Career suicide?

N2IT

Moving from a technical position to a non technical position?

I was just wondering what the forum thought about going from a help desk function, level 2 to an asset management (Software Licensing Admin) position?

The pay is around the same.

Mojo_666

I wouldn't do it unless you are fed up of being a techie and do not want to move to third line.

earweed

It may be a way for you to eventually advance into management but there are stiill a lot of variables to consider.

xenodamus

I agree - If you'd like to move toward management it wouldn't be a bad move. But if you'd like to keep moving up the chain in "hands-on" positions, I'd stick with jobs that give you applicable experience.

genXrcist

I did this once in a move to a new company. It was a nice break but looking back on it I think I wasted a lot of time in the role when I could have been moving up.

sambuca69

Well, if you have a family it could be nice. I doubt you'd need to be on call for weekends or have middle of the night asset management emergencies... could be a nice 40hrs per week gig, plus time with the family now. On the techie side of things, after hours is never truly your time, according to many companies out there.

I guess it depends on where you are and what you want.

Paul Boz

I wouldn't make the assumption that going from the helpdesk position to a licensing admin would be a direct path into management. They are both non-management positions, however, one is less technical than the other.

brad-

I think I would go nuts if all I did was manage licensing. I cant imagine that being a fulfilling job at all. Even if the pay was the same that would be a demotion IMHO...plus there's probably no where to work yourself up from there.

za3bour

Well I did that for one year and it was really good but because the pay was actually less I didn't continue but I certainly learned a lot in this year.

snokerpoker

I take a certain level of pride in being a technical worker. Therefore, I would not take the job. Especially if it pays the same. There is nothing wrong with non tech jobs and they certainly have their place within any organization, but for me personally, I want to advance my technical skills as much as possible. Once you move away from non techie work, you might find it harder to get into later down the road. Something to think about.

steve_f

I would see asset management as even more thankless than helpdesk.

You will not be rewarded for keeping things in check, but you will be the designated scapegoat when assets go missing.

erpadmin

steve_f wrote: »

I would see asset management as even more thankless than helpdesk.

You will not be rewarded for keeping things in check, but you will be the designated scapegoat when assets go missing.

[Deep sigh....]

I have had bosses who have said ALL of IT is a thankless job. While "thanks" is always appreciated, the fact that one may get positive reviews on performance and/or the paycheck is "thanks" enough for some people (at least...me.) The "thanks" that I find gratifying is when I solve a problem that was initially blamed on IT (me) in the first place, but can be proven (by me) that it was 100% user error. Issues like that are forever ingrained when it comes to the next interview...especially when the e-mail trail is forever saved. (The issue I'm thinking of by the way, was "thanked" by both the head of that department and my boss....but satisfaction that millions of dollars was able to be doled out does deserve the feather in the cap... ).

To answer the initial question, software/licensing admins in MOST shops are usually done by secretaries of the IT department. Two out of 4 shops I've been at were done by them (including the one I'm in now). Otherwise, a middle manager will ususally handle that, but ultimately they dole that out to someone else...usually someone who is the least technical of the group.

That is not something I would personally persue...it is not a good path to management.

blargoe

I wouldn't take it unless I were out of work and needed a paycheck... it's adjacent to IT if not technical position... but in your situation I don't really see much of a benefit.