I've never been this scared in my life.

[Phoenix15]

Well, tommorrow is the day I quit my job. I'm a network technician for a local company and have been there nearly 3 years They have been paying my way through my lst two years of school at Auburn University with a CS major. I am changing my major to Criminal Justice as I have decided that I want to be in the law enforcement field, with a eventual goal of joining the FBI. I'm scared because this means a few things.

1. No more free school.
2. I will ne getting married this September. I need to find a job that will work with my school schedule, and still make enough cash to support myself and my soon to be wife.
3. Total change of career plans.

I just feel that I need to do something that will make a difference. When I'm 150 years old (at least ) I want to be able to look back and be proud of what I spent my life doing. I don't think resetting passwords, and fixing packet loss will cut it.

No sleep for me tonight! Now where are my damn cigs?

 

[HOWITIS]

maybe your wife could get a job and support the family while you go to school?

 

[ThaGrandCow]

I know what you're going through. I'm enlisting with the marines in a few weeks and I'm going through some of the same stuff.

 

[Phoenix15]

She does work, but she is also attending school. I had thought about leting her finish and begin working, but I am closer to graduation. I think we'll be ok, but I guess Ijust like to have something to worry about. On the bright side, if ant techs are in the Auburn, AL area, I can tell ya where to get a job

 

[badluck]

Ahhhh...I have a friend who is going through an identity crisis as well. He is quitting his job this Friday, after payday......

 

[johnjohn320]

Hmm, well I'm just a stupid kid, but...would it be possible to land a spot at another job, before quitting your current one? A bit more security? I dunno...

 

[SuperTool]

don't do it. Seriously. As a tech, you will be paid more, and you can sit in front of computer and post on ATOT all day
How is being an FBI agent a better job?

 

[ThePresence]

Good luck G man.

 

[cmdavid]

<< don't do it. Seriously. As a tech, you will be paid more, and you can sit in front of computer and post on ATOT all day
How is being an FBI agent a better job? >>


hed be making difference... read his post

 

[Phoenix15]

<< don't do it. Seriously. As a tech, you will be paid more, and you can sit in front of computer and post on ATOT all day
How is being an FBI agent a better job? >>



Starting pay for a special agent is $43k. I make about 30k now. For me, the money ios secondary. As ong as my family (future family thatis) is comfortable, I am cool with it. I am more interested in doing something that i enjoy, and that I feel is contributing to society. I will always love pc's, I just can't see myself doing it for the rest of my life.

 

[jadinolf]

Phoenix15

Talk about being scared, 25 years ago I quit a very good paying job to start my own business. I had never been in business before.

We didn't get rich but it worked out fine.

Just relax. Things will work themselves out.

Best of luck.

 

[Phoenix15]

Did I mention I'd get to carry a gun?

 

[conjur]

<< Did I mention I'd get to carry a gun? >>


Bonus!

 

[SuperTool]

<< Starting pay for a special agent is $43k. I make about 30k now. For me, the money ios secondary. As ong as my family (future family thatis) is comfortable, I am cool with it. I am more interested in doing something that i enjoy, and that I feel is contributing to society. I will always love pc's, I just can't see myself doing it for the rest of my life. >>


Oh, I thought you were quitting a good job to pursue this. But at 30K, it's not like you got much to lose.
Why don't you get a cybercrime job? Then you can combine your desire to tell your friends that you are an FBI agent with the ability to sit and browse the internet all day

 

[theknight571]

Is your current company going to want their money back?

The policy at the company I work for is that if you leave within 2 years of them paying for classes..you owe them the money back. (It's pro-rated quarterly)

Just something to check...or at least be careful of.

Otherwise...I wish you success.

- TK

 

[Phoenix15]

I had thought about doing something related to cybercime, but I don't want to be stuck chasing you geeks all day.

My company was payin my school as part of my salary. The other tech makes about 45k, so they have no way of wanting the cash back.

 

[Squisher]

Good Luck to you. I might also suggest that you find your new job before quitting your old one.

What kind of work do you figure will "work with [your] school schedule"?

 

[munruss]

I can relate to this topic. I'm also a Network Administrator and yes, it's boring. I was just promoted to management and I still want out. I want to move to South Florida and after i establish residency, I want to go back to school for a masters degree in something else. I have time to decide. The problem is, I'm a little afraid to leave my "security" here in NY and go to FL.

I have to bite the bullet and just do it. I know I will be much happier...

 

[m2kewl]

<< Did I mention I'd get to carry a gun? >>



I hope you will never need to use it. :Q Seriously, best of luck to you! I know a friend who went through four years of college to join the NYPD making half what he would of really made as an engineer.

 

[Ameesh]

i would wait until i had another job before i quit my first one.

 

[m2kewl]

<< I had thought about doing something related to cybercime, but I don't want to be stuck chasing you geeks all day. >>



Trust us, you'll always be running behind us...we know how underpaid overburdened FBI is...and not all state-of-the-art either.

 

[Phoenix15]

I think(hope really) that my current company will be willin to keep me on as a part time consultant. I had spoke with them about this before. The other tech is just a software guy, and doesn't know hardware. I am pretty sure they will offer this, as I am on good terms with everyone there, and I know they have been happy with my performance so far. When I was hired they had 1 pc running win 95, now they have 13 running Win 2k with a dedicated server and a wan connection to out home office. I wasn't the only one that did this, but I was a big part. That way I still get the $$$ (although obviously not as much) without having to try and search for a job while going to school full time.

I have more than enough cash sacked away to do for at least 6 months, so I don't have to be worried about being flat broke. Not to mention the cost of living is low as hell around here. I rent a 3 bedroon house with a fireplace, 2 car garage, and 3 acres of land for $350 a month. I have friends in Atlanta that pay more than that for a crap apartment.

 

[Phoenix15]

<<

<< I had thought about doing something related to cybercime, but I don't want to be stuck chasing you geeks all day. >>



Trust us, you'll always be running behind us...we know how underpaid overburdened FBI is...and not all state-of-the-art either. >>



..but I'll still read AT, so I'll have the inside scoop

 

[m2kewl]

<<

<<

<< I had thought about doing something related to cybercime, but I don't want to be stuck chasing you geeks all day. >>

Trust us, you'll always be running behind us...we know how underpaid overburdened FBI is...and not all state-of-the-art either. >>

..but I'll still read AT, so I'll have the inside scoop >>



Doh! I give up...I can't win

 

[telstar1]

I've been thinking through the same thing.
I work for a bank doing software development.
What do I really accomplish? Nothing. I mean, I get my job done, and do a good job, but at the end of the day ... nothing has really changed. Maybe some people made some money. Maybe some people lost some money. Makes no difference to me. And in a year or two, whatever I develop will be replaced or remade by another division in the bank.

How the company does is completely out of my control since they're so big.
So I'm wondering ... what's the point. The pay is good, but what am I really contributing to society?

Telstar