So I'm the GeekSquad senior. Have been since the
last entry. Time really flew by. They (BestBuy) made things right
for me. It was challenging, but I got through the rough bit, and
it's getting easier the more I learn. It's really forming me into
someone I didn't think I wanted to be - a leader. With a
double-percentage-digit raise it really made sense and I would have
been foolish to not take the promotion.
I have a new build with an Intel X-25M, Q6600 and a GA-EP45-UD3P.
This is by far the fastest and most responsive system I have ever
worked on. Got it to 3.7 GHz, but it's still going. Any higher will take
a lot of work figuring out voltages like GTL_Ref, PLL and VTT.
Pictures are coming.
November 06, 2009
I went to work yesterday, and surprise surprise my
co-worker got the promotion and I got his full-time position. Again,
this is what I've been told, just like I've been told that I got
senior and that I got remote desktop support the time before. No
papers, not even a handshake congratulating me this time. A
full-time position is the least I expect after all this, so the pay
better be there to match. Again, I'll believe it all when I see it
(on paper with signatures). Next week's deadline still stands.
November 05, 2009
So it's official, BestBuy royally screwed me over. I
have no intention of hiding this as it is something that I will not
tolerate. I will see what events take place untill next week, but at
that point I am going to give HR a call to discuss why decisions
were made for me that resulted in this situation. I am being made
promises that everyone knows are impossible to keep. You can't
squeeze water from a rock, but that is just what my superiors are
trying to do to rectify this situation. A co-worker of mine is being
talked into taking a promotion that I don't believe he is qualified
for. While I believe that he will eventually learn, it's not
something that will happen in a month or two, but by that time it
will be too late.
I have been patient for over a month, and
that patience is wearing very thin. If BestBuy wants me around to
help for boxing day ("boxing week" actually) then they are are going
to have to give me something tangible. I need action, not words.
There is something positive in all this thou. This
is the first time in my life where I have worked for this long in a
tech job that I can consider a career move. This now looks really
good on my resume. Everyone knows GeekSquad whether it be good or
bad. If I'm happy at work, everyone wins, but they can also make my
life as miserable as they want, it'll just give me more reasons to
stop procrastinating and find something better!
October 25, 2009
Yesterday I was congratulated on being promoted to
Geek Squad senior and on Monday I will have a meeting to decide my
pay (which is apparently going to be what I asked for "and then
some..."). I will believe it when I see it. Someone higher up is
making decisions for me and I don't like it. I was supposed to be
working from home and get a 10% pay raise along with it, but then
they decided that I would make a better senior instead. WTF?!? I did
not ask for this, and now I might not even get the senior position
because our current senior just got released from quarantine (for
malaria) in Kenya. It's one really damn big coincidence that
happened the day I got the promotion, but 2 days before it's
official. If I don't get (at least) senior I'll spend every waking
moment looking for another job outside of Best Buy.
I've updated my resume. It now fits on only one
page. I invite everyone to make me a job offer that I can't refuse!
While I still don't like being told that Cisco
certification is unimportant, I can't escape the reality that MCSE is just as recognized as CCNA, but unlike CCNA, it does
not expire. I'm halfway through the materials and hope to know it
inside and out by the end of this year.
March 4, 2009
I've been told by a "Double Agent" (fancy word for a
higher-up Geek Squad agent) that I need to study MSCE to get ahead,
but I've also been told that Cisco is unimportant and "who's even
heard of Cisco routers/switches"? To that I say: the Best Buy &
Geek Squad websites themselves run with aid of Cisco equipment. No
one will hold me back like this. Not now. Not ever! Pretty
disappointing to hear this from someone who claims to know
something. The irony is in that I was doing more advanced computer
work when I was helping my friends with drywall. I was supposed to
be learning. Apparently that's not what is wanted of me.
The fight for full-time is an uphill battle and my
patience is wearing this. Part-time hours are essentially slightly
better than staying at home. Looking for something else is becoming
ever more critical...
Updated memory timings section: added "IOH", "ICH",
"VTT", "PLL" and "GTL". Also added the
"unconditional copy command" to the Solutions page. This is pretty
much xcopy with a bunch of switches. Thanks Chris!
