Do any of you NOT want to progress further?

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by Juelz, Mar 5, 2015.

  1. Juelz

    Juelz Gigabyte Poster

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    After reading a few of your stories of how you got into IT and how you moved into different areas etc, I was wondering are any of you happy at the level you're at and wouldn't want to progress further? Would any of you actually like to take a step-back in roles?
     
  2. Coupe2T

    Coupe2T Megabyte Poster

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    You will probably find a few who have stepped from tech to management, who maybe miss the hands on, otherwise I imagine most will either be happy but still like to move up, or just want to move up! Lol.

    I like my job, really enjoy it, but need to move up soon as I'm very underpaid for what I do, most other jobs, certainly for such a company would prob pay near on 10k more than I currently get, so matter of time.
     
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  3. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    I know people who are happy at being level 1 engineers, they are plodders whose aim in life is to just plod along and don't need the challenge of that next step up.

    Personally speaking the move into management for me has been very mixed. I have had pretty much a year from hell from a HR perspective, have experienced issues with personel that would leave seasoned managers crying, long running projects canned for no apparent reason, politics that would make House of Cards blanche and technology challenges that change every day (as an example using one cloud solution one day, changing it the next day and then changing that decision 3 hours later to something else).

    I am no further forward with having a solution that's develpment ready, never mind production ready, being pressured to deliver said solution by the end of May (and in that time we have to deliver to different POC's and run the pilot of the winning solution... oh and the POC's don't start for another month and will only run for 3 weeks, oh and we have a change freeze in the middle of that POC oh and ... well you get the idea).

    I miss the days of just being a techy and when my time is up here (which will happen) then I need to ask myself, stay a manager or go back to being a senior \ principle engineer.

    I should add that when taking on the role I didn't get any pay rise, got shed loads more responsibility and headaches and more travel included (I spend a minimum of 5 hours a day just on commuting).

    Damn, the more I read this the more I question my own sanity.
     
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  4. Shinigami

    Shinigami Megabyte Poster

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    I really like what I do, and I do also have aspirations to change laterally, or vertically (both of which are open doors at Microsoft).

    It also tends to be seen as a bad thing at my employer if employees do not aspire to change jobs every 3 years or so... I'll have been a senior consultants for just over 3 years now (having started as a 'standard' consultant), and I've now been at a few 'interviews' internally to see what other avenues I might wish to pursue in the near future.

    It's not a bad thing IMO, keeps you on your toes.
     
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  5. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    Same here, I get more for showing up these days but earn less overall as an Architect. I miss getting my hands dirty and work over the hours for no overtime. I could do senior server engineer in my sleep, zero stress and it felt more like a hobby than work. New job is pure stress, deadlines, plus as a Solution Architect I often find myself doing spreadsheets, commercial work, what feels like PM work, all good but not for me at all. When I'm reviewing contract work it's not IT at all.
    I've been offered four engineer jobs and a Technical Architect role in my firm so I've arranged a meeting with my boss to discuss how I'm feeling tomorrow morning. I am successful in my current role I just don't enjoy it. Also stress levels per pound earned isn't as good as I want it to be. I do ok but to switch off to the stress I'd want more cash. If I do go back to engineer I'll earn more and be stress free, albeit in overtime and on call but I do all of that from home so no trouble.
    My mates ask me what my five year plan is if I drop back down but honestly, I think what's wrong with a stress free job if you earn well. After the stress I've been under lately it's just made me more determined to boost my property portfolio and make it so life is as stress free as possible.
     
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  6. dmarsh
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    Senior developer for 15+ years now, career structure is pretty flat for developers.

    Generally the only way 'up' is architect or manager, architect might be ok, manager would seem waste of tech skills.

    Otherwise I could move laterally to many roles, most of which would pay less or give me less job satisfaction.

    Having said that not moving 'up' does not mean you are standing still, technology changes every week in development, you're learning stuff everyday.
     
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  7. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    Interesting question. More pay is always good, but in my experience, a big wage is not always a good thing. If you are happy doing what you are doing and the wage is OK then why take the chance and move. I suppose I'm lucky as I am paid pretty well and I'm doing something I love to do. Yes there are times when I think there has to be more, but then something new crops up and any urge to leave soon goes.
     
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  8. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    Totally agree, if you're happy and it pays the bills, keep doin it. If you find yourself in a job you're not keen on like me it's not very nice.
     
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  9. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Agreed, the problem is people never live up to their means, they always live above their means and that's a problem if you decide to take a pay drop.
     
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  10. Kitkatninja
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    I've been an IT manager now for a over 8 years now. I'm pretty happy with the level of my job. I still go out and do jobs, get my hand dirty so to say. And I get to do budgets, projects, manage staff, etc. Half the time I say that I want to move up, but then I won't get to play with toys/tech...
     
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  11. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    I must be old school then, as my parents brought me up to respect the value of money and if I can't afford it with the cash in my pocket then I don't get it.

    Been in management, played that game and finished with it. But playing with the new tech/toys is what is most important :thumbleft
     
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  12. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    I'd agree with that as I have done that. I have enough but I'm used to having more spare cash so I don't like the feeling. Do I need more, not if getting by is all that counts, but who want's to just get by ha ha
     
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  13. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Don't get me wrong, we budget etc but that always goes up to and above what we earn, we haven't managed to stay in the black for years, never really too much in to the red at the end of every month but we never finish the month with credit.
     
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  14. AJ

    AJ 01000001 01100100 01101101 01101001 01101110 Administrator

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    Sorry that did sound quite pompous of me and it wasn't meant to preach. It's only been the past 5 years or so that we seem to have more disposable income, but then my eldest is now working away from home and the other is in her final year in Uni, so we've had the house to ourselves.
     
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  15. dmarsh
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    I don't live above my means, been in the black for 18 years, only debts I ever had was first car and student loan.

    I used to work with a guy that ate homemade sandwiches and baked potatoes every day, I used to think he was tight.

    Warren Buffet drinks coke and eats hamburgers, if its good enough for him...
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2015
  16. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    With me not able to earn overtime these days I've had a big clean out of my finances. We have cut back and it's been really good for us. Not sure if people know but noodle is a free finance report in the UK. Really great site but only updates once a month being free. Let's you see a rough credit score and all of your debts
     
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  17. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Don't get me wrong, we do ok, we aren't starving and we always start the month in credit but with a house full of kids (my own two plus foster child) it can get expensive on food\clothing.

    It's funny, when my wife and I first started dating she was a senior manager in a Fund Accounting role (Banking), I was the IT Guy, one of her friends (senior HR) asked her why she was with me as I was just the IT guy, 10 years later, I am the one earning the decent wages whilst she is the stay at home mum (doing child minding and fostering on the side).

    I for one am a strong believer of striving for better roles time after time and don't stand back on my laurels.
     
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  18. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    Fair play to you mate, sounds like you got the job and the girl! I know what you mean though mate, I don't mean to cry poverty either its just an expensive world we live in isn't it. I've got two kids who are always dressed a lot better than I am. I probably look like I'm down and out ha ha
     
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  19. SimonD
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    SimonD Terabyte Poster

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    Heck I look like Grizzly Adams at the moment, I decided not to shave one day, that moved to a week, a month.. well I am now about 2 months in to not shaving, add the cargo pants and tee that I wear to work and no one would imagine I manage a team of techies rather than collect for the Big Issue.
     
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  20. JK2447
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    JK2447 Petabyte Poster Administrator Premium Member

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    ha ha ha mate I'm the exact same, left my stubble, now big beard, no longer care much for fashion, what's happened to us :S
     
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