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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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 Posted: 04/14/05 - 19:58 Post subject: Hmm.. Corporate Culture..
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I can't understand the idea behind some corporate ways of thinking. Here's my problem. I work for a huge, huge, huge investment bank, in the IT organization (it's too big to be a 'department').
My manager is in Chicago, 2 co-workers in Texas, 2 more in Florida, 1 in Louisiana, 1 in Mexico and 1 in umm... I don't even know. This underlines my point, I will never (likely) meet these people much less come into a working relationship with any of them. We don't know each other apart from being a name in emails.
My entire organization is split up this way. US East and West groups are no longer aligned by region, just by technology. If you're a UNIX guy you're in the UNIX group no matter where you live, which is how I came to end up in this group, because we all do the same thing.
So, as you may or may not know I'm going to school. At first it was great because work allowed me the flexible scheduling necessary to accomodate it. Well now, just as I switched managers I came upon an EMT training class which I MUST take if I'm going to be seriously applying to the fire department, and which is only offered in a 12-unit, 15-hour a week class. No two ways around it.
Well my request for adjusting my schedule is under severe scrutiny and will most likely be denied because it's "too adverse to the current policies surrounding working from home" (We were recently told that basically no one is allowed to work from home anymore unless they have a medical limitation.
So this means I have to work 11-hour shifts in the office now.. why? I don't understand what the focus of being in the office when not a single co-worker and I work together. They give all of us laptops, pagers, cell phones, they even pay for our DSL and in some cases part of our rent... to make us come into an office we no longer have in common with anyone we work for? Oh, also keep in mind that this wasn't a 5-day a week working from home arrangement I was requesting. I was requesting Th-Fri working from home because class is 11-4pm M-T-W and I have to work 11 hour shifts to make up the time on Th-F, hence the request.
Keep in mind this is an investment/mortgage/brokerage firm. Our business is people and money. WE are not in that business. Why is it so important for us, IT, to be in the office 40 hours a week? I don't get it. I understand traders and home finance officers can't do their job from home but we've spent the last 4 years automating and upgrading our systems so that they can basically run themselves.. and they still want us to be in the office 40 hours a week. I don't get it. Oh well.. that's my rant for the day. As much as I try to figure out why some people think the way they do, I come no closer to understanding it. I would think that their promise to observe "work/life balance" is nothing but corporate hogwash... when you really need them, they can't help you because they're more interested in preserving some image.... to people who can't see you.. *sigh*
-Nah-
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Kukoc
Luke Warm
Joined: 11 Apr 2005
Posts: 334
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:02 Post subject:
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11 hours in an office? poor baby, cry me a river, toughest part has gotta be staying awake
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Finigan
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 3817
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:02 Post subject:
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Im sure they probably prefer you work in the office because output is higher in an office setting. If you're at home theres countless distractions and shit.
And I don't know what kinda IT stuff you do but the IT people at the place I work handle computer repairs and things like that, and if you gotta drive up to the office anyways whenever you get a call it seems like it's just plain easier to be in the office.
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:07 Post subject:
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| Finigan wrote: | Im sure they probably prefer you work in the office because output is higher in an office setting. If you're at home theres countless distractions and shit.
And I don't know what kinda IT stuff you do but the IT people at the place I work handle computer repairs and things like that, and if you gotta drive up to the office anyways whenever you get a call it seems like it's just plain easier to be in the office. |
It would be but I don't do that kind of IT work. I'm in systems and situation management. I'm basically just a glorified workflow coordinator.
-Nah-
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:07 Post subject:
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| Kukoc wrote: | | 11 hours in an office? poor baby, cry me a river, toughest part has gotta be staying awake |
Oh, I'm sorry.. is that not a lot?
-Nah-
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:11 Post subject:
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i seriously have a question for you do0d, idk how things work up ther or where ever you live but down here in Louisiana you dont have to take a EMT (basic) to get ON a fire department, you just have to get hired, thats just for the CITY, now in the parishes you have to have emt(basic) and firefighter 1 to be eligible for hire, seeing how 2 out of 10 people who are hired actully HAVE firefighter exp. you should have no problem except for getting hired....btw having more experince DOES NOT improve your chance of getting hired.....but idk you whole story, but i hope this was helpful and if it wasent then kool
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:13 Post subject:
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| Nahualli wrote: | | Kukoc wrote: | | 11 hours in an office? poor baby, cry me a river, toughest part has gotta be staying awake |
Oh, I'm sorry.. is that not a lot?
-Nah- |
how can you sit there and do work all day, do you ever get up and like walk around or is it work work work?
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Finigan
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 3817
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:13 Post subject:
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The thing is though, they pay you for your time. So if they want you in the office then there isn't really much you can do about it.
It's pretty lame that they wouldn't even be willing to adjust your schedule though for school. Most work places are usually cool about that.
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:14 Post subject:
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| dablobb wrote: | | i seriously have a question for you do0d, idk how things work up ther or where ever you live but down here in Louisiana you dont have to take a EMT (basic) to get ON a fire department, you just have to get hired, thats just for the CITY, now in the parishes you have to have emt(basic) and firefighter 1 to be eligible for hire, seeing how 2 out of 10 people who are hired actully HAVE firefighter exp. you should have no problem except for getting hired....btw having more experince DOES NOT improve your chance of getting hired.....but idk you whole story, but i hope this was helpful and if it wasent then kool |
I don't know how competitive things are where you live but in SF and the surrounding cities the competition is roughly 700 people to every 1 job that's opened up. They are 3 ranks of FFs here and while the lowest does not require EMT, they have the lowest turnover rate. If I just planned to get in as an H1 I would be looking at 5-7 years before I even got an invitation to apply. If I apply as an H2 with an EMT cert I could look at possibly landing an interview in as little as 2 years.
It's not necessary at all, but in a market this competitive you'll take any advantage no matter how small it is.
-Nah-
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:15 Post subject:
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| Finigan wrote: | | The thing is though, they pay you for your time. So if they want you in the office then there isn't really much you can do about it. |
Oh I can totally accept that, and I have no choice but to. This is a rant, after all 
-Nah-
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:18 Post subject:
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| dablobb wrote: | | Nahualli wrote: | | Kukoc wrote: | | 11 hours in an office? poor baby, cry me a river, toughest part has gotta be staying awake |
Oh, I'm sorry.. is that not a lot?
-Nah- |
how can you sit there and do work all day, do you ever get up and like walk around or is it work work work? |
Hmm.. I'm like the 911 operator of the IT department. When an issue comes in with a high severity or a high financial impact I get assigned to it and I see it through to its resolution.
It may sound like a very easy job but I handle anywhere from 14-20 high severity issues a day, in places ranging from Mumbai, India to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It's just the luck of the draw for that day.
I spend the rest of my day .... here.
-Nah-
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Overon
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 14 Oct 2002
Posts: 3602
Location: PLANE OF PIXIES
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:23 Post subject:
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:24 Post subject:
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sweet sounds kool and as to the ff thing, then i agree yeah SF is a shit load of people and way the f**k to many want to be ff, so gl to ya brotha
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NickPSH
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 5680
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:25 Post subject:
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I f*****g hate "Departments"
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:25 Post subject:
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| dablobb wrote: | | sweet sounds kool and as to the ff thing, then i agree yeah SF is a shit load of people and way the f**k to many want to be ff, so gl to ya brotha |
Thanks.. ultimately I had to ask myself if putting up with the corporate crap for another few years was worth it. I'm willing to slog through this semester if it's going to help me out. Hell, even if I'm not destined to be a FF, I'll go train to be a paramedic.. anything other than a corporate IT c********r.
-Nah-
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:26 Post subject:
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| NickPSH wrote: | | I f*****g hate "Departments" |
Haha... reminds me of a comic strip I saw with a bunch of people shackled to the sides of a slave ship and the slavedriver is saying "I want you all to think of this as a COMMUNITY..."
-Nah-
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Galdaria
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Posts: 5641
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:40 Post subject:
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Something about Nah working in the fire department freaks me out. Isnt that like a l*****n working at an all girls school as a coach?
I can just hear him now. "Boys, I need you to work on handling the hose".
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Someone
Toomuchtimeonhands
Joined: 01 Apr 2004
Posts: 929
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 20:50 Post subject:
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While he has aspiration to try something challenging and worthwhile, you can sit around the house eatting bon bons trying to get the community of RP to think you are something special.
Give your little girls a kiss you trash talking hoe!
Edit: I'm mostly venting.
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wellspoken
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 7137
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 21:02 Post subject:
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| Galdaria wrote: | Something about Nah working in the fire department freaks me out. Isnt that like a l*****n working at an all girls school as a coach?
I can just hear him now. "Boys, I need you to work on handling the hose". |
/puke
stfu already
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Galdaria
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Posts: 5641
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 21:13 Post subject:
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Make me little boy. I never said having aspirations was a bad thing. He just may be kinda like a kid in a candy store in there. Such anger in you little boys. Did mommie take the teet away early this morning?
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wellspoken
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 7137
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 21:16 Post subject:
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| Galdaria wrote: | | Make me little boy. I never said having aspirations was a bad thing. He just may be kinda like a kid in a candy store in there. Such anger in you little boys. Did mommie take the teet away early this morning? |
LOL. Dumb b***h.
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Galdaria
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 06 Apr 2004
Posts: 5641
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 21:22 Post subject:
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 21:42 Post subject:
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| Nahualli wrote: | | dablobb wrote: | | sweet sounds kool and as to the ff thing, then i agree yeah SF is a shit load of people and way the f**k to many want to be ff, so gl to ya brotha |
Thanks.. ultimately I had to ask myself if putting up with the corporate crap for another few years was worth it. I'm willing to slog through this semester if it's going to help me out. Hell, even if I'm not destined to be a FF, I'll go train to be a paramedic.. anything other than a corporate IT c********r.
-Nah- |
yeah, down here paramedics get an extra 14k a year for being certified, thing is if you get hired as a peromedic your gonan be on the medic truck for years, id rather be a backend man and go get paramedic training later
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 22:42 Post subject:
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| dablobb wrote: | | Nahualli wrote: | | dablobb wrote: | | sweet sounds kool and as to the ff thing, then i agree yeah SF is a shit load of people and way the f**k to many want to be ff, so gl to ya brotha |
Thanks.. ultimately I had to ask myself if putting up with the corporate crap for another few years was worth it. I'm willing to slog through this semester if it's going to help me out. Hell, even if I'm not destined to be a FF, I'll go train to be a paramedic.. anything other than a corporate IT c********r.
-Nah- |
yeah, down here paramedics get an extra 14k a year for being certified, thing is if you get hired as a peromedic your gonan be on the medic truck for years, id rather be a backend man and go get paramedic training later |
I wish that's the way it worked for me... if I choose to be a hose grunt I'm certainly going to get put through Paramedic training and certification while on a payroll in the academy. The major drawback is the ridiculously long waitlist. In the time I get certified and work an ambulence for a couple of years I can still be waiting to hear back from them regarding an interview. It's also not really a guarantee you'll be working an ambulance or heavy rescue.. in Cali a EMT cert is considered just one more part of the job, most who get certified never use it, but it's there if they need it.
The other route to get in is to go work a summer in the Forestry dept.. but I definitely don't have the time to do that even tho it sounds fun.
-Nah-
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r00typooh
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 5178
Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 22:43 Post subject:
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Hi Nah!
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 22:49 Post subject:
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question you ever had any experince in the field, evern been on calls, ran a call and been to a scene?
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 22:55 Post subject:
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| dablobb wrote: | | question you ever had any experince in the field, evern been on calls, ran a call and been to a scene? |
No, not yet. There is a ridealong program through school but I only qualify when I've completed my current Fire Science requirement plus one more class in Building Construction/Fire Behavior. I like the system this way. This way you get a spot on a truck if you do well in class, and the firefighters on duty don't have to deal with a total nincompoop who chose to ride along that day
-Nah-
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Nahualli
RealPoor Master of Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2002
Posts: 8461
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Posted: 04/14/05 - 22:56 Post subject:
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Hello Bobby
-Nah-
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dablobb
Sir Postalot
Joined: 09 Oct 2004
Posts: 1263
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Posted: 04/15/05 - 00:46 Post subject:
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| Nahualli wrote: | | dablobb wrote: | | question you ever had any experince in the field, evern been on calls, ran a call and been to a scene? |
No, not yet. There is a ridealong program through school but I only qualify when I've completed my current Fire Science requirement plus one more class in Building Construction/Fire Behavior. I like the system this way. This way you get a spot on a truck if you do well in class, and the firefighters on duty don't have to deal with a total nincompoop who chose to ride along that day
-Nah- |
yeah, im in to the whole ff field, i volunteer and waiting for training, anyways yeah you gonan love it man i mean nothing canm replace the feeling when ya get the call and rush out... its f*****g awsome....
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motherface
RealPoor Guru
Joined: 12 Mar 2003
Posts: 3407
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Posted: 04/15/05 - 01:29 Post subject:
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Do they pay a lot? Either way it sounds like rules for the sake of rules.
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