Need some carea advice, please.

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Hello all I'm feeling a bit off at the moment and would appreache a bit of advice from the IT comunity (you lot).

My Background
Currently I have a great job, I'm a network manager at a small comprehensive school, I get to spend a decent budget on kit I choose, I get to push ICT into the classrooms and make a real diffrence to the education system. I get all school holidays off, I'm back at home every evening before 4:30, I get a day a week study leave to attend uni. Basicly I love my job. I've worked hard to get it, and work hard to keep it...

But I only earn £18,000 - I'm the lowest paid Network Manager in the Local County. My wife earns a lot more than me as a Chemist Lab Technition, but she is about to loose her job, and we have a baby on the way (next 2 months). So she will probably be off for next 3-5 years

I'm about to graduate with a BSc (hons) in Computer Sci.

Before I worked in ICT support I was a web designer/computer programer. But i sufferd a run of bad empolyers, one of which messed me up so badly, I gave up ICT and drove buses for two years.

My Decission
We've looked at our finances and we just can live off my salery alone, even making as many savings as we can - beans on toast for every meal, no 2nd car, and no holidays, etc...

There is a massive shortage of LAMP and Windows based programers (both of which I have experance of).

There is no possibility for promotion or salery increase with my current job - its set in stone by local council.


Given my background and if you where me would you.

A - Give up current job and go back to programing (earning around £25,000 p.a)?
B - Give up current job and go to work for larger organiasation as ICT technition (earning around £18,000 p.a)?
C - Stay in current job, burry head in sand and hope everything will sort iteslf out?
D - Stay in current job, and start web design compnay in spare time with wife (guessing income of £5000 p.a)?
E - Give up current job and go bankrupt, stay at home all day and live of the british tax payers?

 

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I'd say go for Option A or B.

The basis of your decision would be based on what you enjoy doing more. For programming you could see yourself starting from 25k+ (as you have a degree and quite a fair bit of experience with programming and work experience in general). However, you also have experience in a technican role and you would certainly get paid more than 18k (however, I don't know the average pay around south wales).

You could also try this: Your wife doesnt give up her day job but you do? And instead she works while you are a stay at home dad and you could freelance (web design / programming)

 

boom Zet knocks one in from outside the box......

 

Mate, your spelling is abysmal, hope your CV is a bit tidier.

 

I don't see a shortage of Web designers out there. However, there's some demand for programmers, so if that option appeals to you, go for it. But was there anything about programming you didn't enjoy? What made you stop?

You don't have to go to work for a larger company in order to be able to progress. In fact, I've often found the opposite to be true. Smaller companies usually have you wearing multiple hats, thereby enabling you to get experience with technologies you otherwise wouldn't have an opportunity to use. Larger companies tend to keep you busy with the task they've hired you for.

If you do decide to switch jobs, don't quit and start looking for a new job... that's inviting Murphy to come live with you. Start looking for a new job now; then, when you get an offer letter firmly in hand, put in notice at your current employer.

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers and thanks for the advice, but, at the moment though I'm feeling that sticking with my current job would probably be the best option, as it's a safe and stable employment.

Sorry if my spelling causes offence, I didn’t run my last post through MS Word. Feel free to banish me from the site. I guess my CV is fairly good, as its never let me down, and I've never been without a job.

 

I gave up programming (as a job) due to a bad employer - a large mail order medical suppliers firm, my line manger started putting pressure on me to leave as I suffer from very, very mild dyslexia.

Usually this is a positive as I take all sorts of precautions to check and double check my spelling, with good spell checkers, but after 4 years of hiding it, a spelling mistake was found on a backup site (a holding page used to direct traffic if the main server became unavailable. (I spelled Williams as Wiliams). I fixed the mistake as soon as it was picked up, and disclosed my dyslexia to him (as he was a new line manager).

After that my life was not worth living, constant jibes, "L" plates stuck to my computer screen, children’s ABC blocks and reading books left on my desk, that sort of thing. It got ugly, he then tried to sack me believing that I had not disclosed my disability to the employer, but I had started before him and it was written by me in big letters on my application form. I decided I was wasting my time and left (to drive busses and re-trained in ICT support)

 

In my opinion, you made an innocent mistake... one that could have easily been made by someone without dyslexia.

Employers (and co-workers) like that can lurk anywhere, not just in programming. When you encounter an employer like that, just start looking for another job... you don't have to entirely change career fields because of it.

Don't let them beat you down, Cosway. Just provide the best service to your employer that you possibly can.

 

Or you could just take your current management role, and move up the ladder into a management role in the private sector?

 

It really depends on what sort of person you are - nobody else can really advise you on this one.

Me, I'd be happy in a job I loved for £18k, as long as it paid the bills. Plus holidays off with the kids - tidy.
But I guess there would be some people who would find it frustrating and feel undervalued.

On the other hand, there are those who strive on climbing the ladder. Always looking for the next step up and never happy unless they are earning more than the next man. Then there are those who suffer from ulcers because of the constant pressure to perform.

So which sort are you?

To be honest, from your OP you seem pretty passionate about what you do now and I suspect that you are just thinking that you 'could do better'. But what if your next job sucks as bad as the last one?

On top of that - you've GOT a job and £18k isn't bad money. The current climate is not good for job hunting, especially if you don't have to.

 

I'd say stay in a job and start a business on the side. Maybe it will take off. You never know until you try.

Keep looking for jobs though and if something of interest to you comes along think about changing (while keeping business on the side).

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

 

The current role sounds amazing, let me know when you leave and put in a good word for me!
Why not stick to your guns and try and setup a little sideline in home IT support, drop a few flyers etc. if it takes off you will be laughing! It sounds really suitable as you finish work at 4:30 and have holidays off! even if you just earn an average of £50 a week from a couple of private jobs then that would be £2,600 PA (obviously that is without tax deductions ) and every little helps!

 

Buddy, u realize that u have BOTH programming and IT skills. That's a lot of power => knowledge

U come home early, and also u are about to complete your degree. Are there any part time programming jobs where u have to deliver what they ask u for? Have u tried searching for these kinds of jobs, that utilize your entire knowledge set?

U seem quite low, i can understand. But Cheer Up, u have a lot of strength inside, just make use of it. I'm sure u will do it. U have the will, u'll find a way.

best of luck!

 

Thanks to everyone for your replies, I've slept on my problem, and taken all your advice on board, and I've decided to stay put, and get my programming skills certified (I have a HNC in software engineering, but no MS certs), I'm also going to work on my web design portfolio & write a small few apps (maybe I could write a few to help me perform some tasks at work - that would be nice).

Even if I don't decide to go back into programming in the future, at least I can sharpen my skills and get them certified.

So I will stay in my Network Manager Role for the next few years and work on the following certs...

MCPD - Web Developer
MCPD - Windows Developer

MCDBA - I administer 3 very large SQL databases on 2 servers - so I should get these skills certified.

Security+ - I have to do a lot of security (locking down TCPIP coms, VPN, Encryption, configuring workstations, active directly, GP etc..) - and I've got an interest in the subject.

MCSA:Security - If I do the Security+ then its only 1 more exam to upgrade to this.

MCSE - Seen as the golden key, so many job adverts suggest you have an MCSE - even the £13k 1st line support jobs.

ITILv3 - I've looked at this and most IT management jobs are asking for this. I'd prefer to stay more hands on, but I guess in IT/Network Management the further away form a computer/server you get, the higher your salary.

Plus if I stay with my current employer I can do the MSc in Network/Computer Security.

But before I start any of that, I'm still technically a student, and can still take the 72-xxx discount exams, so I'll have a go at upgrading my MCSA to Server 2008 equivalent (as these are available as 72-xxx and all others - 293,294,... - I want to do are not).

 

Don't exist no more...

 

That's ridiculous, spelling Williams with one L is more of a typo than a spelling mistake.
With the treatment you were given there I'd say you would have had a pretty good case for constructive dismissal. They bullied you, teased you and tried to sack you without following proper procedures (such as checking their facts first).
Obviously you were much better off out of there, I wouldn't work for a company that allowed behaviour like that even if it wasn't directed at me. I'm all for a bit of banter at work but if it becomes personal the line has been crossed. Shame that it soured you to programming.

 

JonnyMXThanks for the heads up I've checked the MS site and you are right its gone , annoying as I bought the books a few years ago to learn, but never got round to taking the tests, and it appears in the certification planner so didn't think to check the site.

I guess I'll look into MCTS: SQL Server 2005. I've only just migrated to SQL 2008, and would be a shame not to acknowledge 2005, I would have liked the MCDBA though - never mind, I'd also like to be 21 again, but its never going to happen.


soundian I should have known what the company was like, when the ICT manager was sacked for a very minor offence after going def, and requesting a light based fire alarms in his work places. I think they sacked him for gross misconduct because a server was unavailable for almost 48 hrs due to a water leek in the server room (poorly maintained roof let the rain in). Luckily he did this before the company had to invest in the new alarm system.

Also senior management had a real issue with female employees becoming pregnant. I remember there being 3 pregnant ladies in the ICT/Marketing/Sales departments who the company where out to get as they could save money by sacking them rather than pay maternity. They even hacked into their PCs and checked all their emails for reasons to get rid of them.
Actually I remember one director boasting that he re-located from London to South Wales, as “You can get really good people with degrees who will work for next to nothing, and be happy for the job.”.
It’s really shocking now, but 10 years ago this was only my 2nd job, and that’s how the company was run. Ironically though it makes millions selling equipment and drugs to disabled/ill people, and are really well known in the medical industry. I see their logo all over my local GP surgery, and cringe at some of their (unofficial) “disability policies”, I guess if they could sell their employees blood they would.

 

The core exams of MCDBA are not available.

Getting your programming skills certified would be a great way to show employers what you are capable of. And yes, upgrade/add certs to your IT skill set for future gains. You've solved your problem on your OWN!

Best of luck buddy!