To move or not to move. That is the question! 1

[TigerDivision]

Hi everyone!

I am in a sort of dilemma as to whether to apply for a job position as an ICT administrator or not. I work as an I.T. Systems Administrator with a private company. I've been with this company for the past 12 years and during these past couple of years I've become increasingly unhappy working for this company. One of the reasons being that they do not treat their employees well.

This job posting, which I saw advertised on the papers, was asking for someone with experience in MS Exchange and Cisco switches besides other attributes. Over where I work we are a Lotus Domino & Notes shop and we use HP switches. So I would probably have to learn these new technologies.

I am close to 44, and I wonder what they'll think if I apply for this position. Perhaps they would want someone younger with experience in MS Exchange and Cisco and would perhaps be suspicious about my wanting to move from a company which in the eyes of the world, is a successful company but for someone working inside it's a lousy company to work for. Obviously I am not going to tell them that should I apply and be asked to attend an interview

So what do you think? Should I apply for this post or should I wait for something better. Difficult as where I live there aren't too many IT opportunites. I live on a small Mediterranean island

Your comments would be most welcome!

 

[DonQuichote]

I have the feeling that if you do not apply for this job, you will regret it every day you walk into your office. My motto is: follow your heart, and you will never regret anything.

And don't let your "what ifs" guide you. Lots of people leave successful companies. You learn from all new jobs, and you see what you would want in a job. Some people like politics in large organizations, and some people like the straight no-nonsense culture of small companies. My experience is that programming is a craft, and not an industry. There are really very few companies that realize this. Especially large companies do not know what a craft is. I do not know how your work feels, but I think network maintenance is also a craft, just like any maintenance job.

As a final remark, you don't know until you try. You might be disappointed at the first meeting with the new company, or you might be even more motivated to switch. There's only one way to find out...

Good luck!

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[sleipnir214]

It never hurts to talk. It might cost you half a day of vacation time at your current company should you have to go for a job interview, but that's about it.

At the very least, you stay in practice sitting through job interviews. At the most, you might be offered a new job.

<facetious>Then you can come back here and ask us whether you should take the new job or not.</facetious>


Want to ask the best questions? Read Eric S. Raymond's essay "How To Ask Questions The Smart Way". TANSTAAFL!

 

[CajunCenturion]

Should I apply for this post or should I wait for something better. Difficult as where I live there aren't too many IT opportunites

If there aren't many IT opportunites where you live, what for, and how long, would you waiting for? And even so, won't the same age questions still apply?



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[SQLSister]

In applying, use your cover letter to describe how your experience in Notes and HP switches can be applied to Cisco and Exchange. Talk about the kinds of things you have done that you would also be able to do in the new technologies (software) given the opportunity. Especially note any kind of major projects you have done or particularly difficult problems you had to reserach and solve. Highlight your abilities to learn new technologies and software by showing examples of how you did this inthe past.

Good luck.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[TigerDivision]

Thanks everyone for all your helpful comments! I decided not to apply for the post after hearing not very nice things about the MD. It would have been out of the frying pan and into the fire! Something which I do not wish. In the meantime will continue to hunt for new posts.

Thanks!

 

[rosieb]

Um, maybe that's why it's a good idea to apply...

An interview would give you useful experience, for when the job you really want comes along!

Rosie
"It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong." Richard Feynman