Ever thought of ... different work?

[jmaister]

coming up to 9 years, I dont think I want to be doing this when I'm 50. Pays the bills alright, but I've always wondered what different job is like.

thoughts?

Us animals are a breed of the nicest bunch that goes in and out of all sorts of offices, non profits, and schools. Takes brains and manners to do our work, yet we dont get treat like we are the sort.

Unlike batman, printers/mfp is what folks need, but hardly want to spend a dime on, what does that make of us?


a moment of reflection if you will, but I guess all jobs get to this point.

[zed255]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

I'm in my 24th year in the line of work. Used to enjoy it, not so much now. Think of doing something else daily.

My big issue is with the big corporate mindset. I really thrived with an excellent mom 'n pop operation but big business doesn't jive with me. We are approaching fiscal year end and your butt tightens up waiting to see if you the next invitee for pursuance of opportunities outside the company. Sucks to feel that way.

Customers have turned consumer. They want everything for nothing and there is zero loyalty. Everything is a world ending emergency and there can be no one more important nor worse off. No ability to self-help and if they try they end up making things way worse.

My $0.02, and ya got what ya paid fer.

[allan]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

I have over stayed my welcome in this industry for way to long. There is no place for a guy like me in these setups.
Leads to massive frustration time and time again. Developed this attitude if you can't do it right i will do it for you.
Problem is you get overworked and unable to grow because you worked yourself out of breathing room.
And truthfully its the easy way out...

Took me lots off courage to say fuck it i am done. Sabotaged myself again and just walked away with no plan.
Well you become incapable to think past the hour because you now instead have this over developed capability to deal with a different kind of chaos every 45min.

Now i found a guy with a hand full of high volume machines that needs taking care of. That leaves me with lost of time on my hands.
Believe me we can be a determined bunch. Still cant sit still took up electronic repairs, electronic design, drafting, parts design basic manufacturing and CNC machines... True art would be to sit next to the ocean for an entire day.

Been really good for me and now i have time to rehabilitate. Not touched a cigarette in 2 days!!
Body is healed mind is much better.

This is very different for everyone here.
If you hate what you do stop, you are no good to your self and the people around you.

Well this is an underappreciated skill but still an awesome skill to have.


My 3 cents.

[kingarthur]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

coming up to 9 years, I dont think I want to be doing this when I'm 50. Pays the bills alright, but I've always wondered what different job is like.

thoughts?

Us animals are a breed of the nicest bunch that goes in and out of all sorts of offices, non profits, and schools. Takes brains and manners to do our work, yet we dont get treat like we are the sort.

Unlike batman, printers/mfp is what folks need, but hardly want to spend a dime on, what does that make of us?


a moment of reflection if you will, but I guess all jobs get to this point.

I thought like you, no way am I doing this job at 50, in my 41st year, I enjoy the job, have a great bunch of customers.....but... discovered how bad my bosses really are, and how I mean absolutely nothing to them....40 years in the same job last year....got absolutely sweet F.A., apart from..."oh you've been here 40 years....why?" from my line manager.... Run Forest Run.....

[blackcat4866]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

It's taken a long time to learn the right mindset.

I took it really personal, for a long time. Then one day I realized that I was the only one that that took it personally. Every once in a while you come across someone that notices that you do high quality work. Most only want you in and out, with as little fuss as possible. It's hard to see at first, but there is some gray area between these extremes.

If I had figured this out in 1999 I might still be at Ikon ... or probably retired by now, since the pay was great. But alas it was not an easy thing for me to learn. =^..^=

Edit: What I was really going to say though was that I keep getting drawn back. Sure, like the rest of you I can do lots of other things, but the money always draws me back to copier service. =^..^=

[Oze]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

I worked in the print industry for 30 years as a tradesman Bookbinder and I WAS where most of you guys are at now.
Was fed up and looking for a career change.
The local Canon dealer was advertising for a trainee so I applied and got the job.
Stayed with Canon for 5 years and then switched to the local Ricoh dealer and haven't looked back (hate Canon boxes).

[Lagonda]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

Well over 30 years in this game and most of them with one company. I just dream of not working at all. I hit 65 this year so I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[jonhiker]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

I have done other types of work, warehouse, sales desk, supervisor in different industries. I do like the being a tech and haveing a bit of control over my workday. My territory is close to home and have some good work buddies.

The company and the management suck, big time. Also, I trade off having the close territory for working mostly on b/w machines, even though I have training and experience in color and network support. Retirement is about 4 years away, so I will just hang in there.

[jmaister]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

It's taken a long time to learn the right mindset.

I took it really personal, for a long time. Then one day I realized that I was the only one that that took it personally. Every once in a while you come across someone that notices that you do high quality work. Most only want you in and out, with as little fuss as possible. It's hard to see at first, but there is some gray area between these extremes.

If I had figured this out in 1999 I might still be at Ikon ... or probably retired by now, since the pay was great. But alas it was not an easy thing for me to learn. =^..^=

Edit: What I was really going to say though was that I keep getting drawn back. Sure, like the rest of you I can do lots of other things, but the money always draws me back to copier service. =^..^=

I thought you said... You didn't stay for the money or something to that effect..but for glory? .somewhere

I guess somebody up top had change of heart? Or you became top cat? (congrats)

And I take things less personal now and Its not even that. Its... Society in general should value those that have patience to take on their problem, but in reality, no. We're just part of the package they sign. Show up when jamming, show up when erroring. We dont have the glistening reputation plumbers or carpenters have, arent even recognized as a official trade.

You say" my son is a plumber/carpenter"

They say"wow"

You say" my son is in office solutions"

They only nod...

[blackcat4866]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

I thought you said... You didn't stay for the money or something to that effect..but for glory? .somewhere

I guess somebody up top had change of heart? Or you became top cat? (congrats)

And I take things less personal now and Its not even that. Its... Society in general should value those that have patience to take on their problem, but in reality, no. We're just part of the package they sign. Show up when jamming, show up when erroring. We dont have the glistening reputation plumbers or carpenters have, arent even recognized as a official trade.

You say" my son is a plumber/carpenter"

They say"wow"

You say" my son is in office solutions"

They only nod...

There's the rub: There never is glory. I didn't ever expect there to be ... but maybe recognition?
Like any technology related field it's a moving target, and you're always two steps behind because you spend all your time on 5-10 year old equipment.

The manual is a good place to start, but in the end we must all find our own solutions to problems. The manual is no magic book of secrets. The tech still must craft a solution. That's what makes this forum great: We can all share our 10 seconds of genius, with others that can appreciate the process involved.
=^..^=

[NeoMatrix]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

Well over 30 years in this game and most of them with one company. I just dream of not working at all. I hit 65 this year so I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Re Light in the tunnel....
Clean those darn glasses, its a train coming.....

[NeoMatrix]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

There's the rub: There never is glory. I didn't ever expect there to be ... but maybe recognition?
Like any technology related field it's a moving target, and you're always two steps behind because you spend all your time on 5-10 year old equipment.

The manual is a good place to start, but in the end we must all find our own solutions to problems. The manual is no magic book of secrets. The tech still must craft a solution. That's what makes this forum great: We can all share our 10 seconds of genius, with others that can appreciate the process involved.
=^..^=

The starting out younger enthusiastic generation look for direction and purpose to their life.
The older waning generation look for purpose to their pending direction.

[CompyTech]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

Same boat, 10 years in and same company to boot. Think about it a good bit, not sure what else I could do besides change companies or something else in IT because that's all I really know.

I learned to as well to not take things too personally anymore, it's just a machine and it's just a job. I just do whatever the company tells me to do and go where they tell me to go.

All in all we probably have one of the best kind of jobs out there, we get to drive around and see different things and are not confined to an office(most of the time), and occasionally make someones day run smoother.

[Phil B.]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

Sept 2018 I had told the boss I was no longer willing to lie and cheat customers... I had walked out twice in the five years, due to him and his wife ( family owned biz ) lying to me-vendors-customers, and at the 2nd time after he agreed to stop those practices, I informed him "Daryll one more damn time I have to eat MY words due to your lying.. I am GONE.. no third chance..no pleas .. no tears from you ( yes he and his bitch tried that with me.. dad of 2 Gdad of 2.. tears didn't work for my wife either).

So with other things ie: demands of weekend work @ HIS HOME.... wash car on MY TIME.. I flipped him off.. gathered my shit and left.

He still was promoting me as working for him... had my Picture and several " How To " files n movies on his website and Fakebook page.. Several private letters and one from my lawyer to remove... He tried to get HIS lawyer to bust my balls... but I had already contacted NCAG and they got involved...

Sayless to need ... He got fined... my likeness got removed ( intellectual property ) and I got a small check in compensation ..... BUT did it end there? OHHELLFUCKINGNO! I found out he was bad mouthing me to his clients..... So now... I have a case of SLANDER against him and have 15 of his EX CUSTOMERS on my side in court... ( yes ex customers.. MOST of my clients LOVED me and they fired him as their supply/service provider.)
He has been dropped By: Oki - Epson - Xerox - Murtec - KM..... the only one that stayed with him is Brother... but he doesn't have a certified tech so cannot do warranty work.. and only has a P/T tech ( couldn't figure how to use multi-meter ) working for him.... He is pushing Clover & LD supply and is losing what customers he had.

Me.. thank to him.. I have a bad taste in my mouth for tech work... thinking about going back to warehousing since all my bills are paid ( except monthly ) and @ 62 having worked since i was 14.... I feel i need to DO FOR ME .... my bank account can handle it...
Having had soo many different jobs in my past.. I am not worried about income..

[allan]

Re: Ever thought of ... different work?

Sept 2018 I had told the boss I was no longer willing to lie and cheat customers... I had walked out twice in the five years, due to him and his wife ( family owned biz ) lying to me-vendors-customers, and at the 2nd time after he agreed to stop those practices, I informed him "Daryll one more damn time I have to eat MY words due to your lying.. I am GONE.. no third chance..no pleas .. no tears from you ( yes he and his bitch tried that with me.. dad of 2 Gdad of 2.. tears didn't work for my wife either).

So with other things ie: demands of weekend work @ HIS HOME.... wash car on MY TIME.. I flipped him off.. gathered my shit and left.

He still was promoting me as working for him... had my Picture and several " How To " files n movies on his website and Fakebook page.. Several private letters and one from my lawyer to remove... He tried to get HIS lawyer to bust my balls... but I had already contacted NCAG and they got involved...

Sayless to need ... He got fined... my likeness got removed ( intellectual property ) and I got a small check in compensation ..... BUT did it end there? OHHELLFUCKINGNO! I found out he was bad mouthing me to his clients..... So now... I have a case of SLANDER against him and have 15 of his EX CUSTOMERS on my side in court... ( yes ex customers.. MOST of my clients LOVED me and they fired him as their supply/service provider.)
He has been dropped By: Oki - Epson - Xerox - Murtec - KM..... the only one that stayed with him is Brother... but he doesn't have a certified tech so cannot do warranty work.. and only has a P/T tech ( couldn't figure how to use multi-meter ) working for him.... He is pushing Clover & LD supply and is losing what customers he had.

Me.. thank to him.. I have a bad taste in my mouth for tech work... thinking about going back to warehousing since all my bills are paid ( except monthly ) and @ 62 having worked since i was 14.... I feel i need to DO FOR ME .... my bank account can handle it...
Having had soo many different jobs in my past.. I am not worried about income..

Phil B. angry! Yes get where you are coming from. Glad you can afford to make the move. Most of us are fearful of where the provision is going to come from.
With a family and with other responsibilities I can imagine how many guys are just coping thru the injustice. Not that I know much about family and responsibilities.
My last experience showed me how soul crushing it can be. Wish more people can be fearless and get where they need to be.