Am I not cut out for IT?

Hey everyone,

So I am working at a technical support job right now, and I hate it. I have recently been doing research into other IT jobs, but the more I read about the IT world, the more I question whether I am even in the right field.

At my current job I am constantly stressed, I dislike the work, I work closer to 60 hours a week than the expected 40, and I'm not really learning anything valuable. I like computers and technology in general, but ultimately I don't want a job that will consume my whole life and stress me to death.

Every time I see someone describing their career in IT, they talk about the high stress, the long hours, and the need to constantly be on top of new technology. What seems to keep these people going is that they are passionate about IT. I don't have that passion. I like computers, I am good with computers, but I'm not passionate.

So I wanted to run this question by techs who might be kind enough to give me advice: do I sound like I am just not cut out for IT? Are there any IT jobs that aren't so demanding? I don't mind working hard and occasionally putting in long hours, but I don't handle high-stress positions well (I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about my current job).

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Comments

drkat

Brother, 8 years later and I'm still wondering if I'm cut out for it.

Are you passionate about anything? Tech support can be a *****...

Iristheangel

There are some parts of IT that aren't *AS* stressful like babysitting a NOC or some other lower-level work. Those might be your niches but if you ever wanted to move up or make more money, the stress and hours tend to rise. Not a bad thing but it's not everyone's thing. If you're not as passionate about it and you want to make more money than that, you probably should look into other fields. I'd say that you should look at what kind of career you want to be doing for the next 40+ years and if you get depressed at the idea of it being IT work then it's not for you

Akaricloud

Tough question to answer but I'll see if I can get you thinking some more.

To move up in IT you will need to find a passion, put in some extra time keeping up on new technology and learning it. That's not to say that you can't work your way up a little more and stay in say a Systems Administration position for the rest of your career but I question your motive for staying in IT at that point.

If you're 100% sure that you won't ever be passionate about technology then IT probably isn't for you. On the other hand, this passion is often acquired as you learn of new technologies and move into higher positions. I did 3 years of Desktop Support before I found technology was actually something that I enjoyed and was passionate about. This is something that you need to seriously think about.

Every IT job I've had has been extremely stressful and I foresee future ones being the same way. It's something that I enjoy and can work through much better than a lot of the others I see. Maybe someone can weigh in on some lower-stress positions but I personally cannot.

Repo Man

Sounds like you need to switch companies.

BroadcastStorm

The people in IT is what makes the job stressful not the job.

Especially jobs that are high end, the most 2 stressful titles I've had was Network Admin/Engineer, especially when things goes down people are throwing each other under the bus or throwing blame, you will get stab in the back not knowing it to cover their ass, remember "CYA is the name of the game"

There is a solution for this:

1. Find a place where you'll be the only guy doing high-end IT work, where you can make it HA and automated so you don't have to put in alot of hours.
2. Document everything from day 1, and make sure everyone knows you're doing that.
3. If you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.
4. Keep it professional always, don't take sides rather than what's best for the business.
5. After a stressful day make sure to decompress by having fun, work life balance.

Also if you're going to be in IT make sure you can do the job, but aside from that this field just requires alot of hours in this field if you snooze you loose.

shodown

At my current job I am constantly stressed, I dislike the work, I work closer to 60 hours a week than the expected 40, and I'm not really learning anything valuable. I like computers and technology in general, but ultimately I don't want a job that will consume my whole life and stress me to death.

1. When you work support its always high stress, its not personal people just want there systems up. If you are working lower level support you should be getting paid for those extra 20 hours you are putting in.

2. As others have mentioned the higher you move up the more strees. As a example for next week of my work load. Build out 4 Cisco presense servers in different configurations for testing. Finish up a new Dial plan presentation for HQ. Complete installation of paging system, and turn over to another team for operations. This is a example of what you life would be like at the higher levels and this is a light load, i'm sure there are a few guys/gals on here with much more. We also have family and other personal commitments to attend to.

3. You have to make that decision for yourself. Try a different role and see if you like it. IT is very broad I'm sure there is something here for you.

kurosaki00

Try a small college/vocational school network admin or something
But as Iris and others have said, usually responsibility and stress go on the +++
instead of down when you progress
You can try other ways of IT that are "less" stressful
for example instead of being the network admin responsible for the network, be the guy that gets the templates and sheets and configure the network and thats it
or something like that

Roguetadhg

TechJ wrote: »

Hey everyone,

So I am working at a technical support job right now, and I hate it. I have recently been doing research into other IT jobs, but the more I read about the IT world, the more I question whether I am even in the right field.

At my current job I am constantly stressed, I dislike the work, I work closer to 60 hours a week than the expected 40, and I'm not really learning anything valuable. I like computers and technology in general, but ultimately I don't want a job that will consume my whole life and stress me to death.

Every time I see someone describing their career in IT, they talk about the high stress, the long hours, and the need to constantly be on top of new technology. What seems to keep these people going is that they are passionate about IT. I don't have that passion. I like computers, I am good with computers, but I'm not passionate.

So I wanted to run this question by techs who might be kind enough to give me advice: do I sound like I am just not cut out for IT? Are there any IT jobs that aren't so demanding? I don't mind working hard and occasionally putting in long hours, but I don't handle high-stress positions well (I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about my current job).

So what you like computers, and technology in general? I'm sure most male young adults are the same! Hey. Cars have tech in them!

IT isn't a glamorous position. Infact, it's pretty not glamrific. Sometimes the **** hits the fan, and the **** comes at you. With the disclaim out of the way I'll say the speeches that ring true for most people (I've found):
- Making your hobby your career is not always the best choice. As it's your main escape from stress, it's sometimes best left as a stress reliever.

Saying IT and Information Technology is a giantantic umbrella of Stuff. Yes. STUFF is the best way to put it. Some people work with Windows, Linux, Cisco, Juniper, Cisco ASA, Troubleshooting X, Hardware Y... I mean there's a metric stuff-ton of stuff you can do and call it "IT".

It's that big.

You'll need to find a way out. A way out of stress. I... Drink Tea, Alone times with fiance, and... Tech Exams. I like talking to techies, and geeks, nerds - whathave you. I also bother my boss to see if there's anything coming down the pipe, try to get him into a conversation about networking and the network. Studying is nice, but not completing Skyrim has really bugged me out and I need to actually complete the story line!

Passionate about work is great! Obiviously it helps to get the days through. But a job is still just a job. You'll have good days, fantastic days, bad days, and days where you wish you should've called off work. Not saying taking vacation days would actually fix anything... but hopefully you understand what I meant.

Im not Passionate about Windows administration. To me, It's... bleh. I'll toss a user in this OU, make computers here, set permissions. Bam! Cisco I am Passionate about. Do you want to know what my job is? It's not cisco, or windows. I reimage computers, work on tickets, make people upset because the computers are slow, and people ask me questions about their computers - and then ask me how much I'll charge to fix it for them.

Bottomline:
You've gotta find something you enjoy. I would easily suggest reading - not studying for - the A+, Net+, Security+. Read through it, ask questions. Do you see anything that perks your interest. Of course, having certs will help. But if you're not sure about staying in "IT" then I wouldn't suggest studying for it!

Some people won't. A lot of people will get a job they don't like, and they'll teach their children, or others, that's the way it is. It is, for some people. You work, go home, rinse and repeat. I have friends that enjoy working at Wally-world. It takes little effort and they get the time at home. I see myself doing more, doing better. Wanting more. This is my drive. Greed, as disgusting as that word sounds. I'm empowered mostly by greed. I just happen to find something I really really enjoy and would do almost anything (including working for free) to do.

Don't tell my bosses I'll work for free... >.>

BroadcastStorm

I've held a position where I was working nightshifts 10 x 4 a week I consider it my golden years lol.

Jackace

I felt exactly the same way as you OP. Front line support is tough. Until I had a chance to do more than end user support I felt I couldn't do this everyday for the rest of my life either. Once I got a chance to take on bigger projects and do more interesting things I fell in love with IT. The problem with IT is most of us have to put in our time at the front line support roles and it burns a lot of us out before we ever get to do any of the more interesting and fun stuff.

paul78

I can't actually think of any profession where there is less stress as you move up the ladder. @OP - what kind of career would you consider less stressful?

sratakhin

Try to find another job. If I spent my whole day with a phone headset helping users, I'd probably hate IT as well.

baseball1988

TechJ wrote: »

Hey everyone,

So I am working at a technical support job right now, and I hate it. I have recently been doing research into other IT jobs, but the more I read about the IT world, the more I question whether I am even in the right field.

At my current job I am constantly stressed, I dislike the work, I work closer to 60 hours a week than the expected 40, and I'm not really learning anything valuable. I like computers and technology in general, but ultimately I don't want a job that will consume my whole life and stress me to death.

Every time I see someone describing their career in IT, they talk about the high stress, the long hours, and the need to constantly be on top of new technology. What seems to keep these people going is that they are passionate about IT. I don't have that passion. I like computers, I am good with computers, but I'm not passionate.

So I wanted to run this question by techs who might be kind enough to give me advice: do I sound like I am just not cut out for IT? Are there any IT jobs that aren't so demanding? I don't mind working hard and occasionally putting in long hours, but I don't handle high-stress positions well (I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about my current job).

I was in your situation a couple years ago. My previous position was also technical support and I hated my job (constant stress, customers screaming and yelling over the phone, odd hours (day or night), tied to the phone, and etc. I did like computers and network technologies but I didn't have a passion in this area.

Another area that might interest you is "Desktop Support". You provide support only to employees within the organization (dealing with people face-to-face). This type of job is usually better than providing support to external clients.

I ended up using my technical support experience to move into development (software quality assurance). Basically, to test the application, look for bugs, create test cases, regression test, and etc. It can be really exciting and fun. Also, it's relaxing on specific days of the month (if there isn't an upcoming product release) and much better than technical support.

drkat

Iris, I look at any job over the next 40 years to put a knot in my stomach

Lets talk about passion for a second. I know some folks are passionate about computing, they love it to tears and are constantly staying on top of it for the love.. whether it be Cisco or Windows or just building desktops. For me personally? I was always good with computers, I call it my curse. Expert? No... Good yes... However I never found my "passion" so I stick around because I've put in almost a decade and make decent cash.. however to the OP -- if you arent married to the game yet, definitely find something else if you have a feeling.

I mean honestly? Who wants to sit on your arse 8-10 hours a day, unless you're very strict about your diet and exercise routine the extra lbs start piling up, the stress makes you balding (see my head...) and you generally feel like quitting but you look back and go... I know nothing else. Make your decisions wisely because before you know it you've put too much time in.

I've decide that with this new job I got - I'm the only Network Engineer (I'm somehow a backup windows guy too?? idk..) and once I get all of my debt paid down I'm out, like OUT OUT - I'm gonna go minimalist and find a job that is both rewarding (not in money) and I'm passionate about. I burnt out once in my life and abandoned IT for like 4 years... Office Space saved my life

Just my $0.02 - I could be wrong.

it_consultant

Forget about liking computers - anyone can be trained to work on computers and networks. Ask yourself these questions:

1 - Do you thrive under pressure and challenge?
2 - Do you prefer a methodical approach to problem solving?
3 - Are you detail oriented?
4 - Do you mind knowing very detailed information about things that other people have no clue about?
5 - Do you mind working outside of the normal culture of a company?
6 - Are you comfortable with the level of responsibility that comes along with having admin privileges to line of business applications, financial systems, and HR records?
7 - Do you mind working in a male dominated field?
8 - Do you mind working with people who have questionable inter-personal skills?

If your OK with most of that, then suck it up. If your not, go a different path.

As a side note, the part where you mentioned "keeping up with the latest technology", that is what keeps most of us in the field. I have a stack of Brocade (IP, storage, converged) stuff I need to learn in the next month. I tell people that I earn an associates degree every three to four years. That is about how long you can go before you need to take some training to get and remain current and relevant. If your not going to be OK with that - maybe this field isn't for you.

matt333

i say you look for another job. You've made the commitment to IT, give it a chance try another job. I'm sure we've all had jobs that we hated, then we move to another job and it gets better, then you find something you are passionate about and everything falls into place. Don't give up to easily, find another job

jibbajabba

Been there, done that, bought the stinking T-Shirt.

The problem with I.T. is, it is the tool companies have to use to run. These tools need to run 24/7. That is where the stress comes from. Especially if you are really good in a certain area. You either end up being the 'go-to' guy or you get a company phone and laptop, maybe even attached with a promotion, to make sure you are available 24/7, adding to the stress and pressure to perform.

Because of this I also asked myself the same bloody question - should I rather go into pig-farming

Someone suggested changing companies. To be honest though - it only helps temporarily - ESPECIALLY if you aren't passionate.

It took me now almost 10 years to be out of this nonsense. I am now in the architecture/engineering team - no on-call, overtime etc. Now I am a lot happier.

So if you like parts of your job, see if you can find a way to do this full time. No point in beating yourself up - that isn't healthy.

dontstop

it_consultant wrote: »

Forget about liking computers - anyone can be trained to work on computers and networks. Ask yourself these questions:

1 - Do you thrive under pressure and challenge?
2 - Do you prefer a methodical approach to problem solving?
3 - Are you detail oriented?
4 - Do you mind knowing very detailed information about things that other people have no clue about?
5 - Do you mind working outside of the normal culture of a company?
6 - Are you comfortable with the level of responsibility that comes along with having admin privileges to line of business applications, financial systems, and HR records?
7 - Do you mind working in a male dominated field?
8 - Do you mind working with people who have questionable inter-personal skills?

Well summarised, i was going to say something along a very similar vein.

To the OP, Working in a Level 1 position is a haven for burnout. There are really 2 types of people who work in a Service Desk/Help Desk position. The first type will only last for <18 months before it drives them crazy and the second will bed in and never leave. If you enjoy living by the seat of your pants, enjoy helping people each day with a lot of direct contact and don't feel the need to contribute much back into the workings of things, A level 1 position is great, Otherwise skill up and get out.

A big problem with I.T. (as mentioned before) is the actual people working in I.T., Here are some examples:

* Managers who don't man up to CEO/CTO/CIO/CFO's resulting in I.T. wasting time on knee jerk reactions/requests
* Upper/Middle Management designing or pushing technical solutions, instead of managing people (which is what their paid for)
* Colleagues who don't care about the work they do (no documentation, greedy with knowledge, poor understanding of systems)
* People who are in it to show off (I'm this smart, I've got X certs, I've been here for X years, I keep this place together), Tell me how those skills help a company, with examples and that means 100x more than a piece of paper (i have nothing against Certification)
* People who have ulterior motives (I'm buddies with Joe Blo from IBM, therefore i'll push hard for us to buy IBM Branded stuff... instead of doing a fair market comparison)

Read this: What the hell happened to professional IT? - Overclockers Australia Forums << Great example of the current state of the industry

So you don't feel like your cut out for I.T.? You don't feel like you can make it because it's only a hobby? (which is Bullcrud IMHO, why else would you do it then?, For the money alone? If so Read the link above).

Also read it_consultant's points above, that is what I.T. is about. It's about being a professional at what you do and finding a small something you enjoy, It's about doing something correctly, standing by your convictions and taking a methodical approach to doing something well and proper.

In my case, I have a passion for making things go quicker (HPC, Supercomputing, Networking) and i also really enjoy making things rock solid reliable for customers (High Avaliability, Documentation, Reproducable, Fast recovery). They are the things that make me smile and keep me learning, OP you need to find the thing that makes you smile and work towards that. Yes there are a lot of boring things you need to learn along the way but later on these are the things you will call on the most. I find many people are all rush, rush when it comes to I.T. but if you look at the industry it's actually a very slow one, it's marketing which makes it seem like it's moving at a rabbits pace. The fundamentals have been with us for a very long time and seem to hold very true today, (i.e The big buzz around IPv6 which has been with us for what 15 years now? is just an example)

I would also like to add to it_consultant's list:

1 - Do you insit on doing it once, doing it right?
2 - Do you believe that a stich in time saves nine?
3 - Do you believe that I.T. is there to serve the customer, Not I.T. itself?
4 - Do you enjoy building Computers, Networks, Skills to make systems work well together?
5 - Are you willing to question others solutions and working out, even when the group nods without a second thought?
6 - Do you enjoy experimenting with stuff, breaking it out and seeing how it ticks?

A final point; To all those people who say "I.T. is hard, stressful" it's only as hard and stressful as you let yourself and others make it. I know many I.T. and Network pro's who are both Brutally honest, very smart and will always put the big effort in on Day 1 not on Day N-1. If you let yourself get pushed around by others, by management and don't do what you know you need to. Then you will always be doing the hard work. Be honest with others and yourself and always do what you know is the right thing at the time, (this also means having the confidence to walk away from a Job if it's cruddy). With I.T. full of so many muppets and yes men/women it's very refreshing having people who know their stuff and are willing to not take others crap bent over a table.

Anyway, Shape your own I.T. path there are many many n00bs currently in the field. As there are in so many other fields too. The people who know their stuff back to front and are willing to learn/breaking/play are those who earn the real money. (i.e $200k+). The industry isn't looking for textbook parrots to type commands from books into commands lines (outsourcing/offshoring is great for that). They are looking for minds who can innovate and drive their company forward.

Hope this helps mate.

jmritenour

If you're not passionate about it, then yes, maybe you should consider looking into another field. This is a tough field to be in, and even if you genuinely love what you do, it's easy to get burned out. Life is too short to make a career out of something you don't enjoy doing.

Complete_IT_Professional

dontstop wrote: »

Anyway, Shape your own I.T. path there are many many n00bs currently in the field. As there are in so many other fields too. The people who know their stuff back to front and are willing to learn/breaking/play are those who earn the real money. (i.e $200k+). The industry isn't looking for textbook parrots to type commands from books into commands lines (outsourcing/offshoring is great for that). They are looking for minds who can innovate and drive their company forward.

dontstop makes a good point - there's a difference between your average IT worker and the exceptional ones.

I think the common theme here is to find something you're passionate about within IT. If you don't like support, that's a good thing - it's one less area of IT you know you want to work in. Some people don't have any idea what they like and don't like.
There are many areas of IT, as people have mentioned, so look towards an area that you enjoy!

the_Grinch

I started working full time as phone support for an ISP and it was hell. After a couple weeks (I would literally have panic attacks in my car) I finally quit and it made me wonder if IT was the way to go. I finished college and got a job doing deskside support which proved less stressful. Once I learned everything I could there, I moved on and actually got back on the phones. To say that I was scared how it was going to turn out is an under statement. I stayed there almost two years and am now back at deskside support. I too hate doing support, it's gets old and three years of doing it full time is far too much.

I'd try another company before I completely bailed. One thing people don't tend to think about is the people you work with have a huge impact on your day. There were days doing phone support where I thought I was going to shoot myself, but then someone throws out a movie quote or a joke. Having a team who can lighten the mode during stressful times is very important.

NetworkVeteran

TechJ wrote: »

So I am working at a technical support job right now, and I hate it.

I guess the first thing to figure out is why you hate it. Do you like interacting with people, or do you like sitting alone in a cubicle? Does the thought of needing to study for the rest of your life scare you? Is it really the long hours and stress getting to you?

At my current job I am constantly stressed,

Have you considered improving your ability to handle stressful situations, perhaps by learning more about what causes it and effective coping mechanisms?

I work closer to 60 hours a week than the expected 40

This need not be a long-term thing. Those new to a field often have to pay their dues one way or another until they ramp up their skills. Many of us who have been in the field awhile are able to limit our hours to forty, at least the vast majority of the time.

I'm not really learning anything valuable.

You are, even if you don't realize it yet.

they talk about the high stress, the long hours, and the need to constantly be on top of new technology.

Let me be dispell that. In a previous role I worked 20hrs per week, light stress, made sig figures, and.. well, keeping abreast of technology is essential imho. After all, the more dull your skills, the more hours you have to put in to achieve the same result.

they are passionate about IT.

I'm passionate about being my best.

Are there any IT jobs that aren't so demanding?

Quite a few, of all types, including technical support! I should rephrase that. The demands won't lessen, but as you become more effective at fulfilling them as you gain experience and study. You will then have a choice to take on more work for better compensation, or to take on the same work in fewer hours. Find the right work/life balance for yourself.

WiseWun

As others mentioned, you need to find another job. 11 months ago I was in a similar boat, worked at a small MSP and our clients were mainly law firms. It was very stressful, received lots of gray hair, I couldn't even focus on my Masters degree in the evening. At one point, I thought about taking a year off because the work was so demanding and our boss thought it was okay not to pay as overtime since it wasn't billable hrs to the client.

I waited patiently, studied, and networked with folks. An opportunity came by and I received 2 job offers within the same period both with reputable companies. Once I signed the offer letter, I couldn't wait to give in my 2 week notice (felt a bit guilty leaving) and I kept the exit interview professionally.

I'm currently Tier 2 Support (Virtualization, Wintel, Unix, and Network) working for a state agency making 25% more with less headache, less work, and more benefits and training. If what drives you is your passion, then stick it through. IT can be very rewarding.

DigitalZeroOne

TechJ wrote: »

Every time I see someone describing their career in IT, they talk about the high stress, the long hours, and the need to constantly be on top of new technology. What seems to keep these people going is that they are passionate about IT. I don't have that passion. I like computers, I am good with computers, but I'm not passionate.

Since I can only go by what I read, the short answer would be that you are not cut out for IT, but it does go deeper than that. I have worked at jobs where 1 person can make the difference in how much you like your job, it's all in how you deal with problems. I will say this, IT is stressful, if you're that type of person. You're always in a position where systems need to come up fast, where people look to you to fix their problems. But you will find stress in most jobs, the difference is what type of stress is really frustrating to you. My example is this: I hate to cook, I don't have the patience for it, I don't want to stand there and watch the food, not even for 5 minutes. When it comes to computers, I have had to sit at old Compaq servers that took almost 20 minutes to boot (no kidding), and that didn't bother me at all.

You can work a normal 40 hour week in IT, but I find that those who do can sometimes limit their growth. I say that because if you want to really get into Senior level IT work, it involves a lot of work, a lot of studying on your own time, learning new things, and most of all, enjoying it. I still enjoy learning new things, I work with VMware, but I decided to try and learn Hyper-V because Microsoft does have a way of taking over, and I want to know a good amount of Hyper-V if that day comes. I'm going to buy my own books, use my own time (Ok, I'll also do some at work, but not all), and not just because I worry about not keeping my edge, it's because I still find it fun and exciting to learn new things.

Find out if it's really IT, or just your job. If it's your job, then look for things that you can improve about yourself, to help you cope. If it's really bad, then move on to something you like. In any case, don't just stop because of stress, do stop if you really don't like IT though.

TechJ

Wow, I wasn't expecting so many replies! I really appreciate all of the input.

The reason I say I am not learning anything valuable at my job is that the support we offer centers around the specific software my company markets. The troubleshooting process does require me to investigate Windows environments, servers, SQL databases, and MS Office applications, but the depth of interaction with those things is pretty shallow. I'm not exactly gaining experience that will propel me forward in an IT career. Once I leave my company, most of my knowledge gained will be useless since it only pertains to the niche product I was supporting.

I actually like my boss and my co-workers. And the customers we support could honestly be a lot worse than they are. I think it's just the nature of the support position that's making me feel fried. I barely have time to think about one issue before another one rolls in, which is difficult because I'm scatterbrained and get stressed juggling a bunch of issues at once.

So while I recognize that a lot of my frustration is tied to this particular job, it has still caused me to reflect on my career path from a different perspective. I feel like I have the mind for IT. I just don't know if I can physically handle the stress and long hours.

And it's not like I have never had stress at a job before. I had a part-time QA position before this one. That job had its stressful moments, but I didn't feel overwhelmed and I liked the work okay.

I have considered internal Desktop Support, but I don't know if it would really be much of an improvement. I've heard heard enough horror stories about Desktop Support to make me wary.

At any rate, I will definitely give it some time and reflection before just deciding to call it quits. I may just be feeling burned out at my current job. I'll be reading and re-reading the advice in this thread over the coming weeks.

baseball1988

TechJ wrote: »

Wow, I wasn't expecting so many replies! I really appreciate all of the input.

The reason I say I am not learning anything valuable at my job is that the support we offer centers around the specific software my company markets. The troubleshooting process does require me to investigate Windows environments, servers, SQL databases, and MS Office applications, but the depth of interaction with those things is pretty shallow. I'm not exactly gaining experience that will propel me forward in an IT career. Once I leave my company, most of my knowledge gained will be useless since it only pertains to the niche product I was supporting.

I actually like my boss and my co-workers. And the customers we support could honestly be a lot worse than they are. I think it's just the nature of the support position that's making me feel fried. I barely have time to think about one issue before another one rolls in, which is difficult because I'm scatterbrained and get stressed juggling a bunch of issues at once.

So while I recognize that a lot of my frustration is tied to this particular job, it has still caused me to reflect on my career path from a different perspective. I feel like I have the mind for IT. I just don't know if I can physically handle the stress and long hours.

And it's not like I have never had stress at a job before. I had a part-time QA position before this one. That job had its stressful moments, but I didn't feel overwhelmed and I liked the work okay.

I have considered internal Desktop Support, but I don't know if it would really be much of an improvement. I've heard heard enough horror stories about Desktop Support to make me wary.

At any rate, I will definitely give it some time and reflection before just deciding to call it quits. I may just be feeling burned out at my current job. I'll be reading and re-reading the advice in this thread over the coming weeks.

I can totally relate to your situation because my previous technical support job was exactly like your current job. It's based on providing proprietary software support to external clients. The knowledge you gain is kept within the organization. You still do learn the basic process of troubleshooting and how to deal with angry people. That's pretty much it.

You will need to find a company that will allow you to touch standard or common of technologies. This will allow you to easily jump from one company to another in the future (because standard technologies are pretty much used in any organization - skills in demand and hirable).

There are so many career paths. In my case, I decided NOT to pursue any jobs with the word 'support'. I just lost passion overtime so I decided to get into QA. I wasn't really the type of person who can troubleshoot on the spot. I am more into analyzing things behind the scene. To sum it up, you need to figure out your personality before you make a career change.

Maybe you don't like dealing with people over the phone. Get a certificate and apply for better jobs? Network Analyst? Security Analyst? Network Administration? If you don't have 100% passion in IT, there are other options such as: Business Systems Analyst or IT Business Analyst. These roles require you to have both IT and Business skills (define client system requirements, design, and implement).

dontstop

TechJ wrote: »

Wow, I wasn't expecting so many replies! I really appreciate all of the input.

The reason I say I am not learning anything valuable at my job is that the support we offer centers around the specific software my company markets. The troubleshooting process does require me to investigate Windows environments, servers, SQL databases, and MS Office applications, but the depth of interaction with those things is pretty shallow. I'm not exactly gaining experience that will propel me forward in an IT career. Once I leave my company, most of my knowledge gained will be useless since it only pertains to the niche product I was supporting.

Knowledge is never wasted, Knowing how to do the most insignificant thing can come around one day and be a big boon for you. Have you tried replicating some of the systems you run by yourself so you better understand how the pieces fit together?

paul78

TechJ wrote: »

Wow, I wasn't expecting so many replies!

Yeah- we're a pretty opinionated/passionate bunch

TechJ wrote: »

Once I leave my company, most of my knowledge gained will be useless since it only pertains to the niche product I was supporting.

Troubleshooting skills are incredibly transferable. And if you support proprietary software for a particular sector, having that understanding of the business is also very valuable to other prospective employers in that sector.

I have only ever worked with proprietary software targeted at the financial industry. But it is the domain expertise in that industry that has been a constant which brings value to my employers. It is actually the technology that changes.

XiaoTech

paul78 wrote: »

Yeah- we're a pretty opinionated/passionate bunch

Troubleshooting skills are incredibly transferable. And if you support proprietary software for a particular sector, having that understanding of the business is also very valuable to other prospective employers in that sector.

I have only ever worked with proprietary software targeted at the financial industry. But it is the domain expertise in that industry that has been a constant which brings value to my employers. It is actually the technology that changes.

What about the case if you completely leave the industry? I'm doing front line support at a mobility msp and find myself constantly wanting to leave, but prevented by the current benefits of the job. I probably use about 5% of my brain while there and always bored in tears. I've learned everything there is to know for TI/II support at my job, and I've been there less than a year. I even spoke with my manager about it and currently there's no where to put me. Just gave me the usual speech to keep up what I'm doing and doors will open later.

I've tried studying for CCNA and MCTS: 70-640, but I always find myself starting strong and stopping because I literally fall asleep reading the material. I know the reason I got good with computers and troubleshooting is because I didn't want to have to ask anyone for help to fix my computer. Not because I was ever passionate about it. I never liked (and still don't) like helping people with their computer problems (unless it was an excuse to go over some chick's place to "fix" their computer, hah) I guess this is why I majored in Asian Studies and not computer science.

drkat

heh +1 ..