JamesSavik Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 A few weeks ago I signed on as a Field Engineer with a big company that does something mysterious called Systems Integration for other big companies. Yesterday I got my first job- it was supposed to be an easy 3 hour trip with the most hazardous thing being tracing and labeling wires. I showed up at 9:40pm just before quitting time and began to prepare for my nights work but something was very wrong- the new equipment hadn't been installed and was still sitting in boxes. Suddenly my 3 hour job turned into maybe 10 hours. I took BEFORE pictures to document the condition of the work site. I called the project coordinator Kim and told her what was up and she was all for calling it off and reorganizing. I said, no need, I can handle it. So we shut down the stores network and all of its equipment. I installed the new UPS and 3 power strips with UPS power and one power strip with generator power. I then went about taming the wire monster: the rats nest that occurs in network ops centers when people aren't watching what they are doing. Took a while but by using cable ties and the wiring management stuff that had never neen installed I got things under control. Then I labeled the power cords red for UPS power, yellow for generator. Then I strted the process of restarting the network which is a sequence: start device A & B, wait until they boot, start devices C, D & E, wait until they boot, etc. While I was doing that, I swept, vacumed and dusted the network ops center. By 7:00am the store network was back up, the network ops center was cleaned up and actually cooler since I had moved some equipment around to improve airflow. I take my AFTER pictures and go home. I then write emails to my boss and the project coordinator with before & after pictures to document my work and explain any changes that I had made. Finally I go to bed and pass out until ~2:00 this afternoon. I wake up to find this echange between my boss Karen and Kim the project coordinator for corperate giant retailer: Kim: Where did you find James? That guy is hell on wheels. Karen: Isn't he though. It's hard to tell that's the same NOC in those pictures. Kim: Some of those changes he made are going corperate wide. Can we have him for the rest of our Mississippi stores? Karen: We'll have to see how his schedule works out.... Next week: Tupelo, Meridian, Greenwood, Greenville, Indianolia Week after: Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis...
Bandage Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 Indeed, the hazards of a job well done! Omg, you're just crazy, lol! They did pay you for those extra work hours? Anyhow, great job I don't really know if I should say: Continu that way?
Benji Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 A few weeks ago I signed on as a Field Engineer with a big company that does something mysterious called Systems Integration for other big companies. Yesterday I got my first job- it was supposed to be an easy 3 hour trip with the most hazardous thing being tracing and labeling wires. I showed up at 9:40pm just before quitting time and began to prepare for my nights work but something was very wrong- the new equipment hadn't been installed and was still sitting in boxes. Suddenly my 3 hour job turned into maybe 10 hours. I took BEFORE pictures to document the condition of the work site. I called the project coordinator Kim and told her what was up and she was all for calling it off and reorganizing. I said, no need, I can handle it. So we shut down the stores network and all of its equipment. I installed the new UPS and 3 power strips with UPS power and one power strip with generator power. I then went about taming the wire monster: the rats nest that occurs in network ops centers when people aren't watching what they are doing. Took a while but by using cable ties and the wiring management stuff that had never neen installed I got things under control. Then I labeled the power cords red for UPS power, yellow for generator. Then I strted the process of restarting the network which is a sequence: start device A & B, wait until they boot, start devices C, D & E, wait until they boot, etc. While I was doing that, I swept, vacumed and dusted the network ops center. By 7:00am the store network was back up, the network ops center was cleaned up and actually cooler since I had moved some equipment around to improve airflow. I take my AFTER pictures and go home. I then write emails to my boss and the project coordinator with before & after pictures to document my work and explain any changes that I had made. Finally I go to bed and pass out until ~2:00 this afternoon. I wake up to find this echange between my boss Karen and Kim the project coordinator for corperate giant retailer: Kim: Where did you find James? That guy is hell on wheels. Karen: Isn't he though. It's hard to tell that's the same NOC in those pictures. Kim: Some of those changes he made are going corperate wide. Can we have him for the rest of our Mississippi stores? Karen: We'll have to see how his schedule works out.... Next week: Tupelo, Meridian, Greenwood, Greenville, Indianolia Week after: Hattiesburg, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis... ............Right on James!! Hopefully all your stops wont present the same problems for you.
GaryK Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 Don't look at it as the hazard of a job well done. Be damn proud of yourself and let that be enough. Just look at the rest as climbing a weird corporate ladder that just happens to wind its way through your wonderful state. One day you'll be their CIO.
Bondwriter Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 From what I know of you, I'm not too surprised. You rock, and I'm glad you got into an environment where they acknowledged the one going the extra mile. Too often people (in management) are frightened by those who perform too well. Just don't let them know about your orientation...
AFriendlyFace Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 WOOO HOOO! Good for you, James! hehe, I hope the extra work definitely accompanies an extra bonus or two!
B1ue Posted June 4, 2008 Posted June 4, 2008 (edited) I thought the reward for a job well done was always another, and harder, job. Isn't that the point? But good for you for sticking it out, doing what you said you would do even though the terms had changed. I don't often get to meet people like that, and it is always a pleasure when one turns up. Edited June 4, 2008 by B1ue
Site Administrator Graeme Posted June 4, 2008 Site Administrator Posted June 4, 2008 Congratulations, James! It's good to have your competence and expertise acknowledged so quickly
JamesSavik Posted June 5, 2008 Author Posted June 5, 2008 ............Right on James!! Hopefully all your stops wont present the same problems for you. At $30/hr, give me problems.
Razor Posted June 5, 2008 Posted June 5, 2008 At $30/hr, give me problems. GO JAMES! And yes, knowing you, the quality of the work you described is exactly what I'd expect and love you for. Ahem... "Be the task great or small, do it well or not at all."
Drewbie Posted June 6, 2008 Posted June 6, 2008 Yay, hopefully you will get more, keep you busy for awhile, nice wad of cash
Bondwriter Posted June 6, 2008 Posted June 6, 2008 And if you're willing to move east and cross the Atlantic, I think your hourly rate could be tripled, at least.
Jack Frost Posted June 7, 2008 Posted June 7, 2008 And if you're willing to move east and cross the Atlantic, I think your hourly rate could be tripled, at least. And countered by expensive prices and higher taxes however.
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