How's work going?

[Gavster]

I'm curious, in a reflective, approaching-the-end-of-the-year type musing, are you content with your work?

For some reason I never quite seem to be happy with where I'm at, always looking for the next thing. The general direction of travel is going in the correct direction, which is a good thing, and hope that sometime soon I find a place where I'm happy to stay for a while.

[ZedLeg]

Was hoping for a director promotion this year but someone else got it, looking like another sideways move for me.

Feeling like I'm in a bit of a dead end but the pay's alright and the job suits my life just now with wfh etc. Going to have to argue hard for a decent pay rise this year though.

[Beany]

Pretty good. I'm getting to grips with more of the platform at the new job, although I have rather overdone the 'leaning new things' and have got bogged down by that a bit. Still, everyones helpful and is mucking in to help clear the backlog so it's all good. I'm also learning that I don't need to know everything, that's what having a team is for.

Got a presentation to do tomorrow in front of customers with respects to infrastructure changes we're making. My challenge is to make it not too boring, but not too weird. It'll be literally only the second time in my life I've done a formal presentation, so you know, no pressure. I'm more worried about the customer curry night tonight when I have to behave like a person.....

I sometimes think I'm dong remote working wrong (IE after our morning meeting I go downstairs, have a coffee and think about what I'll be doing rather than just getting on it etc) but there's been no performance concerns from anyone so I think I'm OK in that regards, just still feels strange.

Overall, it's going alright. Could be a bit better, could be far worse - could still be at the last place....

[ZedLeg]

I sometimes think I'm dong remote working wrong (IE after our morning meeting I go downstairs, have a coffee and think about what I'll be doing rather than just getting on it etc) but there's been no performance concerns from anyone so I think I'm OK in that regards, just still feels strange.

One of the best things about working from home is having the ability to take your time over breakfast and getting ready in the morning.

[dinny_g]

Feeling like I'm in a bit of a dead end but the pay's alright and the job suits my life just now with wfh etc.

Pretty much the same here.

I spend 50% of my time doing a job that isn't mine but I was asked to do it because I can and now there isn't the imperative to find a permanent solution. We've lurched from one idea to another but we can't get any of them approved but I'm still doing it 15 months later.

I've got MSP exams to take after I relearn the entire content I did the online training, then Covid hit, exam centers closed and I couldn't get the remote examination process to work so I left it.

After that, mid next year, I'm going to do some Product Owner training and then, after we re-mortgage next August, look to move on.

[Beany]

I sometimes think I'm dong remote working wrong (IE after our morning meeting I go downstairs, have a coffee and think about what I'll be doing rather than just getting on it etc) but there's been no performance concerns from anyone so I think I'm OK in that regards, just still feels strange.

One of the best things about working from home is having the ability to take your time over breakfast and getting ready in the morning.

Yeah, by this point in they day I've already checked platform alerts, emails etc so I'm top of anything urgent.

On a related note, it's quite nice to see the exodus from the old company - two more people have got new jobs, one of whom has strarted in their new place already and is loving it and doing well, which is great

One person has been promoted to ops management, which is what they should have been for years, and if they don't get their way in terms of actually managing the ops side, they're walking. If that happens, the company will go down because he has so much ingrained knowledge of processes that isn't documented anywhere that the company will be borderline unable to function....that'll be interesting....

[Gavster]

Was hoping for a director promotion this year but someone else got it, looking like another sideways move for me.

Feeling like I'm in a bit of a dead end but the pay's alright and the job suits my life just now with wfh etc. Going to have to argue hard for a decent pay rise this year though.

Read and implement Robert Greene's 48 laws of power if you want to get the next promotion, work is a game that we all play and that book changed the way I deal with people, as well as helping to manage other people who were better at playing the game.

[Gavster]

Pretty good. I'm getting to grips with more of the platform at the new job, although I have rather overdone the 'leaning new things' and have got bogged down by that a bit. Still, everyones helpful and is mucking in to help clear the backlog so it's all good. I'm also learning that I don't need to know everything, that's what having a team is for.

Got a presentation to do tomorrow in front of customers with respects to infrastructure changes we're making. My challenge is to make it not too boring, but not too weird. It'll be literally only the second time in my life I've done a formal presentation, so you know, no pressure. I'm more worried about the customer curry night tonight when I have to behave like a person.....

I sometimes think I'm dong remote working wrong (IE after our morning meeting I go downstairs, have a coffee and think about what I'll be doing rather than just getting on it etc) but there's been no performance concerns from anyone so I think I'm OK in that regards, just still feels strange.

Overall, it's going alright. Could be a bit better, could be far worse - could still be at the last place....

Sounds like it's going well

Presentations get easier with practice, so this is simply another opportunity to practice for you.

WRT going downstairs for a coffee, I think you're doing it right. My brain is a tangled labyrinth of misdirection and the only time I get clarity on non-urgent priorities is when I'm away from my desk, out for a walk, etc.

[DaveE]

Pretty good. I'm getting to grips with more of the platform at the new job, although I have rather overdone the 'leaning new things' and have got bogged down by that a bit. Still, everyones helpful and is mucking in to help clear the backlog so it's all good. I'm also learning that I don't need to know everything, that's what having a team is for.

Got a presentation to do tomorrow in front of customers with respects to infrastructure changes we're making. My challenge is to make it not too boring, but not too weird. It'll be literally only the second time in my life I've done a formal presentation, so you know, no pressure. I'm more worried about the customer curry night tonight when I have to behave like a person.....

I sometimes think I'm dong remote working wrong (IE after our morning meeting I go downstairs, have a coffee and think about what I'll be doing rather than just getting on it etc) but there's been no performance concerns from anyone so I think I'm OK in that regards, just still feels strange.

Overall, it's going alright. Could be a bit better, could be far worse - could still be at the last place....

I know you didn't ask for advice about the presentation, but try and focus on WHY you're making these changes and how it'll benefit the customers (and possibly the impacts if you DON'T make the changes)

They probably won't care about or understand the changes themselves

A really useful tip that I picked up is that for everything you plan on saying/showing, for each thing, imagine someone in the audience shouting "So what?!" - if you can't answer that, remove the thing, or better still, answer that question in the first place (so a person wouldn't have the need to ask it)

Also, try to avoid telling a story - start with the outcome "Today I'm going to talk you through some things that will [give you x benefits]" - then everything you say after that, they can link that back to the result - they have context

If you're telling a story, you know the end, and so how things are leading towards a result, but your audience don't - they have no idea why X is important, because they don't know the end

If you give them the end/result first, they can understand why X is important or helps deliver the result...

[ZedLeg]

Was hoping for a director promotion this year but someone else got it, looking like another sideways move for me.

Feeling like I'm in a bit of a dead end but the pay's alright and the job suits my life just now with wfh etc. Going to have to argue hard for a decent pay rise this year though.

Read and implement Robert Greene's 48 laws of power if you want to get the next promotion, work is a game that we all play and that book changed the way I deal with people, as well as helping to manage other people who were better at playing the game.

I don’t think I could manage to get through a whole one of those “get ahead at work” books.

The only thing that really rankles about it is that the guy who got the job is now my boss

Honestly, if someone had said I would be in the position I’m in 10 years ago I wouldn’t have believed it. I’m not really in a hurry for more responsibility.

[Nefarious]

I keep flitting between "you're supposed to have retired" and "oh, that could be a good little project".
I've only added one new property to the portfolio this year, but have done a couple of mid-sized contract jobs.
I've got a bit of a plan to try and put a retirement solution together for my site manager, so aim to step up the contract stuff for the next couple of years to build up a bit of a war chest. We'll see how long that lasts before I want back into the world or retirement again

[Sundayjumper]

My current contract expires at Christmas and I'll be happy to be out of it. It's not been bad in any way, just dull. Dull dull dull. It was maternity cover and the person started back part time at the start of November. They're back up to speed already. It looks like December will effectively be gardening leave for me.

Not sure what's next. I've had a couple of conversations about stuff that sounded interesting but nothing has come of them yet. I'm laid back about it.

[simon_g]

Feeling like I'm in a bit of a dead end but the pay's alright and the job suits my life just now with wfh etc.

This. Coming up on 10 years in the same place, company is doing ok, but I'm not that busy and just a bit bored with it all. Could almost certainly make more elsewhere but they'd want a lot more work out of me, probably some travel, and I just can't be bothered with that sort of change.

IT techie jobs really need a hard pivot every 6-8 years on to the latest thing, and it takes quite a bit of effort to do. I've done it twice before and really should now but since kids I really can't be arsed. No desire to do management either.

Ideally would go 3 days a week (wife earns similar to me) and have the time to work on the house, hobbies, etc and keep weekends free for stuff with the kids but seeing how the current economic craziness goes first and what our mortgage/bills will be next year.

[Beany]

Re presentations, aye, I've asked the questions in my head and am putting down expected answers in my head too with bullet points on the presentation itself

But what you're saying is that I shouldn't start with

*drumbeat*
Now this is a story all about how
Our hosting got flipped, turned upside down..

[ZedLeg]

You should absolutely do a rap Beany, will make you memorable.

[dinny_g]

Also, try to avoid telling a story - start with the outcome "Today I'm going to talk you through some things that will [give you x benefits]" - then everything you say after that, they can link that back to the result - they have context

This is good advice (for certain types of presentations mind)

If you spin a yarn leading to the big reveal of the recommendation on Slide 10, they will be forming their on conclusions based on what you're saying as you go. If their interpretation differs from yours you've missed the opportunity as you're out of time (and slides) to convince them

[Beany]

You should absolutely do a rap Beany, will make you memorable.

I opened up the company meeting presentation about the updates to hosting with "Right, I've never done an actual presentation before, so this shit might get weird..." which went down well. It didn't get as weird as I wanted though, sadly.

Probably best not to do that for the customers though

[Gavster]

I keep flitting between "you're supposed to have retired" and "oh, that could be a good little project".
I've only added one new property to the portfolio this year, but have done a couple of mid-sized contract jobs.
I've got a bit of a plan to try and put a retirement solution together for my site manager, so aim to step up the contract stuff for the next couple of years to build up a bit of a war chest. We'll see how long that lasts before I want back into the world or retirement again

It sounds like you enjoy the process of working, or creating things, so how can you retire?

I heard a great analogy about making money vs having money. Making money is like accelerating to 100mph in a car, it's the fun part, finding a new way to get to that speed as quickly as possible. Having money is the result, which is the same as cruising at 100mph - it's boring as hell.

[McSwede]

Work has been great for me. Through COVID it has been superb, gaining responsibility, recognition, increased remuneration ,etc. I love my job, where I work, who I do it for and with. More career progress is on the horizon providing I don't do something dumb

It's nice to be in a business that is moving forwards with an ambitious growth plan and plenty of investment. I couldn't be happier at work and I know how lucky I am to say that as I've had some not so good times in the past!

[duncs500]

I'm just totally meh about work. Company is good, there's opportunities if I want to go for them, pay and package is decent. Client is a total cunt, but aren't they all? I moved a couple of years ago, and this job ticks the boxes of most of the things I was unhappy about before.

I don't really like my job though, but I can do it, and even if it was financially possible I don't know what I would rather do.

Basically I don't think I'll ever be happy at work.