Analyze my job interview, techies!

[undeterred]

I had an interview this afternoon at a non-profit for an IT position- the position is for someone who does everything from end user support (200 people) to network/LAN/WAN administration and security, website support, database administration, running the phone system, and negotiating with vendors for any outside services. There are 2 sites, 15 miles apart, and the person needs to be available for emergencies 24/7. One of the sites has construction going on till the end of the year. Its a huge job for 1 person, but there's been only one person in the job for 5 years and she is retiring. She reports directly to the CFO.

They seemed impressed with some of my skills and unimpressed with others. I have a feeling its going to be next to impossible for them to find someone who has fresh experience in all these areas, for what they are willing to pay. I let them know that I am interested in the job and felt I could learn it if I had a 3 month overlap with the person currently in the job, which they are planning. For me it would be a great opportunity to build my resume.

But maybe I am crazy and this is a job for 2-3 people?!

[Gyre]

1. You can always quit if it sucks, and never put it on your resume.

And it does sound like it's gonna suck! Good luck!:)

Gyre

[Deja Q]

2. Easily a 2~3 people job. A DBA alone is a full. time. job.

[undeterred]

5. It is, isn't it...

I know the user support and LAN stuff cold, ok with database and internet, weakest on phones and WANs. Its too much, especially when you have all the end user support that can happen at any time.

[Xithras]

8. Depends on whether the DB is stable

If the database design doesn't change much, then there isn't justification for a dedicated DBA. I've worked in too many places where the DBA's daily job consisted of playing 7.5 hoours of solitaire, 15 minutes of altering tables to add some new field, and 15 minutes of swapping backup tapes. It's a heck of a job for $80k to $100k a year, but isn't justifiable for a nonprofit.

[undeterred]

9. I don't think she's spending a huge amount of time on it

and I am pretty sure I could handle it- but geez, when one person is responsible for all these critical systems, its a lot of pressure. I asked her if she got calls at home when she was taking time off and she said yes, unless I leave the country.

Now I am talking myself out of it.

[cestpaspossible]

3. It's a job for 2-3 people, or one very skilled and well compensated person

lotta variables too, like, end user support for 200 people... how big of a job that is has everything to do with the quality of the management in charge of those 200 people.

[undeterred]

4. She said that the end user support was the least time consuming part

of the job, which is hard to believe. Maybe they get an electric shock for asking a question, and the voltage doubles every time they ask another one?!

[mcscajun]

6. Two people MINIMUM

As others have stated, the DBA position alone is a full time gig. Run the phone system too, AND shuttle between 2 sites, AND be available 24/7?

The previous holder of the position isn't retiring; she's off to the funny farm in full burnout breakdown.

I picture never-ending abuse from one end of the job to the other, as while you're busy putting out a fire in one location, departments 'burn down' at the other, and you get shit from everybody.

Unless of course, you have the good fortune to have the most knowledgeable end-users on the planet. Don't hold your breath.

But goodness knows, if you survive it, you'd never be bored! :)

[undeterred]

7. It isn't just the volume of work

its the varied skillsets too. I've been working at big corporations where the IT departments are highly specialized. In very few situations do you find people with telecommunications skills who can also take care of servers and end user workstations... They need 2 people with complementary skillsets.

[mcscajun]

13. Exactly right. Mixing telecom with networking with DBA with User Support

Prescription for a train wreck. And don't even get me started on system security. I used to do that, too. Totally underappreciated work, until something goes wrong, then you get all the heat.

[DS1]

10. They'd better be paying no less than 90k

[undeterred]

11. Oh, probably much less.

Its a non-profit and this woman has NO IDEA how much she is worth.
That is what they would need to pay someone with strong skills in all these areas who was willing to put up with that much responsibility though.

[Xithras]

12. It shouldn't be too difficult.

Ignore the naysayers. If you know LAN's, it's not much of a step up to manage a WAN...mostly encryption and firewall issues. Unless they're running some fossilized phone system, managing that shouldn't be too hard either...it isn't all that different from running an email system and punching down CAT5

FWIW, I had a job like that and I loved it. I didn't have to deal with the two location thing, but other than that it gave me an opportunity to expand my skill set in a way that I couldn't have done anywhere else. Just remember these two tips: 1. Plan everything THOROUGHLY and for easy maintainability. A well designed network shouldn't fail often, and shouldn't take a lot of your time to maintain. 2. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If they're running an old Eudora email system, don't upgrade it to a Linux/Sendmail system just because that's "better". Reserve your upgrades for systems that are actually reaching capacity or are in danger of failing, and you'll dramatically reduce your headaches. 90% of support nightmares come from implementing new hardware and software, and training users to do things differently. With responsibilities like that, you don't want to do either one unless you absolutely have to.

Oh, and since it's a nonprofit you'll want to plan for failures some distance out. If a $10,000 router fails, it's possible that they may not have $10k free to replace it right away. Have backup and workaround plans in place for EVERY contingency, just in case.