Posted on 06/28/2005 by TheNewGuy
Viewed: 985 times
I've been mulling over sharing this here for some time, but finally figured why not? Many of you know my secret identity, so you will be able to put a lot of faces behind people I mention. Anyway, get out your coffee, this one is going to be ...unique.
About 5 years ago, a fresh out of college newbie (yours truly) was hired to work for the IT deparment of a rather large insurance company. He was told that what he was going to be supporting was only to be temporary until a permenant person could be found at which time he would be moved to more of a development position. Excited and thrilled that he finally got the call, he accepted without hesitation and promised the man who bore a resemblence to William Shatner, that he would do what was asked. This company went on to train him on all the "in house" applications he would need to do the job. The newbie often wondered how this experience would help him out in mainstream society.
Undaunted though, he learned the applications and became pretty good at them. These applications proved to be somewhat...simple and after about six months he began to wonder when this replacement would show up. The "team" he was on began to falter, and was broken up...it's occupants, sent to not one, not two, but three different managers all within the course of the next year. The last move, split him from his partner of three years and sent to a completely different team. This was a developer team, and when they said they were going to turn him into one, he began to see light for the first time...
Or so he thought. Partnered with a person working remotely, he took up the lion share only to have his integrety questioned by someone who was by no means the boss. Months past and now working alone because his partner quit...he was now doing the work of three people including continuing to support an application he was long removed from. His team leads had countless conversations with him always helping out and pleading his case...for the first time in five years, he felt a part of a team...
Then along came an outsourcing company who's initials are referrenced about 3 posts below this one and the bottom fell out. Only a select few would be kept and he knew he wouldn't be one of them. It was only a matter of time...
The first wave went by...and his hopes rose slightly, but then the shoe dropped and the inevitable happened. His position was being offshored and he had to train his replacement...couple that with the "new hire" brought in to be his partner, that would be two people getting trained by him at the same time...and the best part...they were both remote. Phone calls lasting 8 hours...endless remote desktop sharing...all to two people that were going to take his job.
Two months later, his training complete he was sent by this new company to work for a large hardware company providing desktop support and what a misadventure that was...hired for a position that didn't exist yet working for someone who wasn't his manager, and asked to do something with no training or help whatsoever left him frustrated and alone... Mercifully that company saw the error of its ways and terminated its contract with the outsourcing company leaving him on the bench but thankfully still getting paid because of an obligation to the insurance company.
So, what's the point of all this you ask? Well, remember how the insurance company trained him on all those "in house" applications? Well, as it turns out there isn't much use for them in the real world and any skill set he had coming out of college has long since deterioated. So, needless to say the only interest he's garning is from schools looking for him to attend classes with them.
There was some small satisfaction that at his farewell lunch at the insurance company one of his former bosses did apologize for what the company had done to him and wished he could do something about it. Little comfort but it was nice to hear.
So at home he sits, waiting for a job he knows will never come. Wishing he had not taken the job to begin with all those years ago. Hoping that somehow the big companies will see just how they are hurting the little guy. He wants to reassure you that this is no play for sympathy or pity, just a voice of conscious to all those that hold the fate of others in their hands. Think twice before you take away someone's livlihood to better your own...there are those who rely on it too.
So who is this person this...new guy? Chances are that come October 2nd (the day after his contract expires) he'll be the guy asking you if you want fries with that AND mixing your paint at the hardware store AND the guy delivering your newspaper to you every morning ALL in the same day. Destined to forever be...
POST A COMMENTITRocks(07/01/2005)
Wow! You sound like a Liberal - no offense. Couple of quick comments ... companies don't make you a programmer, you do. Nobody holds yours or anyone elses fate, regardless of the circumstances, expect you. Perhaps IT wasn't your thing, it is hard to say. But its obvious that a five year history of misery has one common component to it, the person you look at in the mirror every day. You should have quit well before the re-badging took place. BTW, Sears may not have made the correct decision in going with CSC, but their merger with K-mart was as much of, if not more so, the reason for dumping CSC.
TheNewGuy(09/04/2005)
Well, ITRocks...you sound like the exact reason why things are the way they are. Look at the person in the mirror? First off all I resent that. I didn't share my story to be criticized or for sympathy. See your inneuendo implies that I did not try to make myself better during the last five years. Truth is I did. Between getting certified, getting a masters and well it never proved to be quite good enough. Since you obviously know the names behind the faces (including mine I'm sure). Then you should know that the furtherest thing from a Liberal am I. But judging by your comments, it's obvious your Conservative...no offense. And given the current state of affairs in this country, well you get where I'm going. I thank God every day that the contract got voided and I did everything in my power to find a new job. If I could have afforded to quit, I would have. And yes, I do hold my fate in my hands, but like most of America, I'm bound by bills and well they have to be paid. I could just see telling the bill collector that I couldn't pay my bill because I was "looking in the mirror". No, I was looking for some place that rewarded hard work, loyalty, integrity and honesty. And the place I was at (which I'm sure you know) was not it. I invite you to spend a week in the circumstance and I guarantee your optimism and enthusiam will have waned.
sotia(09/04/2005)
What's wrong with being a Liberal? Go NewGuy!
BeenThereDidThat(09/06/2005)
Liberal/Conservative? Fur'ged' about it! Dear NewGuy, As we all know in the IT industry the old saying holds true "What we know today is old tomorrow". That is the name of our IT game and if you are active in this industry, and as you say have the intent to "be a developer" this is a concept that you should know all too well. On some level I agree with ITRocks. You don't just become a developer by the knighthood of an insurance IT department's William Shatner. A developer always knows that in-house applications, unless developed by you, have nothing short of conceptual value to you outside of its origin. If you are a true developer, chances are you do development on your personal time, which up until recently could have easily been used on your resume to jump ship, even if at a junior level. I didn't think you were seeking sympathy or critisism, but like so many others you have been lost in the saturated IT market without a deligated specialty. So far that, I do feel bad for your situation. Congrats though, you mentioned in your response post that you got a master degree and certifications! You are well on your way to leaving development behind anyway, so good for you! I faced it long ago and jumped ship from the geek* ranks, unless you can dream in C# and .NET, or whatever tomorrows technology shall bring, being on the ground floor of IT isn't a safe place to be. Don't swim in the sea if you can't swim with the big fish. Sincerely, BeenThereDidThat *I use 'geek' with extreme respect for intelligence, knowing a true geek could count faster in hex than I can numerically.
ITRocks(09/06/2005)
As my name would suggest, I believe that IT Rocks. In a previous post I shared what I believe would be helpful information for those who where looking to keep their skills current, and to stay above the doom and gloom that is simply a mindset and not at all reality. The IT industry is hot again and corporations are beginning to invest in their IT departments. This is quite an amazing turn of events seeing that we are only four years from 9/11 and a major IT bubble burst which hit all facets of the industry. All posts here are open to scrutiny, much like your follow-up post aimed at mine - I know, I started it. Your original post was of no value except, perhaps, to those who want to jump into the ditch with you. That was one of the most pathetic, mumbling, sob stories I've ever read - in any forum! Have a bit of fun in your life and start looking at the things that you can accomplish rather than wasting yours and other's time on exploring how much of a victim you are!
TheNewGuy(09/06/2005)
You're entitled to your opinion Rocks, that's fine. But what you just said hits below the belt and is uncalled for. If you'll recall I said I didn't post what I did for sympathy or a sob story or what not. The purpose of this is to vent and let things out of your system is it not? That's what I did and to show how someone can slip through the cracks. And you came along and have now not once, but twice passed judgement on me. True, everything is subjected to scrutiny I understand that but explain to me what of value was said in your followup other than to bring politics into this? You can believe that the whole of IT is all colored bubbles that's fine, that's your right. You have no business or right criticizing me on mine.
BeenThereDidThat(09/07/2005)
Dear NewGuy, You are correct...the point of this is to vent/voice opinions, and I think that is just what ITRocks is doing, as you are, and everyone else that comments on this site. Let’s keep this simple. The bottom line is, for those individuals who are developers and have strived for, and achieved success in the IT industry, all the bubbles are colored. There are still a million IT jobs in the US, a million and counting. Your revelation of slipping through the cracks could just be that development isn’t your forte. I find it hard to believe that you were certified, and had a masters and it didn’t prove to be quite good enough. Maybe you didn’t market yourself good enough, or secure yourself as a leader, or perhaps we just don’t understand your scale of success. I think the real problem here may be that you are condemning an industry that failed you, when in fact it may just be that your talents and skills aren’t a match for this industry. You haven’t mentioned what your graduate degree or certification was in, but I assume if you are seeking a secure IT development position it is somewhere along the lines of Masters in Information Systems, or certified with a MCDST, MCSA, or MCSE. My company as many others, hire solely on Microsoft certification levels for our IT department. If you are striving to be a developer I assume you have secured at least one of these certifications. Try monster.com, careerbuilder.com, or dice.com with your certification as a key word. There are jobs to be sought. Let’s not get hasty with each other here, I just think some people hold their profession very high, and may take offense to discounting an industry just because your term at a 5 year company ended in outsourcing. Squirrels collect nuts all summer long even though there is plenty to eat, because they know a hard winter is a possibility. To be honest, from a financial management perspective, I think I would have outsourced your job too. Working with in-house applications, that prove to be quite easy, is something in which I would consider seeking cheaper labor. “If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.” ~Author Unknown Sincerely, BeenThereDidThat
Walk the Planks(09/07/2005)
My advice is simple -- don't condemn yourself to an ill-fate. Don't give up. If you tell yourself that you will never find another position, you won't because you already have it set in your mind; you've sent that message out into the cosmic world around you. I know it's hard to do sometimes, thinking positive, but you have to. At least with a positive attitude and outlook, you're saying to yourself and the world that there is hope, and all is not lost, because fate will live up to your expectations. Did you ever hear of the saying, "Be careful what you wish for?" Besides, this company hired you and retrained you to meet their needs -- even if it was off the beaten path of your chosen career -- you know that another company is out there that will do the same thing, train you to meet their needs. There are companies out there that just need friendly, honest, intelligent and able-bodied people who will show up for work and do the job. You could walk into something good and/or even better. If there is a company that you want to work for, stop in or call them and ask for the HR Dept. or the Office Manager. Ask about any positions that might be open. Fill out an application, if asked. Sometimes just walking in and being friendly with "cap in hand," so to speak -- and especially if the owner or Office Manager are there and see you -- can be an awesome foot in the door. The walk-in company may be just getting ready to lower the boom on somebody, or somebody is leaving, etc., etc. Those are positions that you won't see in the newspaper. An example of this is my sister-in-law worked as a secretary. Her company was laying people off, and she was one of them. On her last day of work, a couple of floors down from the office she had just left, the elevator doors opened outside of a company that she thought looked very nice. She got off of the elevator and popped her head into the office there. She asked about any openings, told them that she had just been laid off from the company upstairs. She got hired on the spot. A secretary at this company was going out on maternity leave, and my sister-in-law was there at the right time. So you never know what you're going to walk into. Send resumes and/or make phone calls. If you're told, "No," about any openings, send a resume or fax one to them, to the person's attention that you spoke to. This way, if something does turn up, the company might just grab your resume and call you, instead of placing an add in the paper. Just get your name and credentials out there, that's what is the most important thing for you to be doing now. Do yourself a favor, though, and think positive. Don't doom yourself to an ill-fate, and don't give up.
ITRocks(09/08/2005)
Hi TheNewGuy - I would like to call a truce on this, and hope that we can. You do seem very sincere and you also seem very capable of achieving great things. I hold an MCSE, MCSD, MCP+SB, and MCSD.NET C#, but think of this as only one of many ways to learn. I also use various technical resources including an on-line IT book resource called SafariBookshelf (http://msdn.safaribookshelf.com - free trial). I am coming off of a 3 month contract position so I am looking for a job right now. All I can say is that it is very HOT out there right now and very different than a few years ago. If you (or anyone reading this ...) would like to network you can email me at itfriend@dls.net. I've posted this here before. This site is a very creative idea for people who have funny stories, and not so funny stories and like to vent. Corp. America isn't what it used to be, but loyalty is a two way street. There isn't anything cheap about outsourcing/off-shoring and believe that there is more and more evidence to support this. If we robotically programmed 90+% of our time, then maybe off-shore/near-shoring application development would make sense, but statistic show that the number isn't even remotely close to this at 20-30%. I have other ideas of how to network and how to get involved in projects with people who are truly enjoying themselves...nothing majic, but some suggestions. All the best!
SouthernProgrammer(09/08/2005)
Hey New Guy, Don't base your whole career on experience at one company. I worked at a place where I was miserable for the entire time I was there due to management and I left and found a much better job where I am very happy. It sounds like you got a bum rap, and you do deserve to be upset but do not let it make you quit IT. There are plenty of jobs out there! As ITROCKS noted...the market is picking up and my phone is starting to ring again from headhunters!
TheNewGuy(09/09/2005)
Rocks...I'm glad you said that and I will agree. I was going to say the same thing. When I wrote what I wrote, admittedly I was feeling a bit depressed and a bit panic striken at the time. But as the saying goes, whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? I just started an end of year contract position myself so we'll see where that leads. I've only got my A+ certification right now, but am working on the MCSE. My whole thing was that I saw people out of work less time than me and we're getting offers all over the place and left me wondering what was wrong with me you know? So, I finally figured it had something to do with my education so I started down that road. Hopefully in the long run it will make a difference. Who knows you may even get an email from me...
brother from another mother(09/12/2005)
Glad to hear you got a new contract. Faith in yourself is the only carry on bag you need. In my experience, you can have all the certifications and education in the world but if your personality or your attitude sucks, you won't get hired. On the flip side, you can have a big lack of certifications and education and have a great personality and a "can do" attitude, you'll get the job ahead of "mr. certification man". Just look them in the eye let them know you can do it, you will do it and you're the right person for the job. The latter has served me well over the years. Good luck, we wish you well!
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