Status update 1 month in to my first IT gig....

Hello all, It has been 1 month since starting my first IT position as a Desktop Support Technician.....WOW it has been a ride. I was thrown headfirst in to my position which is easily a level 2 help desk position with almost no formal training what so ever. It was a rocky start to say the least, I almost got fired, but it seems as though I am pulling through after all.

On the technical side I was taken back by all of the different software that people were having issues with and expected me to fix jobBOSS, AutoCAD, QuickBooks, MEI....I still don't really know what most of those are but I am starting to notice a pattern in the errors, most seem to be database related. Other than that, my nerves almost got the best of me, I would get so flustered when initially getting calls that I would ramble things off that I thought might be the issue some of which made no sense and were often times barely audible, the KISS principle was all but lost on me even though I had read about it numerous times.

To make matters worse, the company that I work for does not have a ticket system, it's old fashioned email and logs logs logs! I have always known that organization has been one of my...so this has been a nightmare for me. Communication communication communication! this is what I have been hearing for the last few weeks over and over. I get a ticket, respond to the client, let the team know, let the boss know, finish the job send another round of emails then rinse and repeat, all that on top of the AV renewals, SSL Renewals, Domain Renewals, backup audits, server updates & restarts, as well as getting quotes and placing orders for the on site techs.

By now this is probably starting to seem like a negative thread, but I have emerged with a much more in depth understanding of being a professional and what "high pressure" really means. After coming up with a self management plan, I have learned to take a deep breath before each call and really try to get a 1000 foot view of the situation before diving right in which has helped tremendously (especially the deep breath part..seriously..try it). I am completing calls at a much faster rate and I have time to get my other tasks done as well. My boss has gone from holding me over thin ice to discussing my future with the company and when I will be eligible for a raise...I know I have a long way to go but things are looking up! I guess I could have summed this whole post up in one sentence: When the pressure is too high, take a deep breath.