.. doesn’t make me think correctly.
I’m thinking of what’s ‘next’ now I see my current duties being made much lighter through the progression of those located in a different time zone taking on more of the duties I am doing.
I went through TAFE to get to my Diploma in IT, and aimed to get more external qualifications in networking or systems administration / development, in the hope that I would make a career out of that.
The ‘natural career progression’ that was ‘expected’ as advertised in the job description when I originally applied for my current role, just doesn’t seem to be there, so if I am to reach what I was aiming for as a longer term career – I am left with little choice but to change employer.
There’s a downside as well, if I want to catch another job, then I’ll likely have to either have experience (yep, get experience somehow, without being given the option to demonstrate that), or, get external certification now, that shows I am capable of said skills.
Direction, this is important when paying for qualifications from those companies that issue them. I like networking, it’s fun. But then I also like putting scripts, programs together. And then I also do like building and administrating internet systems (DNS, Web, Mail).
To get experience in that, a Systems Administrator role, or, a Development Role, or a Network Engineering role – would be what would give that experience on the resume.
So, let’s assume that I manage to both find the qualifications and funding to get a qualification in one specific field (noting that there are three at least that are of interest to me and I would enjoy), ignore the experience aspect (hey, I’m qualified right..) – the next issue is also of significance – Positions being available.
If there’s no demand for any of those 3 roles locally (I refuse to travel the Sydney run, I consider the travel time too significant), then I will have qualifications that are useless until something does become available (aging away, expiring).
I can stick out with what I have available at the moment, and carefully find something else locally eventually, but it’s the hassle of job interviews, convincing a possible employer that I am worth hanging on to, getting acquainted with a new bunch of people to work with.
But if it’s in the name of a longer term career, where I have something I enjoy to do – then perhaps it’s worth it.
I’ll have to try and tidy up my resume and see if I can’t find some evil, creative marketing tactics to deploy – and then see what comes up. The upside is now I know where I stand – I can either waste away doing pointless crap, or not.