Did I Say the Wrong Thing?

So for the past week the boss above my boss has said we need to talk. He basically wanted to shoot the breeze, see where I was at with the job, and to see how some projects are going. As you guys know, I hate my job. I was hired for one thing and did a complete 180 to doing something totally different (no helpdesk turned into all the helpdesk for about 200 people locally (one location 3 hours away) and all the remote sales people). Now my boss knows I've been unhappy and I figure he's expressed that to his boss.

So we sit down this morning and we're talking. Now I am part of a 3 person IT department and I am actually the only person with an IT background (degree plus a year of field tech work, plus countless years of fixing other peoples stuff). He asks how I'm doing and I say I don't understand how my boss and the other lady have done this job for 10 and 19 years respectively. He says he understands and that he knows it wasn't what I was suppose to be doing nor what I wanted to be doing. Now I explained that working in a security position is probably way off no matter where I was, but yes I didn't want to continue the endless troubleshooting work I do. I also said that it wasn't great to be handed projects out of no where (phones, new copiers, and training sales reps on a system I barely know).

Then he says he understands if I began looking for a new job. I stated that I had and my plan was to keep them in the loop about it. He said that was fine and that if I could stay till at least January that would be perfect. No problem there because no one has called me for a job anyway. He then asked if there was anyway I would stay. Now I am in a 3 person IT department with literally no where to go. I have no business training and even a bump in salary is going to make me enjoy the job. So I said I couldn't see any progression that would make me stay.

Most of the people I talked to have said I was dumb for a number of things I said. If they paid me $100k a year to troubleshoot computers I wouldn't be happy. They could create a fancy title (titles mean nothing at my company) and I would still be the "my mouse doesn't work" guy. He asked about maybe taking over the department (no timeframe so I assume down the line) and I don't feel I am ready for that and I'm a hands on kind of guy so I'd rather do that now while I am young. So I am pretty sure I won't be getting a Christmas bonus or a raise (raises at the end of the year). But was I wrong for airing my issues? I always hated giving my two weeks and people saying "we didn't know you weren't happy here." Also, there is no where to go in the company.

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Comments

HeroPsycho

the_Grinch wrote: »

I've been going back and forth on whether I should speak to him further (the boss of my boss is who I had the conversation with). My fear is that it is back pedaling and it will look like an attempt to cover my ass because it is raise/bonus time. I do agree that I should probably say something, but again don't want to make it because of something its not.

I'd stick it out at this point. They might offer you more money to try to keep you. Going back now makes you look weak and desperate.

Bl8ckr0uter

the_Grinch wrote: »

I've been going back and forth on whether I should speak to him further (the boss of my boss is who I had the conversation with). My fear is that it is back pedaling and it will look like an attempt to cover my ass because it is raise/bonus time. I do agree that I should probably say something, but again don't want to make it because of something its not.

I think you should say something to him but like I said, offer a solution to the problem.

HeroPsycho wrote: »

I'd stick it out at this point. They might offer you more money to try to keep you. Going back now makes you look weak and desperate.

I only partly agree. I think that it will not make him look weak if he talks with his bosses boss again. I think it actually may make him look stronger to try to offer a solution (which very well could be more money) than to essentially throw a hissy and say I want to leave (no offense to the op).

Aldur

the_Grinch wrote: »

As far as experience goes I have 3 years of experience as a manager (movie theater so it was all customer service plus some business related stuff), 1 year as a field tech, and 3 months on a helpdesk.

So you have a little over a year exp in the IT field. I might be wrong here but the 10 years management experience in a Cabinet shop didn't mean squat when I made the move into the IT field.

Don't get me wrong, I know what it can be like to work in a stressful, crappy job. My last job gave me a nice ugly ulcer and there was many times where I had to walk around the building just to cool off so I didn't just walk out for good.

The only thing I can say is to get another job lined up right now, no company in their right mind wouldn't be looking for your replacement as we speak.

dynamik

Hyper-Me wrote: »

Although I know id do about anything for 100k a year

I think I've seen that video...

Seriously though, I think it depends on your relationship and the other guy's personality. I had a job where I basically did everything for them that I could and there was nothing challenging left for me to do. They actively encouraged me to find something else and even offered to loan me money if I wanted to start up my own thing. Situations like this are way too complex to simply label as right or wrong.

waltdee

thats what i did at my first job, i wasnt happy with the salary, i was making 40k, and i went up to my boss, and said: "listen here you, you better give me more money, or else, he replies: or else what, i say: or else i will leave you scum bag, so he says: how much do you want: i say: 20k more, i say OK" the other job i told my boss that this other dumb a$$ was making more than me, and i told him he better pay up, he said ok. so yes, tell them what you feel.

P.S, its all BS, lol, always becareful with your words.

ilcram19-2

i would never say sometthing like that, i had some messed up jobs and i always did them
that is the wrong attitud, im all about earning respect from co-workers. you need a change on attitud otherwise it will be always like this and will be having help desk jobs for ever, i stared my first network administratot job when i was 22, i meet some guy between 25 and 30 still doing help desk

ColbyG

I wouldn't have mentioned that I was leaving until I had something else lined up.

the_Grinch

Got a new job that is less stressful, treats me better, and where I actually learn something everyday. Thanks for the advice guys!

ilcram19-2

congrats

Kaminsky

the_Grinch wrote: »

Got a new job that is less stressful, treats me better, and where I actually learn something everyday. Thanks for the advice guys!

Nice one. Same company or a different one ?

laidbackfreak

the_Grinch wrote: »

Got a new job that is less stressful, treats me better, and where I actually learn something everyday. Thanks for the advice guys!

nice one mate

come on spill the beans.. doing what?

the_Grinch

Different company. I now work for an MSP as a NOC Analyst/Helpdesk Tech. Making the same money (less of a drive for now and they pay for benefits), but being there a week I have learned more then in 7 months at my other job. Things are looking good and I work with a great group of people. If you don't know something, they stop and sit with you to work through it. Plus, there is a clear path of escalation so if I don't know something there are engineers who can handle the task opposed to me wasting time spinning my wheels for a day to figure it out. Thanks again!