Here's why you can't find work: [Archive]

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nycsusan@hotmail.com

12-04-2002, 09:15 AM

I love the grammatical errors. Can you imagine user guides, training documentation, online help and even error messages written this poorly? You really do get what you pay for sometimes.

David Abramowitz

12-05-2002, 03:21 AM

The probl;em is that the bean counters are not looking at the level of quality, only at the bottom line. The fact of the matter, is that I.T. is a mystery to them. If they see a way of cutting costs, they will grab at it, despite the consequences. Naturally, there are exceptions. OTOH, and very recently, I nearly lost a client with which I have had a sixteen year business relation ship. The new management had no idea what I did, or even why I was there! Only some quick footwork by department heads saved the situation. For a while, I was cut back to one day a week. This is despite the fact, that aside from an operations person, I am the entire IT department. If the new management was aware of a cheaper way to do things, (even on the face of it, not in detail), then they just might jump at the chance. Damn the consequences full speed astern. Dave

Guest.Visitor

12-05-2002, 10:18 AM

The root of the problem is that management does not determine IT departments for any value that they provide, but instead only as an expense. When cuts happen, many times, the first department to get cut is IT as we are viewed as expense overhead and delivering no value. It is not until some event (with lack of qualified IT personnel) happens that causes hardship within the organization (downtime, programming backlog, poor program designs, etc.) that the true value of IT is noticed. Management needs to understand that without IT, old methods would still be in place (unefficient, and not able to be analyzed). This is a never-ending battle. Having been a consultant for a number of years until the recent economic downfalls, a similar stigma exists for consultants - what is paid is not returned in value. Good luck with your ventures to sway management perspectives - Lee.

David Abramowitz

12-05-2002, 12:51 PM

You are correct in your statements. I have always tried to couch my presentations, and proposals as providing cost benefits. I find it amazing that there are those at the executive level, who don't appreciate TCO, and ROI over immediate costs. Conversely sales and other forms of revenue are rewarded despite any associated cost-of-sale expense. As I kid I remember watching an episode of "Superman", where an eccentric scientist was able to turn lead into gold. Only at the end of the episode was it discovered that in order for this accomplishment to occur, platinum had to be added to the mixture. I wonder how many of us can relate real-life stories where cost cutting of I.T. at the executive level turned out to be a far greater expense than originally realized. Dave

Guest.Visitor

12-05-2002, 01:14 PM

Yarrington said: "The root of the problem is that management does not determine IT departments for any value that they provide, but instead only as an expense. When cuts happen, many times, the first department to get cut is IT as we are viewed as expense overhead and delivering no value." I think the blame here, if there is any, would be with I.T. management. The top IT guy needs to make sure that the value of his organization and people are recognized and appreciated. Also, in many companies, the IT leader THINKS OF HIS GROUP as an expense instead of thinking of ways to improve the bottom line by using the tools and personnel at his disposal. In my IT group we've been able to add 7 programmers (and soon some more) to the staff in the last year alone. (These are HTML programmers.) This is because the organization sees the value of their output and it directly affects the bottom line in a positive way. Also, be careful what you promise. Many IT groups over commit and get a reputation of not delivering on time or under budget. Make sure you know exactly what it will cost and how long it will take and then deliver in less time for less money. You will then get the respect you deserve. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

David Abramowitz

12-06-2002, 02:18 AM

Chuck, I do not disagree with your statements, but it must be noted, that the decision to use offshore programming services is almost always made at a level far above IT management. The decision is also accompanied by a memo with a sentence similar to "I know you will be eager to cooperate in this venture". A follow up memo is issued three weeks later with the line "We expect IT staffing levels to be considerably reduced... ... ...Please effect an 80% reduction over the next few days". In all fairness, I have known (first hand) managers that have resigned before they will gut their department. OTOH there are those that have gone along, to get along, and are enevitably blamed for the results when the whole thing goes south. Once this ball starts rolling it is next to impossible to stop. And the execs have already figured out how to shift blame. Dave

Guest.Visitor

12-06-2002, 06:58 AM

David said: "the decision to use offshore programming services is almost always made at a level far above IT management." I question the sanity of a company that even has levels "far above" IT management. IT management should be at the officer level or have the visibility of an officer. Again I'll blame IT management for not being higher in the food chain. I suspect that the top IT guy knew what was going on and possibly had a hand in the decision making. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

GlenKerner

12-06-2002, 01:32 PM

It has been my experience that there are 2 types of IT Managers, those that are politicians and those that are our for themselves (there are a few exceptions to this....and they are few and far between). On the one hand you have someone that gives the impression that it wasn't there fault something happened or didn't happened. They always blame their staff and that they are not following directions. The person who is the looser with this type is the lowest man/woman on the totem pole. On the other hand you have the politician. The "yes man". The person who promises everything and delivers nothing. The person that knows how to play the system until the system weeds them out. Most of the time it takes years for this to happen. Again the person who is the looser with this type is the lowest man/woman on the totem pole. I think it is ironic that Basic Accounting courses in college are teaching the importance of IT. In fact, one book (used by colleges nationwide) actually states that IT should be the drivers in the company instead of the loaders. The importance of IT to any medium to large company is unmeasuable. Most executive know this (just ask one after an outage to the internet). Most executives have their own agendas and IT usually interferes in those agendas (you know security and all). Which means attitudes won't change. IT professionals will always be looked at as a necessary evil that can be done without for periods of time. Just my opinion (and experience)

Guest.Visitor

12-06-2002, 02:33 PM

Glen, There's another, more successful, IT manager. One who knows the capability of his staff, tools and equipment while equally knowing the direction of the organization. This person fine tunes his staff to help move the company toward it's goals. This same person also immerses themselves into knowing and understanding what the end user's want to help them better achieve their goals. Being successful as the head of IT requires building relationships and becoming a part of the overall organization. An IT manager that thinks of the IT department as "us" and the rest of the company as "them" is headed toward disaster. The best IT departments are those that take on the role of "enablers" to help those that really know their jobs to get their jobs done more efficiently. In my 27 years of IT management my experience is that almost every project pushed or, as you say it, driven by IT are almost certainly doomed to failure. Those projects that help end users be more successful and are solved in a mutual teamwork approach are the most successful. My staff knows that our job is not to make the life of the IT professional easier, but to make the life of the end user easier, thus improving the chances of the company's success. Knowing exactly what my staff can do with the tools provided keep me from being a "yes" man and allow me to say no when something is not feasible. It also allows me to deliver reasonable and achievable due dates. I also make it a point of keeping the end user informed on detailed progress. We use a project tracking tool (called Team 2000) that sends an email out to the end user every time an entry is made by a programmer. They make entries regularly on active projects and the end user always knows where the project stands. Communication is the key to success. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer. "Glen Kerner" <Glen_Kerner@mcpressonline.com> wrote in message news:6ae5142d.7@WebX.WawyahGHajS... | It has been my experience that there are 2 types of IT Managers, those that are politicians and those that are our for themselves (there are a few exceptions to this....and they are few and far between). | | On the one hand you have someone that gives the impression that it wasn't there fault something happened or didn't happened. They always blame their staff and that they are not following directions. The person who is the looser with this type is the lowest man/woman on the totem pole. | | On the other hand you have the politician. The "yes man". The person who promises everything and delivers nothing. The person that knows how to play the system until the system weeds them out. Most of the time it takes years for this to happen. Again the person who is the looser with this type is the lowest man/woman on the totem pole. | | I think it is ironic that Basic Accounting courses in college are teaching the importance of IT. In fact, one book (used by colleges nationwide) actually states that IT should be the drivers in the company instead of the loaders. The importance of IT to any medium to large company is unmeasuable. Most executive know this (just ask one after an outage to the internet). Most executives have their own agendas and IT usually interferes in those agendas (you know security and all). Which means attitudes won't change. IT professionals will always be looked at as a necessary evil that can be done without for periods of time. | | Just my opinion (and experience)

GlenKerner

12-12-2002, 01:52 PM

Chuck, I agree with you in the fact that the best I.T. shops are those that function together with the goal of giving it's customers what they need in a timely manner (I know i'm paraphrasing). My comments, which were not intended to insult anybody, were from my own personal experience. Even in the best atmospher a Manager (any kind) is usually looking for ways to move up (not all). The easier is through being a good politition. You get people to do what is needed to be done and get them to enjoy doing it, then "politically" you look good to upper management. This is they way it normally works and it fits what you described. We can't escape the politics. We have learned to identify how to get the best out of those below us. Like a politician speaks differently when speaking in L.A. than he/she would in Bluegulch, N.D. The ones that are out for themselves are the ones that will tell upper management that "They" are responsible for the successes (but not the failures) and not giving the credit to the Team that he/she has put together. Maybe that explains my comments a little better.

Guest.Visitor

12-13-2002, 07:13 AM

Glen said: "Even in the best atmospher a Manager (any kind) is usually looking for ways to move up (not all)." My first job out of college was as the top dog in I.T. management. Well, it was Data Processing Manager at a 5 person shop. I realized then that I had no interest in COO, CEO, or CFO. I liked what I was doing and have always known that being the top IT guy is where I would always be and never aspired to be the top bigwig. Maybe that has molded my management style. Glen also said: "The easier is through being a good politition. You get people to do what is needed to be done and get them to enjoy doing it, then "politically" you look good to upper management." Of course, the job of a manager is to get work done through others. I don't think it's good politics that does this, it's good motivation. And, I don't do it to look go to the top guy, I do it because I enjoy my work. I've worked in companies heavy in politics and I'll never do that again. It would be worth a pay cut to avoid it. Glen then said: "The ones that are out for themselves are the ones that will tell upper management that "They" are responsible for the successes (but not the failures) and not giving the credit to the Team that he/she has put together." First of all, if the top IT guy isn't in "upper management" then there's something wrong with the organization. Either they aren't utilizing technology as a strategic advantage or still live in the "old school" thinking that computers are for accounting and doing the books. If you ever get the chance, read the book "Good To Great" by Jim Collins. He has done an exhaustive study to determine why some companies make the transition from good companies to great companies. In almost every case it's run by people that shun the politics and get the right people. In fact almost all of the companies got the right people BEFORE they determined where they were going and how they were going to get there. chuck Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of my employer.

GlenKerner

12-13-2002, 12:45 PM

Chuck, You are taking this way to personal. I said "In my experience". And to clarify, MIS Directors and/or CIO's are not neccessarily upper management. If you figure upper management is the CEO, COO, Board, ect. I have been places were the CIO or VP Of IT reports to the CFO or COO who in turn reports to the CEO. So in those cases Upper management would be the CFO or COO. Chuck, you seemed to start in management, if I read your message correctly. I started in the trenches 22 yrs ago. I have survived the Yuppies, whatever they called themselves in the 90's, and now the new millenium. I've worked all over the US and have seen all kinds of managers. I have said all along there are exceptions, you seem to be one of them, but in general my comments are from what I have seen and experienced over the years. Maybe I've just had bad luck or maybe you have had good luck. Anyway, I am not trying to create any animosity (did I spell that right?). Was just trying to put my 1/2 cent in.

David Abramowitz

12-13-2002, 12:45 PM

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