May 20, 2010 at 11:20 am
The job somewhat matters... if that makes sense.
I work as a sys admin, primary role is SQL DBA, but I do all sorts of other things. So as some people have mentioned, being called on to help in other areas, as in "other duties as required", definitely not a big deal. Its a good way to learn new skills and find new interests.
Its frustrating working with the people that insist "its not their job" and have no interest in even understanding other peoples roles and functions on a team.
However, if it means, being put back in a former role you left, because either the people hired to do it can't, no one one else wants to, and for an indefinite period of time (happened a to me at a former employer) not really cool in my books. Just because you are 'good at something', I don't think should be the only reason for doing it. You should also like what you do.
I like my job, I like troubleshooting and piecing together a solution that solves a problem. Do I get to work with clients as much as I'd like, or do I get to flex my creativity as much as I'd like? No. But sometimes you can't have everything, and eventually I know I'll have a job that I really love to do. And ya, the pay good compared to what most of my friends my age earn (many are teachers, assistants, or nurses), so I can't complain. Although, I am jealous of my teacher friends that have the whole summer off!
May 20, 2010 at 12:52 pm
100% sure that the role is important to me. If I'm supposed to do anything else other than the primary role, I would prefer to choose it myself instead of my manager tell me what else I should do.
Besides as soon as you begin to accept other responsibilities, you start to take distance from your primary role.
If I could do anything else better than my job as as solution developer, I would definitely do it myself! There is no need for anybody else to help me in choosing what I do best!
Amir Hussein Samiani
May 20, 2010 at 1:14 pm
The job matters, but the job is so much more than the work we do at the job.
I have done, and enjoyed, a variety of different jobs. When I've found myself in the position of being unhappy at the job it has usually been because of the people around me, rather than the type of work I was doing at the time.
Every job I have had has had certain other "collateral duties" that went along with it and I usually view them as a chance to step away from the normal routine and do something else for an hour or so.
My primary job here is to provide customer support, installations and training for our warehouse application, but I also do all of the IT tasks around the office and even water the plants (even though I have no interest in plants or gardening). The job is a good fit for me because I like the variety. If the boss wanted me to vacuum the carpets at the close of the day I could do that as well. Fortunately, janitors can be hired for much less than the boss pays me :-).
I don't understand the idea that some particular task is "beneath" a person. I owe the boss a days work for a days pay, and if he chooses to spend my hours on something more trivial than my regular responsibilities, that's up to him. If I decide that I don't like the new tasks I'm free to find something else that suits me better. It may be harder right now with the economy in poor shape, but if the aggravation of working the job overcomes the aggravation of finding a new job, then it's time to go somewhere else.
May 20, 2010 at 1:17 pm
I enjoy doing what I do...I was once an Accountant, hated it, too routine. So I got into computers that constantly change...new technology etc... I believe that I am really a translator. I turn human logic{usually illogic} into a system that only know Yes/No, On/Off, True/False. Being a DBA and developer makes for a interesting combo. I get designs from my users that make sense to them in their little world and I need to put it into the logic of Sql Server. TRANSLATOR... The money is good and the challenges keep me coming back....if I made the same money doing Accounting I'd probably quit after a week or so cause of shear bordum.
May 20, 2010 at 1:25 pm
First, yes the job does matter. But if I'm doing a job I love and not making the pay necessary, I'll go elsewhere. But loving my job makes a difference in what I can put up with. I would prefer to be self-employed and working from home making the same pay and benefits, but that's not happening. I enjoy my job and while I don't make the salary I believe I should be, I can live with it.
Second, doing work 'outside your normal job' can be a difficult decision. For one thing, you are helping get something done and you may be learning something new. However, it can take you away from your own tasks - how do you explain you didn't get your work done because you were doing someone else's work? Also, once you begin doing those 'extra' jobs, how soon before they become part of your job requirement because 'you did it before'. Will you get extra pay when that job you stepped in to temporarily help with becomes your responsibility permanently?
-SQLBill
May 20, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Yes off course, I worked as a SQL Server database administrator but at the same time, I developed some applications where needed to keep the system running and that was my positive point to make the system run smoothly.
But if you mean for example working with Oracle, once in a blue moon, whatever happens, I won't do that! It's obvious, it's out of realm of my technical expertise.
May 20, 2010 at 1:32 pm
SQLBill (5/20/2010)
Second, doing work 'outside your normal job' can be a difficult decision. For one thing, you are helping get something done and you may be learning something new. However, it can take you away from your own tasks - how do you explain you didn't get your work done because you were doing someone else's work? Also, once you begin doing those 'extra' jobs, how soon before they become part of your job requirement because 'you did it before'. Will you get extra pay when that job you stepped in to temporarily help with becomes your responsibility permanently?-SQLBill
A lot of these questions depends on the size of the organisation and work ethics they abide by. We are mostly conversing like all organisations have well defined job roles and your boss is going to get upset if you do something outside of it. There are organisations that are completely opposite, smaller shops mostly, where work is judged by how much you do and not quality. Especially if you end up a DBA in a place like that and make more than others do, many employers resent the fact that they have to pay this person so much and expect him/her to pick up everything that falls between the gaps. And even in SOX audited places DBA roles are very hazy, they do define what you should not do but you are still expected to do a lot of stuff which is totally unclear and outside of your boundaries.
May 20, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I really love what I do, even if I'm asked to do presentations or QA, which are not my normal tasks. Heck, I've even moved furniture (that's what I get for all the weight lifting I do to stay in shape).
If you get asked to do something outside your normal routine, you need to ask yourself, "Can I do this and do it well?" If not, then you need to speak up and state that maybe someone else should do the task and inquire as to whether there is something else that needs to be done that is more suitable for you. If you still are the one who has to do the work, then ask questions so that you get it done right.
May 20, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Having been in management for many years and having managed many types of individuals I can say with complete certainty that the job matters to everyone. With no intent of offending your freind, I also find that those that say they do not care what the job is also tend to be the most unhappy in there position. I had one such employee that contanstantly claimed that the job did not matter to him but also complained about ever task that was given to him. I personally have found my career to be a winding river and I have had good times and bad, I have tried many different roles and have tried to gravitate towards to roles I have enjoyed more. I also have left jobs to take less money doing a job I enjoyed more. Having a monetary goal for your career is practical but should not be the defining point and I would argue that in most cases those that claim the only factor to them that matters is money often are just fooling themselves.
Dan
If only I could snap my figures and have all the correct indexes apear and the buffer clean and.... Start day dream here.
May 20, 2010 at 2:43 pm
A lot of times it also depends on who is asking you to the job, how is it being asked, and what comes after (net +ve or -ve). If the org is not good at such trade-offs, then we see clamming up.
May 20, 2010 at 2:47 pm
But that is my point. If the money is all that matters to a person then no other factor would or could contribute to an unhappy employee. If a person truly beleives that there paycheck is the only thing that matters to them then they would not be affcted one way or another by being asked to do even the most horrible of task in the most impolite of manner. They still get there paycheck.
Dan
If only I could snap my figures and have all the correct indexes apear and the buffer clean and.... Start day dream here.
May 20, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Even though I've already confessed that I'm in it for the money, several years ago I took a significant pay cut to get out of a job where I was miserable. I've never regretted it and I've gradually made it back to better than where I was monetarily. No amount of money is worth misery.
The people make the difference.
And I work for the state, so I couldn't really be considered a mercenary :laugh:
May 20, 2010 at 3:19 pm
The job doesn't matter as long as I am involved in IT somehow. I've done many different jobs, including software developer, systems administrator, project manager, service delivery manager, database developer, and am now a database administrator. Each job has generally involved many roles outside the job description, including business analysis, systems analysis, process re-engineering, and technical writing. There is always more to learn in any role and I have found each to be interesting and enjoyable.
That said, I prefer it that when I change jobs, the new one have some relation to the last one. I like to leverage the knowledge and skills that I have already acquired and not start from scratch every time. However, the exact role doesn't matter that much to me.
May 20, 2010 at 4:44 pm
I can be happy doing more than just DB programming. Have I been asked to fill in at the receptionist's desk for a few minutes or a couple of hours? Yep. And I have done it without hesitation. If they asked me to fill in for a plasma physicist, would I? No way! I don't have the knowledge it takes to do that job, and it cannot be taught to me in a short time (requires PhD in plasma physics - I have bachelors in Comp Sci and I don't want to be responsible for breaking/damaging a multi-million dollar research machine). But if there was something on the periphery that I *could* do and be useful...
Before I went to college, I worked as a secretary and I was happy doing that job. The reason I decided to change directions was purely monetary. And there has been a time or two where I seriously considered returning to secretarial because I couldn't get mgmt to change what I considered to be a source of a serious problem. But, dang, I'd gotten used to the higher pay. However, from that experience, I consider being happy in my work to be of great importance. If I'm totally miserable, for whatever reason, I'm not sure it's worth the extra $$$ if I can support myself and still be happy doing something else.
May 20, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Job matters to me. These are the factors I consider in order of importance.
1. The most important is that I get along with my colleagues.
2. I have to love doing my job, otherwise I get tired too easily and feel miserable the rest of the day. Preferably IT related but not necessary. I would love doing the Myth Buster (Discovery Channel) kind of work 😛 or game tester. :w00t:
3. Monetary factor is only third for me.
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