Starting to regret the career transition to IT

I was recently able to make a career change from criminal justice to IT, even declining jobs in interview as I refused to work in a call center, help desk type job. (Calls back to back to back)

I currently work at a school (IT department of two), where I periodically get calls, roam the school, interact with the students, hands on with WAPs, servers, punching wires, break/fix issues, etc.

In my early 30s, and I declined a job at the sheriff’s department during the transition and I’m starting to regret it. Even though the entry level pay is great. $19.00+ an hour. There is just so much down time at this position and I’m starting to get frustrated. I can’t study in my spare time, as I see so many other people do on the forums. I’m expected to stay/look busy with something work related, even if there is nothing to be fixed.

I know I’ll make more in the long run in IT than criminal justice. It’s just I’m not being pushed mentally, I get frustrated. I don’t know what I want to do in the long run. In school, working on my Net+, while I have my A+, and following that up with Sec+, along with the other certs through WGU.

I don’t know, I just constantly catch myself looking at indeed…..

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Comments

LonerVamp

First of all, I just want to say I'm glad you've found this TE forum and that you are reaching out for guidance.

Second, like others have mentioned, you have some red flags that you personally need to deal with.

roaming the school looking for issues
I'm not even sure what to say about this except, HUH? Do you not have monitoring or a ticket system so issues can be given to a central location? If this is how your boss thinks you're being busy, then this is the opposite of every situation I've experienced where if you're not at your desk, then clearly you're not working, but at your desk means work (unless ESPN.com or Candy Crush is always up).

so much downtime
I get it, and I've had jobs with some massive downtime. But you should always look for things to do or improvements to be made, even if it ends up going nowhere, the learning can help.

expectation to study during work and/or downtime
This is all you and your expectation that everyone on this forum studies during work time. Some certainly do, but many of us do not. We do this on our own time outside of work, either for ethical reasons or because we just don't have the time at work. Don't make this a hang up that you harbor.

refuse to work in a call center help desk
I think everyone should be open to starting out in "help desk" in their IT careers. The problem is that "help desk" means different things to different people. Call centers are one thing where you are getting call after call or making call after call. Being a "Technical Support" is often kinda like this, which I've done in my early years, but it was always FAR less often than back-to-back phone calls. Similarly, being "Help Desk" aka "Desktop Support" for a business doesn't mean you even get 5 calls a day...

I get what you don't want: the traditional call center where you get calls every time you hang up the phone. Just watch your wording, otherwise people are going to read into this that you don't want to do any of the above roles...

been 10 months since threat start, and no new certs
This is something only you can work on. Look at those goals, how to get there, and actually put in the time. You should find it unacceptable that you've been in the same role with no new certs/education in a year.

don't know what to do, no goals
This will be your biggest thing. You need to do some soul searching and decide your direction and some eventual goals. They don't need to be like 10 year or even 5 year goals, but just what sounds like something you want to do, and how do you get there. Without goals, you're going to continue to drift where the wind blows.

Daneil3144

echo_time_cat wrote: »

@ the OP.

I think we all understand what it's like working for a "boss" who doesn't "get it." If your boss thinks you not being infront of your monitor/at your desk, means you aren't working, then you have a challenge..

I saw my last person's evaluation before he got promoted and the only negative thing was him being at his desk, which was reiterated to me about things he did wrong.

LonerVamp wrote: »

roaming the school looking for issues
I'm not even sure what to say about this except, HUH? Do you not have monitoring or a ticket system so issues can be given to a central location? If this is how your boss thinks you're being busy, then this is the opposite of every situation I've experienced where if you're not at your desk, then clearly you're not working, but at your desk means work (unless ESPN.com or Candy Crush is always up).

Must be a school thing. We have ticket system, but that's just submitted at the end of the week. If we submit 10 tickets at least for the week; we are fine. I have to take care of the students(and the student issued laptops) and the teachers. Other people who have worked at schools understand. Probably why they issue us cell phones

eansdad wrote: »

Having worked in a school district for almost a decade all I can say is RUN!!! They want you to be seen which is counter to working on back end things like automation, updating, Active Directory, GPOs...etc you get the point..

LonerVamp wrote: »

been 10 months since threat start, and no new certs
.

Where is this quote? Where did I even say this?

Sirhc_Jay85

I would kill to be in your position! You're at least gaining experience in IT, decent wage for entry level, here I am on the forums looking to one day be in your position!!!

Daneil3144

Sirhc_Jay85 wrote: »

I would kill to be in your position! You're at least gaining experience in IT, decent wage for entry level, here I am on the forums looking to one day be in your position!!!

I'll post it...Well when you see such a position posted from a throwaway account....

NetworkingStudent

Did the OP ever find a new role? Also, do recruiters make a commission?

volfkhat

LonerVamp wrote: »

"been 10 months since threat start, and no new certs.."

This is something only you can work on. Look at those goals, how to get there, and actually put in the time. You should find it unacceptable that you've been in the same role with no new certs/education in a year.

My bad on that;
mea cupla.

I only glanced at his signature and didnt see any new certs listed.
OP says he earned his A+ & Net+; so it sounds like he's on his way.

I think he just needs to keep working towards a higher cert (assuming he didnt do the WGU path)