Posted: 9/1/2006 2:19:47 PM EDT
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Background: I'm in IT, been out of school and in the real world for 2.5 years. I've had 3 different jobs (the first being a 2 month temp to get something on my resume) in that time, my current job being the longest at 1.5 years. I'm a network administrator, have diverse skills...a jack of all trades, if you will. When I got my job with my current company, I was working help desk/network tech position and barely making $20k a year. So my current job was a significant step up at ~$34k a year. I was hired on as the "IT Assistant" to my boss, the IT manager...there are only two of us. In that time, I have gone far above and beyond the duties I was hired on for - all on my own drive. I singlehandedly did a domain upgrade from NT to 2003 (a formidable task for even the most experienced IT pros) with NO help, input, or direction from my boss. I honestly don't think he knew how to, or could have, done it himself. He may be the manager, but he's definately not managing. So I was supposed to get a 90 day review and possibility for raise. When they hired me, they paid me less than I wanted but it was still a big increase, and with the opportunity for a raise, I accepted. The 90 day came and went, without any word. Then, 8 months later, annual reviews/raises came. Which were postponed because the owner of my company claimed 'financial hardship' (bs....I see every order that comes in that place) and pushed them back til April. Well April came and went, and I FINALLY got my review, which I got great marks on (rightly so) and a WHOPPING .25 an hour raise. Wow, thanks for that $7 a week after taxes  Not only was I hoping and deserving for more than that, I felt I also deserved an 'official' promotion from Assistant to Network Admin....and the raise that goes with it. Frustrated, I begin to look for jobs (IT market in KC is hard) but I've been getting a decent amount of interviews. No one has hired me, although I was several 'runners up' in case the first person didn't pass their background check etc. Whatever. Well this most recent job I interviewed for called me and offered me the job today...for a whopping $1 an hour more than I'm making now...even though they knew full and well that I was wanting mid $40's, which they knew before interviewing me. His reason was 'due to your lack of experience'...pfffft as if. I was over qualified for this job, if anything, but would have taken it for a decent pay raise because I'm so dying to get out of the current company. I tell him I was looking for more, he tells me to think about it over the weekend and he'll call me Tuesday and we'll go from there. I get an email 15 minutes ago saying "After careful consideration, we've offered the job to someone else - who accepted the offer" WTF?!? Thanks for giving me time to 'think about it'. Arrrrrrrrrgh I'm so frustrated....why the hell can't I just get paid a fair (and typical/average) wage for my job and experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /rant.... |
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This was mainly just the rant about the company saying they'd give me the weekend to think about it, then going behind my back 15 minutes later and giving me the big 'fuck you' I know what I'm worth, I know what my friends in IT are making and their experience, I'm just getting dicked around and it's getting frustrating. |
| You don't wanna work form companies that jack you around to save a buck. I've been with my current employer for 11 years. During the first 6 or so I used to apply for and interview for jobs now and then to see if there were greener pastures. I got a lot of offers, but so many wanted to jack me around on money. One place started low (knowing what I wanted), and when I balked they kept upping the offer. It ended with them asking how much it'd take to get me, and me thinking I don't wanna walk into this place after FORCING them to pay me what I'm worth and have them on my case right off the bat. So my current employer created a new, higher-paying position to keep me and I've been here ever since. I am pretty tired though. Will be sure to post the event on ARFCOM if I ever leave this place, so you IT people can apply if you want to make the less-than-stellar money that we get paid up here in MT. |
I agree, and realized this after it happened. It was just a pretty shitty thing to do. I had to rant. I had to vent some steam. Consider this the avoidance of a EBR toting madman raising a ruckus around town 
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I also think I'm at an odd point in my career. I'm overqualified for many of the jobs out there (helpdesk/technician/etc) but potential employers may view me as 'underqualified' (or at least less desireable than someone with 5-6 years experience going for the same job) for the jobs I can do very well.... so I'm at a 'crossroads' I suppose. |
Having been in the field for about ten years, I can say with authority that this quoted part was your first major screwup. You start doing things on your own initiative, especially large complicated reasonably 'difficult' things, and guess what? Nobody honestly notices. Don't let your boss get used to you going above and beyond. Once everyone is used to it, including yourself, it becomes part of your expected duties -- at your current pay rate. Can't tell you much else, learn from your mistake. Do exactly what your job description is, and no more. If your boss gives you any heat over it, be civil and respecful, but tell him that you negotiated THIS much pay for THAT work. If they want you to do more, and you feel ok doing more, then they can pay more. Business owners and managers understand and respect this. They want everything for free and they'll try to get it, but they're used to being told "I don't think so, Tim." |
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Sorry to hear things aren't panning out as you had hoped. The only feedback I would give is, if someone offers you a job, be happy on the phone. Even if they give you less than you think, say thanks and I will get back with you immediately. The ball is in your court at that time. In all honesty, from the sounds of it, you lost the job due to the conversation. You gave them something that made them reconsider. Good luck in your persuit of a different job. |
TRUST ME, I've majorly throttled back my 'initiative and motivation' since I kept getting put off. I haven't received even any verbal praise  My original intent was to go above and beyond, do much more than my job requirements, and use that as fodder for a raise. Maybe I was wrong in thinking that. Also, I graduated college in 3 years and started it 1 month after graduating high school. I'm barely 23 but have 2.5 years experience. I think people under estimate me due to my age. I may have that playing against me as well. |
I made a point of being extremely 'gracious' sounding and still very much interested in the job. They gave me the option to think it over the weekend (which I intended to do) and I wished him a good weekend and went on with my day...oh well. Wasn't meant to be. Just waiting for the 'meant to be' job... |
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for future reference though, all "rants" should be posted on an appropriate forum, such as a homosexual campers BBS or the nickelodeon kids forums, because in case you dont know, everybody on here is a stoic, hard charging, iron chested epitome of responsible manliness and they have no time for the blatherings of lesser beings. BTW, sorry to hear about your woes. im in the military, i know all about being underpaid. |
LOL...duly noted. And of all the people in the country, our military is most deserving of a raise. |
That's why I responded. I was in the same boat, I feel your pain. I am 29, I started professionally when I was 19 working at an ISP. No college, high school drop out with a GED. Until I was about your age and my resume was significantly longer than.. empty.. nobody really took me seriously either. Now, things are different. :) When my boss asks me why I didn't answer the phone on saturday, I say "because you don't pay me enough to work weekends." We both have a chuckle, and when review time comes around, we negotiate such things. ;) |
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I've gone through the same thing you're going through twice. Each time I was working my way up the ladder the community colleges, tech schools and vocational schools were pumping out "fully trained" people, immigrants from Vietnam or Cambodia the first time, immigrants from Mexico the second time, and the goverment was giving companies huge tax credits to hire them. I kept getting laid off despite having great reviews and being nearly indespensible, at least according to my bosses. Interesting to note, that several of the above companies are now out of buisness or have downsized hugely due to poor product performance. The second time it happened the company tried to hire me back a month after laying me off because their new hires, right out of school and barely able to speak english, couldn't figure out the job and the company was pissing off their client base and losing money. Too bad for them I'd already started my own company. I wound up renting myself back to them for 4 times what they were paying me when I worked there. IT is no different, the schools are pumping out IT "professionals" fast and, much like when you got out of school, they'll work for peanuts just to get something on their resume. You probably caused some older IT person to get layed off when you did it, now what goes around is coming around. It's just the way of the business world these days. Good luck. |
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ndolson, 1. Be lucky you have a job. A lot of folks in IT are sucking wind because their job went to India. 2. It will take time. 3. Look from this point of view. Even though you want out in the worst way, you are still employed. If you didn't want the job, turn them down outright. Remember you still have a job, it's leverage. 4. See #1, there will be unemployed folks who will take anything to get back on their feet. 5. Hit the job boards 30min each day. You will find something. Use the shotgun approach. Apply for anything that you might be interested in no matter if you qualify 100%. 6. Don't want to be a downer, but your 2+ years of experence isn't not that much. There are folks out there with 10+ that are still hunting around. See #1 again. Rant on all you want. Don't get down on this one job, there are bigger and better. Also, lose the attitude. It will get you no where fast. Be humble when you are job searching but also know that you have leverage. See #3. |
i know it sucks, but don't feel so bad. i'm kindof in your position of sorts (overqualified, and underqualified). i moved out of the midwest to find more. one thing to keep in mind. schooling and certifications are great to have, they can really get you in the door to a lot of places. nothing trumps experience, though. someone with 10 years of proven experience will always win over someone with 2 years and a degree/certs, in most cases. anyone can pass a test, but not as many can maintain a corporate network. good luck, try not to go insane. it sounds like you're on your way to a great career. IT isn't what it was 10 years ago with incredible demand and no players. now every housewife on the planet fixes computers. 
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Unless I ousted some uber 1337 professionals out of some temp and helpdesk jobs, then I doubt it  But I get what you're saying, and I agree.The only thing that is making it remotely tolerable is I get some sporatic contractor work doing web design. That's how I buy toys. Much of my paychecks go to bills. I'm getting married in 3 weeks so I'm trying to 'get where I should be' so I can 'take things to the next level' or so to speak. So I guess that fact is further adding to my frustration with my current situation. I know I'll get the right job eventually, but damn...it sure is hard and frustrating in the mean time. |
Dood... you NAILED it on the head. The people where I work who work their asses off get USED because of it. And all the slackers get to hand their work off to those who work hard. It's INSANE. I make it a point to RARELY go above and beyond because of this. In fact, my old boss felt the same way as well and didn't like us going overboard. IT Pros are VERY under-appreciated. No one gives a damn... 
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PM where you are located, if you are NY, I might be able to point you into another direction. |
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The owner of my company is an older German man. He doesn't even use a computer. We had 10 year old equipment and software (Windows NT and Pentium Pro servers) until the server that handles our orders died and he briefly realized that IT DOES = money. He has since reverted back to his old ways, but not before I could upgrade all the servers to some nice new XEON equipped servers and 2003 server. Another major reason I need/want to leave this place. It'll be another 10 years before I get to do anything significant ZZzzzZZzZzzzZZz |
| Let that be a lesson... If you are offered a job, come up with an answer while you have them on the phone the first time. I can garauntee you that as soon as you hung up, the guy said "fuck 'em" and called the next guy. TOOOOOO many people vying for a job these days to be able to get away with that, regardless of HOW GOOD you are. Markets tight, keep looking, but dont make a move for a buck more. |
I'm in Missouri, but thanks  I'm at a disadvantage since I don't 'know' very many people in the industry. Most of my friends are blue collar workers so I have no connections through them. One of my IT buddies did get me an interview where he works, a government contractor, which I was hoping I would get because it paid more than enough and I would have been perfect for it. But, I was 'runner up' and would get the job if the #1 person defaulted on their background check. My Cisco knowledge was basic, and his was more advanced. I was ready to learn though! Tis the nature of the beast. Can't know it all, but I sure try... |
I know, you're right. But I'd appreciate not being told I'd get some time to think it over just to get lied to. I'm a man, I can take a 'well thank you, good luck in the future, but we cannot pay more than that at this time'. |
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Before you start sending out another batch of resumes, you should have somebody else look it over. You're right that the IT market is saturated right now, and will continue to be as long as Sprint keeps outsourcing more and more of their work. Because of hte market forces in KC, your resume needs to be absolutely perfect, and needs to actively demonstrate that you have technical knowledge that is not necessarily reflected by your time-in-service. In the meantime, you should further consider some continuing education. Take one class a semester at JCCC or UMKC. Whether it's another IT-related class or management-related is up to you, but you should build on the education that you have and, again, actively demonstrate to prospective employers that you've got the initiative to do more than just the strict definition of the job description. Besides, it's a perfect opportunity for the all-important "networking" part of the job search. Keep taking 1, 3-hour class each semester, and in 5 years, you might find yourself with a Master's degree in something. Join a professional organization. I don't know if IEEE is the right place for IT guys or not, but there must be some equivalent. Don't just join - become active. In the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), we have a VERY active Younger Members program. Perhaps your industry does too. Again, great networking opportunities, but entirely up to you to take advantage of those opportunities. Good luck. If you want me to look at your resume, I'd be happy to. I don't know jack about IT (I'm a consumer of IT, not a manipulator thereof) but I have hired and fired technical people for the last 15 years. |
I know exactly what you're saying. I work as a network admin for a bank. It came down through the grape vine that management feels that the bankers themselves are far more important than the IT side. If it wasn't for us doing our jobs they would have nothing to work on. Bankers are a dime a dozen. |
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jeezus. dude? ever hear of earthlink? i had a management job until they outsourced all our call centers to india. hell, in this pc/tech flooded job market i count myself lucky working the fucking front line phones in a damn collection agency. *shudders* count your blessings. and no. i am NOT bitter. *sighs* |
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