OT: Sick of your jobs?

[erynthered]

Do what I did - start your own company.

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This is the best advice. God I have stories...............Get off your ass

[Yoho]

Ok, rant coming... feel free to ignore =)

 

That about sums it up.  I've been at the place I'm at for 7 now.  I love my coworkers and I really enjoy what I do.  I make a great salary, and I'm accruing vacation at the rate of 6.93 hours a week.  That's two months a year.  If they'd let me, I could take four day weeks... every week, I'll just stay an hour late on Thursday.

 

I'm very well respected by my peers. I hold what could be considered the highest technical position (there is one higher, my boss has it... but it's 75% management). 

 

The problem? The general culture.  The position is all figurehead.  No one listens to anything I say. I'm responsible - literally - for building all of the infrastructure and product at what is now a public company.  I've had - and I've counted them - more than 20 bosses over the past 7 years.  I've recently had my lead architect title removed without being told why. It was given to a guy with less experience, less technical knowledge, and less schooling.   Everyone thinks all of our projects are "too far below me", so I don't get assigned ANYTHING.  I sit there learning new technologies so I'll be worth more to my next shop.

 

Half of the bosses I've had came in under me and were promoted over me, only to get canned within three months.  Of course, during that three month tenure they brought in 30% bonuses and employment contracts because they were "management."   Couple years back a guy I hired took home 35k in bonus money, I took home $1,200.

 

From my point of view, I've worked my ass off. I don't deserve that.  They took my paid parking away, they took some of my access away, they haven't paid me bonuses (but some of my "peers" who happened to have taken the management route have gotten them... as part of the "leadership team."). Yet, they keep promoting the weasels that have it all figured out.  Interestingly enough, none of them have had it right.

 

Just last week... I explained to a VP what needed to happen, on a project I lead up, on software I had personally authored.  I was ignored.   The VP needed operations input, not mine. Fine.  A week later, a director of operations called me, asked me what needed to happen... the relayed it onto that same VP... who praised him for saving the day! Of course, the VP then told someone to tell me to make the changes said director had requested. Bah      

 

Bah.. I'm not trying to complain, but this thread is starting to bring out the dirt!

 

-Jeff

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Don't know you, therefore this is just a theory. But I am a VP at a fairly technical organization and I am not that much of a technical guy. They keep me around for other purposes. Sometimes, the real good techies forget that not everyone can speak their language. They try to tell you about a problem but they do it in an unclear and jargon full way that leaves you scratching your head. Someone else comes along and describes the problem clearly and you make a decision based on that clear input. I can understand the frustration of the first guy, buy sometimes "what we have here is a failure to communicate".

 

Again, this may not be your problem at all, but ALWAYS, think about your audience when you are trying to explain a problem Don't expect everyone to know what you know.

[mcjeff215]

Don't know you, therefore this is just a theory. But I am a VP at a fairly technical organization and I am not that much of a technical guy. They keep me around for other purposes.  Sometimes, the real good techies forget that not everyone can speak their language.  They try to tell you about a problem but they do it in an unclear and jargon full way that leaves you scratching your head.  Someone else comes along and describes the problem clearly and you make a decision based on that clear input.  I can understand the frustration of the first guy, buy sometimes "what we have here is a failure to communicate".

 

Again, this may not be your problem at all, but ALWAYS, think about your audience when you are trying to exlpain a problem  Don't expect everyone to know what you know.

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I do appreciate the feedback =)

 

This is the #1 thing to keep in mind, you're right. I realize that their forte isn't packets, pointers, or pipes just as I realize my strong points aren't amortization, sales forcasting, P&L, or market segment identification. All are topics I understand, but they're not topics I'm familiar with.

 

I had the same thought. Perhaps I'm talking down to people? I make it a point to draw as many analogies and examples as possible. I use non-technical explainations to describe even the most technical of problems. I'm careful not to display the elitism many computer professionals ooze. You know, "What? He forgot to beeble flooper the waber weeber? What an idiot!"

 

I know it sounds completley corny and cliche, but I don't look at myself as a "techie"; I look at myself as an asset to my employer. As such, I find it strange that they won't take full advantage of that. I look for ways to trim back on development costs, decrease support overhead, improve development proceedures, improve products, and so on. Time after time, it's someone else taking the credit.

 

I'd be quite happy if it is something I am doing wrong, at least it's under my control if that's the case.

 

-Jeff

[mcjeff215]

This is the best advice. God I have stories...............Get off your ass

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Yup, I want to do this. I have a series of ideas, yet I'm not sure if any of them are realy viable. Honestly, all of them probably are, it's just my excuse to not go ahead with the risk!

 

 

-Jeff

[Fezmid]

Honestly, all of them probably are, it's just my excuse to not go ahead with the risk!

 

Yeah, that's my problem too - I'm risk averse.

 

CW

[IDBillzFan]

Oh my God.  My man, you have an even bigger incentive to do nothing, because you're always on the clock.  Avoiding work is a full-time job for unfortunate souls such as yourself.

 

Ok, I think everyone should take a minute (or 30 minutes) out of their day tomorrow to think about others out there like this poor bastard...others out there who have to deal with the twilight zone of getting to go home, BUT STILL BEING AT WORK.  Jesus.  I'm going to "time manage" my ass off in honor of our brother Fezmid, tomorrow.

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That's some seriously funny baby poop.

 

Editor's note: please listen to Mollytheburntorange (it really is more of a burnt orange ); you have to find a way to live life on your own terms. Run your own gig. I'm so fortunate right now it would be embarrassing to tell you how fuggin' great life is. Do your own thing. Figure out a way.

[mcjeff215]

That's some seriously funny baby poop.

 

Editor's note: please listen to Mollytheburntorange (it really is more of a burnt orange  ); you have to find a way to live life on your own terms. Run your own gig. I'm so fortunate right now it would be embarrassing to tell you how fuggin' great life is. Do your own thing. Figure out a way.

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You know... some stories from those of you that HAVE done your own thing might be enough to kick the rest of us in the ass and get us moving. Please feel free to share!

[IDBillzFan]

You know... some stories from those of you that HAVE done your own thing might be enough to kick the rest of us in the ass and get us moving. Please feel free to share!

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You can't go by me alone because I simply saw a ring, I had the nuts to jump for it, and it worked out. Risk and reward. Steve Martin in "Roxanne": When you're reaching for a star, that's a long way to fall.

 

There isn't always a ring there, but that doesn't mean you can't figure it out if you just try a bit harder.

 

Here's the thing: there came a moment when I was !@#$ed royally. I had a commission structure changed a quarter into the year, with no advance notice by corporate. By the end of the year, I was out a crapload of cash. A crapload. Six figure crapload. I could chase it legally, but then you carry that stigma, and in my little industry you can't wear that around your neck.

 

But that was that. From that moment forward I began to look at all the passing rings with better vision. I'd have never seen it coming if I didn't look for it,. And that's all I can say; if you don't look for it, you'll never see it.

[The Warden]

"Do your own thing. Figure out a way."

 

I just made a lateral move in my company to try and make a difference in how I felt - it may not work out

 

I make nice money on the side - but the doubt lingers - can I make enough to go it alone ?

[Fezmid]

if you don't look for it, you'll never see it.

 

So LA is the one who writes those messages inside of fortune cookies. Genious!

 

CW

PS: Drywall is hopefully going to be done today, Dricore floor on Monday.

[Ghost of BiB]

Best advice out there!

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Ditto. A bridge burnt is gone. I'm so glad I have a job I like, and work with a bunch of people who make coming in both a challenge and a pleasure. It took 40 something years, but I've found a niche. Yup, sometimes screw off and post on a message board...but one never feels like shunning what needs to get done, and there's always something new to do. I consider myself pretty lucky.