IT Dept Restructuring

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Hi,

Has anyone here ever been through an IT Restructure process? I am going through one now in my job (2nd Line Support for Local Government). We all seem to be "out of a job" as we need to reapply for a new role in the organisation, it all seems very cloak and dagger with the only outcome seeming to be a worse service for the customer!

 

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I've been through several over the years. Fortunately I've managed to get through each time. You just need to grit your teeth and hang on in there.

My best suggestion is to make sure you are on good terms with your (former) bosses. Things like that help to tip the scales in your favour.

And don't get me started on Gov offices and 'service'...

Harry.

 

I've only ever been "restructured" once, and that was at a publicly traded company. Working there was quite an education, actually. Up until that point I assumed that publicly traded companies were interested in helping their customers and growing their business. Then I learned that what they were really about was doing whatever they could to prop their stock price up from one week to the next, no matter how many customers it lost us, how many of the valuable staff members were alienated, or how much damage the action in question would do to the company in the long term. It's all about gaming the stock price.

It was at that point that I collapsed all of my investments and put all of my money into a sock (where it's doing better than the DOW is right now, too).

Before that I worked for a small company where I had the privilege of watching the village idiot -- a young fellow who tickled the company owner's fancy for no reason we could understand (although we DID have some interesting theories about that[!]) -- work his way up to the top of the company by psychopathically screwing everyone in his way.

This is why I'm self-employed now. There are no retarded shareholders to be catered to. There are no idiots working for me, and all promotions in my small business are merit-based. If the fecal matter is going to impact the high speed rotating object, I'm in a good spot to see the problem coming in plenty of time to do something about it -- there'll be no walking into the office one morning and discovering that I can't log into my computer.

In short, I'll never work for anyone else ever again. In fact, I regard most people who are not self-employed as somewhat cracked. Especially when you see the kind of stuff that I can legitmately and legally write-off as business expenses on my income tax that all you other chumps have to pay for out of your pockets.

Restructure your life: work for yourself and tell your boss to go bugger himself.

 

When it comes to a government department doing this, it's all about clearing out the dead wood in the dept. When they need to get rid of people (unwanted, incapable, older etc) they call a restructure and you all need to reapply for your old jobs again. Those they don't want back don't get their jobs again and all the legal complications are avoided.

 

Did you hear that all you first liners out there and people looking to break into IT? Neutralhills has the answer - go self-employed! Of course, you might just want to get a few years experience under your belt before you tell your boss to 'go bugger himself'...

Seriously - self-employed is something I'll look at in about five years' time. By that tiem I'll have a good eight-ten years' senior experience, will have seen enough to get me through most situations and be able to hire myself out as a technical architect on short term installations/upgrades and as a security consultant.

I know you probably didn't mean it to sound that way, but I found that post just a little bit irresponsbile - most people on this forum are either just starting out in IT or have minimal experience - I wouldn't advise them to try and go it alone!

 

I went through one during the margin of HMRC. I got my role back as the person fighting for my position in the other area was on long term sick. My Manager and two other colleagues where not so lucky . As the guy who got the managers role re-selected his team. seem he only picked my colleague because he knew the telephone system and me because he had no one else. The rest from his old team

Basically two area IT departments margined into one larger cluster IT department. 11 into 6 members does not go.

In the end I left after about a month. Now working in 1st line / 2nd line helpdesk. alot more hands on

 

It's not the most pleasant situation to be in - apart from the worry of losing your job, you find that the working atmosphere during the process is quite negative and drained.

Chin up though as it will provide a valuable experience - you may also get something out of it, in terms of a promotion (with or without the money) and great experience - or, the chance to get back out there on the market ready to great in a fantastic new opportunity with open arms ...

Try and see it as a positive experience!!

...If you do get a "promotion" though, be prepared for a steep learning curve and not much recognition, yet to a fantastic CV and the fuel to move to a really decent role in the next year or so!!

 

I've been through one fairly recently myself. Our restructure was engineered to get rid of the "dead wood" that had been at the company for years and become somewhat comfortable. Grit your teeth and brown-nose the boss during the whole process, and I'm sure that you'll be fine. Believe me, they'll already be 99% sure of which employees they'd like to see the back of and which employees they'd like to see continue with the company.

- Alex

 

Quoted For Absolute Truth.

I'm so glad to be working for a privately owned company. No, it's not as potentially lucrative as working for myself... but now I don't have to concentrate on all the administrative hassles... which suits me fine, since the company's vision matches my own.

Regarding the original question - if your skills are valued by the company, and your salary is reasonable for the job you are doing, you'll likely be retained.

I worked for a company that was bought out, and out of 45+ employees, they kept 8 or 9. I was one of those who was retained. Then I watched the company I loved get systematically ruined while the quality went straight down the drain. I almost wish I hadn't had to have experienced it... but I learned a lot of what NOT to do by seeing how they did business. That experience made me a much better and more knowledgeable contributor today.

 

It's good to see that I haven't lost my touch.

Ah, but there are people who are getting into IT because they've gone so deep into the products they themselves use that everyone around them is constantly hitting them up for advice. Some of them go to work for others and some hang out their own shingle. There's nothing wrong with the latter if you know what you're doing when you work on something for a customer. If not, get that experience by playing with, fixing, and breaking your own kit.

Those who have minimal experience probably aren't going to find much of a job role beyond reading off a script in a call centre. No one would assign them duties in a properly functioning IT department as no one wants to work with a complete newb who has to be babysat 24/7.

If you're one of those people who compulsively hacks their own box, is always upgrading it, sneers at losers who download binary install packages, and finds Tom's Hardware a better read than most erotic publications, don't worry. You'll make it in IT. At some point, however, you'll realize that just about everyone you work under is a total @#$%wit and going alone is the only sane choice.

I guarantee that those people are reading this post and nodding their heads.

To those who don't have the first clue about computers/networks/coding/databases, but are here because they thought there might be some good money in IT, I've got bad news. You're screwed. There are too many people competing for jobs with you who love what they do and they're going to whip the pants off you in every area where you butt heads with them (unless you're willing to hop into bed with their superiors). If you're not obsessive compulsive about technology or programming and can't keep away from it, you don't belong in this industry.

Period.

And suggesting that you might stand a chance -- either employed or self-employed -- is equally irresponsible. Not that this will stop some people from selling you a $2000/week "QuickCertNowInstantTraining" course or "WePromiseYou'llPassEveryTime" exam simulator. They like your type: desperate and clueless.

So, BM, still glad I'm here? (BTW, it feels really weird for me not to call you Transcender Mike).

 

...and speaking of restructuring gone horribly wrong...

I still miss Spike:



He was good people, dammit.

 

Of course! I don't condone the $2000/week instant bootcamp training courses either... and though we sell exam simulators to anyone who pays, I'm the first on here to say that you probably shouldn't be buying the product if you don't have experience (with the exception of entry-level exams).

Yeah, it took me a while to get used to BBM (BrainBeacon Michael, when Josh and I started our own exam company, and got too covered up with our "real jobs" to keep going), then eventually BM (since last April).

 

Yes, he was.

We really oughta talk voice and catch up... ah, the stories I could tell.

 

I disagree about the part mentioned above. Reason being is because I am not a hard core computer enthusiast, meaning I don't sit at home all day long looking up about the latest and best technology. I will do that from time to time and have a good understanding of the latest. Of course it's necessary in this field because you constantly have to implement new stuff at work and keep up with the current technology.

Before I started working I was very enthusiastic about computers, such as latest video cards, hard drives, sound cards, motherboards, etc. However not any more. I will keep up with the technology but not at a hard core level.

With all that said I still do really well in this field and someday probably work for my self because that's my ultimate goal.

 

I’ve been through a few ‘restructures’ and have survived them (a lot of good words from the Director at the time). I’ve mostly only worked for publicly traded companies, so I can’t say too much against them. The few private orgs I’ve worked for were too small to keep me interested past the initial project(s).

As for working for yourself, I’ll say this; it works for some and not for others. There’s a discipline and responsibility that one has to possess. Quite frankly, I don’t think the majority of people have the drive to do it.

 

My previous job for the last seven years was just constant, neverending restructurisation without even two-month break - from company of 75 000 employees to less than 25000 when I decided to leave... but in my case - it was my own decision, not their..

First part - breaking company into about 30 different self-managed structures, with own administration, then in every month over 30 people from EACH daughter-companies was fired without breaking the law (regulations about max no of people fired in company in given period of time), and if the declared number of fired was not enough, outsorcing was the solution...

So I know what you feel - believe me...

One good thing - they wanted to get rid of people so badly, they payed very good cash for volunteering to leave the company - I took it

 

Now that face brings back some dam good memories! He is good people!

 

And I've just been 'restructured' - although I had some warning about it.

I'm in a new team - but the work hasn't changed one bit!

Harry.

 

Are you near a window and the coffee machine?

 

I haven't actually moved desks! Not sure that a window is advantageous, East London isn't the most attractive place I've ever worked in.

Harry.