Jack of all trades master of none

[ComputerNurse]

I graduated a year ago and started work as a Systems Analyst the day after I graduated. I really did not have any guidance in this positions since it was newly created. So I just did what ever anyone needed done. I work in a small shop, there is only 6 of us for 450 users. Because of all that needs to be done I haven't really in my opinion become an expert and any one thing. I consider myself a generalist (Jack of all trades master of none). I don't know if this is a good place to be or not. Should I try and develop some sort of specialty? Right now, I am 2nd level support for 2 major applications, 1 minor (Everyone in the shop at some point or another has taken helpdesk calls) We are a mixed network part Novell part Windows so I manage users on the Novell side and the windows side. I write (simple) SQL Queries and produce crystal reports when necessary. I upgrade my apps of the server when necessary. I do tech setups for training and in between, I investigate problems with software and develop workarounds etc. How do I become really good at something. It seems there is never any consistency from what I do week to week.

There is never a dull moment in our shop. I asked for guidance from my boss in developing a skill set maybe taking some tech classes. He tells me It doesn't matter because anything I take would probably apply to our environment.

Please advise.......................

 

[Lozbinator]

Hi ComputerNurse!

I can definitely understand where you are coming from as I am in a similar position myself.

I have been a Grad. Analyst/Programmer since Dec 2001 and in that time I have become very much the 'generalist', in much the same way as yourself. Only now is there the slightest chance that I will be able to undertake some training, so I find myself asking the same question.

The main thing I have come up with so far is that I absolutely must find the training interesting. Because if I am not interested, I am less likely to pay attention and be successful in utilising any new skills.

I personally am also interested in undertaking training to achieve certification. For me, having some sort of recognition that my training is worthwhile is important, as opposed to taking something that my company may value, yet the rest of the commercial world does not.

I know this isn't a specific suggestion, but I hope it helps. Good Luck!

 

[Twinmoon]

What would you want training in?

 

[ComputerNurse]

I having training for SQL Server 2071 and 2072 scheduled per my request, we had a 30,000 surplus in the training budget. I am sure I will learn alot, the departmental plans are to become a SQL SERVER shop right now we have some Oracle and SQL SERVER based applications. I like to create Crystal reports and figure out problems, I am trying to develop the skill to create complex queries. The department head told me I was doing to much tech support. She tells me I am supposed roll off projects once they become standard apps. The problem is everything seems to require to much support/corrections and to many workarounds.

 

[Lozbinator]

ComputerNurse: I understand completely! I thought I was to be involved in purely systems analysis and programming, and yet I find myself dabbling in EVERYTHING just to get a small application rolled out and successfully up and running.

I don't know if you will ever find yourself in a position where you will see less support / corrections and workarounds. My experience is too limited, but from what I can gather (asking colleagues and friends, and my tiny smidge of experience) it seems to me like this is a part of our jobs we are doomed to be stuck with !!

I too am interested in training in SQL Server, and I think that is a great move. I find it difficult also to know what to study.

Maybe if your boss is aware of the amount of tech support you do, you may yet find she will help you to move away from that kind of work (if you discover the secret, let me know!).

Sounds like there's a reasonable training budget there for you to take a bite out of!

Maybe think about what else you _may_ find interesting - do you like web development? Networking? User training? Programming? So many options...

 

[ComputerNurse]

Thanks for the input, I need to do some sole searching.

 

[Lozbinator]

This could be totally wrong, way out there... but I was wondering....

You know those tests you can take to find out what sort of personality you have, what tasks you may be good at etc? (Whether or not they are true is a different idea all together which isn't relevant to my post)

Well, maybe there is some sort of 'test' or 'survey' out there for IT, that can help tell you what sort of training / jobs you may be good at or suited to?

I could be way off, but if anybody knows of anything like this maybe it would be helpful ?

 

[Bullschmidt]

<<
... Right now, I am 2nd level support for 2 major applications, 1 minor (Everyone in the shop at some point or another has taken helpdesk calls) We are a mixed network part Novell part Windows so I manage users on the Novell side and the windows side. I write (simple) SQL Queries and produce crystal reports when necessary. I upgrade my apps of the server when necessary. I do tech setups for training and in between, I investigate problems with software and develop workarounds etc. How do I become really good at something. It seems there is never any consistency from what I do week to week.

There is never a dull moment in our shop...Please advise.......................
>>

SOUNDS AWESOME to me (at least in terms of learning and hireability)!!! Much better than learning one small area of a larger concern and then getting laid off with nobody needing your specialty.

Best regards,
J. Paul Schmidt - Freelance ASP Web Developer

http://www.Bullschmidt.com

- Creating &quot;dynamic&quot; Web pages that read and write from databases...

 

[AIXSPadmin]

Listen, you have a great job. After working for a small company &quot;doing it all,&quot; and then working for a Fortune 500 company doing ONLY AIX, I can argue the benefits of the &quot;Jack of all trades&quot; moniker and being able to do many different things.

Sure as a specialist you become very good, and the pay is almost always higher than as a generalist, but after doing years of specialist work - and even knowing the generalist &quot;stuff,&quot; it is difficult to find a job again at a small company. They don't want to hire someone with a salary history that was high-five figures or they figure they can't give you satisfaction on the job.

Right now, in this economic downturn, the generalist has a better chance of finding a job.

 

[jrbarnett]

Speaking as another generalist (although I call myself a programmer in my tek-tips profile, I have fixed all sorts of network and database related problems). I have been called a computer doctor (by medical doctors), Genius by MCSE engineers and had my writing described as &quot;superb&quot;.

I have fixed MS networking problems that MCSE's haven't been able to fix, and Novell problems that CNE's haven't been able to.
I don't have any trade certifications, only my degree and extensive wide ranging knowledge.
Yet, in the current employment market people want certificates and looking around, it will cost huge amounts of money - that I don't have - to get those MCSE or CNE letters after my name.

On applying for jobs I am told that my skills are too wide ranging for what they want, but if I write a CV excluding skills that aren't relevant to a particular job, I don't have enough experience as candidates who have been using skills as long as I have.
I have been looking for work since the middle of last August and only had two interviews in the meantime (a victim of the appalling IT job market at the moment in the UK).

John

 

[AIXSPadmin]

I was laid off, turned down some job offers, accepted a job at close to the same I was making (better benefits though), and been made new offers at higher pay (than before and now) because they cannot find my expertise!

This took place in a 2 month period, with all but 1 week taken as a vacation.

 

[RiverGuy]

I would definately try to become an expert in something. It sounds like you already have a grasp of the generalist role--should you ever need to get another job, you have that covered. But, if you choose to specialize more, thats another possibility to your future.

The good thing about your possible pursuit with the SQL is that you can learn at home more readily than something like network admin (unless you have a domain and switches, etc. set up at home).