I hate corporate IT
WARNING INCOMING RANT
That’s right folks, it’s been less than a month since I’ve started working full time in corporate America, and I’m fed up with it already. Is it the stress of a real job? Nope. Is it the long hours? Nope. Is it the fact that real life is setting in? Wrong again.
It’s the fact that I can’t get any f&#*ing work done!
I’m used to computer labs. Hell, I’m used to having equipment at home. I’m used to being able to actually be able to DO SOMETHING when I need to.
Before: If I have a problem, I look for a solution, I try a few of them, pick the one that works the best, and I do it.
Now: It has been almost 4 weeks. I have read articles till my eyes are ready to bleed. I can’t get anyone to lone me equipment to test with, I can’t get approval to buy anything to test with. Today, I finally manage to borrow some machines from someone who is going on vacation. Now I can’t get linked into the network the way I need to or get the software installed in order to test the G-D software.
If I was doing this at school, or at home, I would have been able to test a ton of options, picked out the best, and had it fully implimented by now. Now, I am covered in so much bureaucracy and political situations (read: bullshit) that I can’t even begin to test, let alone impliment.
I’m trying to do this project because no one else has done it, but I get the feeling from everyone that I’m stepping on thier toes, working in thier territory, and they don’t like it one bit. Maybe they HAVE tried to do this, maybe it is thier territory, but they have already given up hope of ever getting it done.
I’m proud of myself. Less than a month, and I’m already ready to quit and move to some hole in the wall part of the world where maybe I can actually do some good. I’m tired of leaving work feeling (knowing) that I haven’t accomplished jack. I’m frustrated and fed up with corporate roadblocks, and I frankly do no know how I am going to keep doing this… Do I give up the fight, throw in my towle (or soul?) and enjoy a nice cushy paycheck, knowing that I could be doing so much more? Do I continue to fight the good fight here and hope to god something changes? Or do I run away from this madness and go to where I will be challenged, not held back?
Who knows…. But for now, this day is done – let’s see how tomorrow goes…
/rant
July 20th, 2004 at 8:45 pm
(Coppied from the livejournal comment – Brint)
From: dihi
Subject: congrats!
oh god, hun i know exactly how you feel….and i’ve been doing it for 3 years.
in the last year it has gotten worse though. it is at the point now, when i can’t get approval to do anything, my co-worker got a $700 change request denied and chewed out for even submitting it, and i get yelled at for just saying “fuck it” and doing it myself. it’s next to impossible to do anything now. on top of it all, there is so much political bullshit, and one really unprofessional asshole bringing our whole group down.
he called our application “shit”, and got in my face in a business meeting, saying “i just want to be clear, and make sure everyone knows who makes the descions in the GUI/Architecture space…” then, pointing his finger in each person’s face…”Tim, do YOU understand, Scott, do YOU understand, Diana do YOU understand” and wouldn’t continue the meeting until we all bowed down to his power and said “Yes”…..all because i mentioned that the developers had suggested that we install .NET….a simple installation of a proven technology that would solve many of our problems and make our interface run faster….they all surrrounded me and beat me down to the point that i had to leave a business meeting in tears….and he has never apologized, and my boss did nothing….that is when i decided i had to get out.
so, that is why i am going back to school. to teach, to help people, to do something of meaning and purpose….i want the things i build to last longer than a couple of years before new management comes in and makes us completely re-build the system we already had in 2 months, and then blame us when it doesn’t work perfectly…..
i guess my point is….it only gets worse…unfortuntely, there is a reason everyone is so jaded….work invades everything in your life, slowly, without you noticing, it can twist you into something you hate.
my advice – do some soul searching, and discover your own path….where your voice, energy, intelligence, and passion will actually be appreciated and put to good use making the world better instead of adding to the bullshit….
i know i was devestated when i realized how immature adults actually are, and that the world they have built is held together with duct-tape, bubblegum and spit.