Information Technology (IT)

[datznasty]

D.I.S.A out at Tinker Air Force Base is like that. Ultra toxic work environment. Contract changes hands every 3-4 months because whoever gets it can't get or keep enough bodies. They cant get enough bodies to save their lives, even despite massive overpays and waving Cert/clearance/experience requirements (or really companies just acting in violation of the contract on that front to at least try to fill all seats)

Every 3 months or so I get a call from a new company who got the contract saynig they got this great new opportunity and they got my resume, I found out it's DISA and decline, they ask me why, I tell them the whole 411 and even how to simply fix the main issue that caused the UPS like turnover on an 80k+ TS job in Flyover, Oklahoma. Every time they think they're going to be the company to be "different" and maintain the contract through the whole 5 yrs or whatever until next rebid.

I appreciate them (Akira was the company I was contracted through) getting me my TS though as well as paying me for about 4months to sit at home while waiting for the Government to process the Clearance upgrade, but i wouln't wish that job or my team I was on, on my worst enemy.

 

[Stormblessed]

Wow!!

I just finished my call and it was interesting. The gentleman didn't come off as a "smartest guy in the room" type, but some questions caught me totally off guard. He asked me about a MX/TXT record and I drew a total blank. On the flip side he gave me an IP address and I was able to identify the class and how many subnets could be created. We talked after the interview and he told me that he does it just to see where people are and their thought process when troubleshooting. I'm praying they offer this position as it would be a great opportunity to learn. That and the fact that it is 100% remote as well doesn't hurt.

People still ask about classful ip addresses in 2021? I wouldn't care about mx record question if the role doesn't have anything to do with email/email spam filters.

 

[da r entertainment]

People still ask about classful ip addresses in 2021? I wouldn't care about mx record question if the role doesn't have anything to do with email/email spam filters.

It didn't. He said that after the questions. He said that's really something infrastructure deals with, but wanted to see where my knowledge of it was. He was cool with me knowing how many subnets within the address. I was shocked like damn ain't this suppose to be desktop questions I must say they've moved quickly. I met with the tech recruiter last Wednesday, had an interview with the IT manager Friday and then another one today.

 

[Mark Antony]

I've observed so many High level Indian tech execs now I'm pretty sure they've eclipsed any group not white. Kinda dope, would def like a documentary/profile or something on that. Most just start as underpaid individual contributors in India.

 

[da r entertainment]

Yeah technical interviews suck, especially if you got that one dork who thinks it's his job to "get" you. Or someone internal who also applied for the role.

Literally just got off a call with one of these types. It's crazy because soon as I saw his face on the call I was like yep here we go. Sure enough he proved me right. I told the recruiter I'm sure I bombed, but I'm more interested in the feedback from the interview than if I got the job or not. Not sure I would even want to work for a guy like him.

 

[Beruseruku Desu]

started studying for A+ cert..

I know its useless to many but its a start for me.. esp gettnig used to studying again in general.

prob gonna ace it before January

 

[AZwildcats]

You ain't been in help desk long enough then.

1 year in, and I was ready to do anything to get out

 

[spiderjericho]

started studying for A+ cert..

I know its useless to many but its a start for me.. esp gettnig used to studying again in general.

prob gonna ace it before January

Gotta start somewhere.

I can't even imagine the scale of the exam now. Does it touch more on OS, eg Android, iOS, Windows, Linux?

When I did it back in 07, it was mainly Windows XP. Worry about printers. Customer Service. Now, we got VOIP, more applications, more OS.

Anyone play that one video game where you build desktops?

 

[titang545]

10+ Years Into My IT Career And I Have No Clue What I Want To Do Next.

Man join the club, 20 years in and thinking about real estate, voice over work. Just trying to see the light at the end of the tunnel, no retirement plan in this field.

Company just rolled out some changes to the network blocking and unblocking sites. They messed around and blocked Twitter access.


Our company has a Twitter account, can't even go to the page to see the company.

 

[titang545]

D.I.S.A out at Tinker Air Force Base is like that. Ultra toxic work environment. Contract changes hands every 3-4 months because whoever gets it can't get or keep enough bodies. They cant get enough bodies to save their lives, even despite massive overpays and waving Cert/clearance/experience requirements (or really companies just acting in violation of the contract on that front to at least try to fill all seats)

Every 3 months or so I get a call from a new company who got the contract saynig they got this great new opportunity and they got my resume, I found out it's DISA and decline, they ask me why, I tell them the whole 411 and even how to simply fix the main issue that caused the UPS like turnover on an 80k+ TS job in Flyover, Oklahoma. Every time they think they're going to be the company to be "different" and maintain the contract through the whole 5 yrs or whatever until next rebid.

I appreciate them (Akira was the company I was contracted through) getting me my TS though as well as paying me for about 4months to sit at home while waiting for the Government to process the Clearance upgrade, but i wouln't wish that job or my team I was on, on my worst enemy.

Sounds to me you need to start a contracting company and fix the issues. Been going back and forth on the idea for some time here in DMV. However we have so many popping up so quickly.

Literally just got off a call with one of these types. It's crazy because soon as I saw his face on the call I was like yep here we go. Sure enough he proved me right. I told the recruiter I'm sure I bombed, but I'm more interested in the feedback from the interview than if I got the job or not. Not sure I would even want to work for a guy like him.

Yup, I started zoning out when I would walk into a panel interview and saw one. "After I fail this interview I have to make sure I update my resume again, oh yeah enter that drawing on SNKRS."

 

[703 hwy]

D.I.S.A out at Tinker Air Force Base is like that. Ultra toxic work environment. Contract changes hands every 3-4 months because whoever gets it can't get or keep enough bodies. They cant get enough bodies to save their lives, even despite massive overpays and waving Cert/clearance/experience requirements (or really companies just acting in violation of the contract on that front to at least try to fill all seats)

Every 3 months or so I get a call from a new company who got the contract saynig they got this great new opportunity and they got my resume, I found out it's DISA and decline, they ask me why, I tell them the whole 411 and even how to simply fix the main issue that caused the UPS like turnover on an 80k+ TS job in Flyover, Oklahoma. Every time they think they're going to be the company to be "different" and maintain the contract through the whole 5 yrs or whatever until next rebid.

I appreciate them (Akira was the company I was contracted through) getting me my TS though as well as paying me for about 4months to sit at home while waiting for the Government to process the Clearance upgrade, but i wouln't wish that job or my team I was on, on my worst enemy.

Man had a job offer for a GG-12 from DISA and I believe it was supporting the White House in some capacity. But we would be located on Bolling AFB. Simple help desk job so the pay is good for that. Interview was quick so you could tell they just wanted bodies. I’m familiar with the gov but the clearance process is unnecessarily tedious. The position was a TS but also white yankee since it supported the White House. I ended up dropping out and taking a public trust with another agency. I’m sorta over IT already lol. To move up higher you gotta be super technical or a PMP and I ain’t trying to lead a team.

 

[da r entertainment]

Sounds to me you need to start a contracting company and fix the issues. Been going back and forth on the idea for some time here in DMV. However we have so many popping up so quickly.

Yup, I started zoning out when I would walk into a panel interview and saw one. "After I fail this interview I have to make sure I update my resume again, oh yeah enter that drawing on SNKRS."

LOL...between my mind wandering and I'm sure my facial expressions told how I felt as well.

 

[datznasty]

703 hwy I i might would have taken the White House gig for the clearance alone. But I've heard it'd bad working there because it's so secure and you have to badge in so many times and go through so much,

We all gotta get this crypto, forex, binary, MLM, affiliate marketing bag so we can get out the game. I'm over it too, but lowkey I have the tied for the highest paying job I've ever had, only holding my secret but my TS is good til 2025 still, and so low stress, high work/life balance. Can't beat 100% remote. I'm taking naps between meetings and ****. Running errands with the laptop just sitting on the passenger seat connected.

titang545 it's not even that deep. It's literally something that could be solved in an hour or so if the person (the team lead on the CTR side and the person who was over us who was GS) gave a ****.

The issue was partly that we were understaffed yes, so they had us working 60-70 hour weeks (and weren't paying OT, they were giving us COMP and they didnt even pay it out when I left so I gave them like 80 hours free) because every Workload had an ASI which is basically just a maintenance window, usually 4 or 6 hours, during which obviously like you perform scans, upgrade, patches, software pushes, etc . Some had 2 a week, and some had a NIPR and a SIPR component (which sucked because you had to come in to access SIPR). There were 3 shift, day, mid, and night and it's a 24/7 operation at DISA so there's also people who work on weekends. When doling out the workloads, all they had to do was look at the spreadsheet that shows when ASIs were at the same time as looking at the spreadsheet that showed what people's hours were and just give people Workload groups that had ASIs that fell within their normal hours. Entirely possible and very easy.

. I was the newest person and they were just deliberately giving me the ****tiest ones, the ones with multiple meetings per week, 2 ASIs, NIPR and SIPR, and ASIs that fell like on the weekend or midnight, they even let people who were already there trade out of some of their workloads they didnt like and put those on me and take easier ones with more favorable ASI times, less computers/servers, NIPR only so you could do it from home, fell within already scheduled work hours, etc. I bought it up to them when they gave me a workload that had a Sat and a Sunday ASI, I was like that means I don't get weekends off and I'm working 7 days a week now. No change, few days later, Dennis so and so quit so you're prime on their workloads too. ****** had me on Father's Day I'm at the house with the fam but sitting off in the formal dining room working. I said nope.

2 of the single guys loved it though with no family or friends because you build up so much comp by the end of the year you'll literally have 7 or 8+ months saved if you stay. But also, the company ain't even keeping the contract that long and I wonder if they paid them out to people when the contracting company got the boot. I would hope so.

Actually the workload/hours thing was just part of the problem, but literally if people can work 40 or maybe 50 hours and still see their family and have some balance, they could maybe tolerate the rest of the ****tiness or if they paid out OT shiyett that'd be so much money, but they'd have to pay 1.5x for 41-60hours and I thnk 61+hrs becomes 2x is the regulation. If they did that ****** would hit damn near 200k.

 

[703 hwy]

started studying for A+ cert..

I know its useless to many but its a start for me.. esp gettnig used to studying again in general.

prob gonna ace it before January

Back when I was studying for the Sec+, Net+, and A+. I sorta went backwards lol. I took the Sec+ first, then Net+ and then the A+ just because. Sucked it was two parts cause I felt like it was a cash grab. But there’s some overlap so I honestly didn’t even really study for A+. Just watched Professor Messor didn’t even buy the A+ book.

I bought the vouchers with a free retake just in case. Wasn’t working at the time so self studied and took all the test like 3-4 weeks apart. Except did the A+ part 1 then went the next day and did part 2.

You got it man. If you got the cash take A+. But it is very entry level but can help.

 

[tay1]

started studying for A+ cert..

I know its useless to many but its a start for me.. esp gettnig used to studying again in general.

prob gonna ace it before January

If you are a super beginner, the ITF can be helpful as well. It's a step below the A+. Not necessary, just throwing it out there.

 

[Beruseruku Desu]

Gotta start somewhere.

I can't even imagine the scale of the exam now. Does it touch more on OS, eg Android, iOS, Windows, Linux?

When I did it back in 07, it was mainly Windows XP. Worry about printers. Customer Service. Now, we got VOIP, more applications, more OS.

Anyone play that one video game where you build desktops?

yup. anrdroid, ios, linux, etc.

its actually crazy how much stuff there is to study for the A+

 

[Stakeholder]

Cyber jobs go begging in US | LinkedIn

Government agencies and private entities alike are scrambling to fill openings.

www.linkedin.com

By Cate Chapman, Editor at LinkedIn News

About 600,000 cyber security jobs are open across the U.S., a Commerce Department database shows, testifying to a severe talent drought. Open positions are numerous in government agencies, such as Homeland Security, where 1,500 vacancies are hampering efforts to deflect a “deluge” of ransomware attacks against public and private entities. To fill in the gaps, employers have adopted non-traditional hiring approaches, including:

• Training veterans leaving the military for cybersecurity careers
• Considering candidates’ technical skills instead of educational background or experience

 

[titang545]

Man had a job offer for a GG-12 from DISA and I believe it was supporting the White House in some capacity. But we would be located on Bolling AFB. Simple help desk job so the pay is good for that. Interview was quick so you could tell they just wanted bodies. I’m familiar with the gov but the clearance process is unnecessarily tedious. The position was a TS but also white yankee since it supported the White House. I ended up dropping out and taking a public trust with another agency. I’m sorta over IT already lol. To move up higher you gotta be super technical or a PMP and I ain’t trying to lead a team.

Wild I been approached this week about that gig. Almost had an NT IT Summit. LMAO. Unless an evening gig not going to Boiling good on that commute.

 

[spiderjericho]

Or know someone.

yup. anrdroid, ios, linux, etc.

its actually crazy how much stuff there is to study for the A+

I wouldn't doubt it. Like I said, there weren't tablets, smart phones, smart TVs, IOT, etc when I took my exam.

It's crazy how deep you can get into IT. You can literally be a doctor of computer hardware, software, computer networks, services, clouds, security, etc.

 

[703 hwy]

Wild I been approached this week about that gig. Almost had an NT IT Summit. LMAO. Unless an evening gig not going to Boiling good on that commute.

Haha that woulda been cool. I need to get into Cybersecurity. It’s a million postings on USAjobs. Sometimes I’m wondering if a GS-11 help desk is worth the hassle. After you get past frontline support it’s hard to go back.

 

[Mark Antony]

Or know someone.

I wouldn't doubt it. Like I said, there weren't tablets, smart phones, smart TVs, IOT, etc when I took my exam.

It's crazy how deep you can get into IT. You can literally be a doctor of computer hardware, software, computer networks, services, clouds, security, etc.

And they're all on there too. I think the A+ is too vast, like taking two tests on a dictionary but not knowing which terms are going to come up. I'd almost say skip it if you have some experience nowadays unless you got a deal or it's free.

 

[willypete]

Wild I been approached this week about that gig. Almost had an NT IT Summit. LMAO. Unless an evening gig not going to Boiling good on that commute.

I’d rather that then the commute I do now. I’m literally working down the street from Ft. Myer coming from Upper Marlboro

 

[spiderjericho]

That's what I'm saying. It's a lot. One part is hardware. But hardware can be computer hardware. Phone hardware (which a desktop technician shouldn't really touch). Tablet hardware. And then we're talking software.

It's like being a human general physician and a veterinarian.

 

[spiderjericho]

I’d rather that then the commute I do now. I’m literally working down the street from Ft. Myer coming from Upper Marlboro

I don't even know where Ft. Myer is lol.

Upper Marlboro is south of my old house in Bowie. Commutes to the Pentagon, Ft Belvoir, Quantico. Nah. lol.

 

[willypete]

I don't even know where Ft. Myer is lol.

Upper Marlboro is south of my old house in Bowie. Commutes to the Pentagon, Ft Belvoir, Quantico. Nah. lol.

It’s right off Colombia Pike, pretty much less than 5 mins from the Pentagon.

Next gig I find has to have telework options from the start because traffic been getting worse and people don’t even be going anywhere