I was pretty good at finding ways to damage my career. If you are like me, you find some of these like Item 8, Not using/improperly using social networking, difficult to follow.
Item 2: Asking when you should have been silent - Reminds me of this song.
Item 6: Being unprepared - It's not easy giving a demonstration or presentation in a foreign facility. You may have to use someone else's computer to give a PowerPoint slideshow or use a different system to demonstrate your new software. Eliminate as many unknowns as possible. Arrive early to do a walk-through if possible and always carry hard copies of your presentation - just in case.
As always, I will be participating when I have something intelligent to say and to answer any questions.
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People use personal resources (phone, computer, office supplies, TIME) for company business all the time. Its hardly unethical to print a tax form after-hours on the company printer.
Most of the time my bosses have given permission for limited and reasonable use of company copiers etc.
If you have permission then it shouldn't be an issue.
The costs can add up. If in a company of 20,000 employees the average employee makes $1.00 worth of copies per month the company cost over one fiscal year is $240,000!
The costs can add up. If in a company of 20,000 employees the average employee makes $1.00 worth of copies per month the company cost over one fiscal year is $240,000!
There's also the issue of give & take.
If they expect you to regularly stay an extra 5-10 minutes to finish something or help someone, then it is not unreasonable that they reciprocate by letting you use their equipment for reasonable personal use.
If they expect you to regularly stay an extra 5-10 minutes to finish something or help someone, then it is not unreasonable that they reciprocate by letting you use their equipment for reasonable personal use.
This reads like the handbook of "How to become a Worker Ant" or "Resistance is Futile-Be assimilated into the Borg". No thanks! I act in a courteous and professional manner to those both superior and subordinate to me in my work but am not subservient. Here in the UK we do treasure our individuality and most of us keep our work and our life as separate as we can, we work to live and not live to work.
I am like you. I don't like social mixers after work but I also believe that those who do participate have an advantage when promotions are handed out.
I, too, like individualism and there are plenty of ways to do that with your clothes, hair, shoes etc. My attire was always what I would call eccentric.
There is a certain amount of Borg-like behavior in those who successfully climb the career ladder.
I, too, like individualism and there are plenty of ways to do that with your clothes, hair, shoes etc. My attire was always what I would call eccentric.
There is a certain amount of Borg-like behavior in those who successfully climb the career ladder.
One thing to consider is that:
1. I may not participate in social events where drinking is expected because of health or religious reasons.
2. I may not eat lunch with you at 1PM ? again for health reasons.
1. I may not participate in social events where drinking is expected because of health or religious reasons.
2. I may not eat lunch with you at 1PM ? again for health reasons.
Great article, you bring up some points i never even considered. Thanks for sharing Alan!
I am pleased to hear that you found something new and interesting in the article.
So, USERS and EXECUTIVES expect us to be professional, but can yell down the phone at us and curse at us on a regular basis when an electronic device fails?
Devices, just like humans, have a life expectancy...
(Some humans' lives are most likely shortened b/c they pissed off the wrong admin)
I kid, I kid!
Anyway, the minute computer users understand that their computers don't work by using the FM (F$CKING MAGIC) method and that we admins keep things running on a constant basis, and that they don't need to yell, or type messages in ALL CAPS to get their point across.....THEN I will listen.
In most cases, the only time unprofessionalism comes out is when it is provoked!
By the way, I LOVE #10, because the same management-types that bitch and moan about us "admin-types" are the ones who store all their crap on my networks! (And they ask why things are so slow!)
Devices, just like humans, have a life expectancy...
(Some humans' lives are most likely shortened b/c they pissed off the wrong admin)
I kid, I kid!
Anyway, the minute computer users understand that their computers don't work by using the FM (F$CKING MAGIC) method and that we admins keep things running on a constant basis, and that they don't need to yell, or type messages in ALL CAPS to get their point across.....THEN I will listen.
In most cases, the only time unprofessionalism comes out is when it is provoked!
By the way, I LOVE #10, because the same management-types that bitch and moan about us "admin-types" are the ones who store all their crap on my networks! (And they ask why things are so slow!)
There is a certain amount of venting that occurs at whoever is handiest. The amount of venting is directly proportional to the number of days since a full backup. (No backup = infinity) That doesn't make it right - just human nature in action.
Defecating is human nature, defecating on a professional for the shallow purpose of gratifying one's ego when faced with impotence is psychotic, especially when one considers the overarching message delivered to said professional.
I refuse to be held liable for the mundane failings of technology, while having my greater works viewed as trivial. This situation is untenable whereby the "Human Nature" excuse would lead a prudent manager to consider all such workers as a potential psychological liability.
However, this is the problem of working the helpdesk for too long.
I refuse to be held liable for the mundane failings of technology, while having my greater works viewed as trivial. This situation is untenable whereby the "Human Nature" excuse would lead a prudent manager to consider all such workers as a potential psychological liability.
However, this is the problem of working the helpdesk for too long.
I figured out fairly early on in my support career that getting dumped on was more likely (and more vicious) the less the user knew about the technology, and the less responsibility they took to make sure they'd done all that was required of them.
It's like a contract - we'll do everything we can to ensure your data and info is safe, and you do everything YOU can to let us do what WE do best - keep things running.
Unfortunately, end users who understood the technology (and it's limitations, in the extreme case) were few and far between. Most just wanted to vent because they felt guilty for not backing up/copying/using passwords/whatever properly, and we were the lucky recipients.
I realised later that most people are bastard-coated bastards with a bastard filling.
It's like a contract - we'll do everything we can to ensure your data and info is safe, and you do everything YOU can to let us do what WE do best - keep things running.
Unfortunately, end users who understood the technology (and it's limitations, in the extreme case) were few and far between. Most just wanted to vent because they felt guilty for not backing up/copying/using passwords/whatever properly, and we were the lucky recipients.
I realised later that most people are bastard-coated bastards with a bastard filling.
I do like almost all of what was said here, but I have some reservations about this comment ".. opting out of weekend duty when asked..". I worked for a high-pressure electronic engineering firm in the early 90's, and I almost always was available on evenings and weekends, but in the end, it just caused me to be taken advantage of. There are circumstances when it is prudent to offer to help after hours, but it must be done cautiously, especially in this economy.
Hi Dave.
It's a fair comment and only you can decide if you are being taken advantage of. Personally, I would be concerned if others were doing weekend duty and I wasn't.
I did some weekend duty during my career but then again I was a single bachelor at the time. I had the type of managers who were appreciative and personally thanked me for giving up part of my weekend to help with an important project.
It's a fair comment and only you can decide if you are being taken advantage of. Personally, I would be concerned if others were doing weekend duty and I wasn't.
I did some weekend duty during my career but then again I was a single bachelor at the time. I had the type of managers who were appreciative and personally thanked me for giving up part of my weekend to help with an important project.
Weekend duty, if consented to often enough, leads to an expectation that you are always available. Which robs you of the very thing ??rest and recuperation ? that you need to perform at your best. If you have a family it also send a subtle message that they are not as important as whoever signs the paycheck.
Pretty much anywhere I've ever worked have known that I am 90% likely to be available for weekend work, evening work and general overtime.
At time-and-a-half of course.
If you're asked to work and you don't get paid for it, then IMO you're a fool.
At time-and-a-half of course.
If you're asked to work and you don't get paid for it, then IMO you're a fool.
This is simply a sign of a tight labour market.
If you don't ask - you don't get. If employees did all of the above they would get taken advantage of by the 1% sociopaths.
If a manager says 'Please work the weekend' he is saying
'Sorry, I'm a schmuck and I can't be bothered to employ enough people to get the job done. Would you mind suffering, so that I get more credit?'
If you don't ask - you don't get. If employees did all of the above they would get taken advantage of by the 1% sociopaths.
If a manager says 'Please work the weekend' he is saying
'Sorry, I'm a schmuck and I can't be bothered to employ enough people to get the job done. Would you mind suffering, so that I get more credit?'
Asking worked for the small things but not the big ones. Perhaps my arguments weren't persuasive enough.
You are right. The labor market has changed dramatically since the go-go days of the Internet bubble.
You are right. The labor market has changed dramatically since the go-go days of the Internet bubble.
Copy/Pasting myself:
Pretty much anywhere I've ever worked have known that I am 90% likely to be available for weekend work, evening work and general overtime.
At time-and-a-half of course.
If you're asked to work and you don't get paid for it, then IMO you're a fool.
Pretty much anywhere I've ever worked have known that I am 90% likely to be available for weekend work, evening work and general overtime.
At time-and-a-half of course.
If you're asked to work and you don't get paid for it, then IMO you're a fool.
It may be his manager. I've been in situations where everybody directly involved knew that we were undermanned, but the manager was told he couldn't have the additional people he needed to do the job. At one job, overtime was prohibited and techs were punished for missing SLAs, even if they missed for reasons beyond their control.
Needless to say, turnover was high while that company was still in existence...
Needless to say, turnover was high while that company was still in existence...
I like folding my arms and crossing my legs when sitting at a meeting but this is regarded as bad body talk, also when giving a speach get your hands and arms to talk, my self I like to feal at ease and give undivided attention when talking to the other person or persons thy do not understand why I am so calm about things it drives them mad but when I leave work it is my time and forget about work that is why I look about 45 years old.
I like to cross my arms and legs too, but I know that it 'looks bad' so I always keep both open, which is apparently more engaging...
For years I lost out on interdepartmental transfers because I was seen as a "loose cannon". This was mainly due to my focus on customer problem resolution (as opposed to following the company line).
While I eventually learned that it was in my favour to adhere to company policy, this didn't fix customer issues - and then it turned into catch-22. When I resolved (and kept or enhanced a corporate customer), I wasn't a "team player". When I adhered to company guidelines, I wasn't "creative" enough in my solutions.
Either way, I was a "loose cannon". And NOBODY wanted anything to do with me - the higher up the manager, the lower their estimation of my ability WRT the company.
I eventually left the company and kept my dignity - and 80+% of customers followed, simply because my solutions worked for them.
There's a fine line there somewhere, but damned if I could find it! Maybe I have "fat feet"?
I think I may have created a new thread with this - my apologies if my cannon shot killed you!
While I eventually learned that it was in my favour to adhere to company policy, this didn't fix customer issues - and then it turned into catch-22. When I resolved (and kept or enhanced a corporate customer), I wasn't a "team player". When I adhered to company guidelines, I wasn't "creative" enough in my solutions.
Either way, I was a "loose cannon". And NOBODY wanted anything to do with me - the higher up the manager, the lower their estimation of my ability WRT the company.
I eventually left the company and kept my dignity - and 80+% of customers followed, simply because my solutions worked for them.
There's a fine line there somewhere, but damned if I could find it! Maybe I have "fat feet"?
I think I may have created a new thread with this - my apologies if my cannon shot killed you!
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