IT Employment

I think IT is different, it is treated differently by most companies, we are considered a necessary evil, does anybody think customer service reps or accounting or HR is a necessary evil? Nobody gets the bad rap that we do.

But I do agree that all careers have the same motivations, I guess I wasn't trying to limit it to just IT.

Yeah, you're right. All career fields do have some things specific to them. I typed my first response before I thought it out. I don't know that IT gets worse rap than some other disciplines. I suppose it depends on the company's line of business and on how well both IT is managed and how well the overall company is manged. People have a natural tendency to think that they are personally getting screwed over. Go ask anyone in accounting or customer service or production about the hassles and headaches of their jobs. They'll probably have a lot of gripes and will think they're getting sh|t on as well.

I think you are right, we are all getting screwed in some way or another. There is no perfect job out there and no perfect circumstances. It just seems that the IT world is suffering so much, and from everyone's comments in the threads I have been reading over the last year, everyone is suffering from burnout, or low pay or problems with finding a job due to age.....
In the end though, I love IT and technology, I don't know what else I would do for work.

"Go ask anyone in accounting or customer service or production about the hassles and headaches of their jobs. They'll probably have a lot of gripes and will think they're getting sh|t on as well."

But in those departments, the bicth session will be answered by total anonymity. There is no M_a_r_k in those departments (usually), nobody making ANY effort to be objective, just myopic bicthing.

I have also noticed how everyone is on pins and needles waiting for the latest sexual harassment briefing or proper interview technique seminar from HR. While getting coffee this morning, I overheard another conversation about how useful it is to fill out a timecard with multiple charge codes each day as required by Accounting. I almost forgot about the joy in people's eyes when I ask them to fill our a purchase requisition for Purchasing.

Why, oh why can't people treat IT with the respect they give to financial auditors?

Money motivates me to find another job, or maybe to stay put. It does not motivate me to do a better job.

What motivates me to do a better job is respect. Respect the fact that you hired me to do a job, and let me do it. Trust me to do what needs to be done. Listen to me when I identify a problem that needs attention from above. Don't give me the typical runaround. Keep me informed of how the business runs and how my efforts contribute.

Respect definitely gives the motivation to continue to do well and strive to do better. When you know you are appreciated for what you do and for what you can do, you're more willing to do it...because then it's enjoyable.
Tink

You are expected to do a predictable, repeateble job. That's the trend, ever since the 80s.

New ideas, productivity, innovation, quality, you say? Take a tip from me, sugar: if you can't sell it, sit on it.