I just finished my final for the first in a series of four classes that I am taking to earn a Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) certification. After many days of browsing the web during class, I came out with a 94% in the class. Now I have a couple of weeks before the next class begins. I hope that this will all be worth it because the next class is on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Vacation
After a stressful couple of months at my new job, I am headed to New York on vacation. I have never been to New York. I am excited to go to museums and wander around the city with Novia and her friend from Canada. We plan on staying in a hostel and they already have the museums picked out. If I get ambitious I will tell you all about it when we get back but more likely I will copy/paste her account of the trip.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Work continued
It has been a few weeks now since I started my new job. It has not been a smooth ride.
My boss and I do not see eye to eye and that has been a bit of a problem. We don't use the same words, phrases or descriptions. We don't live our lives similarly and we don't relate to other people in the same way. It has been difficult to adjust myself to his expectations.
He is typically in the office at least a half hour early and tolerates NO tardiness I had gotten used to an amount of leeway in normal operations, and now I need to be there early for fear of being late. I was 2 minutes late yesterday and that was not good enough. Today I was 10 minutes early. I am allowed NO personal computer use at work. I was looking into how to root my phone and he called me on it (way after the fact). I was tracking a package and he asked me if it was work related (it was). I am the new guy and even though the other guys get there at +/- 5 minutes and check personal email, I am held to a different standard. So be it. At least he doesn't expect me to eat my lunch at my desk while working like he does.
I am friends with his boss (lets call him Dubbs) and I have found out through him that he is the only reason I haven't already been fired. I was close to being fired for these transgressions before I even knew that they were problems. My boss was ready to cut me loose after two weeks. This company puts a serious focus on interrelations and personal growth so much that they have documents outlining how to properly guide the growth of new employees by developing goals and setting 90 day growth plans. These documents are available to anyone in the company and I dare not even suggest to my boss that he read them. I started by trying to pattern my behavior after those around me but that wasn't good enough. Now I have been given more guidance and I am trying to conform. I am worried every day that I will lose this job. I have at least 90 days as a freelancer before I have any sort of pretense to stability, but the point of no return is actually February 20 when I have to decide if I am going to drop my classes (and thus abandon my schedule for getting a Bachelor's degree) for this job.
Its like walking on eggshells every day. I like the work other than that, I get to walk around and meet the other people who are almost all nice and I am learning a great deal about computers. The atmosphere is generally positive and the amenities are generous. My team is full of competent intelligent people. I know a bunch of people that work with the company and really think that I can form good friendships there. The only problem is my immediate supervisor. I just need to apply myself and struggle through this.
My boss and I do not see eye to eye and that has been a bit of a problem. We don't use the same words, phrases or descriptions. We don't live our lives similarly and we don't relate to other people in the same way. It has been difficult to adjust myself to his expectations.
He is typically in the office at least a half hour early and tolerates NO tardiness I had gotten used to an amount of leeway in normal operations, and now I need to be there early for fear of being late. I was 2 minutes late yesterday and that was not good enough. Today I was 10 minutes early. I am allowed NO personal computer use at work. I was looking into how to root my phone and he called me on it (way after the fact). I was tracking a package and he asked me if it was work related (it was). I am the new guy and even though the other guys get there at +/- 5 minutes and check personal email, I am held to a different standard. So be it. At least he doesn't expect me to eat my lunch at my desk while working like he does.
I am friends with his boss (lets call him Dubbs) and I have found out through him that he is the only reason I haven't already been fired. I was close to being fired for these transgressions before I even knew that they were problems. My boss was ready to cut me loose after two weeks. This company puts a serious focus on interrelations and personal growth so much that they have documents outlining how to properly guide the growth of new employees by developing goals and setting 90 day growth plans. These documents are available to anyone in the company and I dare not even suggest to my boss that he read them. I started by trying to pattern my behavior after those around me but that wasn't good enough. Now I have been given more guidance and I am trying to conform. I am worried every day that I will lose this job. I have at least 90 days as a freelancer before I have any sort of pretense to stability, but the point of no return is actually February 20 when I have to decide if I am going to drop my classes (and thus abandon my schedule for getting a Bachelor's degree) for this job.
Its like walking on eggshells every day. I like the work other than that, I get to walk around and meet the other people who are almost all nice and I am learning a great deal about computers. The atmosphere is generally positive and the amenities are generous. My team is full of competent intelligent people. I know a bunch of people that work with the company and really think that I can form good friendships there. The only problem is my immediate supervisor. I just need to apply myself and struggle through this.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
New Job
I got a new job on Monday. I was called in for an interview for a desktop support position in an IT department that a friend of mine manages. I spoke to my friend, and he had me come in for an informal interview with the person who would become my boss. It went well and he was able to offer me the position. It wasn't a total hookup; my friend was given my resume by HR after I applied for a different position at the same company, and he ran it by my supervisor to get the OK from him. I have a 90 day freelance period to prove that I can handle this job, and I am determined not to let myself, my girlfriend and my friend down.
My first day was Tuesday and I have tried to soak up as much knowledge as I can. The IT team knows that I don't have all the knowledge to do the job, and they are prepared to train me up on how things are done. I am eager to learn whatever I can and to prove myself. I am excited and nervous at the opportunity and the challenge. On one hand I know that I can learn this but on the other hand, I know that my success in this position hangs on a thread. If I don't perform, or if the company decides that they don't need me or if my boss doesn't like me, then I am out.
So far it has been a wonderful experience. The company is a very good one and the people are very kind and welcoming. My team is very smart and capable, and they are all willing to take time to teach me the things that I need to know. I really want to keep this job and will have to work hard to do it. I need to step up my game and learn more about computers than I ever thought I would need to know, but I am up to the task.
My first day was Tuesday and I have tried to soak up as much knowledge as I can. The IT team knows that I don't have all the knowledge to do the job, and they are prepared to train me up on how things are done. I am eager to learn whatever I can and to prove myself. I am excited and nervous at the opportunity and the challenge. On one hand I know that I can learn this but on the other hand, I know that my success in this position hangs on a thread. If I don't perform, or if the company decides that they don't need me or if my boss doesn't like me, then I am out.
So far it has been a wonderful experience. The company is a very good one and the people are very kind and welcoming. My team is very smart and capable, and they are all willing to take time to teach me the things that I need to know. I really want to keep this job and will have to work hard to do it. I need to step up my game and learn more about computers than I ever thought I would need to know, but I am up to the task.
Career Paths
It has been a long journey from community college to work, and back to community college. Seven or so years ago I decided that I didn't need any more school and that it was time to get to work. I took my associates degree and forged on. I had a job with a small company and plenty of room to grow. The economy turned down and my job dried up. I was lost and without needed to figure out a new career plan. I retreated back to school and re-rationalized my situation. "I need a four-year degree." I told myself. "I need to follow the standard education plan in order to succeed in the world of business." I said. I changed my opinion completely from what I had asserted before.
It really goes to show how circumstances can affect your rationalization of facts. I have selected which facts to pay attention to and which to ignore at each stage in my career path. When community college was becoming a drag, I moved on with the rationalization that the most wealthy people are not wealthy because of school. When work dried up I retreated to the familiar comfort of school, and the safety of the defined path of bachelors degree to career.
I am now at the potential beginning of something serious. I have gotten a job as desktop support with a large company. My job starts with a 90 day term as freelance during which they can fire me for any reason. I have three months to prove that I am worth keeping. I am able to look back at my rationalizations and dissect them for the truth of the matter.
It is true that the wealthiest people are not wealthy because of school. The wealthiest people have a drive and determination that is called being a "self starter" on job postings. I am not sure that I am a self starter. I need a little more guidance than that to really get going. I can't help but feel that this is a major character flaw and that I am a lazy person. I don't know how to fix this. How does one become a self starter? There can't be a class or a book, if you need help to self start then you are not a self starter. I am not sure what to do with this thought but it worries me and makes me feel like I am lacking.
I know that I am going to do whatever I can to keep this job. I have been researching the different certifications that I can earn through Microsoft, and am enrolled in the first of a series of classes to earn Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. I have a direction and I am determined to make progress. I need to acquire the skills to hold this job and along the way I will earn the certifications that will allow me to find another one like it if this one doesn't work out.
It really goes to show how circumstances can affect your rationalization of facts. I have selected which facts to pay attention to and which to ignore at each stage in my career path. When community college was becoming a drag, I moved on with the rationalization that the most wealthy people are not wealthy because of school. When work dried up I retreated to the familiar comfort of school, and the safety of the defined path of bachelors degree to career.
I am now at the potential beginning of something serious. I have gotten a job as desktop support with a large company. My job starts with a 90 day term as freelance during which they can fire me for any reason. I have three months to prove that I am worth keeping. I am able to look back at my rationalizations and dissect them for the truth of the matter.
It is true that the wealthiest people are not wealthy because of school. The wealthiest people have a drive and determination that is called being a "self starter" on job postings. I am not sure that I am a self starter. I need a little more guidance than that to really get going. I can't help but feel that this is a major character flaw and that I am a lazy person. I don't know how to fix this. How does one become a self starter? There can't be a class or a book, if you need help to self start then you are not a self starter. I am not sure what to do with this thought but it worries me and makes me feel like I am lacking.
I know that I am going to do whatever I can to keep this job. I have been researching the different certifications that I can earn through Microsoft, and am enrolled in the first of a series of classes to earn Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification. I have a direction and I am determined to make progress. I need to acquire the skills to hold this job and along the way I will earn the certifications that will allow me to find another one like it if this one doesn't work out.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Priorities
I have registered for my next two sessions of school. I will have a light load during the short winter intersession and a very heavy load during Spring 2012 semester. I have been conflicted as to how to make up my schedule. There are classes that I need to take to transfer, classes that I want to take because they will be professionally helpful, and classes that I want to take because they look fun. The trouble comes when I have to decide which classes from each category to take. I also had to decide if I was going to try and work while I take classes. I have been effectively unemployed for a few months now and I have been looking for work that would utilize my skills. Perhaps I have been too picky about what kinds of jobs I am willing to try for, but that is a topic for another post.
I am registered for all the classes that I need to take to get my transfer certificate, but that was not a full load. I decided that I was going to go for a full schedule in school while I have the chance, and filled up the rest of my schedule with classes that are good for me or fun to take. My class load is: General Physics, Physical Anthropology, Spanish 2, Welding, and Sculpture. I have filed a petition to be allowed to take more units so that I can add the first class in a series that will prepare me for the test to be a Certified Cisco Network Administrator (CCNA).
I am excited for the upcoming Spring and however daunting the workload, I feel that I am up to the challenge. By the Fall of 2012 I will be transfering to either Cal State LA or Cal Poly Pomona (assuming of course that they accept my application). It is a good feeling to have a plan and a path laid out before me.
I am registered for all the classes that I need to take to get my transfer certificate, but that was not a full load. I decided that I was going to go for a full schedule in school while I have the chance, and filled up the rest of my schedule with classes that are good for me or fun to take. My class load is: General Physics, Physical Anthropology, Spanish 2, Welding, and Sculpture. I have filed a petition to be allowed to take more units so that I can add the first class in a series that will prepare me for the test to be a Certified Cisco Network Administrator (CCNA).
I am excited for the upcoming Spring and however daunting the workload, I feel that I am up to the challenge. By the Fall of 2012 I will be transfering to either Cal State LA or Cal Poly Pomona (assuming of course that they accept my application). It is a good feeling to have a plan and a path laid out before me.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Funny
It occurred to me that I have only one mode when writing fiction. INTENSE! I can only write suspenseful things. I think my next writing project is going to be to shift gears and write something funny. Stay tuned Gentile Reader for more information.
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