okay. i am not sure exactly if this 2

[jitter]

okay. i am not sure exactly if this is the right place to post this but here goes.

i currently work for a small software development firm that mostly contracts gov type work related to data management type systems.

i am currently responsible for our internal network as well as providing programming support on current applications for enhancements and bug fixing. i am also sold on new projects and end up being the go to guy a lot.

we are a microsoft shop dealing mostly with vb6, .net, sql server, asp, etc...

our company is small with about 20 total employees half of which are strictly programmers. there are 2 offices but 1 is really small. the office i am most responsible for consists of the following :

active directory domain
1 directory server
2 file servers
2 sql servers
2 web servers
1 vpn server
1 unix router/firewall
20 client machines

i am just getting burnt out. they tend to think of all our servers as development servers which in their case i guess they are but in my case i consider them production servers. there are no backup systems to test anything on before making it live so all upgrades/patches are done on the live systems. i tend to lose a lot of sleep sometimes over this. their expectations seem to be that the network should take care of itself and i should worry about more billable items. they always want you billable you know. 100% all the time.

my question is this. does it seem fair for me to ask for 20 or more hours a week that i can dedicate to our internal network? they seem to think this is to much and i seem to think even 20 hours is not enough.

that is just for the internal network part. after that comes the development responsibilities. they will sell an enhancement that might take 120 hours. their math 120/40 = 3 weeks i have to do it. everybody achieves 100% billability right?

their minimum work expectation is 45 hours a week but generally falls into the 50+. there is no comp time and we all must be here in the office 8:30 - 5:30 for the hours to count. why did i spend time setting up that vpn and supporting it? oh yeah, that is so you can continue to work after hours from home more conveniently. did i mention no comp time and we are all salary?

i had 72 hours in one week and the next week needed to take a day off but i had to use 8 hours of vacation time for the day. it seems that 32 extra hours does not really count for anything except for a "we really appreciate all your hard work."

even if you do take some vacation you are basically expected to make up those hours somewhere. with the holidays coming up you would think i would be excited to have some time off. nope, cuz we still have the same amount of stuff to get done in the same amount of time. yeah we have Christmas day off but we still have 45 hours of work to get done that week.

i make 40,000 a year here and have been working here for two years. they also seem to think that all training and learning should be done in our own time. remember 100 % billable. in my time here i have self studied for mcsd and mcdba. both of which i have only one test to complete 70-215 and 70-100. i am probably ready for both test but avoid them out of fear of what more responsibilities will they hand me with those. they have provided trancender for most of the tests after asking and asking for a couple months. other than that they do not provide any perks for training. my book collection has become more used than the companies since i have started.

anyway, i am rambling but would like any thoughts. is this common 40,000 a year for the expectations of network admin, programmer, helpdesk, and dba? i love networking and programming but give me a break. oh yeah, it seems that slowly most of the management involved with what i work on has also fallen on me.

am i in the wrong place? is this what it is all about? i am just heading for a nervous breakdown. i get almost nothing done anymore because there is to much.

at least there is halo at night...

jitter

 

[LesleyW]

Hm well you do have a lot on your plate. And you admit you are burning out.

You have 2 choices -

Bail out (i.e get another job)
or sort it out.

Seems like the job is too big for one person, and you will have your work cut out to persuade management that you should only be doing one job - I would have thought the most logical thing in your case is to cut out the programming. Then they have to accept that you are providing a service to those who do billable hours, and stop expecting you to put in any billable hours, let alone 100%.

As for what you are paid, can't really compare it as I am in the UK. However, I do a purely programmers/analyst role, do not have any expectation of "billable hours" (I work for a large corp), I get paid more than you and I only work about 37 hours a week. The pay is irrelevant though, even if they paid you $100,000, you would still be overworked and stressed and not sleeping at night... no amount of pay is worth that.

 

[PerryMc]

Pass your tests, then find another job. Talk to your new bosses and stand up for yourself there. It's too late at your current place, they obviously consider you a walkover. You have to establish yourself as a capable and effective employee, who won't take crap, then you get treated well.

Smile anyway,
Perry.

 

[gargouille]

AFTER they've established what your job entails implies your tacit approval to the situation.
Dragging your feet now won't have the same impact as it would have when they were changing the guidelines. Plant them firmly if they (rather WHEN) try to give you more.
Sit down with your immediate supervisor and find the words to tell them how you feel about it. (after you've updated and sent out your resume.)
There is no sensible, rational reason to keep a job you've outgrown, demands too much without compensation or other job satisfaction, or feel that poisons your daily existence.
I'm surprised you've made no mention of it affecting your personal life/relationships, as that's also a most-common side effect.
There ARE companies that know how to effectively manage/compensate their ppl. Don't give up until you find 1.

"If you think you can or think you can't, you're right!"
Henry Ford