I'm going mentally insane...help

I need the advice of my fellow peers in the IT field to help me get through this crossroad in my life.

Let me start off with my credentials and work experience.

- Recent graduate with B.S degree in I.T
- 3 Year work experience at 10,000+ global firm as a helpdesk / level 1 support specialist
- I currently have A+ Cert and MCTS:AD Cert

My job is no longer challenging and there's nothing I can't handle, i'm often bored as I resolve problems in no time, I have no one to talk to, haven't made any friends since i've been here, no one is even near my age group theres often a 15 to 20 year gap. I go to lunch alone, I work alone in and office by myself its very quiet all day long. I work in a group of 10-15 IT peers scattered across the state and contact is very limited. I'm often the mentor for individuals as I really love the IT field and I try to stay in tune with the latest technology and I really enjoy the challenge when something comes up I dive right in.

I've put my resume together, but lets face it, the pay here isn't bad...around 20$/hour for a new graduate I guess thats not bad? But i'm not happy and its getting worse everyday and actually putting a strain on my relationship new marriage. The benefits are impecible, Health, Dental, 401k, Vision everything for very cheap.

Ideally...I'd like a job as a Jr. Sys Admin I want to move up I need a challenge, more responsibilities....I want a mentor, a Sr. member just as enthusiastic as me in the field to learn from and work under...I need to move up I need a challenge...and i'm just stuck and very unhappy in a bad enviornment and work situation....there's no room for advancement here....all Admin jobs are locked up at corporate in another state....i'm so tired of doing basic troubleshooting....and as I am typing this yet another person comes in my office asking for personal home computer advice on how to speed up his computer...drives me nuts....

I'm really trying to advance myself with certifications to give me a better opportunity to land a Jr. Sys Admin job but honestly the market seems to only be offering Contract positions with limited benefits...thats unacceptable to me....

Anyway...my work hours are basically 6AM - 6PM by the time I get home I just mentally exhausted and distrought all I want to do is relax...not study for my MCITP...

I went 4 months of going to work, studying at lunch break then studying when I got home...after I passed my MCTs I nearly had a nervous breakdown and a horrible panic attack...it was not fun...after a long talk with my wife and seeing a thearpist....i've managed to get these panic attacks under control...I try to do breathing exercises and not to push myself so hard and just to "enjoy the ride"

I can go on and on...I just need some advice from my peers in here what do you guys think? Am I asking too much? Balancing life after college is very stressful and I push myself very hard and have high expectations....but I feel like i'm well past this type of work, i'm trying to stay humble but I dont know how much longer I can go doing desktop support....this job has great benefits, its stable and pay is great but i'm not advancing as I'd like to....and there's no one here to learn from or mentor me and I feel like thats important.

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Comments

j_griffith

ViLeNT wrote: »

My job is no longer challenging and there's nothing I can't handle, i'm often bored as I resolve problems in no time, I have no one to talk to, haven't made any friends since i've been here, no one is even near my age group theres often a 15 to 20 year gap. I go to lunch alone, I work alone in and office by myself its very quiet all day long. I work in a group of 10-15 IT peers scattered across the state and contact is very limited. I'm often the mentor for individuals as I really love the IT field and I try to stay in tune with the latest technology and I really enjoy the challenge when something comes up I dive right in.

QUOTE]

Look for a networking/social group... broaden your professional exposure...

Checkout ISACA for a local group, Seek a mentor within the group.
Provide Mentorship for teens/college age wih a technical interest.
Nothing like that in your area, how about Toastmasters speak about the need for Information Security at home/small business. Raise the awareness of the business impact of failure to plan/protect information and supporting systems. Build a reputation as knowledgeable and able to speak to a non-technical listener, someone will refer you to someone in need of your skills and abilities. It will open opportunities you could never have identified.

ViLeNT

I just got an e-mail from a friend of mine...he works for the naval base here, hes a senior network security engineer, said they are opening up a new position and he'd like to know if i'd like to interview. GS-9 ~ 52k a year. What do you guys think? Man decisions decisions...again there's no gurantee that i'd get this job...but it would be about a 14k pay increase and a better enviornment to work in with new projects and experience to gain

Essendon

Apply for it and see how you go. Extra pay and a better job wouldnt hurt I guess

Devilry

You obviously don't like what's going on now, so why not apply?

Bokeh

Certainly cant hurt to apply. If you get it, and then get the clearance as well, youre good to go.

ViLeNT

Well...good and bad news....I didn't get the Government job. All those NASA folks who got laid off recently have first priority over me.

Darn....oh well...I had a nice conversation with my boss and finally cleared the air and got a lot of stress and anxiety off my shoulders. Also had the opportunity to move offices where theres actually people to talk to!!!

Devilry

Thats good you moved offices! keep it up!

ViLeNT

Well folks, as an update, I got a NEW job 2 months ago. I am no longer Help desk! Hurray! I now work for a Cloud Computing / Hosting company as a Network Engineer. Mostly I assist with our Exchange Enviornment / Terminal Services / Cloud Servers, etc. Huge pay increase, learning so much! Never happier. Shortly after leaving my old job I heard they laid off 30 IT workers, and demoted another 30! Looks like I got out of there just in time! I'm training to become an Exchange Engineer. Things are going well! Im so happy I finally broke through the Helpdesk scene!

bryanthetechie

Congrats! Good luck to you in your new position.

Turgon

ViLeNT wrote: »

Well folks, as an update, I got a NEW job 2 months ago. I am no longer Help desk! Hurray! I now work for a Cloud Computing / Hosting company as a Network Engineer. Mostly I assist with our Exchange Enviornment / Terminal Services / Cloud Servers, etc. Huge pay increase, learning so much! Never happier. Shortly after leaving my old job I heard they laid off 30 IT workers, and demoted another 30! Looks like I got out of there just in time! I'm training to become an Exchange Engineer. Things are going well! Im so happy I finally broke through the Helpdesk scene!

Excellent news. Now crack on with the Exchange certs and the CCNA would be good too and be sure to learn as much as you can about how to provision services for customers. Once you understand what customers need and know how to put that together on infrastructure you are very employable. Working for an outsourcer is the way forward. You did well to get out of the old place, many people wont until the whole department folds.

ViLeNT

Thanks guys I really appreciate the feedback and comments. I am already working on my MCTS 70-662, very challenging

FloOz

read your whole story and my advice is to get the hell out of there. I am still in college now (going into my last semester) and for the past year ive been interning at a law firm and it has been great. The network services manager has been my mentor along the whole way and i hope to one day work full time under him.
you should be working alongside others and not stuck in a room alone. I know i could never do something like that. From reading your story i think you are for more deserving then a help desk job.

whoops didnt see the update: congrats on the new job!!

VAHokie56

Glad to hear it man!

joshmadakor

ViLeNT wrote: »

Well folks, as an update, I got a NEW job 2 months ago. I am no longer Help desk! Hurray! I now work for a Cloud Computing / Hosting company as a Network Engineer. Mostly I assist with our Exchange Enviornment / Terminal Services / Cloud Servers, etc. Huge pay increase, learning so much! Never happier. Shortly after leaving my old job I heard they laid off 30 IT workers, and demoted another 30! Looks like I got out of there just in time! I'm training to become an Exchange Engineer. Things are going well! Im so happy I finally broke through the Helpdesk scene!

Grats dude, that's excellent. Also, significant pay increase? Wonderful

YuckTheFankees

Great to hear! It's always nice hearing about people from the TE community advancing in their careers

RomBUS

I read your post from beginning to end and its nice to see a happy ending at the latest update from you. Good job dude you definitely deserve it and way to keep motivated! This actually gave me a pick me up for today

PsychoFin

Congratulations man! That's an awesome change for the better!

Cheers,
Fin