Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries

Author

Buyout

ccieToBe

2002-05-08, 1:47 pm

I found out yesterday that my employer will probably be bought out by a competitor sometime in the next few weeks. This competitor is located in another state and has roughly 10x as many employees. Have any of you ever gone through something like this before?

From what I've been told, we'd continue to function independantly for the most part but would still have some changes. I'm not sure what's going to happen to my position. Right now I'm a part time network admin and the only technology employee. I guess this could be either very good or very bad. On the one hand this opens up for the first time to potential of being promoted from within and on the other hand this company could decide to replace me with their existing staff.

I guess I'd better get more serious in my job search. I was already looking for something new but wasn't going to become very serious about it until I finished the CCNP/CCDP track. Any ideas?

Nicole

2002-05-08, 3:38 pm

If you are the only IT employee, and they are keeping the office open, you're probably not in imminent danger of losing your job. Since they are in that other state, they don't have anyone local that can replace you

darthw

2002-05-08, 6:18 pm

I agree with Nicole. If nothing else, any sensible manager would want to keep you on in the interim if your the only hands-on techie in the office; it makes IT easier all the way around. You'll probably find yourself the go between/insider for IT issues that have to be addressed for this takeover.

Since it sounds like this is a large organization, they probably have more established IT policies that will be implemented within your company - at the very least I would expect such policy changes. Just jump in to assist as much as possible. Be open to the inevitable changes, and provide the insight you have.

In the meantime it wouldn't hurt to speed up honing the IT training just in case the future gets bleak....But that's a good, general rule for all of us.

poolit

2002-05-09, 8:52 am

If your company is being bought out by a major corporation, I would start looking elsewhere, especially if your company is a VAR. This happened to me twice. I would name them but, it is against the forum rules. What most of them do and do not admit to is replace the good techs with Entry techs. They pay the entry techs about 30K a year and then charge the onsite company 60 to 70 dollars per hour for your services. I could go on but, what is the point. It is the same everywhere.Use your best judgement and watch and listen very carefully.

hard_coder

2002-05-10, 10:47 am

one word says it all - "Vaseline".

ccieToBe

2002-05-10, 11:55 pm

Thanks for the input. As far as I know they're keeping the office open. We're both insurance brokerages and I imagine that this company wants a presense in this part of the country.

Raddy

2002-05-11, 4:50 pm

Hi ccieToBe, In attempting to answer your question "Have any of you ever gone through something like this before?"

I would answer yes. In our case we (staff) heard that another company was interested in buying our company.

Lot's of staff were scared. We had the opportunity to question our Managing Director in an open staff forum.

This was what he had to say. "If ever there is a buyout or a merger, I think I will emerge as the opted MD over the other company's MD. This is because I believe I am better in every way".

Then he went on to say "All you have to do is to do your job so well and so equip yourself that in the event of a merger or buyout you can convince yourself that man for man you will be the chosen person over the other counter part."

This put our hearts at rest. This is just to give you an experience of what happened in the company I work. No staff here is scared of a merger or a buyout here anymore. We are all working to ensure that in case of a merger "I will be the the better option".

For you ccieToBe, however the time frame may be short and I don't know for sure how this can apply to you. What I can say for you now is that I wish you all the best. Have a nice day.

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