Can haz any of you been in IT and got burned out?

[Gargamel]

yeah, I'm on there. I can't exactly post publicy that I'm looking but i planned on emailing a few contacts that I've made thus far.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/georgegonzales

Some of the newbies in IT can definately be a PITA to deal with, especially if they're on a help desk and still learning themselves.

As far as working for myself...I thought about it before but never really got too far with it. Cleaning viruses and adware is a pita for a nominal fee.

Dude, If you want my opinion, the new hot spot in IT is Network Security.

EVERYTHING is going wireless to the point I think structured cabling is going to be severely limited to certain applications in the future.

Retail Point Of Sale Systems, ATMs, Kiosks of all shapes and sizes drive a lot of this economy.... and all have a need to deal with security issues... (Especially if they go over wireless connections)

If I was just starting out, I'd make a beeline....

[Ruffdaddy]

Yes security is the new black! And keep in mind guys that doing the physical labor is not how you get ahead...you may think someone is stupid and can't do it, but that's probably not the true case.

An regardless of your position, you're gonna get the corporate bs, unless it's your own place.

[Silverback]

I've been in the IT field almost 20 years now... JESUS I'm getting old

I've worked large corporate, small business, startups, etc. If you want to get ahead, specialize in something, and try to be the SME for a particular product group. (subject matter expert). If you want to get into networking then you need to go somewhere to get your feet wet like large scale Telco. Not as an installer but on the provisioning side. SBC, ATT, Time Warner, etc. It's a great place to start from the bottom up. Eventually you'll have two options in a large scale environment: customer support or internal support (some places combine these).

If you want to move up, go work for a large corporation, most promote from within first, and if they don't, their name on your resume looks great to other large corporations.

Small companies tend to overwork the IT person and make them cover many things and specialize in nothing. If there's enough work for 2 people, they can only afford one. It isn't until there's enough work for 3 people that they will hire a second

I have a CCNA, MCSE NT4.0, MCSE 2003, MCSE 2003 + Security, Security +, A+, MCITP 2008 Server Admin. As you can tell I've been a Intel/Microsoft System Admin for most of my career. I've also done SOHO networking, some Unix administration, VMWare, etc. I attend 3-5 Microsoft sponsored trainings a year and I'm currently working towards my ITIL and PMP certification. My current career path is to become a Team Manager with Dell, and my manager and I have created an approved path for this to happen.

Dell does a very good job about buildng personal career goals, it just takes getting the right manager to help you get to where you want to go. One of the guys on my team doesn't want to move to management, he's just happy being the senior technical person on the team.

While I could do cable runs, etc. myself, there is a reason large corporations don't allow just anyone to splice and run new cables in a production environment. Typically some sort of change control management exists. A lot of times it's an acountability issue: Say a cable is responsible for a customer outage for a customer on an SLA with heavy monitary chargebacks. If a company can prove fault, there may be something in their contract that states the cable vendor is responsible for a portion of the charge back to the customer (just an example).

If you've spent 10 years in helpdesk and small business IT support, you're missing the point and I'd be burned out too. Find a bigger company that has training as part of the position, whether it's company sponsored, for tuition reimbursement. A lot of people bitch about the BS in a corporation, but I can honestly say the benefits for me have always outweighed the crap with the larger corporations I've worked for. (Dell, Microsoft, Verio, Nortel).

[Hmbre97]

I've been doing helpdesk work for going on 7 years now and feel like murdering people every day. In the past year, I've started back to school working towards a network admin degree. The more research I do, I'm finding a lot of security based positions being created so I think that's where I'm going to focus my attention. Now I just need to get my foot in the door somewhere at an entry level position to get some experience on my resume.

[Alex]

Have not has

[347Mike]

I will voice my opinion on this because I think I know this environment quite well. A lot of you have already hit it on the head but I am going to voice my opinion (what has worked for me).

Please don't think what I am saying applies to you (OP) it may but this is what I have seen in the IT field over my 5 years of experience.

I think there are three categories that will help you get ahead or in your case keep you from moving up the corporate ladder.

YOU: As many have said in this forum, and where a lot of poeple in IT fall is do NOT be an arrogant Mr Know-it-all. I cannot tell you how many people I work with who preach and preach on smoke breaks and lunch about how they worked here blah blah blah, these processees don't work etc etc. When you become one of "these people" you lose sight of "the goal". These same people who constantly nag and think they know it all, 1) don't know shit, and 2) are the same ones who have been with the company for years on end and haven't moved up. IT IS OK to say you don't know and show interest and that you are willing to learn.

Additionally, you need to not fall into the category of people who whine about working a few hours extra or getting a little bit of responsibility with no pay increase. Let's face it, IT is being outsourced at a VERY rapid pace to other regions. Yes, I think everyone is entitled to an increase but at the same time, be thankful and don't outright complain about it. To add to what Matt said, you need to be a SME, step up, ask for additional roles and responsibilities, let them know you are willing ot learn and can take that opportunity and excel at it.

The Company: If the company you are employed by simply doesn't have the means or growth to promote new people well, then you aren't going to move up regardless of what you know, the certs you have or where you worked. A lot has to do with experience but even then that isn't going to help you if your company simply isn't promoting.

Who you know: This plays a VERY VERY huge part in it all. I don't contribute any success to who I know but I see it on a frequent basis. People who are not really qualified for positions, getting positions over people with senority and know what they're doing.

I have been in IT for just about 6 years now with the same employer. I started off in a very low paying data entry job, moved throughout helpdesk roles and even being on the helpdesk. For the first few years I never really got to "move up" simply because of all the outsourcing. However, on that same note, I was the one training the people over seas. HUGE opportunity make yours..

I can talk about this subject and my personal experiences all night but I hope what I said helps, or even makes sense. Like I said, I wasn't directing any of this directly to you, it is just something I have seen over the past few years.

A lot of people say when you interview for a new job, you need to dress for two positions up. I try and align my work ethic to that same ideology.

Anyways, that is my two cents...

[suckerdin]

a good friend of mine was in IT for about 5 years and then took out. he said it was so redundant and boring that he had no choice but to get out. He loved the money and all that mess, but he just couldn't handle it. He's on his way to med school now.

i know it's pretty irrelevant, but i thought i'd chime in because i'm bored to goddamn tears.

[YALE]

I'd like to point out, as a non-IT guy, that PLC engineers seem to be making the most IT-related money in the manufacturing fields. You might see what you can get going there, George.

[ozzeran]

I have been in I.T. for 13 years now, yes I'm burnt out.

The stuff does not interest me as much anymore. But like a few pointed out, the pay is great.

I found a dummies book once that was called cool careers for dummies, it listed a ton of different careers, I need to find it again.

[GT Dan]

Companies will pay for your training but they wont give you a raise when you get the cert... Cert's only help you change jobs and it sounds like you need a change...

I was burnt out and at the same company for 13 years before I got laid off last year... I accepted an IT Director position at another place and haven't looked back... getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to me...

You need to step up your search and get the hell outta there...

[Sgt Beavis]

For me, there is one major rule in IT.

Grow or GTFO.

Getting certifications does not constitute growth. It means you can take a test and have a very basic knowledge level. Growth means getting out there and getting your hands dirty. You make LOTS of mistakes an you learn from them.

Growing also means acknowledging what you don't know and making the effort to grasp that missing knowledge.

I try (emphasis on TRY) to maintain a child like curiosity about things. It encourages learning and growth. IMO it is the primary reason I have been successful in this field.

[Frank]

I'll answer later. I'm just too burn out about talking about how burned out I am from it.

[GeorgeG.]

Have not has

LMAO!! yeah, I noticed that after I typed it. I don't think we have the ability to change the subject line though so I'm stuck with that error.

Thanks for the feedback. A lot of you hit a lot of valid points, some of which apply to me. I don't think I have the "entitled" attitude and I definately don't act like a know it all. So far I keep pushing forward with my CCNA studies. I took CCNA 1 & 2 at North Lake and dropped out of 3 & 4 due to starting this job I'm at now. I'm hoping to take 3 & 4 beginning in May and hopefully, can branch out to something new this year. After being in a Sys Admin role for a while, I've definately made my mind up about going into the networking side of IT.

[Sean88gt]

I was. 24 hour on call wore me down. I got laid off (2001) and ventured into other industries. Have thought about going back but don't think I could.

[94form2000z]

So far I keep pushing forward with my CCNA studies. I took CCNA 1 & 2 at North Lake and dropped out of 3 & 4 due to starting this job I'm at now. I'm hoping to take 3 & 4 beginning in May and hopefully, can branch out to something new this year. After being in a Sys Admin role for a while, I've definately made my mind up about going into the networking side of IT.

I am finishing up the 2nd section of the CCNA course at NE TCC campus. Will be starting 3 & 4 this summer and finish cert in fall. We are in the beginning stages of a VoIP conversion now which I have the a huge role in.

I got burnt out on Desktop Support years ago. Did it for about 10 years and switched over to telephony support about 5 years ago. I enjoy my job now and look forward to the Network administration role. I will be starting my VoIP cert work next January.