Fix your job

[piqaboo]

Our stock just jumped $10 a share over a week ($2 overnight). Holy moly! The stock sites are so busy we cant get to them first try. And all apparently because we finally figured out who is going to build our next toy for us. What fun.

[Trumpetmaster]

Congratulations!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I just got off the phone with an engineer. I had a question. I got a direct, simple, straight answer.

[barfle]

I used to do that, then I became a bureaucrat and started making more money.

[BigJon@Work]

You should call me more. My typical answers are yes, no, and I'll get back to you on that in an email.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

We've gotten a schedule for "tech refresh" visits for our group. I'm on the list for Sept. 18th and that means that a new computer will be arriving and the old one going away.

Whether the new computer will contain any software other than MSOffice and 52 security nanny programs, we are not certain. Without Interleaf/Quicksilver/Broadvision/whateverthey'recallingitthisyear and Acrobat Pro, I'm dead in the water.

I have yarn for three more sweaters. I will be smuggling it to work, just in case, in the hope of invoking the Murphy's Law corollary that says when you prepare for a disaster, all goes smoothly. As if.

I'm not feeling particularly hopeful. If anyone knows any good schemes or strategems, feel free to pass 'em on.

[BigJon@Work]

Tell the techs that you will stand in their office and help them do their job since you have so much time on your hands without a working computer. I guarantee 15 minute service times.

[Trumpetmaster]

Tell the techs that you will stand in their office and help them do their job since you have so much time on your hands without a working computer. I guarantee 15 minute service times.

Oh my that is so true.....

[BigJon@Work]

Serenity, how has your job been going?

Come out, come out, wherever you are . . .

[Trumpetmaster]

OK - Now I'm pissed.... but there is not much I can do about this...

MONTHS ago I had a project to upgrade our Provisioning system.
There was a dependency to upgrade to Oracle 10G and the project
manager who was working this effort told me that would be completed
by the end of August 2007 so I scheduled my upgrade in the 4th quarter of this year.

Well, nothing has been done with the Oracle upgrade and to make matters worse they gave me that project on top of all my other work....

So now I have to upgrade all our company servers to Oracle 10G
before upgradeing our DB provisioning systems.

I need a new hobby - DRINKING.....

[dai bread]

So now I have to upgrade all our company servers to Oracle 10G
before upgradeing our DB provisioning systems.

I need a new hobby - DRINKING.....

Now I'm going to show my nationality.

DB is a popular beer produced here by a company called Dominion Breweries. You would be very welcome to install a DB provisioning system in any NZ workplace.

[Trumpetmaster]

So now I have to upgrade all our company servers to Oracle 10G
before upgradeing our DB provisioning systems.

I need a new hobby - DRINKING.....

Now I'm going to show my nationality.

DB is a popular beer produced here by a company called Dominion Breweries. You would be very welcome to install a DB provisioning system in any NZ workplace.

get me an application!

BTW - I left yesterday at about 3:30PM EST and my Director
was not pleased at that. He still appeared displeased when
I explained I was in at 5:30AM EST and had just finished
about 10 hours work. (company standard day is 7 hours)

[Catmando]

BTW - I left yesterday at about 3:30PM EST and my Director
was not pleased at that. He still appeared displeased when
I explained I was in at 5:30AM EST and had just finished
about 10 hours work. (company standard day is 7 hours)

That attitude has got to start changing in the workplace.

[Trumpetmaster]

BTW - I left yesterday at about 3:30PM EST and my Director
was not pleased at that. He still appeared displeased when
I explained I was in at 5:30AM EST and had just finished
about 10 hours work. (company standard day is 7 hours)

That attitude has got to start changing in the workplace.

Yup.....

And keep playing the Lottery!

[dai bread]

Reminds me of a place I worked at once, where the Directors liked to see their departmental managers working long hours. We were all on what was laughingly called a salary, and because of the overtime, our hourly rate was less than a labourer's.

I didn't stay there long.

[Trumpetmaster]

Goodness, It's about 6:40AM EST and I'm on my 4th mug of coffee.

Deep breath...

Had a conversation with my Director yesterday....
Went over all the work assigned to me and the deployment dates.
When I asked him to assist in prioritizing the work, his response was
it is all a priority and must be done on time. I looked at him, responded with something I cannot post (I've known him for 6 years so it was ok to use profanity) and walked away.....

The main issue I have is I am a telecom SME and they are using me to
also upgrade Oracle, Solaris, WebLogic, Install new servers, replace old servers, get licensing $$$... etc... blah blah blah blah...

In fact, my director told me that our Sr VP wants ME on these projects
because I am so good from a "Technical" perspective....
Sounds like Banta fodder to me....

I'm learning a great deal ( i guess that's good) on the hardware/networking end, but feel my talents are not fully being utilized.

End of my frustrated vent.....

[analog]

You might find this page cathartic...


http://www.softpanorama.org/Social/Toxic_managers/index.shtml

Note: This is page devoted to all IT professionals who suffer from psychopathic bosses. Only those who already suffered or still suffering from one of those types can understand the level of pain as well as stakes involved in dealing with such individuals.

Toxic managers is just a politically correct term for corporate psychopaths, really dangerous predators of corporate jungles in general and IT jungles in particular.

[Serenity]

Serenity, how has your job been going?

Come out, come out, wherever you are . . .

The job is still tedious. I work for an overbearing, micromanaging, busybody who has nothing better to do in life than complain about everyone and everything. I almost feel praised when there is "no comment". I'm glad I raised "a big stink" about her "managerial/people skills"; it raised peoples' awareness when issues come up that are under her watch.

I've also lowered my expectations about the company and how it operates. They preach one thing and practice something else; and the actual practice follows the values of the person in charge. Your comments about HR defending the corporate status-quo have been confirmed.

Now I come in, just do the minimum amount of work needed not to create attention and focus my efforts on personal interests if time permits. If she pisses me off, I slow the engine down until she has to deal with a big quagmire. It's sad.....I know I could rev up into a rhythm and crank out more but it won't get me anywhere; I'm the worker who complained...

It's not who your work for...it's who you work with that makes a difference. I've inquired about other positions within but found that they have already been "earmarked" by the hiring manager for someone they opened the job posting for.

My company is growing like crazy; there's construction everywhere and the company comes out as a good employer by "poll standards". ..but it's run by people.....and people have habits and make mistakes. People will not change unless they want to and make a conscious effort to do so. Every company posting a job is run by people and the dynamics are the same.

I've interviewed a couple of times at other places but feel I'd be going from one frying pan to another. I'll stay for now....at least I know the rules of the game here. If I play the same game, I'll just keep going to the next level instead of having to start a new type of game.

Rest assured.....your medicine will still be there when you need it without any drop in quality. My coworkers will just have jumped through many more hoops getting out the door just to be a "pain in the ...." to each other.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Tell the techs that you will stand in their office...

We're in Coronado. The local guys have a warehouse somewhere in Rose Canyon. We think.

The "Help Desk" is located in Idaho.

But that was a good idea.

[Serenity]

OK...this is weird....I'm on the board but in the Windows Media Player Window browser instead of the internet browser. I've been reading this thread since page 1 and it brings back many good memories!
Gotta go to bed so I can have the energy to deal with WORK tomorrow. Hapy Labor Day everyone!