Career Advice?

Hi guys,

I need some general advice. Most of you may love the problem I've got myself into, but I'm really struggling with it.

I'm working as an IT administrator doing some very basic IT work, where 99% of the staff don't know the difference between PS2 and USB, or HTTP and IP, anyway I've been in this role for about 1 year, where I do some basic it fixes (rolling back browsers, trouble shooting hardware issues and other basics). I also deal with lots of data and have a lot of experience in Excel now, whilst project managing the start of up new campaigns.

The problem occurs, in the fact that I have been asked to do some work for another company, they're desperate for staff, and have asked me to come in and set up/run a Xubuntu server, a Citrix Server, Exchange 2012, File Server and a VSphere hyper visor server, for VM's. I've spent a week in this company doing 2 hours day, and I've done nothing, and I mean quite literally nothing because I don't know how to do any of this stuff, so I've mentioned this to them and they've said set up an SLA with an IT company to do this, and they have also offered me a full time job out of it. The manager I work for is never around and I feel like I'm totally wasting my time there, because I'm doing so little due to my own personal lack of knowledge (In over my head). Now Everything in me wants to say yes, I'll take it (more money, lots of training and amazing experience), but some part of me thinks they don't understand my level of IT and that they will be expecting a lot from me if I go full time.

What do you guys think I should do? I am very scared of changing job, because of the fear of losing my job after 1 month, and then being unemployed. (mortgage and family etc to look after), but then another part of me is thinking, how can I refuse an opportunity like this to potentially jump from a dead end job, to one with a massive potential.

Does anyone have any advice on this, or experience on something similar?

 

Switching is not an easy decision. But I would say that you are lucky as you have gotten an opportunity to proceed in your career and to excel yourself. Offered post seems to be challenging and you feel that you are not fit for that job but remember you are not fit for your current job as well. If they are offering training option to you then this would help you in fast learning. But the real challenge is you will have to make yourself perform in a short time period to prove yourself. So don't make a blind decision.

Current job is a BIG SHELTER for you but this would drag you far away from the main stream of successful people soon. Because this is making you more dumb with every passing day while the job market is becoming more challenging. Do cost - benefit analysis and forecast your standing in the job market with your current job as well as with the proposed job. Discuss the issue with your family because they are the real supporters of a person in his rainy days.

• Try to get as much as you can out of training sessions
• Try to learn on your own.
• Join related forums where you can find experts and put your queries there.
• Work hard

But remember, opportunity hardly knocks twice on the same door.

Here are few suggestions which might help many of the readers here:

1. Never ever let yourself stagnant. Whether your job is challenging or not always keep learning more and more related to your field and also about related fields. Knowledge + information is the key to success.

2. Always try to be good at what you do. Sooner or later you'll see the results in the form of success.

3. Fear of change is always there but success does not lie in sticking to one thing.

It is gonna be difficult but not something impossible for you. If you have ability to learn fast, if you can work hard, if you have courage to leave the shore then go for the new job.

I wish you all the best.

 

I have seen normal IT admins become successful system administrators due to their hardwork and eagerness to learn new things. We have 2 such examples in our organization. Keep learning new things as knowledge will never go waste and you will land up in right place one day.

Do your own research and keep patience, I am sure you will find the right platform one day. ATB

 

With a mortgage and a family to support, you are in no position to take risks. They may see other qualities in you that you do not see in yourself. For example, maybe you have a desire and ability to learn, which they value. Maybe they are looking for a blank slate they can have trained to do what they need you to do. There are a lot of possibilities. Another possibility is that the management offering you the job is completely clueless and does not understand your weak areas, which can be disastrous if they ever come to realize them.

Are you in the USA? If so, you may realize that the job market is not nearly as good as you are led to believe with a constantly falling Labor Force Participation Rate (a smaller percentage of the working age population employed each and every year since 2009).

I have heard horror stories about IT people being treated like garbage. In one instance, I heard about one guy who was hired to make a bunch of changes, fire a bunch of employees, and when that was complete he was fired himself. I have heard of IT people taking jobs knowing that "some travel" would be required to find that they live their entire lives on the road.

You are in a tough situation. If I was in that situation, I would value the safety and security of the current job.

 

I gave up on Office Jobs, couldn't be bothered waking up an commuting to work every morning.
I work from home now freelancing on oDesk. Make more money than 99% of the Office workers in my country.

 

The bottomline question is: Do you believe that you have it in yourself (are smart enough and will work hard enough) to make the new job work given? You at least have an idea of what the job will entail and you should know yourself. The answer to this question will tell you what to do.

 

Hi guys,

Thank you for the replies and the insights you have offered, which have all been valuable. I thought you all deserved the opportunity to know what the decision is that I've made. You have all assisted in this decision, and so have a lot of other external factors.

Simply put, I'm starting full time for the new company. I believe what they have may be worth the risk, and that if I remain where I am I will not grow any further or develop any more. I'm in a standstill with an ok salary, but I really love learning new things and I believe it's worth the risk. Knowledge and education is always priceless, so to develop new skills and acquire further experiences, well I think this is the part I can't turn down.

Thank you, all once agian for the support and the advice. *fingers crossed it all works out*

 

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

Hi jrbiz,

Thanks for wishing me luck, and I really appreciate the like. I'll keep you informed of how it goes.

 

Well I will say go for the next job as it is paying you more. Also you are in no position to take risks therefore I will advise you to take that job.