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career going nowhere - what do I do?

SpursLodge

SpursLodge

Nicola Berti
Hi guys

just thought I'd gauge opinion from people here, I'm in a bit of a situation at work. I'm in IT, been working as a 1st line helpdesk technician at my current company for 3 years. I was given the impression when I started that they like to promote from within and had just done so with the previous helpdesk technician hence why the need to recruit me, this was part of the reason I took the job in the first place.

So for the last 3 years I've been working hard and over those years I've got bored of doing 1st line and just waiting for an opportunity to move up. The company has expanded and now my boss is saying instead of promoting me he wants to get someone in who is qualified (MCITP). Not somnething they've ever worried about before so that felt like a major kick in the teeth. To try and keep me happy they promised to send me on the training course to become qualified which is an expensive course and they wanted me to do it over 2 years to avoid too much time out of work whilst studying. I'm keen do the course as it's a qualification worth having but now they are putting in a load of targets to meet before the training can start.

I'm starting to think that they are really taking the tinkle, first they say I can do the course, now there's a target to be met before I can do it, how do I know there wont be another target to meet once that one is done and with the course already being scheduled to take 2 years I don't want to wait months and months before I even start the course.

So, what can I do about it? What would you guys suggest?
 
If you like the job, why not do the training.

Just sounds like you need to have a sit down to discuss exactly what the expect from you.

I would talk your concerns through with your manager.

If you're not happy, then escalate to HR and take it from there.

Would be a shame not to try and take them up on the offer of free training.

You should need to set some boundaries on the "targets" required.

Best thing to do, is to ask your manager to put something in writing, so that you can consider all your options.
 
are the targets realistic?

what other opportunities are out there for the next step that doesnt involve MCITP?

my advice would be act with rationality - take the emotion out of the situation (much like IT problem solving) and analyse it
i was in a similar position a couple of years ago and took voluntary redundancy because i thoguht the company were taking the tinkle - in hindsight, i made the wrong choice and am still now trying to get back to where they wanted me to go 2 years ago

sounds like they are willing to invest in you - but that isnt going to be unconditional, they have to act in the best interests of the business
is the training dependant on you staying for a certain period after qualification?
 
The problem is that they've promised me training before and it's never happened. I requested to go on a Microsoft Exchange course and was told it's a great idea and to send over the course details. I did that and despite chasing them it never got booked. I guess I'm just thinking that they are saying these things and there will always be something that needs doing more.

I definitely want to take them up on the training, what I don't want to do is wait for 3, 6, 9, 12 months while they keep putting obstacles in the way of the training actually happening. Maybe asking for some definite targets in writing would be a good idea, that way they can't move the goalposts later.
 
SpursLodge said:
The problem is that they've promised me training before and it's never happened. I requested to go on a Microsoft Exchange course and was told it's a great idea and to send over the course details. I did that and despite chasing them it never got booked. I guess I'm just thinking that they are saying these things and there will always be something that needs doing more.

I definitely want to take them up on the training, what I don't want to do is wait for 3, 6, 9, 12 months while they keep putting obstacles in the way of the training actually happening. Maybe asking for some definite targets in writing would be a good idea, that way they can't move the goalposts later.
Click to expand...

be pushy about it (not agressive) and say you want to get this going and signed off asap so you can contribute to the company more effectively and progress - remember, at the end of the day you need to keep telling them why they need you around

and set yourself a deadline - if they havnt signed off on the course by X date, then you start looking for other jobs?
 
I think I'm going to go back to them and ask them to define exactly what the target is and how quickly the training will commence once the target is met. Fingers crossed.
 
SpursLodge said:
I think I'm going to go back to them and ask them to define exactly what the target is and how quickly the training will commence once the target is met. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

sounds perfectly reasonable and everyone will know where they stand

good luck
 
I think my company has an agreement with QA to do all our training. I currently only have the 70-680 exam in the bag. It's the server administrator qualification (MCITP-SA)we are looking at. Let me know what you can offer and I'll happily pass it on to my boss, hopefully some sort of discount might give them a nudge in the desired direction.

Cheers.
 
Leeds Spur said:
QA are our main rivals mate.

We offer the Server Admin qual:

http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/co...cations/mcitp/mcitp server administrator.aspx

We can get you 60% off RRP.

MS exams cost ?ú99 + VAT each.
Click to expand...

Leeds offer is excellent, with IT you must have some set of quals to get to the interviews. I've got 5 MCP's, MCSA ITIL 2 & 3 and that gets me to interviews to top level desktop/administrators jobs, but I really struggled previous to this.

Unfortunately, even with a degree, you are going to be behind 70 odd applicants if you don't have some MS quals, even if you are better due to experience you cannot articulate this via CV's or application forms to a sufficient degree.

Personally I did a couple of helpdesk administrator and desktop jobs on crummy money, then was stuck when I wanted to move down south from worcester (as I wasn't even getting to interview stage), so I took three months off work (quit a crappy job I took just to move down south, sold some shares in Juniper I'd made quite alot on, to live off the money for a while) and did my MCSA studying at home (using CBTNuggets, the official MS books and transenders etc), as soon as I had those I started contracting on 2x the wage I was on before. But I got caught in the trap of not carrying on with exams (as you do get in a groove and there is ALOT of crossover, which make the next one easier if you go back to back), as I started contracting and ran my own company with other contractors working through it, then when this work dried up and it was just myself I realised I couldn't get the next step up as I had not progessed my CV sufficiently against those with MCSE and specialised quals.

If I'd known it was going to be a never ending upgrade cycle I would have chosen something different I think...

The last post that came up at our place for desktop level (25K in Dorset) there were over 70 applicants, alot of those were previously managers, MCSE's Cisco CCNA's etc. It is very hard to be the stand out applicant even if in experience terms you are top banana.
 
CCNA - http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/courses/cisco/network_routing_and_switching/ccnabc.html

MCSE to MCITP Enterprise Admin Upgrade - http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/courses/microsoft/operating_systems/m6416.html

ITIL Foundation - http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/co...anagement/it_infrastructure_library/ilfn.html

Personally I have PRINCE2, ITIL and Cisco CSE, also done my Cisco Datacenter Sales cert and the Citrix CCSA........Inbox me if you want massive discounts.

I don't use the board to promote my wares but if you guy work in IT and want a deal I'm happy to oblige.

The hottest cert in IT at the moment is the VMware VCP, this is the course for it:

http://www.globalknowledge.co.uk/courses/vmware/virtualisation/vsicm.html

40% available for fellow Yids! :)
 
Whatever you do make sure you follow up your chat with an email summarizing the key points and agreed dates, tasks etc and get them to reply confirming all is correct
 
My career has gone tits up too, as many people know I went for a recent job interview and well, I received the result and it was bad news. :( I thought the interview was tough but it seems like I got harsh mark and so no chance of a job. Time to make good with my law degree I feel.
 
SpursLodge said:
Hi guys

just thought I'd gauge opinion from people here, I'm in a bit of a situation at work. I'm in IT, been working as a 1st line helpdesk technician at my current company for 3 years. I was given the impression when I started that they like to promote from within and had just done so with the previous helpdesk technician hence why the need to recruit me, this was part of the reason I took the job in the first place.

So for the last 3 years I've been working hard and over those years I've got bored of doing 1st line and just waiting for an opportunity to move up. The company has expanded and now my boss is saying instead of promoting me he wants to get someone in who is qualified (MCITP). Not somnething they've ever worried about before so that felt like a major kick in the teeth. To try and keep me happy they promised to send me on the training course to become qualified which is an expensive course and they wanted me to do it over 2 years to avoid too much time out of work whilst studying. I'm keen do the course as it's a qualification worth having but now they are putting in a load of targets to meet before the training can start.

I'm starting to think that they are really taking the tinkle, first they say I can do the course, now there's a target to be met before I can do it, how do I know there wont be another target to meet once that one is done and with the course already being scheduled to take 2 years I don't want to wait months and months before I even start the course.

So, what can I do about it? What would you guys suggest?
Click to expand...

Why not teach yourself if you want to learn something?

I have never been on a training course that has been that useful. I only attended to get out of work (and the buffet lunch is not too bad at some places). You will sit in a room for X days with no enthusiasm just clock watching until the next break, thinking to yourself 'I could have just googled that'.

Just work out what you need to know and you can google it. Find someone else who has done the course and borrow the book. You will only become good at something by continually doing it so will need to put in time outside of training anyway. Attending a course shows nothing, so get yourself to a point where you can get certified (or pass some sort of exam) and then ask your company to pay for the test. Or pay for it yourself and apply to another company.

In I.T you will only get somewhere by keeping your skill set up to date, which will involve putting in the hours inside and outside of work (I've always been lucky and had jobs where the boss is fine with spending an hour a day on doing something for yourself rather than the company... Or at least they don't make an issue of it if you do a good job).
 
I'm in a pretty similar situation.
I worked on the Service Desk at a company called ROK that went into liquidation last year. I'd been working on the Service Desk for nearly four years and was looking forward to moving into a Field role but this never happened.
I'm now contracting and earning double the money which I love but I know my career isn't progressing at all. Even though the environment I'm in now is far more varied and technical, contractors are basically looked down on as scum and I know there is no opportunity to progress.
My son was born a few weeks ago so the good money I'm on is very handy but I really don't know what the next step is.
I don't have an MS qualifications. Just the A+
 
Have you ever thought of working as a rent boy?

DHSF might be interested in ploughing some new ground.....................

:-"
 
I now have a meeting with my boss and his boss on Monday. Fingers crossed things get sorted out. I hate the feeling that I'm standing still, need to be learning new skills and progressing or I get bored.
 
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