Need advice if possible - Not sure what to do

kohr-ah

Hey Everyone,

I know that there are a lot of these threads but I need an outsider input.
My current position is I am a System Support Engineer for Cloud services (that is my title at least) for a decent sized company. (About 500 people). The issue is I dont actually get to do cloud support. I end up doing all the left over work that other people dont do like Solarwinds support, basic database work with a report manager, and little things like that. I dont get to actually touch the equipment at all. I am getting no training.

I started at this company as a printer technician. Worked my way from that to an associate systems support engineer and worked on cisco equipment most of my days at a dorm in downtown Chicago. (Same company, I just get assigned to different sites). They offered for me to start working in my corporate office which I liked my job at the dorm but I just had a new baby and knew that if I moved into the corporate office I could move up quicker. They put me in a NOC position which I quickly worked my way out of because I was over qualified for it but said I would do it so I could get inside and then the offered me this position which isn't even the position I am in. They want me to get my CCNP and VCP5 but I dont even work on networking equipment or even touch VMWare. They don't train people here at all and instead we train ourselves. My case I had one guy I could ask questions to but he is quitting as of next week.

Raise wise I have been doing fine. I have been here almost 4 years now but I average 12% ever year and a quarter with them and we have very good benefits, they purchase stock for employees, etc.

But lately they been having us work (for about the past 4 months) on weekends but they dont tell us we are working until 4:55pm on a Friday and I am kind of just sick of it. It is bringing me down at the end of the day because I have to keep canceling plans with my family.

My question is , is it time to move on? At this point with no exposure I don't even want to be a cloud engineer anymore rather go back to working as a network engineer but I am afraid I dont have the skills I need to find a good position that will make close to my pay due to the lack of hands on experience from them moving me into the corporate office 9 months ago.

I am 31 years old and I make $55,000/yr right now. I not looking to make more money if I can make the same that I make now (Obviously I'd take more money), I just care more about lowering my stress level and working with people who are willing to work together and willing to train me.

Can anyone give me any suggestions or input? Am I just over analyzing all this?

networker050184

If it were me I'd move on. You aren't getting the hands on you need to continue furthering your career and it sounds like it's just an awful work environment with all the last minute weekend work. I know things happen, but it's managements job to get things like this under control.

You can certainly earn more than $50k. You usually have to move on to a new company to get a significant bump in pay though.

kohr-ah

That is my case. I wouldn't mind if it was occasional but as I sit here now they are still discussing what maintenance needs to be done and it isn't even emergency maintenance. (The office is in front of me) but what they should do and when.

I guess I need to clean my resume up and get it out there see what options are available for me. I should also work on my CCNA skills to make sure I have them down pat again. I really haven't looked until now because I wondered if it is actually any better anywhere else or not but I am to the point that I am determined that it has to be.

Ismaeljrp

I think most people have encountered a bad working environment some point in their lives. For me it was a specific unit I was attached to in the Marine Corps. For you it seems this is your bad environment, but I've heard of other's stories and there are a lot of cool jobs you could be doing.

kohr-ah

Yeah, my last one was pretty bad too but I did get a lot of experience out of it which was great and I worked with great people.

I look forward to seeing what is out there to help further myself This place has really good people to work with and they keep people until retirement so until I find something will take everything I can from where I am now.

NetworkVeteran

I would begin by having a discussion with your manager and setting reasonable limits on weekend work. There are many ways to fix this. One of my directors had a policy, "If we have to work on a weekend, everyone in the company is coming in." With that policy, weekend work changed from a once a month occurrence to a one a quarter occurrence. Other practical solutions include weekend pay, on-call pay for any weekends where you "may" work, time-off on the weekday to compensate for the extra hours, etc.

If they don't make a change, I'd begin saying "no" when their last-minute request conflicts with your family plans. Of course, this assumes you are established enough (already paid your dues) such that you can say no without being terminated.

kohr-ah

I have tried that, even brought it up in my last review with him saying I understand things need to be done but I missed out with my brother visiting and more. Luckily I was able to work around my daughters birthday party where once she went to bed I worked 8pm - 6am the last time. Then they told me that coming Monday I was to take it as flex time which I could spread out over the month.

I have talked about this with a senior engineer upstairs when finding out about work schedule and he said it has been this way for years now. By this I don't mean complaining but brought it up when asking if they have heard when we are working, so I can plan my weekend.

Unfortunately here "no" isn't an option unless you are a senior engineer as they see everyone is replaceable. Should I find a new job and give my notice they will walk me out at the end of that conversation (I see it every time someone gives their two weeks). Unless you are in a position where someone HAS to be trained then they will keep you around until that person is trained.

I dont want to seem like I am saying the heck with this place but I dont see myself giving an opportunity to learn unless it is a "sink or swim situation" where I am going to teach myself. Even after talking to my boss and saying I want more hands on they just kind of shrug it off.

DoubleNNs

Brush up on your CCNA skills then move on. If you'd rather be a Net Engineer, go for it.

kohr-ah

Thanks for everyone's response. I think this is what will be best for me and my family.

*Edit: answered rest of questions actually through a coworker / mentor that is also leaving our company who has been doing this for over 20 years. Made it a lot easier to figure out. Thank you again everyone.