Ask about your goals for getting to the next level. Be prepared to be told that no positions are open or expected to open soon, which is understandable, but your question is regarding goals so you’ll be ready when that time comes.
I already know one of them is going to be certs. So ask which certs does he think are most relevant to your current position and for advancing your career with the company. Those will be what helps you most when it comes time to either getting a promotion or moving elsewhere to another job at another company, which is how most people level up in this industry, unfortunately.
Along with this, ask if they do tuition reimbursement for said certs, where the company will pay either all or some of your costs for getting certs. They honestly should and you should take advantage of it if it is offered.
Ask what areas your boss thinks you can and should improve in and ask for specifics. If he thinks you don’t close enough tickets, ask what the recommended amount should be for you to hit, for example. This will help eliminate vague answers to legitimate questions you have and also help you better realize how you can improve and do better.
You should definitely be asking or getting a raise at your annual review. The cost of living is always increasing with inflation. The below bare minimum of 3% should be standard even though it doesn’t cover increases due to inflation. But there should be a raise in wage. They raise their rates on their customers, it’s not unfair to wonder where your cut is of that raise on the customer too.
Over the course of my time with my current job wheee I have been promoted and received a 20% raise on my first year, I wrote up a letter to my boss explaining why I felt I deserved a substantial raise of 20%. The letter covered my accomplishments over the the year, boasting about my good metrics and lightly comparing myself to my colleagues (you don’t want to bag on them too much because it’s bad taste and creates a hostile work environment, it’s shitty and can hurt them, and you don’t want your boss thinking you’re a haughty person), and also doing an informal average of similar jobs in my area for the same position showing that I was being paid 20% less than the average (implying that I could take my performance with me to any of these jobs and get the raise I’m asking for; I just went on indeed and picked the jobs with wages higher than mine, added them all up and divided them by the number of wages I had picked to get the average salary).
Thank you for such a detailed response! My company pays for the first attempt at a cert test, but I have to pay for it myself if I fail and have to retake it. I am also going to ask for a raise if one isn’t offered. I had to do a self-evaluation and listed a bunch of stuff I want to learn and start doing. I have to get help from other techs for a lot of stuff that I end up not understanding, and I want to not have to rely on them so much going forward. Like, they’re more than happy to help me, but I don’t want them to put their work aside for me. As for my coworkers, they’re all absolutely amazing. I consider them work friends and we are close and support each other.
NoneYa has the best answer you’re going to get, focus on it. All so very true for us techs.
They’re correct about moving on to get paid more. I’ve received massive pay bumps moving from my last two jobs. Hell, if I included benefits, this job doubled my last one. You’re expected to move every 3-5 years so your skills don’t stagnate. Some places won’t hire you if you’ve been in a job for 10+ years. They figure that’s all you know how to do, that one job.
And it’s not just tech! When we moved here, my friend took a job at an oil change place. So wildly under his experience we were scratching our heads. He just kept hopping jobs, excelling, and doing it again. Got up to $80K pretty fast, now he’s well over $100K, finally settled down I guess.
You’re in a great place! It’s where most of us start. Technical learning aside, you also get invaluable experience dealing with people. That will take you far in any field. If you’re not doing it already, use your coworkers to learn more! People starting out are passionate and always experimenting with tech outside their immediate needs.
Build relationships and learn from each other. Those relationships are key in helping you move to bigger and brighter jobs. One of our top managers brought in great people he worked with in the past. Our new VP just brought in a couple of new directors who I’ve talked to and have high hopes for. Keep in mind, even in a big city you’re quite likely to run into your current coworkers down the road.
Bankrupt them by legalization/regulation/discouragement/taxation of all drugs and then flood money into R&D of any product they move into. Are they messing with Avocado growers? Spend ten billion developing ways to grow them in Florida.
A multimeter in amp mode acts the same as a regular wire. So you can use the probes as a means to generate a signal. If there is a god, and it is an engineer, then I am probably going to hell for this.
Looks like it will be a BROWN Christmas here this year. Which is a grim fucking reminder that we've fucked the planet and it is only going to get worse.
Maybe you’re focusing on the wrong things? Christmas, for me, is a time to show my family that I care for them. Yes, through gifts, but also through time spent with them. It’s a chance to speak others’ love language. For me, doing things for others is how I really feel better about myself.
I was just sitting on the couch and my then gf went down into the basement, she tripped and fell down the stairs. I ran to the doorway and saw her on the concrete floor and the only word I can use to describe her was “broken”.
I swear it was all in black and white. Time wasn’t working right. I was with her while we waited for the ambulance I called.
We broke up about three years later and she had knee problems even than.
I was forced to realise before covid, that my family is dysfunctional and delusional. This obviously extends to family events such as Xmas.
I lost interest many years ago in the whole theatrics of it, it’s a capitalist holiday and nothing more. My family touts that “it’s about the thought and the people” when in actuality it’s always been about the gifts (and by extension, money spent).
With that said, covid caused a pause in a lot of said family relations, and that was the straw that broke the (camel’s) back. Most of my family is now rarely in contact, and Xmas as a family event finally bit the dust.
I’m on top of the world, and there’s still money in my wallet, as well as less familial bullshit.
Was just talking about this with a coworker yesterday. They’d noticed that in their neighborhood, the amount of decorations out were even less than the year before. No one left the area, just not putting stuff up anymore.
This is something I’ve felt more and more every year for all the holidays in the areas of the US I frequent. Halloween, Xmas, Easter, etc.
The stores are all decorated earlier than ever, but neighborhoods are barren.
I understand money is tight for many, but Christmas lights are pretty cheap and most people have old sets, it’s not like they’re consumable and need to be replaced every year. I wonder if people are just over it, don’t have the time, lack the spirit, or what.
I say all this as someone who hasn’t decorated for any holidays lately myself.
Because what is the point? I only bother with decorations because I have kids. After they grow up I won’t bother. Also yeah I don’t particularly want to get into it because it feels like I am taking the Christian’s side. They are sitting there putting women in jail for having miscarriages maybe I don’t want to associate with them even slightly.
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