IBM anyone?

[awarrenfells.livejournal.com]

So, it seems that IBM is in the middle of a large recruitment drive for a new Tech Support Center in Dubuque [spelling?], Iowa. As a result of this, my resume has been flagged on monster.com, and I have received a bunch of recruiting emails from IBM.

I was wondering if anyone out there has had any work history with IBM? If so, what are they like to work for... or... should I simply delete the emails I am getting from them.

I really like the company I work for... cool managers, fun coworkers, just stupid customers [I guess that can't be helped], so It would take a substantial dollar amount to get me to move to Iowa from Florida.

Any idea what they pay for Tech support?

Edit: Ok, so they emailed me back and said - "Thank you for getting with us. Our ranges for our roles in Dubuque are from 27k to 45k with the POSSIBILITY to go to 55- 60k (this would be for highly skilled candidates). If you are still interested, please apply to the role and we can go from there. Thanks again!"

Hmm. Would like some input from you other tech support peeps out there.

Comments

[margaretc.livejournal.com]

Run.
Run far, delete the emails, hang up on them when they call, etc.

My experience is 10+ years old, but I've heard from several other people that if anything, they've gotten worse.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Well, they'd not get me to move to Iowa for twenty seven fricking kay. There were once upon a time horror stories about IBM (I work in the building that used to be the manufacturing facility for the original IBM PC), but most of the stories (MUST wear blue suits, preapproved ties, etc) are decades old. I don't think I'd rush into their arms if you're happy with where you are.

[awarrenfells.livejournal.com]

Well, granted I would throw myself up there for only 27k either.

More or less, I am just testing the waters around IBM to see how hot or cold they really are.

[russianswinga.livejournal.com]

I think that your current salary + level of happiness should determine this.

It would take at least a 30K+ raise over my current salary to get me to move from California to Iowa. The advantage would be that maybe I could afford to buy a house there, I can't even afford a condo in CA and I make more than the top tier they're offering for this position.

[awarrenfells.livejournal.com]

No joke. I know what you mean. The housing market here is crazy.

So far the consensus is leaning towards: Run, run far away. Lol

[tertiumquid.livejournal.com]

I've been with IBM for a bit over 10 years doing software support. I'll stay here as long as they'll have me probably. Good pay and benefits and plenty of opportunities once you get your foot in the door. I know some things have changed since I hired on, but it's still a good company as far as I'm concerned.

Dad worked for them for 29 years and I always swore I never would because of the things I saw him go through. The company I went to work for was bought by IBM about the same time I hired on. My experience has been completely different from his. I believe there's a huge difference between the hardware and software sides of the house.

All that said, no way I'd move to Iowa. I'm happy right where I am.

[awarrenfells.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Yeah, and I am pretty sure the positions were being contracted out to a group called IDT.

[tertiumquid.livejournal.com]

True blue. Have never contracted.

[bekscilla.livejournal.com]

I'm just pleased to hear that IBM are hiring more onshore staff!

[snyperwolf.livejournal.com]

My aunt and uncle both worked there, until they shut down the lexington campus. They now work in this little company called Lexmark, which is basically the same environment, same buildings, and just a slightly different focus.

Take that as you will.

[pureghetto.livejournal.com]

I'm technically a contractor but I have 4 yrs experience working in an IBM environment. It amounts to the same. I pulled 40k last year.

Basically you are expected to perform exceedingly well with minimal failure. If you can sustain high levels of performance...well, nothing.

Take me for example. I'm responsible for between 60-100+ tickets a day. Unless I run into lag issues or system problems, I am done at around 11-12pm and then I play video games all day (I work from home)

[arabwel.livejournal.com]

I pretty much agree with the above comment. i am jsut a low level contractor phone monkey though, and overseas on top of that, so my opinion is probably worthless.

[agmlego.livejournal.com]

My uncle works for them in Rochester, MN. He says it has been a good run for the fifteen years or so he has worked there as true blue, but now he is starting to be overloaded by work. Apparently, they like to weed out older employees by working them until they quit or fail to meet the ridiculous expectations, because that keeps them from age discrimination suits.

[teriwyn.livejournal.com]

Interestingly enough, I just got the same emails based on my resume on Monster.

My 2 cents worth

[billysapphire.livejournal.com]

I worked for them for almost 6 years (1998-2003)and I liked it. I had some issues with my manager not wanting me to leave the department that I was in (and had heard that he had been bad-mouthing me when I applied for other jobs. The hiring mgr from one department would call my current mgr for info and well, you can figure out the rest. That manager has since retired.)

I worked Point-Of-Sale tech support. When I first started we had to handle anything in a retail store from registers to laser/dot matrix printers to servers and back office PCs. As time went on they pulled the servers and PCs away from us and we worked the POS and printers. I worked on the outbound call side. (Customers place calls electronically and we call them back to troubleshoot) And we did have some SLAs we had to meet but not as many as one normally has in a call center environment. It may be somewhat different now and I had heard through the grapevine that they had laid off about 12 people in the area that I used to work in here in ATL a couple of months ago.

I liked it and being a gay male, they were pretty supportive here in the ATL area. I left the co because I met my partner and moved from ATL and they could not let me keep my job as a remote tech.

[tertiumquid.livejournal.com]

Probably so. I can't comment on a contracting job with IBM.