Darklight Adept

So I just got fired from the IT Helpdesk at Texas Tech. this is my story:


I've heard rumors for the past few months that My boss was scouting the other supervisors to see who would take my Shitty shifts if "something happened to me." This is the 9 hour friday, 8 hour saturday and 12 hour sunday shifts as a supervisory manager.

Now, just to let you know, this job paid dick. The Studen't analysts (Read: Slaves) get paid 5.15 for doing a job that equivalent universities pay 7-10 an hour for. I fought my ass off and took the worst possible shifts so I could have a $7 an hour job. I did the same job as my immediate supervisors, but did not get paid 30K yearly, nor did I recieve benefits.

Last Saturday, I get pulled over on my way to work. Shit. Show up late, My Boss's Boss is in the building. She lets the SA's in. Our new ticket system is behaving oddly. Nothing too bad tho. Next day I arrive nice and early. Hum, that odd, our ticket system is down. check the old one, still works. Cool. SO I follow the emergency procedures, and call the person who (I did not know this at the time) no longer handles the system.

Turns out an oracle cluster crashed and burned. The person I contacted said thay'd find out what was going on. She didn't tell anyone. So when the staff arrived back to work on tuesday, The orcale cluster was fucked. They blame me for not doing what the emergency procedures say, and contact my boss.

what indication did I have that it was the oracle cluster? None. System just wouldn't let us log in. So on tuesday I get bitched for not reporting it (Nevermind the Monday staff who didn't say shit either) Well, noone else says anything after that.

Fast forward to friday. Find out I might have carpal tunnel. Nice pain in the wrist. Take some pain pills, pass out. Wake up at 10 on saturday,oh shit, I'm supposed to be at work. Haul ass up there, but again, the boss's boss had let everyone in. Guess when our first call was that saturday? 12:30pm. Wow, good thing we were there to open the place up at 10 am!

Well, yesterday they didn't bitch at me, but I worked my ass off anyhow, like I have every shift for the past few weeks. I get called up to the boss's office. He lets me know that since I've been late twice in the past 2 weeks, and showing a growing disrespect for my job (Apparently, someone's been telling him I'm bad at my job) that I'm effectively removed from my weekend supervisor duties. Since I no longer have supervisor duties, he'll have to cut my pay, and hours. Also, since I'm no longer a supervisor, I'd have to adhere to the lesser job's attendance requirements, which means I'm off the schedule for two weeks, effective immediately. I'm leaving for two weeks on friday to go get married.

So he says, well, you're two weeks off the schedule would start on the 22nd, and with my lowered wage and hours, I'd probably be better off "Finding a new job."

What a wonderful way to cap off this week.

So now, I have to find out how I'm going to stretch my 2700 savings across Her wedding band, The remainder of the wedding (Cancel now and I'll lose 5 Grand I've allready put into it) and Rent/Bills until I get a new job. Oh well.

Anyone in charege of hiring for a job in Lubbock texas and wants to give me a good job?

-James

The_Dude

i think i'll be in your place in the fall, i was thinking about getting a job at the IT desk doing misc stuff.

but @ UT though

__________________
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." - Darrel K Royal

Darklight Adept

Yeah, UT Is good. They pay you for what you're worth, not minimum wage

rogue49

Did he "FIRE" you?
or did he say "you'd probably be better off finding another job"
because my boss once said that
and it was just an excuse not to give proper raises...I still had the job.

Dude, maybe it's fate telling it's time to move on.
Obviously, you've got some serious politics at your place,
and many don't followup.
The mismanagement of all this just exaggerates any mistake.
And this is NOT obvious to upper management, they are getting bullshitted to.
So your inept boss is just looking for excuses.

I had the exact same issue at my position, until I forced a management change.
(and the only reason I got away with that is I'm the only one that knows my job)
Some places are just too much a clusterfuck to actually work there decently.
The only reason I'm staying is because I'm buying a home,
but after that adios.

I would suggest looking for a job elsewhere as soon as possible.
Stay in this one, even a little money is better than none,
and that would look better to other companies potentially hiring you.

BTW, congratulations on your upcoming wedding.
The job is just a job...this is more important.
Good luck, man.

Willowsr

Hey! Congrats on your upcomming Wedding!!! very cool!
I'd go with rogues advice... keep what you've got... but hit the bricks!

Good luck... sounds like you'll do alright.

viveleroi0

I got laid off by HP beginning this year because asshats in canada would work for less. Now, I work for wells fargo for $10.50 an hour doing phone support... woopie. Luckily they didn't lay me off now, because I am getting married in august.

But, I know how you feel

__________________
"It's not that I don't understand, it's that I don't care"
- Homer Simpson

Cynthetiq

congrats on getting married... that's a great thing...

$5.15/hour????? jeesuz!!! that's horrible!!!! In NYC the lowest I've seen is $12/hr... and that's a far cry from where it was in they helpdesk heyday.

Put your stuff into Unemployment as soon as possible... collect what you can from the state since you paid into it. At least you'll know that your previous employer is going to pay their share of your unemployment.

__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.

Darklight Adept

I will agree that I was only fired on a technicality. Since I would be having a full month off, I consider it being fired. Especially since the drop in pay would be back to 5.15 and the lessening of hours would be to 10 or less, lol. I can go to the McDonalds on the corner and make 7.50 starting, lol. Low cost of living or not, 5.15 cannot cut it for someone living on his own in this armpit of a town.

rogue49

I still don't understand....were you literally FIRED?

Or do you have an extended period of time off for your wedding.

Because unless the said you're LET GO, or FIRED...
you still have a job, although a bad one.

Bosses do that all the time...saying "if you don't like it..." and "you might as well...", etc.
It's their way of saying "If you don't like it, lump it" and they can continue with their bad ways,
but it places the choice in your corner.

Now, if he said "bye, bye", then shit go to that McD's or get a temp job, something...
and tell yourself he did you a favor.

Either way go get a new one.

Jesus Pimp

Wow I feel lucky that I got 10 bucks an hour while I worked for AC while I was in art school. I can't believe you work for that little.

__________________
Never date anyone who doesn't make your dick hard.

Darklight Adept

I figured I wasn't fired at first, and I was just in for a pay hour cut, then he told me how much. Getting a 80 dollar check every two weeks is about as bad as getting fired. Then he told me just to leave, and not finish my shifts. That was where I said I was fired.

And I already had the two weeks off for the wedding, so he conveniently scheduled my two weeks off the schedule to be the two weeks after I got back.

If it started on Tuesday, I wouldn't consider it fired. But the way he decided to just kick me out for my remaining shifts this week let me know he really didn't want me there.

Oh well, it gets me off my ass and back into the job market where I needed to be.

denim

Restating: REMEMBER TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT!!!! If he actually fired you, you're due the cash.

gov135

That may be the best way to look at it. You've got skills. Make sure you put PL/SQL Oracle real big on your resume. That's a huge bonus. Contact people you've met in the lab, who you know and have contacts in local business. It is, unfortunately, often who you know.

I don't know anything about Lubbock except Bobby Knight lives there. But I DO know alot about today's job market, getting your foot in the door, how to approach a job search, etc. Try the TFP advice board if you need some help in that department. You'd be surprised the number of HR professionals, managers, and college students that can give you good advice on getting set up with a good job. Just post good questions.

I did want to add that you shouldn't skimp on the wedding band. Get her exactly what you wanted to, even if you have to borrow a little to make ends meet. I mean, you only do it once, right? Throw caution in to the wind a little, live a bit, and then work hard at getting a job you'll be proud of.

Besides, your gonna end up with a little cash after the wedding, right?

Good Luck to you, congrats on your marriage.

KeyserSoze

Just as Rogue said... God is doing for you what you are not doing for yourself.

Too many people stay at a job they are UNHAPPY WITH and they are always MISERABLE. You're just getting married and don't need any misery, nor do you need to work for someone that does not appreciate your work. If there is someone at work throwing you under the bus it will only get worse.

Don't sweat it bro......enjoy your wedding and leave it all in GODS HANDS!!

HAVE FAITH!

__________________
THERE IS NO KEYSER SOZE!!

thadon

damn you were focked by the man ... well I'm sure you will find a better job after your honeymoon ... go file for unemployment first

Darklight Adept

ugh, just talked tot he wedding people. Still ove 3088.20. I have 2700 coming from stocks I sold off, but at least 400 of that is for her band. Fark Me

nofnway

bag boys at the supermarkets make more than 7 dollars an hour.

By the way .....Why are you gettin married...I mean really it sounds to me like the timing is a little out of whack......Supporting a family on 7 dollars an hour?


Don't take it personal but how low are your standards anyway?
How low are hers?????

You are worth way more than 7$ an hour and I think if you go out and demand what you are worth....Somewhere you will get it!

So f@#% the IT department and F@#% that freakin loop in Lubbock and go grab the brass ring!

__________________
"Iron rusts with disuse, stagnant water loses its purity and in cold water freezes. Even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind"
Leonardo Da Vinci

GoldenOuroboros

*Grabs the C4*
So.. When we goin in..?
*Slides his glasses on his camo painted face*

__________________
Can you see me grin grin grrriiiiinnnning?!

Konichiwaneko

Good luck man. Congrats on the upcoming wedding.

Don't see this as negative, but unless you were making 40k+ a year, I can't see getting married so young. Of course you can have a wonderful relationship, but remember instead of you you have to support 2 people now...and at formerlly $7, that's crazy difficult!

(I make a decent amount, and I'm still trying to carve out a decent living)

__________________

OrionNomad

Don't take that minimum wage, what you should do is check out the banks near by, they look for IT people, or CSE majors from the nearby colleges and pay well and usually have a tuition re-embursement deal. Minimum wage blows.

__________________
AA:O -=That May Be Your Way, But Its Not The Army Way=-

blanks

sometimes office politics are the ruin of any job. Move on, get something better. It is a sign to move on.

deadbabiesrhot

awww man, you were fired on my birthday! sucks so hard!