Going down with the ship?
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Ive been in my current job for nearly 6 years working in the private defence industry. I joined the company as a web dev\ Support and back in 2006, 2007, 2008 and part of 2009 times were good, the business was doing well and a huge flux of IT work needed to be done. Ive had a very mixed IT background, started as a web dev later tech support, network admin, more dev and now I would call myself a Jack on all trades which comes with both benefits and limitations. In 2008 the company had approx 100 staff and 2 people in IT, there was always way to much work than we could handle and always ended up with internal clients being unhappy that IT requests took so long. Its also easy for our internal clients to forget that not only did the two of us support 100 users, but we also had an ERP system, sql servers, exchange, ad, and about 25 physical servers in total, topped of with developing asp.net applications for external client integration and also a intranet system, oh and being part of a large Corp, carrying out all the political IT requirements and managing a WAN, and carrying out new projects. To say we were busy is an understatement, in 2008 the IT manager left, leaving just me and I was offered the role of IT Manager and six months later brought in a new tech support guy, within the first year about 80% of systems were changed and we brought in a futher 20 new systems (some off the shelf, many of them developed) In 2009 we again had the same problem, to much work and I spent 20% of my time dealing with internal issues ('why has this not been done yet, I asked over a week ago'), but now we had increased our systems by 20%, everyday it turned into a constant battle with users. Again it was requested to bring in more help for IT, in which the idea had already been asked a year ago. In 2010 the defence industry spend droped like a lead weight, and around 15 people left the company, but during 2010/2011 we took over another office, only about 15 people and all the IT moved from that office to our Office and a huge VM project will now run all the systems out of a single location, remember only 2 people in IT. In late 2011 we then finally took on another support guy (contractor) in which now we were finally more in a position to handle requests and respond quicker, we still had more requests then we could keep on top off, but the list was no longer growing quicker than we could close,it stayed the same. In 2011 staff left and weren't replaced now being about 75 left, in Early 2012 signs that this year
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Ive been in my current job for nearly 6 years working in the private defence industry. I joined the company as a web dev\ Support and back in 2006, 2007, 2008 and part of 2009 times were good, the business was doing well and a huge flux of IT work needed to be done. Ive had a very mixed IT background, started as a web dev later tech support, network admin, more dev and now I would call myself a Jack on all trades which comes with both benefits and limitations. In 2008 the company had approx 100 staff and 2 people in IT, there was always way to much work than we could handle and always ended up with internal clients being unhappy that IT requests took so long. Its also easy for our internal clients to forget that not only did the two of us support 100 users, but we also had an ERP system, sql servers, exchange, ad, and about 25 physical servers in total, topped of with developing asp.net applications for external client integration and also a intranet system, oh and being part of a large Corp, carrying out all the political IT requirements and managing a WAN, and carrying out new projects. To say we were busy is an understatement, in 2008 the IT manager left, leaving just me and I was offered the role of IT Manager and six months later brought in a new tech support guy, within the first year about 80% of systems were changed and we brought in a futher 20 new systems (some off the shelf, many of them developed) In 2009 we again had the same problem, to much work and I spent 20% of my time dealing with internal issues ('why has this not been done yet, I asked over a week ago'), but now we had increased our systems by 20%, everyday it turned into a constant battle with users. Again it was requested to bring in more help for IT, in which the idea had already been asked a year ago. In 2010 the defence industry spend droped like a lead weight, and around 15 people left the company, but during 2010/2011 we took over another office, only about 15 people and all the IT moved from that office to our Office and a huge VM project will now run all the systems out of a single location, remember only 2 people in IT. In late 2011 we then finally took on another support guy (contractor) in which now we were finally more in a position to handle requests and respond quicker, we still had more requests then we could keep on top off, but the list was no longer growing quicker than we could close,it stayed the same. In 2011 staff left and weren't replaced now being about 75 left, in Early 2012 signs that this year
To continue your nautical metaphor, don't jump overboard until you have launched a lifeboat. Make sure you have somewhere to go first, then give the ultimatum, 'Another IT Guy or I am off' Emphasise to them that it is not a question of salary, but of workload, productivity, stress, job-satisfaction, work/life balance, mental health and morale.
--------------------------------- I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^]
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To continue your nautical metaphor, don't jump overboard until you have launched a lifeboat. Make sure you have somewhere to go first, then give the ultimatum, 'Another IT Guy or I am off' Emphasise to them that it is not a question of salary, but of workload, productivity, stress, job-satisfaction, work/life balance, mental health and morale.
--------------------------------- I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^]
Hey Dave, Thanks for reply, Yep looking for another ship to jump to really, hence why im still here, bills to pay. Just a case of keeping an eye open for the next opp. Just abit down on the situation, worked so hard these last 6 years helping build the company up, working way to many hours, and then to see some new management and and decisions being made that I dont think is good for the company (and I work in IT so what do I know?!), Our MD left two years ago replaced with a new one, (Who is a nice guy but is no leader) Coincident?
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To continue your nautical metaphor, don't jump overboard until you have launched a lifeboat. Make sure you have somewhere to go first, then give the ultimatum, 'Another IT Guy or I am off' Emphasise to them that it is not a question of salary, but of workload, productivity, stress, job-satisfaction, work/life balance, mental health and morale.
--------------------------------- I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^]
good advice. well said.
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Ive been in my current job for nearly 6 years working in the private defence industry. I joined the company as a web dev\ Support and back in 2006, 2007, 2008 and part of 2009 times were good, the business was doing well and a huge flux of IT work needed to be done. Ive had a very mixed IT background, started as a web dev later tech support, network admin, more dev and now I would call myself a Jack on all trades which comes with both benefits and limitations. In 2008 the company had approx 100 staff and 2 people in IT, there was always way to much work than we could handle and always ended up with internal clients being unhappy that IT requests took so long. Its also easy for our internal clients to forget that not only did the two of us support 100 users, but we also had an ERP system, sql servers, exchange, ad, and about 25 physical servers in total, topped of with developing asp.net applications for external client integration and also a intranet system, oh and being part of a large Corp, carrying out all the political IT requirements and managing a WAN, and carrying out new projects. To say we were busy is an understatement, in 2008 the IT manager left, leaving just me and I was offered the role of IT Manager and six months later brought in a new tech support guy, within the first year about 80% of systems were changed and we brought in a futher 20 new systems (some off the shelf, many of them developed) In 2009 we again had the same problem, to much work and I spent 20% of my time dealing with internal issues ('why has this not been done yet, I asked over a week ago'), but now we had increased our systems by 20%, everyday it turned into a constant battle with users. Again it was requested to bring in more help for IT, in which the idea had already been asked a year ago. In 2010 the defence industry spend droped like a lead weight, and around 15 people left the company, but during 2010/2011 we took over another office, only about 15 people and all the IT moved from that office to our Office and a huge VM project will now run all the systems out of a single location, remember only 2 people in IT. In late 2011 we then finally took on another support guy (contractor) in which now we were finally more in a position to handle requests and respond quicker, we still had more requests then we could keep on top off, but the list was no longer growing quicker than we could close,it stayed the same. In 2011 staff left and weren't replaced now being about 75 left, in Early 2012 signs that this year
in addition to the good advice Dave gave you earlier, I would "try" to stay positive. We have all been there and some of us will probably be where you are at, some time in the near future.