Going backwards?

Trying to get the populous opinion on my situation

Currently I work help desk as a jr. proj eng in a fortune 100 company. Huge company, great company, great benefits shitty job.

I was hired on in January with a promise that I wouldn't need to work weekends, and guess what- they just put out the new schedule with me on weekends, and pretty much told me "too bad". This wouldn't be a big deal if I didn't have joint custody of a little girl i only see every other weekend, moving soon, and getting married soon. As it is i cancelled my honeymoon (moved it to sometime next year) since i don't have enough time/vacation days. I have a two year commitment to this position, however the good news is, as soon as i'm done i basically have a straight in to the info sec team- which is where i want to end up (have sec+ waiting for cissp results, currently taking masters in info sec and assurance).

As they told me 'too bad' i can not forfeit the little time i have with my daughter so i applied at a position where i took my internship (a fortune 500), as an IT technician. Seemingly would be more interesting and fun than what i do now, but still just Tech stuff, building computers, imaging, AD stuff, installing software, etc. However there is no saying how moving up will go (but i can't imagine too bad).

I guess i'm not sure what kind of response i'm trying to get out of this, maybe i'm just venting. Does anyone see this is a move backward? I don't know anything about the pay yet, just a pre-emptive opinion collection. As always, thanks TE.

(PS sorry this is kind of all over the place.)

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Comments

never2late

In my opinion, never, ever, put your career before your family. Spending time with your daughter towers over anything else in your life. Take the other position if it fits your schedule.

N2IT

never2late wrote: »

In my opinion, never, ever, put your career before your family. Spending time with your daughter towers over anything else in your life. Take the other position if it fits your schedule.

Wisdom here

What you'll end up with is nothing but regrets and sadness. My suggestion is look for a new job, one that honors their word.

Sounds like a lateral

cyberguypr

Glad to see you have your priorities straight. You made the right call. Family trumps everything in my book. I've always been of the thought that I rather have a job that I enjoy rather than a higher paying one that I dislike.

Also, the fact that they pulled the "too bad" card would make me think they can pull crap like this at any time. It is a two way street.

esswok

Its ok man venting is ok, it helps and we are here for you.

Reality,
don't look for sugar coated crap!

I have been threw 2 divorce, & 1 custody situation.
Fisrt realize the playing field is unfair, and it is not in your favor.
You could do everything in your power for your daughter!
She could easly have no conscience, and be conserned with her own self centered arogent atitude.
I am NOT at all saying that you are playing a loosing game!
JUST remember that, you do also have a life and you need to continue to devlelope it. You give your daughter the time that you can make it quality.

I am not a bitter 1 giving advise, my 3rd wife is a hot young asian babe.
We share an office 24/7/365, for the last 6 years, both of us have acomplished unimaginable tasks togehter.

My daughter,,, well,,
my view may be different than others, it is not tainted, but I am more of a realist, than a traditional make belive everything is ok American;
She is fine,healthy warm and dry, and has a good job. If all you care about is how she feels about you than you are not truly concerned of her well being.
She may not like you but if she is fine that is what matters.

About the job, times are tough now, maybe the company isnt sucking just for you, but the situation sucks for everyone. CHOOSE deal with it or leave, but keep a good attitude.

whatthehell

Most definitely agree that family and close friends come first (those friends that stick through thick and thin with you, not the fair weather friends).

Find something else, get everything in writing, and spend lots of time with your little girl! Best wishes and best of luck!

Turgon

jdchilders wrote: »

Trying to get the populous opinion on my situation

Currently I work help desk as a jr. proj eng in a fortune 100 company. Huge company, great company, great benefits shitty job.

I was hired on in January with a promise that I wouldn't need to work weekends, and guess what- they just put out the new schedule with me on weekends, and pretty much told me "too bad". This wouldn't be a big deal if I didn't have joint custody of a little girl i only see every other weekend, moving soon, and getting married soon. As it is i cancelled my honeymoon (moved it to sometime next year) since i don't have enough time/vacation days. I have a two year commitment to this position, however the good news is, as soon as i'm done i basically have a straight in to the info sec team- which is where i want to end up (have sec+ waiting for cissp results, currently taking masters in info sec and assurance).

As they told me 'too bad' i can not forfeit the little time i have with my daughter so i applied at a position where i took my internship (a fortune 500), as an IT technician. Seemingly would be more interesting and fun than what i do now, but still just Tech stuff, building computers, imaging, AD stuff, installing software, etc. However there is no saying how moving up will go (but i can't imagine too bad).

I guess i'm not sure what kind of response i'm trying to get out of this, maybe i'm just venting. Does anyone see this is a move backward? I don't know anything about the pay yet, just a pre-emptive opinion collection. As always, thanks TE.

(PS sorry this is kind of all over the place.)

Over the course of the last 15 years a lot of marrages and families have imploded because of the stress and strain of the IT rat race. The stellar career and personal riches did not materialise for most of the people who threw everything they had at the jobs they held down, the long hours, getting home late, spoiling and rearranging personal things like holidays and social obligations to appease employers. Many wives and kids have suffered because dad didn't get home at the appointed time or was called out at the last minute to solve a crisis or asked to work late..again.

Put your wife and kids first. So long as you are bringing home the bacon and living for your family thats really all that matters. In the long run, so long as you are settled in your out of work hours, the career will follow. There are many jobs out there that are family friendly if you set expectations accordingly. Killing yourself over many weekends isn't one of them.

jdchilders

In case anyone was following this, or hoping for a follow up, here it is.

I had applied for what seemed to be a great position at the fortune 500 company I interned at while in college (upon graduation there were no open positions via a brand new CIO who restructed everything). I got GREAT reviews from some old managers there, and got an interview right away. So I got a phone interview setup, and was excited! After the phone interview the HR lady said this might move a little quick because they are looking to fill the position asap....5 minutes later she called back and said "i talked to the hiring manager and he wants to interview you today...can you come in?" Indeed i did....

During the interview the manager I would be working for seemed to be more excited to interview me, than i was to be there for the interview (and i was STOKED). During the very first interview with him he explained the position (basically providing ALL IM solutions for the district everything from computer requisition, to cell phones, to routers/servers, etc), and kept saying things like "Wow, i just knwo you'll be GREAT in the pos.....(then correct himself and say), "a good candidate for the position"...made me chuckle inside.

So after that interview, he set up the next interview with HIS boss the next day at 730am...turned out I knew his boss real well from my internship there, and we had a VERY quick interivew...moreso catching up, and at the end he simply said, well i have a great feeling about you, let me talk to HR.

Well here we are 3 days after my phone interview, and they gave me a job offer. Great benefits, great pay (much better than now), and a job and manager that i'll love....and no SET weekends(i say set, cause there will be the occasional saturday/sunday when i have to check on things, which i'm perfectly fine with...its the SET WEEKEND SCHEDULE that wouldnt work).

So i guess everything went better than expected...things MUST happen for a reason right?

Thanks TE.

pizzaboy

Congrats!!, glad to hear that things worked out in the end.

VAHokie56

Awesome man sounds like it could not of turned out better , congrats

Everyone

Congrats! Sounds like great news.

veritas_libertas

Excellent! I'm glad for you and your family. A happy family, makes a happy life.

cyberguypr

I was having a sucky morning but reading success stories on TE always cheers me up. Congrats man!

higherho

Congrats, I'm going through a similar situation right now (just with the job not the family part of it).

cyberguypr wrote: »

I was having a sucky morning but reading success stories on TE always cheers me up. Congrats man!

Same here.

jdchilders

Thanks for all the support!

Turns out I'm actually going forward rather than backward. In the meeting he said its not really an IM tech position thats just hte title HR labeled it. Like i said it caters to all IM(IT) solutions for the district. During the first interview after i talked to him, even showed me the office i'll have (big). Pretty excited!

TLeTourneau

Congratulations!

SilverGenius

Sounds exciting, good for you!

snokerpoker

Glad to hear the good news. Congrats!

unclerico

Congrats! Now, the most important question is did your manager at your current job come up and say "Yeahhh, I'm going to need you to come in on Saturday" and did you say "not now Lumberg, I'm kinda busy right now so why don't ya go ahead and come back later"...anything to that effect? Burning bridges is never a good thing, but the way you described the company and how they couldn't give two craps about you it sure would be nice to just run through the datatcenter, stretch your arms out, and run as fast as you can to see how many cables you can pull in a single pass! I love it when the good guys win!