Just needed some advice on which job I should take. I currently work at an Oil and Gas company (around 4000 employees worldwide) here in Houston as a helpdesk/VoIP contact and I actually like the job. I've always gotten along with my managers at every job I've had, except here. I've been offered a position with a large hospital here in Houston as well (10000+ employees) for a desktop technician position. The initial pay will be the same as I make now. I'm up in the air about which to take, it may have to come to a coin flip haha. I have now come to the all-knowing BBS for some advice on the situation. thanks!
Sounds like your leaning towards the new place? If you don't get along w/ your manager plus you're earning the same at the new place, the hospital sounds like a winner. I'm not sure how raises go in your position, but in my experiences many jobs offer an initial raise early before they steady out. So you might stand to make more money sooner, unless you have a raise coming in your present job too. Although if you like you're current job and coworkers, and don't have to deal w/ your manager much, that should certainly carry some weight.
Get away from the phone. If you want to make money in IT, you have to be involved in planning and implementation.
Yeah, I just got a raise last month that brought me to what I'm making now, and the hospital has a review after 6 months to get a 3-6% raise after I start. I really do get along with my coworkers now but also have to deal with my manager a lot.
Why is the new job better than the current job? In other words, why are you considering it at all if you like your current position?
Basically my manager and I would rather be in Healthcare IT. It also seems like the hospital has more room to move up as I don't see anyone leaving anytime soon where I'm at.
Help Desk is a dead end...desktop is the next logical step after getting some experience on help desk. I think taking the new job is a no-brainer.
Here's the thing though, I do a little of both at my job now and that's how it will be at the hospital, some time on the phone and some time off if needed. At my job now I handle any issue related to VoIP whether it's at my desk or moving around. I have a little more freedom at my job now to do desktop type duties like imaging computers or even joining in on IT projects. I'm not sure how the ratio will be at the hospital. Also, as far as training classes go, at the hospital I am hearing that for training classes you have to schedule it around your work schedule whereas my job now, it is the opposite, you get time off to take a class and get paid for it, both pay for the class of course. My decision just keeps swinging back and forth. Maybe I should just say that the position is at MD Anderson, anyone have any experience with their IT department??
Healthcare IT experience > Gas/Oil IT I also think that there is more job security in the health industry. With Oil and gas you never know...in a few years we maybe using water to power our cars, etc...
I worked in IT at MDACC for five years. It's a pretty cool place to work depending on your situation. I was stuck with a micro-managing female boss, so that's why I left. When you work for someone else, 95% of your happiness depends on your relationship with your manager. They got a new CIO and IT high-level management a couple of years ago (after I left), and they've been laying off and reassigning lots of people who had been there for years. It might be a good opportunity to get in, and if you can get in good with management, you can move up. .
check into the parking situation at MDA. If you are truly at the hospital you might have to be bussed in.
AFAIK I'll be mainly working in their IT building, the Bank of America building on Holcombe and Fannin. I'm not sure of how the parking situation is there.
I'm working at MD Anderson right now, actually. I've taken classes for training and it's always been within work hours paid for of course as you said, but also paid as though working. The other advantage is that working for MD Anderson means you're working for the State of Texas - means government retirement/pension, outstanding vacation time benefits and so on. I also know there's lots of room for advancement in IT as they like to reward high performers by giving promotions through creation of jobs. In other words, someone doesn't have to leave for you to move from Desktop Technician to SSA for example. They just give you the new title. Just my two cents.
Hmm, so me getting my Network + Certification, and Cisco Certifications will lead me where Going to TechSkills and they suggested I get those certifications, including the MSCS certification.....just wondering if those help any ..or did I just waste $$$$$$$$$$$
