Same old moan about jobs but need your input

I am doing a 1st/2nd Line IT support role which sometimes involves working offsite. In terms of the job itself I love it and some of the opportunities it has to offer. My only issue is the working hours, sometimes you work with no breaks for the contracted 8.5 hours and sometimes it can even go up to 12 hours without a break on a single day. Some days you start work at your normal start time but about 150 miles away from your main office meaning you might have to wake up to 2-3 hours before you normally do and also you might even finish late because you cannot afford to drive back to the same place again the next day but you are still expected to start work at the same time the next day. This time is not overtime nor is time accrued. On top of this whilst you are away you expected to do the helpdesk calls plus do the task you are sent to do but I understand this will change

It is affecting my sleep, eating habits and the money is no different from what is out there. There is no money incentive for the extra responsibility an hours just the opportunity to learn most of the open source stuff that the company uses. What would you do in such situation because I was due to finish my MCSA before they retire but with working hours being shifted about I m too tired to study or concentrate plus I usually read during my lunch breaks which is now something I do not get regularly because I do not have anyone to cover my breaks? I also subsidise my studies with website designing and IT work outside of work but that soon has to change.

I no it is no brainer (because I sound like I have made my decision) but can you please share your thoughts.

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Comments

southside

wowowo i can relate to your situation as I work as a consultant I travel a lot

Once a week i travel to client site so i wake up like 1 hour and 15 minutes earlier and only have 30 minute lunches/break.

All I have to say is I admire the hard work you do, in the interviews you will have a higher chance of getting the job than other people who have so much down time in their jobs.

May I ask how long you being in the company.

The work load and travel you do can it be rostered and you take turns?

All I can say is if it is not healthy to you and if you see no learning curve or any improvement then hop.

but remember the long hours you did and the travel will count alot in the interviews it is better than having down time

mishy

Hi Southside,

The plan is to have it rotated once they can get someone in but at the moment I am being shown the ropes so it means during that time I need to cover the helpdesk plus learn the roles and responsibility of the field role whilst actively covering the helpdesk. I can recall times I am having to use my own mobile to call clients back and put a laptop on top of a box to VNC to client computers because they have a pressing issue.

It is the first 3 months at the company and there is a plan to roster it but there is no talk about how they will do about the overtime plus there is talk about on-call on the weekends. With the way I feel right now I will be going to sleep throughout the weekend.

In terms of learning, yes they is a lot to learn because we provide support to various companies so their requirements and setups are different. That is why I am presented with a situation were by I keep my mouth shut and learn or at least try discuss on what can be done because my last job was overtime was paid or time accrued which worked well with my studies. Trying to discuss feels a bit tricky when you work with another person who is the manager who does the same work with you although he starts a little bit late and also has the flexibility of coming in late here and there.

olaHalo

OP
seems like a hard gig. hopefully youre being challenged and are learning a lot.
id personally look for something better if possible

southside wrote: »

but remember the long hours you did and the travel will count alot in the interviews it is better than having down time

id rather have downtime then travel time anyday.
travel is just that.
down time is study and catch up time.
and unless youre moving up within the same company, the interviewer will not know about your downtime or travel time.

mishy

I think the thing that kills the most is there is no incentives no overtime pay or time accrued or even starting work a bit late or finishing early. There is a lot to learn but in terms of my exams/self study there is no way the two can blend in together. Maybe I am seeing how it be like at 3rd line support.

lsud00d

One thing to point out is the MCSA 2008 is not retiring, the MCITP 2008 is. Both the SA (3 exams) and EA (5 exams) will get you the MCITP and MCSA if completed before 8/1.

mishy

lsud00d wrote: »

One thing to point out is the MCSA 2008 is not retiring, the MCITP 2008 is. Both the SA (3 exams) and EA (5 exams) will get you the MCITP and MCSA if completed before 8/1.

I am doing MCSA 2003 because I work with Win 2003 servers all day, its the upgrade to 2008 that is being retired on June 31 plus the second shot ends May 31. I had hoped to take the MSCA 2008 upgrade exam using the 2nd shot (dummies safety cushion) but now I am stuck on 70-291 which I hear is the hardest and I am still a long way to go.

I did receive an email Microsoft saying my current certs allow me to upgrade to MCSA 2012 by just taking to exams but there is a lot of things I browsed in the Win 2008 book that I would be happy to learn and use in my current role.

DoubleNNs

The MCSA isn't going to retire. Just the MCITP moniker.

It just seems like that's the reason why people don't stay at certain IT roles too long. Maybe stick it out for a while just to learn as much as you can. And in the mean-time passively look for better roles out there. The new skills/experience from your current role will help you in your search for something better.

Edit: After reading the rest of the thread, seems like my post is actually irrelevant. Sorry.

All I can think of is maybe try to get more information about how your role will change after your initial 3 months is up and make your decision based off of that.

Nemowolf

mishy: I want to start this off with a bit of a disclaimer that i am not trying to insult or offend but since you cant see me, its hard to convey tone and such.

So getting started ... Something you have to consider is that in your entire post, everything was centered around you and your needs as opposed to the needs of your company and the position? This may come off as harsh but you are filling the needs of your employer and there isnt an obligation on their part to give you a raise if you just passively accept it. So what do you do? Now this is mostly translating things i have learned and am applying myself but the first thing is easy enough. Talk to your boss and have a conversation with him concerning your performance and the expectations of the position. Don't demand more money to make up for lost side income but ask him what expectations he has to talk about an increase in pay at the 90 day mark, 180 day mark, or some time down the line such as when a big project has been completed. You can potentially leverage your already out of balance work load and explain how your not only doing your job but your exceeding their expectations of how quickly and effeciently your learning.

Thing you have to remember is that this isnt about evaluating a peice of paper to get you the job, this is evaluating you. You may have to engage your manager and start to pick up on what makes them happy and keep at it for a bit to show them you deserve that increase.

mishy

@Nemowolf - Thank you for your input but my on my current situation I am not asking for a pay increase but a bit of flexibility with the job. What is annoying about it is my work hours are fixed 8-5pm but the company has the flexibility to demand that I start 3hours early but still finish at 5pm and or finish late but still do the 8-5pm for the remainder of the week. What annoys me most is like start work at your normal time 200 miles away from home and finishing later than your normal finish time 200 miles away from home and then having to get up and do the 8-5 as normal the next day whilst all this is not overtime. What I am looking for is maybe people saying this is normal in their jobs and there is no OT pay nor time accrued or maybe asking what is the market like out there for you.

Learning on the job is there but so was on my last job, I always say you learn from every situation sometimes you learn how to do things properly and sometimes how not to do things. Plus to add salt to the wound on pay day you check you account 50 times not knowing when it is going to go in, it is now 1 day overdue but still nothing

southside

WOWOWOW

Dude I can so relate to you,

seriously.

I am kind of in the same position, we are both in hard places and in a intensive role.

But it sucks cause we are new to our company I have only being in my company for 4 months.

I have had a chat with my manager cause I was working close to 49 hours a week,

No I do not get time accrued or over time,

After the chat with the manager it has gone down I do like 45.5 hours a week on average this includes travel.

But I have learned a **** loads after I came here and I know that if I hold on for another 8 months when I hit my one year mark I will be at a senior stage or close to that.

My advice is me and you are on the same boat, talk to your manager about work - life balance and if it does not good look just find another job.

One of the reasons I do not want to quit is quitting a job in less than a year is bad but if you cant take it just quit.

mishy

southside wrote: »

WOWOWOW

Dude I can so relate to you,

seriously.

I am kind of in the same position, we are both in hard places and in a intensive role.

But it sucks cause we are new to our company I have only being in my company for 4 months..

It is good to know that someone else is going through the same thing. I also took Nemowolfs advice of not making it all about myself too. I did speak to the manager and he said he understood and they will try to work it out but in IT and life I never take anyone's word.

What they did ask is are you looking elsewhere and I answered no, I am not in a position to do so and I do not want to do so and if I was we would not have had this conversation because I would have just taken action but I am happy with what I am learning here thats why I am here plus I hate having to discuss when I have already made my decision.

I did explain to them also that what I need to know is how this Field Role and oncall role will work because with my current studies I will need to know if I am able to meet my targets early otherwise forget about ( I have one more exam for the MCSA2003 and then the upgrade but with the working hours I will not finish the last exam plus the upgrade will also retire), so with job commitments it will be worth me planning to just start on the 2012 but I needed to negotiate on completing what I have already invested in the 2003 exams.