The "I Hate My Job" Thread

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UOK
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Don't get me wrong -- I like my job. It's not a bad job. I get to watch Bears games, browse the net most nights, pretty laid back stuff.

But man, working at tech support has made me lose my faith in people in some regards.

If I had more time, I would start a lobbyist group in order to pass a law that requires people to take a test. Depending on the score you get on the test, that is access you can get into owning technology.

I am so sick and tired of people calling for me to help them do the most fundamental things with their computers and televisions. Obviously it's my job to help them, that's what I was hired to do. But for the love of god...some people just should NOT own a computer or a television.

I've fielded many calls of normal people that have glitches w/ our equipment and service, nothing wrong with that, most people generally try a few things before calling tech support, especially guys ages 18-35. Most guys have stubborn pride, a determination to exhaust all options before having to ask for help. Most men prefer to feel the satisfaction of fixing a technological problem, to stand tall over the conquered robot.

Unfortunately, tech support was not created with those people in mind. The most obnoxious and soul-draining of these calls are from the elderly. The elderly are very opposed to change of any kind, much less the very quick and growing-quicker advances in technology that happen on a month-to-month basis. While the elderly took many years just to get used to a television, the computer is something that some older folks can't even fathom.

The computer as we know it is a device that can be very complicated. It is basically a large metal and plastic brain. But that not withstanding, I spend far too much time with my ear pressed to a phone listening to Grandma slowly navigate her POS windows 98 PC, running 20 virus scanning programs and trying to find the "file" tab hidden among her 30-odd google/yahoo/weatherbug/bullshit toolbars. And they all use Outlook Express to handle their mail, but they have no fucking clue on earth as to how to set up and use it. It's just a mysterious program that somehow does what they want it to do, but the one time that grandpa's 14th virus scanner locks his PC up and he can't access his internet, him and grandma show NO hesitation calling up to tech support.

It's what I'm supposed to do, I know, and most of the people I talk to are very nice people that I enjoy helping. However, there are others who are extremely frustrated, not only with their own incompetence, but with the world.

I have to sit through numerous lectures from elderly women and men who blame me, a young person, for making technology far too complicated for the older folks. Somehow the over-complication of the electronics industry is caused by me.

I've got news for these people: you are unintelligent. I am smarter than you. Do not blame me for getting more involved in electronics when you'd rather knit doilies and soil your adult diaper.

If you spend hundreds on a computer, you make such a large purchase because you want to understand it. PCs come with a user manual. Read it. Love it. Embrace it.

1. I do not have the magical "Fix-All Button." A lot of stupid people who get DSL and TV service believe that most tech support people they call have a way to fix their problems immediately, but refuse to do it because of some kind of conspired greed. It doesn't exist. If it existed, I would insist it be mass produced so that stupid people like them could press it for every moment they inevitably botch a right-click.

2. You are not special. Just because your head is up your own ass and you are not smart enough to understand how to get your TV from "cable" mode to "Video" mode, it doesn't constitute sending a professional technician to your home to do in 5 minutes what would've taken you many frustrating days. Technicians don't have time to cater to your every whim. You're not a baby. Figure out your shit.

3. The customer is rarely, if ever, right. Most of the times the customer is an asshole. All customers want is for something to be done for free and by someone else. Customers are lazy, hateful, greedy, and whiny. The customers I refer to are the customers that most of you have encountered at your jobs. You know who I'm talking about. These "customers" aren't the ones that you gladly serve and assist. They are the ones that complain about everything related to your service. And they want to be rewarded for not being satisfied. Most businesses are happy to tell these people to go to hell.

I'm done with my rant, I just had to get that off my chest. I want to hear about your guys' jobs and the idiots you occassionaly have to cater to.
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I'd cut off my own penis 1mm at a time with a set of fingernail clippers before I'd work a job like that (not that I'm even remotely qualified).
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damn UOK I think you may be talking about me. I hate to call tech support, I try to stumble my way through pc stuff I just dont want to feel stupid when I do call in. :stupid:
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It's not talking people through computer issues that's the pain. It's the people that don't know anything about simply navigating their own computer that make me want to pull my hair out. I have people that prompt me before each step of the way if they should right click or left click. Imagine how much longer this takes. I had to walk a woman through getting her internet explorer out of offline mode and it took me an hour and a half. An hour and a half. . She had internet explorer 7 and had multiple tool bars, so many in fact that it pushed her "home" and "tools" icons off the page.

There are so many people that call wanting to troubleshoot Windows 98. First off, Windows 98 is no longer supported by my company's DSL providing services, so we do not troubleshoot it. This pisses people off. They really shouldn't get mad because they should probably appreciate that they're actually talking to a person instead of some idiot in Saudi Arabia reading off of a script.

Rock if you had trouble, you would be competent enough to know how to get to your network connections panel, your command prompt, and how to type enough to do ping tests.
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UrlachersOranjKleats wrote:I've fielded many calls of normal people that have glitches w/ our equipment and service, nothing wrong with that, most people generally try a few things before calling tech support, especially guys ages 18-35. Most guys have stubborn pride, a determination to exhaust all options before having to ask for help. Most men prefer to feel the satisfaction of fixing a technological problem, to stand tall over the conquered robot.
That's me. :ashamed:

If I ever have connection issues, the first thing I'm told to do is "power-cycle" my modem. Obviously, after the first time being told that, that's the first thing I'll do from then on. This goes for everything that happens afterwards (pinging, network options, etc). So, when I call tech support I'll tell them everything I did in my attempts to diagnose the problem. There's usually a slight pause and then I'll get "Well, can you power-cycle your modem again?" followed by explicit instructions on exactly *how* to power-cycle my modem.

Honestly though, I can understand where they're coming from. Yes, there's a chance I may have done that all and done it correctly, but there's also the chance that I forgot something simple. This of course means they'll spend hours leading you through high-level diagnostics only to be interrupted with, "Oh, wait, looks like I forgot to plug the ethernet cable in. It's working fine now."
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I work in IT and we handle service desk calls at our facility. We just try to laugh at the stupid clients, and call it job security.
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I luckily don't have to talk to a lot of "outside" customers. My job is to coordinate sales and marketing for the financial services portion of our company. Unfortunately you find that "Insternal" customers (or the BS term "Business Partners :sick: ") are FAR worse.
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I'm just glad I don't work in the customer service part of our company. Those poor bastards get all the real pricks that are trying to sniff out a free handout and scream until they get what they want. Sorry sons of bitches.

And yeah wab, we have business clients, and getting their problems fixed is an absolute clusterf**k because despite there being a people in charge, they typically know absolutely nothing about their equipment or how it's setup. When something breaks they immediately call us, complain and scream, we refer them to their sales representatives. Those jackoffs tell them to call us back. It's a circus.
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I'm just losing my faith in people working as a pharmacy intern. For every sweet, caring patient that you get, you get 15 to 20 assholes that are throwing shit at you and telling you to "hurry up and put the pills in the big bottle into the little bottle." It's fucking horseshit. I swear, I'm going to ask those same people to sign a waiver stating that if they get the wrong med or a drug interaction occurs or they get injured because they didn't want my counseling, they can't sue me. We'll see how many people sign that waiver. :angry:

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Well played.

www.customerssuck.com <--- full of great stories about how the customer is always an idiot.

My buddy is a pharmacist-in-training as well, and he's said similar things. Most older folks are basically bratty children wrapped in the guise of wrinkly old bags. They want everything right now and don't give a damn if you're busy. You're just a clumsy idiot who doesn't know what they're doing.
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Might sound funny,

When I'm not working my regular 40 hour a week job I run a bar and I actually meat a lot more 'good people' there than anywhere else.

There’ s such a taboo in society about people that frequent bars on a regular basis, yet there some of the best people you’ll ever meet.
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Agreed, DD. It all depends on the bar, in my opinion. If it's a well run bar in a quasi-decent part of town, the majority it's regulars are generally good folks enjoying a drink and wanting to discuss their lives in jolly fashion.

Unfortunately theres many bar goers that are just kinda shady folks. My hometown is a college town so a lot of the guys at certain bars are there w/ rufees in-pocket who clearly have an agenda, and usually get a victim who gets too drunk to remember if she got raped if she liked it.
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Yah, this bar is private, but we have 400 members and they rang anywhere from 21 to 82 (actually there are even some older, but they don’t come around that much). The great part is how I (31) can sit there with a 26 year old a 40 year old and a few guys in their fifties and we all get along so well.
We routinely get together a few times a week and play cards so you’ve got a bunch of guys sitting together drinking for 6 t o8 hours with some losing $400 – $600 and obviously others winning it and there are NEVER any problems.

Another cool facet is how families make friends. You meat some great people at the bar and the next thing you know your kids are hanging out and you’re taking turns having each other over for a BBQ.
I know it’s not a ‘college bar’ or something like that, but around these parts it seems the ‘good ole boys’ regulars always seem to get the worst rap when it couldn’t be further then the truth. If my kids ever needed anything they could call any of those guys and if you come looking to start trouble with me, you’re messing will all of us.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt when a bunch are cops, ones the county sheriff and another is the Mayor elect.
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Well... my job pretty much kicks ass, but then... I'm sleeping with my boss.
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You stay-at-home son of a bitch, you. :D
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I actually get along great with the elderly. It's the snotty north-suburban assholes that I can't stand.
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Damn G, score Mama some vicodin! :banana:

In my line of work I work with some very difficult, complex children. The general population is not difficult for the most part, ofen a little slow but no big. However my children with non- verbal autism, down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, other not so specific diagonosis children with multiple disablities - they are very challenging. It would take me reams of pages to explain them because they are all so unique. Suffice to say that there is often drool, snot, diapers, seizures, violent behavior (spitting, biting, kicking, hitting, pinching), blindness, paralysis, sensory deficits, complete lack of motivation to be a part of our world - that are just part of the challenges you face when trying to find a way for these children to communicate to the best of their abilities. However, I don't mind that part at all, I got used to it, didn't take long...just being with them, realizing they are humans too, made it easy. When I make life better for them, even in the smallest way? It is huge to me. Paysoffs in this line of work are slow to come but so DAMN worth it.

The only thing that can make my job suck is a shitty mom. I'm sticking with "mom" because, even though there is usually a dad too, all he is doing is hiding embarassed behind his wife. There seems to always be at least one psycho mom, or 2, every year that make your job just suck. They are just crazy ass bitches! They never appreciate anything you do. They are always looking for an excuse to tell you why how you aren't doing your job right. They expect things of their kids that it's not fair to expect, like wanting to know why the kid isn't reading when he can't even talk!!! Nutso, I'm telling you, and every year I have at least one! The teachers take the brunt of it more than I do but man does it ruin the student for you. This year our main psycho-mom is threatening to withdraw her kid and homeschool him. Go for it.
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Teachers don't get nearly enough respect in this country. They put up with the most bullshit from parents out there, and get horrible pay for their efforts.
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I had a conference with my little one's teacher today. I made sure to tell her I think she's doing an amazing job and I'm more impressed every day with how much she's learning.
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UrlachersOranjKleats wrote:Teachers don't get nearly enough respect in this country. They put up with the most bullshit from parents out there, and get horrible pay for their efforts.

Now that's a fact!

Not only do I have some friends that are teachers, but I spent many of my years in school going to private schools and then went to Public high school after getting booted from the private one. This allowed me to not only see how bad some teachers have it; I also learned just how different it is to have a 'good' teacher and one that's simply 'there'.
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DaDitka wrote:
UrlachersOranjKleats wrote:Teachers don't get nearly enough respect in this country. They put up with the most bullshit from parents out there, and get horrible pay for their efforts.

Now that's a fact!

Not only do I have some friends that are teachers, but I spent many of my years in school going to private schools and then went to Public high school after getting booted from the private one. This allowed me to not only see how bad some teachers have it; I also learned just how different it is to have a 'good' teacher and one that's simply 'there'.
Now that Obama's president, thats going to change. Education is VERY high on the list, and he's come right out and said that good teachers will be rewarded with better pay while bad teachers will be looking for a new line of work.

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Pagan wrote:
DaDitka wrote:
Now that's a fact!

Not only do I have some friends that are teachers, but I spent many of my years in school going to private schools and then went to Public high school after getting booted from the private one. This allowed me to not only see how bad some teachers have it; I also learned just how different it is to have a 'good' teacher and one that's simply 'there'.
Now that Obama's president, thats going to change. Education is VERY high on the list, and he's come right out and said that good teachers will be rewarded with better pay while bad teachers will be looking for a new line of work.

pagan
Talk is talk, nothing against Obama but it's not going to change. They may make some token moves to make it appear as they are fixing it, but it's too far underfunded. As everyone well knows, no lobbyists - no new money.
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Not sure how the lobbyists affect the funding?
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gaba wrote:Not sure how the lobbyists affect the funding?
Because when funds are appropriated there are only so many in the kitty and lobbyists that line your pockets, treat you to vacation, or get you elected with a record number of minimum donations now own your ass and your are a puppet. This goes for EVER Politian. Yes they go there with the greatest of intentions, but there are simply too many hurdles to overcome to ever really fix the schools.

Again, don't get me wrong, they will try - it just won't be enough.

I know lobbyist and I've been a part of 'funding' lobbyist (on behalf of 'union interests'), it's just the way things are done.

I don’t mean to piss in anyone’s corn flakes who woke up this morning expecting sweeping changes and for everything to be sunshine and rainbows, but sorry that Hollywood not Washington.

P.S. Gaba -look no further then the Casino ‘Education only taxes’ that were supposed to come when they first allowed them to open in Missouri. Sure there’s a lot of money, but it’s not as much as what they promised and it’s not ‘on top’ of the original funds that were already going from the state to the schools. Those funds were cut and dispersed else were. So its basic semantics that the boat (casino) taxes didn’t just go directly were the ‘new money’ was felt.

Please - as you saw on the other board - I DO NOT TALK POLITICS – I just really care about the disrespect for the school system and had to say something.

I am done now.
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Pagan wrote:
DaDitka wrote:
Now that's a fact!

Not only do I have some friends that are teachers, but I spent many of my years in school going to private schools and then went to Public high school after getting booted from the private one. This allowed me to not only see how bad some teachers have it; I also learned just how different it is to have a 'good' teacher and one that's simply 'there'.
Now that Obama's president, thats going to change. Education is VERY high on the list, and he's come right out and said that good teachers will be rewarded with better pay while bad teachers will be looking for a new line of work.

pagan
So, what about the teachers of students with really shitty parents and shitty home lives and a shallow genetic pool that NO MATTER WHAT are never going to have a majority of students who can possibly measure up to kids with good parents, with a steady homelife and a decent gene pool? Cuz that's where I'm coming from. How much do WE get paid? How, besides the students' performance, will they judge who is a good teacher and who is a bad teacher? Because I know a TON of incredible teachers who work their asses off and break their hearts over a pool of children from whom only a precious few will break through to success.
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We need a better system to judge the success of a teacher than simple tests. That's kind of been one of the themes this election... whatever it is we're doing, it's not working. Change doesn't just mean a new face, it means a better way of doing pretty much everything we're doing. Got a better idea? Tell someone. You really can't just trust the leaders to make the right decision and fix everything. Now of course, if you were to come up with a better idea and write your local politician about it, he's gonna take credit for it... but we'll have a better plan.

I know you don't trust the government to get things right, but WE are the government (for the people and by the people). If you want it to work for you, you've got to work for it. Write letters, write to your newspaper, start a blog, tell your friends and neighbors... make enough noise and you'll be heard. If you're not willing to do something about it though, you've got no right to complain.
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First things first.....forget the 'no child left behind' bullsh*t.

Stop holding back the rest of the class because of one student.

As for the teachers trying to deal with crap kids with crap parents, I’m not sure there is an answer…….which sucks.
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Lets try to uh, keep on subject please.
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It's over and we still can't stop arguing politics... sorry UOK.

Back on topic... well I can't really get back on topic since I love my job. I've had some pretty crappy jobs in the past though. McDonald's actually didn't suck, but working with teenagers sure did. I sold meat door-to-door once. I spent a week in January outside washing RVs and boats. That still sucks less than washing dishes, which I've done more than a couple times. The worst was the recycling plant where I spent 8 hours straight digging colored paper out of piles upon piles of paper along a conveyer belt. That wasn't even the bad part though... the part that sucked was when the shredder jammed and I had to crawl through a 18" hole (I didn't even think I would fit but they made me go anyway) into a 3ft. diameter tube with a giant rotating drum of hammers on one end and a fan on the other. Even if I wasn't claustrophobic, that would have sucked.
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DaDitka wrote:First things first.....forget the 'no child left behind' bullsh*t.

Stop holding back the rest of the class because of one student.

As for the teachers trying to deal with crap kids with crap parents, I’m not sure there is an answer…….which sucks.
I agree and it does suck. But I don't think it's fair to hold teachers accountable when parents are not being held accountable. And no, to be honest, I'm not sure what we can do about it.

Back on topic, I worked in several restaurants from 15 to 24. The first year I was a dishwasher - oh god it was gross but I got through it. Fucked up my back permanently though lifting those heavy tubs of dishes by myself cuz I was too proud to tell the cooks I needed help. Then when I turned 16 I started waiting tables. The best restaurant I worked at was a kind of high end Thai place. Did the least amount of work there and made the most money...that's life though, right? I was really sick of it by the time I stopped but lately I almost miss it. It can be pretty fun. And the constant stream of cash is cool too. My best friend is a career server. She works at this place here in town called Buffalo Jack's -it's a family restaurant basically but they specialize in wild game and they have a bar. She makes pretty good money there. I can't believe it but I'm actually kinda getting an itch to maybe pick up a few shifts a week there this summer. Not sure I can still do it though, maybe it's like riding a bike.
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