Simon K

I hate my job ! I hate computers ! I hate Oracle DBA's, as nothing is ever their fault.

If I win the Euro Lottery, Im going to come in on Monday, stand on my desk and pi55 over my computer / keyboard.

Doesnt matter what position, what level of support, or who you are support, all you ever hear is "I switched it on and it was like that !" "Was working okay, but isnt now?" or "I havent touched it".

Only thing that keeps me sane, is the monthly invoice :-) Oh yes, just love that day !

SBK

Foot_Tapper

Good point, but not all IT are anywhere near that (unfortunatley), I would say i'm between 40 and 50% of the 400 and consider myself very fortunate.
There is a lot of stuff out there still only paying 10 - 12 an hour.

Ray_li

Andy

you know you want to open a Chinese takeaway
When you do go and hand your notice in can you let me know so I can give my mate a heads up to apply for your old job

I'm in the process of setting something up and it's hard going but I hope i will be worth it

Good luck

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

My parents use to own a restaurant, so I appreciate what hard work it is. That's why I'd be in two minds about doing the takeaway or fish and chip thing!

I'm in no rush to leave, as it does keep the roof over my head. No hasty decisions are being made!!

KiwiGTI

In all honesty if most people left the IT industry it would be a better place. there are far too many cowboys in it. I'm a true geek and love IT and technology in general. What makes me want to leave the industry is most of the people I am involved with and the politics.

Drunken Bungle Whore

How about training? You could start with basic IT training - but you could easily broaden your scope to soft skills - but within an IT market. With a varied background you could incorporate a whole range of subjects: Negotiation Tactics for IT Managers, Managing IT People, Sales Techniques for IT Specialists, Project Management for IT Managers etc etc etc.

By using the knowledge you already have and taking a sideways step you probably wouldn't need to take a huge drop in salary.

Or how about setting yourself up writing online guides for in house company systems? Less exciting, but if your not a people person it may suit. Lots of companies are looking for people to write software guides to sit on their intranet systems for their in house bespoke software.

If Training appeals just let me know - I can point you in the direction of a good basic qualification.

Life is way too short to be unhappy in your job!

jonc

Go join the Army and work in Iraq!

Or become and actor and become an extra in The IT Crowd!

I've been in IT nearly 10 years. The way I see it, IT is doodle, just use a lot of techno babble and bit of creative thinking you'll go far. Some aspects of IT is a black art and because of this managers/directors can give you a lot of autonomy in your role, especially if you give them the spiel work a particlar system/hardware/app etc can do for the business/save cost etc. Can't think of many jobs that is as easy to get into, with easy career progression that pays as well.

crazybri

i think its sh*t to be honest,

Ive worked in IT for 5 years since leaving school and being an apprentice.

So far ive been made reduntant twice, (1. office close, 2.being bought out) ive also been transfered to another company and outsourced, and all this before ive even turned 22!

I find that you never know whats around the corner!! and if any cost cutting is going to be done within a company, it starts with IT.

Im seriously considering another career but havent a clue what to do that will pay as well. thankfully ive got no commitments (live at mums) only a thirsty money grabbing scoob on the drive!

Bri

stiscooby

I also work in IT (network support, installs etc etc) and wouldn't mind doing something different.

I get paid sh!te (im 27 and not even earning 20K a year!!), get too many customers moaning the whole day "my PC isn't working, fix it now", like they the only customer you have to deal with.... tossers!!

Don't really mind what I do as long as it pays more £'s, but I have no idea what??

Stueyb

I do IT, but to be honest, im like the rest of you. I hate it. I have "exit" plans and all. I think the secret to being "satisfied" is that you have to find other stuff to do, ie multiple revenue streams. You need to find side lines, ie things that can turn into big things, because IT is boring and you get stereotyped etc etc.

EP82

Another IT bod here, i find you get out of it what you put in..

I enjoy my time at work, i get along with pretty much all the staff and am able to have a good laugh whilst i'm sorting a problem.

I'm not on bad money, and am only using half my skill set in my current job. I'm 21 and working in support, if any of you have read the computer forum i'd like to move into the development side of things. I need to set some time aside to get into .net.

If i was to do something else then it would have to be my own business, i'd like to design and develop websites full time, but i couldn't go back to creating something someone else (my boss) insisted was right.

Me and a friend have talked about starting something but we can't dedicate alot of time to it as we couldn't afford to loose our monthly wages.

I consider being able to design and develop a good website a bit like being a plumber or working in any other trade. Almost every business has a website that needs redesigning, maintaining, etc. A bit like everyone who owns a house has plumbing that needs maintaining.

Anyway enough my rambling

flynnstudio

Anyone watch the IT crowd tonight ?

bit hysterical but funny...quite a few things I can relate to - stuck in a wierd part of the building - surrounded by sh*te old computa's - being viewed as wierdos by the 'straights' in the rest of the company - being considered 'abrupt' on the phone- and mental demanding 'high maintenance' MD's!!

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Like we all these things, I am overworked and underpaid, but having more money and less time would not necessarily improve my quality of life!

As for IT Crowd, it was funny recognising characteristics that are true in some IT people. The only saving grace, was that My Name is Earl followed it, and is the funniest thing I've seen on TV in a long time!

EP82

IT Crowd made me laugh, i have to say i haven't been steretyped in the programme yet. But then i'm not a stereotypical IT Geek, haha!

I'd really like them to make short films out of the BOFH stories

johnfelstead

Good luck Andy.

I worked in IT for 9 years, ended up on good money as an IT manager, but hated going to work, when the chance to take voluntary redundancy came up i jumped at it, took a year off to travel and gather my thoughts about what job i wanted to do and decided i needed to get out of IT.

I was lucky, i found a job working in the field that has always been my passion and which i spent the majority of my spare time on previously, building and running racing cars.

I now work far harder than i did in IT, get paid a lot less, but am enjoying going to work, i get to travel around Europe running the cars in International races and am engineering cars to race wins.

I could still be sat in front of a PC getting stressed and earning good money, it wouldnt kill me, in fact it's an easy life compared to a lot of jobs, but it's not fun the majority of the time. The main upside is you have plenty of spare cash for toys and trackdays etc. I chose to take a big pay cut doing something i enjoy and am so far sucessful at, what i do now makes a diference and i can see concrete results for my efforts.

It's very special when you work hard towards a result, achieve that result, and see the impact that has on your team and your competition. But like most things in life, you have to make sacrifices in certain areas, i dont have the spare cash to play as much as i used to, but it's worth it for me to enjoy my work.

What you need to do is find out what is most important to you and be honest with yourself, IT is a piece of **** with lots of stress, when you really analyze what you get paid for the work involved. Is it really that bad for you? If it is take some serious time finding what you will be happy doing, if it isnt think of the money and the things you can do with that money and get your motivation that way.

EP82

I guess it's on the lips of most of us but how did you make the jump from IT to engineering race cars?

Did you pocess mechanical/engineering skills before you started in IT?
Cheers

jonc

Engineering race cars sounds like a great job, despite the lower amount of pay. Indeed if I came into some money or won the lottery, I would do this instead of IT. However, in my current situation, I need the higher income to support my family and pay the mortgage. I'm lucky enough to enjoy my IT job since I have a lot of autonomy in what I specialise in and it pays well.

If you're free and single, then this would make career changes easy. Consider this also, thinking in long term, that a higher income will allow you to put more in to a pension or whatever investment that will perhaps give you a greater chance of retiring early and secure a better future to allow you to do whatever you want.

johnfelstead

I have always been involved in motorsport at a serious amateur level and have built and developed front running cars at national level, so have a solid grounding on the technical aspects of race and rally cars.

It was through people i knew from this that put me in touch with a team that needed someone to help them prep the racecars for a week prior to the first races. I was then asked to attend the race meeting after doing the prep work, and based on the work i did at that race they offered me a job full time.

philc

Well, all you youngsters - I've been in IT for 30 years and after all that time I figure it comes down to 'work / life' balance.

Can't say there's anything I feel passionate enough about to chuck in the good money in IT, so I go to work, generally enjoy the company of my workmates and enjoy the constant learning environment of the IT world (at the moment coming to grips with converting the organisation's phone system to VOIP on a wireless network)

Outside work it's running negatively geared property rentals, music, films and racing Subarus (the type RA spec C I just bought flies !!!!).

Plus the occaional overseas break (2 months in the UK last year)

And it's all paid for by the IT job

Yes, I did get out of IT for a couple of years in the late '80's - and watched the cash flow dwindle - so, been there, done that.

One consolation for you is that this is supposed to be the most depressing time of year for the English - Christmas over, still winter and no sign of Spring.

Wait a couple of months and things might look better.

btw - if u are keen on the Samaritans, they're always looking for part time volunteers which might give u a taste of social work without burning your bridges.

good luck with your choice