dolari | Apr. 14th, 2007

Okay here we are again working my way through this touchscreen calibration. Nicely reexplaining that she cant just smack the screen during calibrations over and over and over again, and trying to keep her from going off on her own 35 steps that'll fix the problem when I give her one.

Normally I wouldn't complain (actually I prolly would, as this is a special case) but something just came to my attention a few days that kinda upsets me. And while it's not about this job, it's career related.

In 1997, I got my first tech job with Swan Technologies (which became Zenith Data Systems Direct). I was a first level tech making $9 an hour, a princely sum in the town I was in. I really enjoyed it there. It had a small company feel, I knew EVERYONE in the company, and they knew me. I enjoyed it till we were all laid off.

In 1998 I got my second tech job with an internet company that was horrible and I hated it. And unfortuantely, they are thriving in State College. One of the reasons I cna't order grilled stickeys for delivery is it would give this company money, and I won't do that. I was a first level tech, making $8 an hour.

In 2000 I got my third tech job, this time with Dell. I was a first level tech, this time doing EMail support. Again, I really liked it, my managers were good, and the company was (at this time) a lot of fun to work at. I was laid off in 2001. $13.25/hr

In 2002 I got my fourth tech job, with Harte Hanks doing X-Box support as a first level tech. I lasted a month there, when they fired their star tech for using the "wrong" restroom. $9/hr.

In 2003 I got my fifth tech job, with Dell, who had hired me back. I was a first level tech doing laptop support on the phones. It wasn't as much fun as the first time as the corporate culture had changed, my L2 REALLY didn't like me, and the metrics were more important than wether the customer got helped. It eased up as we went along, with another L2 basically taking me under her wing. However, numbers were more important than job performance, and I was laid off (much to the shock of many L2s) because they simply had Too Many People. $13.25/hr

In 2004 I got my sixth tech job, with Wincor Nixdorf as a first level tech. If you want my opinions on Wincor, you can read my journal from 2004-2005. For those who don't want to read that - I was able to watch TV all night, chat and surf on the internet all I wanted, even sleep on the job...and I ran SCREAMING from that place because of bad management. $13.25/hr

In 2006 I got my seventh job, here with Pixel, which actually has the feel of Swan, where I know everyone, and everyone knows me (heck even the CEO knows who I am). I'm first level tech support fixing our computers and software when they break, and they break often. $14.25/hr

What's the running thread through all those? I've spent ten years as first level tech support. I'm not GOING anywhere in this career path, I'm just spinning my wheels, and not making much for it.

I've never gone up in a company (nor really had a chance). I've never been able to afford certifications on a reimbursement plan (the companies keep folding or laying off before I can afford them) and now I'm just kinda put off by the whole thing and I'm just wearing through the days, hoping to catch an art break, which may be happening as that's the only place I'm making any headway.

I'm just really tired of this career path and frankly, realizing I haven't moved up in anything in ten years is weighing on me really heavily....