Is this a dream job.. or what is the catch?

[gotica.livejournal.com]

Well, Tuesday morning I had an interview for a Government based support role. Catch to this was that I had just finished a 12 hour night shift and was feeling rather tired.

Thank goodness for JM who let me invade his stables to get a hose down and brief nap. I did wake up to a very nice sight though ;) as JM came to tell me he was heading off to work.

I managed to make it to the building with a minute to spare (yes I know this can be bad) as I was slightly confused as to which building it was. There are two or 3 governement buildings within throwing distance of each other. I didn't go into the wrong one, I just became uncertain as to where it was exactly.

I'm collected at the door and then proceed to trundle up to the conference room. One of the interviewers was missing for some reason. I received a brief run down of what the department handles, the number of users which is about 650, how they get 30 to 40 calls a day and probably the equivalent in emails.

Its at this point it starts to get interesting. After finding out this is a level 1, 2 and desktop role, they get down to the series of questions and they tell you they don't expect you to answer all of them (though I think I suprised them by actually knowing some of the more difficult ones) I did ask if I could use the phone a friend option which illicited a chuckle and a suggestion at using google.

So after the questions I get to ask some of my own, you know, to get more details about the role. I am so gobsmacked with some of the answers.. Can this be real? Am I hallucinating? After all I had been awake for 16 hours now.. This seems like such a dream job.

I am just waiting for the catch to occur. I already know the pay rate and that its contract.. I can't think of anything else that would come up.. So far, points of note are as follows:

* 37.5 hour weeks.
* Lunch is 1 to 2 hours, as long as you make up the 37.5 hours they aren't too fussed.
* Office runs during standard business hours, with a chance to start earlier or later.
* Calls/Emails 60 - 80 per day... for the entire team.
* Small team of 6 or so staff.
* Remote access and physical hands on opportunities.
* Role is level 1, 2 and desktop ie you take the call you fix it.

Even though they had been told that I was coming off a night shift, they didn't even pick up on that until after it was all over and they were discussing morning tea time as I was being led out when I mentioned bed. I was then hit with the lable 'Oh so you were that shift worker!'.

I think I have a good chance.

Comments

[jcaswell.livejournal.com]

Sounds like heaven. Good luck!

[gotica.livejournal.com]

Thanks.. I don't know whether to believe it or wake up soon and go huh wha? it was only a dream? :P

I think I really want that job.

[ace-brickman.livejournal.com]

i can share in that feeling. My first "big interview" outta college felt like that.. Been good for 3 months so far

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

* Calls/Emails 60 - 80 per day... for the entire team.
* Small team of 6 or so staff.

Augh! Envy!

(500/day, about 20-30 people)

Of course, I guess a smaller team is more prone to staffing disruptions - one person on vacation, one in a meeting and one off sick is all it takes to double your workload. Even so - score!

[gotica.livejournal.com]

hehe yea.. its ahh really good if its all true blue.

I've gone from 3000/day with 50ish people, to 300 a day with 15ish people and now hoping to go to 30 a day with 6ish people.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

3000/day with 50ish people

Ouch. That's pretty heavy-duty.

[gotica.livejournal.com]

Yea, welcome to ISP support.

[teriwyn.livejournal.com]

You know, that sounds exactly like my tech support life-cycle.

ISP support > Small Medical Records software vendor > Smaller Government support job.

The call volumes you described are exactly as I experienced hehe.

I've been here for two years, and I still think it's too good to be true. We support a small to medium sized army base - we've got a few more people than you do because Tier 1 and Tier 2 are split. (Tier 2 is hardware and requires additional clearance; they don't promote someone there and pay for Secret clearance until they try the person out on Tier 1). Tier 1's first call resolution is stellar - we fix anything that isn't hardware. Tier 2 just = deskside support, for people who want that extra hand holding or who have hardware issues.

I do adore it here. What do you have to lose by taking the chance?

[gilmoure.livejournal.com]

Is this in the states or Britain? Would love to have a tea time.

Am also working at a government facilities support place. Very laid back, as long as calls are answered and we keep customers happy. We handle 300-500 calls a day/15 people, but we have a tier 2 to handle hardware problems and extreme handholding so it's pretty laid back.

[gotica.livejournal.com]

Elsewhere ;)

Its in Australia.

[gilmoure.livejournal.com]

Wow. Didn't know Australia had tea. Cool!

[gotica.livejournal.com]

duh stupid me... forgot what I had written :P

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

This is state govt in Perth? Could be a state wing of a federal department, I guess...

Hmm... I'm moving there in a fortnight or so, and I have govt. support experience... hmm.

Need a co-worker? :)

[gotica.livejournal.com]

Yes perth, its for the DOIR.

Not sure if its a fed arm or not.

Who knows.. they may need someone in the future. Right now though, perth is booming for IT roles, but nearly 100% of them are contractual :-\

BTW no idea if I have the job or not :P

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Doesn't look federal. Hey, they're also after a 'Manager Web Services' - basically keeping the intranet and org website under control, for sixty-five K a year.

[inahandbasket]

welcome to support in a smaller arena.
Frankly those are fairly standard specs for these kinds of jobs.
I dig it personally. good luck!

[dario.livejournal.com]

Good Luck!!! Even 5 calls a day can be a bugger when you truly OWN the call!! ;-)

[jecook]

+1. I was busier then a one legged man in an ass kicking contest yesterday.

Today promises to be fun and games, as I walked on site to a power outage. We were just bringing the server farm back up as I started.

[attackgypsy.livejournal.com]

So about half calls and half emails?

That's 6-8 emails and 6-8 calls a day?

2 hour lunches?

Where do I sign up? I used to take that many before I finished my first cup of coffee.

[nuadha-prime.livejournal.com]

I had a position like that once and it was fantastic when you get to own the call from start to finish. I had an everage of 20 calls a day which was enough to keep me busy but not stressed. Then, the company switched to the standard call center environment and the job changed to the worst job I ever had.