What Do We Do For a Living?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by weiln12

Late to this, but certainly not enterprise IT like me. Stupid on-call hours and calls at 2AM multiple days a week in addition to normal "salaried" hours. There is a bad side to IT that nobody talks about.

My buddy has been working at IBM for over a decade and complains about the above constantly. He wants out in the worst way but can't find another job, even with a couple of bachelor's and a master's degree. He's ridiculously frustrated.

[weiln12]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

My buddy has been working at IBM for over a decade and complains about the above constantly. He wants out in the worst way but can't find another job, even with a couple of bachelor's and a master's degree. He's ridiculously frustrated.

What does he do? I have definitely not found this to be an issue for me at all. I'm willing to move, which helps, but I've lived in Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and I'm back in Idaho Falls. I have always been able to get an IT (SQL Server DBA) job within a month anywhere.

Heck, my company right now has IT positions we can't find anyone to fill. And at least in Idaho Falls, we have a BMW dealer!

However, the on-call still exists here. It's just not as bad as some places I've been.

[TiminIndy]

Operations Manager for a large trucking company. We operate about 5,000 trucks in the US, Mexico, and Canada.

[electricalserv x5]

electrical contractor............NY,CA

[electricalserv x5]

Originally Posted by AV8R4AA

I am a "High speed aluminum tube relocation specialist"
In case that sounds too uppity, I fly for American Airlines.
Great job, but for major relaxation, I go for a drive in my BMW.

Cool , I am always thought it be cool being in control at take off...........

[Freestyler]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

My buddy has been working at IBM for over a decade and complains about the above constantly. He wants out in the worst way

Your buddy should leave right away. Even a job at Mc D. is a better life than working for IBM.
I worked for IBM for 20 years combined. (2x10 years) And as much as IBM once was a truly great company that treated its employees with good pay, great pension packages and an obscene amount of awesome side-perks, they went from all that, to a blood- and lifesucking monster-company that treats their workforce like something you would expect to see in India or China.

In the end i realised that nothing is worth having to work 60-70 hours every week, so i left for a completely different career as tunnel worker at a contruction project in a whole other country instead and i haven't looked back once.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by weiln12

What does he do? I have definitely not found this to be an issue for me at all. I'm willing to move, which helps, but I've lived in Phoenix, Denver, Chicago, Salt Lake City, and I'm back in Idaho Falls. I have always been able to get an IT (SQL Server DBA) job within a month anywhere.

He does corporate account servicing dealing with everything from mainframes and servers to POS stuff. On call for Lowe's, USAA, etc. corporate customers. He hates it because the bureaucracy is always slowing things down, and the on-call thing sucks. Couple that with the nepotism at the office and he get so pissed. He worked at the same place I did out of high school running Cat5 for small businesses and other stuff at a small computer shop. He can't stand IT now... they've sucked the passion for it out of him.

He's had all kinds of certifications and other qualifications... he just let them lapse hoping IBM would fire him for not keeping up with them. LOL. But they keep him on because he does well with the clients and gets the job done, even if he's yelled at management in the office. I get a kick out of some of his stories.

Originally Posted by Freestyler

Your buddy should leave right away. Even a job at Mc D. is a better life than working for IBM.
I worked for IBM for 20 years combined. (2x10 years) And as much as IBM once was a truly great company that treated its employees with good pay, great pension packages and an obscene amount of awesome side-perks, they went from all that, to a blood- and lifesucking monster-company that treats their workforce like something you would expect to see in India or China.

In the end i realised that nothing is worth having to work 60-70 hours every week, so i left for a completely different career as tunnel worker at a contruction project in a whole other country instead and i haven't looked back once.

That seems to be his opinion as well. He's told me he's at the point of just quitting and living off his savings for 6 months. LOL he was like f&ck it, if I can't find a job by then they can come get my truck and I'll file bankruptcy. Seriously, he hates IBM.

[Trasportador]

Supply Chain Manager for a well known 2 way radio manufacturer with plants in China and the Pacific Rim. Flip cars and whatnots on the side to bolster income and thus support woman, kid and car habit. I actually like what I do. Not much travel, can work from anywhere with an Internet connection.

[edogg]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

He does corporate account servicing dealing with everything from mainframes and servers to POS stuff. On call for Lowe's, USAA, etc. corporate customers. He hates it because the bureaucracy is always slowing things down, and the on-call thing sucks. Couple that with the nepotism at the office and he get so pissed. He worked at the same place I did out of high school running Cat5 for small businesses and other stuff at a small computer shop. He can't stand IT now... they've sucked the passion for it out of him.

He's had all kinds of certifications and other qualifications... he just let them lapse hoping IBM would fire him for not keeping up with them. LOL. But they keep him on because he does well with the clients and gets the job done, even if he's yelled at management in the office. I get a kick out of some of his stories.



That seems to be his opinion as well. He's told me he's at the point of just quitting and living off his savings for 6 months. LOL he was like f&ck it, if I can't find a job by then they can come get my truck and I'll file bankruptcy. Seriously, he hates IBM.

You know that IBM stands for "I've Been Misled", right?

What you're describing is what happens in any old, big company. The company which I work for has been around for a long time as well and is pretty large. It, too, has tons of bureaucracy. Add to that it's an insurance company so it's risk-averse so nobody wants to change. Until recently where the bureaucracy caused some enormous problems and cost us a lot of money and customer trust...but change happens slowly in old companies.

It sounds like your buddy would enjoy IT in a smaller company. Maybe pivot from a support role to software dev or test.

[kvc]

Semi-retired trainer/assessor - teaching people how to be productive and safe. Heavy earth-moving machinery (mining), high risk and workshop environments. 32 years in mining. Also have a small hospitality business that my wife looks after on her own when I'm working away. Building a 'bar n' grill' to compliment the 4 self-contained 3 bedroom chalets on our rural property. Father to 3 great kids (young adults), president of our local chamber of commerce & industry, general mentor to youth in our community and part-time farmer. Reaching the stage I need to relax a bit, but I love working too much, tinkering with cars, playing with big (I mean BIG) machines and traveling the globe...