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Thread: I think I'm done with tech work...

  1. #1
    Religiously tolerant. Luke122's Avatar
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    Default I think I'm done with tech work...

    I've been working with computers officially since 1997, but lately I've just lost the desire to deal with them at all.

    Customers in general have become real assholes as of late, people arguing about every single item on an invoice, bitching about rates, and refusing to pay bills. I might be going to court with one right away, which royally sucks, but I might not get paid any other way.

    Maybe it's just the economy going down the toilet, but lately people have begun to try and bargain just about everywhere! I heard a guy in the grocery store bitching about prices to the poor cashier! If you dont like the prices, dont buy the product. Dont put it in your cart, and then yell at the poor teenage girl running the till.

    I had a guy in the store here today bitching about the shop rate of $75/hr to fix his cell phone. Yes, we took it apart and resoldered a speaker connector. Minimum charge = 1 hr. If you like, I can break it again, and you can go on your way. If you bring something in to get fixed, and it gets fixed, you should be prepared to pay, especially since you were told upfront that it's out of warranty and it's going to cost you.

    In general, I've just been getting more and more frustrated with people in regards to tech work. I made an estimate for this client of $5500 for the project, not including materials. His invoice was under $4000, and he's still fighting with me about it! He mailed out a payment "that he thinks is fair".. you cant do that.

    You dont go to a restaurant and order food, then eat it, and then refuse to pay full price because something wasnt what you expected. You see the price right next to the food when you order. If you get it, and it's not good, you send it back and get something else. You dont eat it all, and then refuse to pay.

    So certainly when someone does you a service for a pre-agreed upon rate (with a contract and everything), and the invoice is less much less than the quote, why would you be such an asshole and refuse to pay?

    I'm just sick to death of dealing with people like this, and I'm about ready to just give up on computers completely. Since I left my sysadmin job, I have hardly been able to find any tech work at all. I dont know if my reputation has been trashed or something, or what the problem is, but I know that I just dont care about it anymore.

    I have no idea what else i can do for work, since all my training and experience has pretty much revolved around hardware and support, but the thought of walking into another tech job is just making me sick right now. I'm struggling with a website project right now, and I just feel like I'm wasting my time and the time of my employer. I'm going to recommend that he just hire an actual designer, and just get them to do it. I'll work with them to get the content and design that is wanted, but as far as the coding goes, I'm just lost and cant seem to get myself to care about learning it.

    I have a chance to go drive heavy equipment (almost full time), or to start apprenticing in either construction, or electrical, and there's a posting for an apprentice baker that just came up.. all of those things are more appealing to me than what I'm doing now.

    Does anyone have any words of advice?

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  2. #2
    Custom Title Honors chaksq's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    I hear you. If you can find a job doing what you want go for it. I personally believe it is better to have a career where you are happy than one that stresses you out to extremes. Just make sure you will make enough doing whatever that you can support yourself properly with it. Good luck man.
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    Fox Furry crenn's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    I found a lot of people argue the price now a days, they seem to believe that they'll get their way if they make enough fuss.
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  4. #4
    Does all his own stunts mittelmeier's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    People are complaining about prices everywhere. I tried to do some mechanic work on the side a few months ago, posted an ad and got a lot of responses. I advertised cheap labor rates. I was charging $20 and hour, you can't find an independent garage for less than $40 and the dealerships are charging $75+. I've got certifications, a degree and lots of experience and ever person I talked to tried to talk me down on my rates. I told them to take it to a shop and see if they lower their rates for them because I was being more than fair.

    If you aren't happy doing what you are doing and have a chance to pursue a career change that may make you happy I'd recommend going for it if you will be able to support yourself. I'm going back to school for web design because I can't stand how the management treats technicians at any garage that pays decent money. Best of luck to you.

  5. #5
    Resident 100HP water-cannon operator SXRguyinMA's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    I do work on motorcycles, atvs, jet skiis and such in my spare time, I charge $35/hr and get no complaints. The cheapest shop anywhere nearby is $75, so it works out for me. Also, I was looking into doing heavy equipment operating, but with the crazy slowdown in house building lately, that may not be the way to go. on the other hand, baking has 100% job security, people always need food

  6. #6
    I've got the madcow, what's your excuse? Bopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    People even try this at Wendy's. I get people all the time who will eat the whole meal then come back and say something wasn't right with it and they want the money back. It's nice to be the GM cause then I'm like no way dude. Like I always tell my crew, "The customer can always be right, till I prove them wrong."

    "Technical neglect is one of the worst kinds of neglect, won't you sponsor an octal or adsl2 card so they can someday grow up into big capable adsl2+ cards? random celebrity does."

  7. #7
    Practice random acts of generosity Omega's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    The only tip I have for you is don't have a tech job where you have to deal with people. Actually, don't have any job where you have to deal with customers.

    At my (soon to be) work, I won't have to deal with anybody. Just stocking shelves, cleaning up the shop and calling manufacturers to order parts. Once I move up it gets better, then I get to do the actual fixing. The guy who owns the shop knows I don't want to deal with customers, so he won't make me.



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  8. #8
    Would You kindly... luciusad2004's Avatar
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    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    It's the whole twisted "customer is always right" attitude that causes this crap. Working in retail sobers you up a bit i think. People tend to think that because they are paying you for something they are entitled to whatever they want plus rainbows and gumdrops on the side. I've grown to hate consumerism. I hate corporations that take advantage of customers but i equally hate customer who think that they deserve everything, no... i hate them more than greedy corporations. They walk in to your business like they own the place, like your some sort of lower class servant just because they are the ones dishing out the cash.

    sorry

    rant over.
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  9. #9

    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    Luke,

    Wow. Thoughts:

    Driving heavy machinery is a lot of fun, I'll say that for sure, but can be dirty work. Baking is a wonderful skill but the hours suck. People can be as annoying as hell. They can also be pretty cool.

    Have you contemplated using your tech skills in your own small business. Just setting up new PC's for Grandma's and the like, all you need is a van or car and print some flyers then go post them through the doors in every rich part of town. Setting up wireless networks pays too.

    At least if they are your customers you get to chose the ones you work for. You can also have annual support contracts for the computer-afraid generations $200 bucks gets them up to 4 hrs telephone support plus one site visit (plus parts) kinda thing.

    My main advice to you would be don't let yourself get dragged down by this and don't let it drag on too long.

    Best wishes in finding something that satisfies you.

    Matthew

  10. #10

    Default Re: I think I'm done with tech work...

    Luke -

    Totally with ya on the customer service thing... I started seriously into computers around '95. This was my hobby, and now I support my family on what used to be my hobby!!!

    I've worked for companies that were ****ty to their employees, I've worked for companies that were great to their employees. I helped to start an onsite computer service firm, so I have *totally* been in the customer service bag. Sometimes people feel like you owe it to them for even calling on you for the chance to possibly get paid by them....
    BS!


    I've found a good corporate level sys admin position that gives me the challenges that I like, without the insane hours required. I'm still on call 24x7.... and my weekends are interrupted from time to time, but compared to the company that I worked previously (60hr weeks the norm), this place is a dream.

    I also reach my wits end and have serious reservations about my career path from time to time. Those usually fade. I made one bad decision many years back that took me way out of my comfort zone, and left me stressed and miserable for a year. Think about what you like with your tech job, think about what you dont like, and think about what you would like to do *if* you could keep working tech... what would make you a happy camper?

    Then try to locate a job that has most/all of those criteria. If you have the Sr level experience, you could get into higher level corporate work, Sys Admin for a mid-to-large sized company, and likely be able to steer clear of customer service/support interactions.

    I hate seeing people with a ton of experience in a field.... toss it due to dissatisfaction And what pains me more is when they figure out it was the environment and not necessarily the job.

    Now, a career change may be in the works for you. Of that, I cannot talk anything about, as all of my jobs have been tech centric.

    But I have always wanted to got to work for a custom body shop, or work in the voice over/voice acting industry, so if I was to jump ship, it would likely be in one of those directions.




    Think about it and best of luck!
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