Comment Re:Better have something inline (Score 1) 1245
This reminds me of my last job. The company had been bought by an "Investment" company. Before that was publically announced, a new CIO was hired to replace the VP position who was given a retirement package he couldn't refuse. The new CIO didn't really say much to anyone for the first couple months. He was very quiet and brought in a few of his past cronies (one being the CIO of HIS previous company). He [old CIO] was brought in as a consultant to help create processes and review current systems. Ultimately a lot of the programming was outsourced overseas and several rounds of lay-offs happened.
As time went on, he started riding our group (System Engineers) [and many others] harder and harder. Each project started getting tighter and tighter deadlines with more and more requirements. I deal well when under pressure, but for example, I was shipped 2 larger computer systems with an array of drives that was to be configured as a SQL cluster 2 TB on Thursday (about 3:00 PM) to be shipped out by Noon on Friday to the newly outsourced facility. I got it done, but still as the highest level of support in the organization, this was one of many things on my priority list that had to be completed with tight/stringent deadlines. I accept that I had a job and it paid the bills. Stress started building up between all of us and we would frequently snap at each other. I took it out on my family at home and it wore pretty hard on all my relationships. Each day, I bit my toungue on some of the things he would say to our group. One instance he said he would [sodomize] the next person that screwed up. (That was tame compared to what was actually said). Luckily I was not around for that comment because I would have been fired that day. I admit I am a bit of a red-neck (or country boy), but I don't feel that one person is any better than anyone else. As tensions built, I wanted to quit, but no job was lined up.
I talked to my manager many times, but he kept saying to stick it out, because the CIO (first Executive position he had ever held) wouldn't last much longer because he wasn't meeting expectations. He pulled me in his office and confronted me with "You aren't working your 40 hrs according to some people." This outraged me because each time, I had either stayed late to work on the project, or on the weekends "On-Call" to help some sales-person through his dial-up problems.
Basically, long story short; I was miserable, and I made a mistake on the cluster system I mentioned above. I forgot to upgrade network drivers on the system. Ultimately leading to performance problems. It caused the mainframe to crash and forcing a cold reboot. The driver issue was resolved, but because the CIO and I didn't see eye to eye, I was released on a technicality. I was offered a package to leave, so I technically wasn't being fired. I think most of that was because they didn't want a lawsuit for many of the things he has said.
I did find employment within a month, but I would have rather left on my terms. One thing I learned out of the whole ordeal is that me biting my toungue and not saying how I felt, caused me to take it out on other people. You can treat work like work, and just get a paycheck and be miserable... or you can enjoy what you are doing, and who is working with you. Either way, it is your choice.
I am much happier at my new job, I am making more money, and with a LOT less stress. It is not truly what I want to do, but I still enjoy what I am doing.
As time went on, he started riding our group (System Engineers) [and many others] harder and harder. Each project started getting tighter and tighter deadlines with more and more requirements. I deal well when under pressure, but for example, I was shipped 2 larger computer systems with an array of drives that was to be configured as a SQL cluster 2 TB on Thursday (about 3:00 PM) to be shipped out by Noon on Friday to the newly outsourced facility. I got it done, but still as the highest level of support in the organization, this was one of many things on my priority list that had to be completed with tight/stringent deadlines. I accept that I had a job and it paid the bills. Stress started building up between all of us and we would frequently snap at each other. I took it out on my family at home and it wore pretty hard on all my relationships. Each day, I bit my toungue on some of the things he would say to our group. One instance he said he would [sodomize] the next person that screwed up. (That was tame compared to what was actually said). Luckily I was not around for that comment because I would have been fired that day. I admit I am a bit of a red-neck (or country boy), but I don't feel that one person is any better than anyone else. As tensions built, I wanted to quit, but no job was lined up.
I talked to my manager many times, but he kept saying to stick it out, because the CIO (first Executive position he had ever held) wouldn't last much longer because he wasn't meeting expectations. He pulled me in his office and confronted me with "You aren't working your 40 hrs according to some people." This outraged me because each time, I had either stayed late to work on the project, or on the weekends "On-Call" to help some sales-person through his dial-up problems.
Basically, long story short; I was miserable, and I made a mistake on the cluster system I mentioned above. I forgot to upgrade network drivers on the system. Ultimately leading to performance problems. It caused the mainframe to crash and forcing a cold reboot. The driver issue was resolved, but because the CIO and I didn't see eye to eye, I was released on a technicality. I was offered a package to leave, so I technically wasn't being fired. I think most of that was because they didn't want a lawsuit for many of the things he has said.
I did find employment within a month, but I would have rather left on my terms. One thing I learned out of the whole ordeal is that me biting my toungue and not saying how I felt, caused me to take it out on other people. You can treat work like work, and just get a paycheck and be miserable... or you can enjoy what you are doing, and who is working with you. Either way, it is your choice.
I am much happier at my new job, I am making more money, and with a LOT less stress. It is not truly what I want to do, but I still enjoy what I am doing.
