Depressed techie here

[Keermalec]

Hi, I thought I would present this situation to you, fellow tech-savy buddies, to see if anyone had lived through a similiar situation and had some advice to give:

I am a 30-year old architect who works in a medium organisation and who has some knowledge of computers (233 MMX is overclocked to 292...). Only problem is: no-one else in the house has any serious knowledge of computers, even the IT manager, who is a recycled accountant.

Result: people are relying more and more on me to fix and configure their computers and I have less and less time to do what I like: plans, computer-generated images, virtual reality... etc. At the same time I am getting into conflict with the IT manager, who believes I'm after her job (couldn't be futher from the truth...) every time I suggest some improvement to the computer park. Promotion opportunities have gone to less competent colleagues, as everyone identifies me as the "tech-guy", and techies are not promoted in this place, as in many others...

I've decided to quit, but feel terribly depressed about the whole thing. Am I right in this? Why is tech-literacy considered an underdog thing, and is this going to change?

[This message has been edited by Keermalec (edited 04-11-2000).]

[daveleau]

Well it is probably the fact that they don't want to lose you. I ma sorry to hear about your situation. I think you chose wisely.
Dave

[narayan]

Sounds like a management problem. Not your problem. Stop working on the PC's (if you end up staying), and refer everyone to the "IT" guy. His incompetence will show through, you will have time to do your work, and the "IT" guy will not be mad at you for doing his work. Perhaps then when he gets done screwing everything up, there will be an opening that can be filled by someone who is better qualified. IMHO Good luck

[wyvrn]

Agree with last post. And grab an A+ cert or something in the mean time so that next time, you have that vaunted piece of paper.

[Szech]

I say quit, and get a better job. If no better job can be found, then go back, and the place will be so broken down from losing you that they'll take you back.

[BBA]

Sounds like not only will they take you back...but for higher pay.

I've done this trick a few times myself. Believe me, most companies will only pay you what they think you will settle for, above that, they get attitudes. Quiting is one way they find out your serious.

[jadinolf]

Don't be depressed.. quit the suckers assuming you have a better place to go to.

In 1989 I hired on to a company as their Purchasing Manager. Because of my knowledge of computers, I became their "Computer Expert". then their "Payroll Expert".

No more money, no more recognition. They didn't even know what I did.

Take that job and shove it.

And good luck on the new one.

Sorry for the rant.

[neo_otyugh]

got to agree with everyone else....your job is not to fix computers, so refer it all to the IT person unless they change your job description and give you more money...

[KillerBug]

Ya, Screw them, do your job, if the braindead managment wants to keep the techies down, drag the whole company down with you!

Small example:

Pitney Bowes, fortune 100 company, who flaunts technologies they don't got stop giving pay raises to techies and start downsizing like crazy, by the time it is all over a few years later, the techies are doing three times the work with no equiptment and pay that because of inflation is lower. All of a sudden, the web site stopped working, the coustomers start going to other companies after not getting problems fixed, and almost every disk in the whole intercontinental company has variations of the monkey and stealth viruses (recently, a new virus that turns off the cpu fan 100 days after infecting has been rumored to have popped up too).

Pitney bowes is giving raises to techies now.

[Biff]

why quit?, don't you like it there? I would say you need to speak to upper management. Explain your position and TELL them what you want to see happen. Get a tech guy in house, that would solve 3 of your grievences instantly.
If that does not go down, then you have the option to leave.
Maybe you are depressed, or maybe feeling sorry for yourself (sorry) your getting burnt, snap out of it by saying what you want, stand your ground, does'nt go your way, you should feel good you gave it one hell of a try!

[Nathan]

If you want to stay there, then do so. I would do the following:

A. Kindly say no to those who want you to fix their PC. And point them to her.

B. I would say to the person who is suppose to work on them that you're sorry for doing what you did. And that you won't do it again because you respect her position and what she does.

C. Unfortunately, most people come to expect us tech people to solve all their problems and blame us for most of their mistakes (whether to our face or behind our backs). It's the nature of our business. But let that network & PC's go without any maintenance and see how long the users last without us.

D. It sounds like you rather do the other than work on computers. Well that's fine. Then go down that road and let someone else work on them. **Just keep your own PC up and running. That makes you look good!**

[This message has been edited by Nathan (edited 04-11-2000).]

[welsh wizard]

if you can't resolve your problems with the IT manager, then rather than be on her agro list, either refuse to configure any one elses system, or get out, if you decide on the latter find your next employer first, and once you quit, quit do be bought, bosses tend to lose respect for those who are just money motivated,
As you are an Architech you should be able to find another quality Job through you Architechs Association Mag, when you start there play dumb over any thing a computers other than that which is ness to do your job.
WW

[Jinx67]

You're best bet is to pretend to be dumbfounded by electronics as the the next guy.

In your next job do,nt inform a living soul about your comp knowlege that way you can pursue what your after goal wise.

That way you prowess in your feild is not overshadowed by your ability with computers.

There is no happy medium in this case if they comprehend your value with working on computers then you will never get promoted on the basis of "not only do we have a decent archcitecht but he can upgrade our systems as well".

So logically the best place to keep you would be at the bottom that way you would have enough free time to accomplish both tasks.

Im not trying to depress you more just giving a little advice as what not to do in the future.

Save you,re comp knowlege for yourself your family and close friends. Or, message boards http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Jinx67 (edited 04-12-2000).]

[Keermalec]

Well, thanks for the advice, and for the laughs (that really helped me). I still think I'm leaving, but I believe like many of you that I should hide my coputer knowledge next time.

Don't know what's in store actually, haven't got another job. Got a few contacts from when I was a freelance and gonna go back to that.

Thanks again guys, you were really great.