in replying to you guys thanks for the input and I will take it on board.

I was toying with the idea of joining a guy i know in another area on my days off, kinda volunteer like, get my face known, see if i like the job and network a little. I know it will be work for no pay but at worst people will get to know what i can do and it will improve my own skills while im there.

What do you think?

(Though fitting this in with study / learning to drive / real work may be tough but if you put nothing in you get nothing out right?)

KGhaleon

Same with me, I'd really like to try something...but with me, I'm too nervous and tend to think that I can't handle the actual work. I've been in the field for quite some time, but I haven't been given much opportunities to do serious server or network-related work. I find myself cleaning malware, performing data-recovery and fixing down machines.

Pretty boring.

KG

Kaminsky

KGhaleon wrote:

Same with me, I'd really like to try something...but with me, I'm too nervous and tend to think that I can't handle the actual work. I've been in the field for quite some time, but I haven't been given much opportunities to do serious server or network-related work. I find myself cleaning malware, performing data-recovery and fixing down machines.

Pretty boring.

KG

You need to push your career forward yourself KG. Nobody will do it for you and it is unlikely that great jobs or the entry to the career you want will come and find you.

Everyone of us gets nervous especially regarding change and sometimes it's simpler to just sit tight with what you already have. But, you have to ask yourself, Will you still be doing what your doing in 2, 5, 10 years ? If not, what do you think will make the change? You will probably come to the conclusion that it's only you yourself that makes the change in the direction you want to go.

One thing I can tell you from my own exerience, staying in any particular role for too long can have a detrimental affect on your career. It shows no growth potential and makes things a lot harder when you do try to change. I stayed in a pc support manager role for far too long and it became quite difficult for me to get out of it. I did manage it in the end but if I had started sooner (2-3 years in the role) it would have been a lot easier as it would be seen as natural progression.

KGhaleon

Your right, I need to stop straying from my path. I'm doing things that system administrators would normally do now, rather than network administration which is where my interests lie. I think I'll look for a new job and update my resume.

KG

KGhaleon

I have an interview today with a wireless networking company in daytona. I have to meet with someone from HR and a network engineer. Nervous as hell

I'm just pondering whether I should eat something or go in hungry. I was diagnosed a year ago with a sever nervous disorder, so I'm easily 3x more nervous than the average person. I feel like crawling into a corner somewhere.

Ah well...goes to his doom

KG

JDMurray

KGhaleon wrote:

Ah well...goes to his doom

Well, you're never going to succeed with an attitude like that. To keep from being nervous in an interview, I always assume the attitude that I am there to interview the interviewers. I make eye contact, ask questions about the company history, business processes, how project management is performed, and how documentation is created and controlled. If the interviewer is unsure or unskilled, I actually try to lead the interview. Admittedly, I was not able to do this until I had worked in a position where I was reading resumes and interviewing people, and then it hit me how useful this frame of mind would be for an interviewee as well.

Confidence is not something that someone gives you, it is something that you must manufacture yourself.

KGhaleon

Yeah, sorry. I have low selfesteem.

The interview wasn't as bad as I thought and I felt much better after sitting down with the two men to go over my network knowledge. Now they are going to interview the other candidates and make some conclusions. They have multiple positions to fill.

Even if I don't get the job, at least I tried. That's a load off my shoulders...but no, more work to be done.

KG

sprkymrk

KGhaleon wrote:

Yeah, sorry. I have low selfesteem.

The interview wasn't as bad as I thought and I felt much better after sitting down with the two men to go over my network knowledge. Now they are going to interview the other candidates and make some conclusions. They have multiple positions to fill.

Even if I don't get the job, at least I tried. That's a load off my shoulders...but no, more work to be done.

KG

Sign up for a Dale Carnegie course. In 12 weeks you'll be a new man despite your "diagnosed" nervous disorder. Which, by the way, can be overcome. You just have to put forth 3x more effort. Can you do it?

I think you can.

JDMurray

sprkymrk wrote:

Sign up for a Dale Carnegie course.

The book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie is one of the best things that I've ever read. It was written in 1936, but it's completely relevant to interpersonal communication the 21st century. You can buy it new, get it as a Books onTape, or on CD for your MP3 player, but I recommend picking up a dusty copy in a used book store for a buck and read it in the original vernacular.

Summary of points in How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

sprkymrk

jdmurray wrote:

The book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie is one of the best things that I've ever read.

Yes, that book (and the audio version) gets from me.