I hate this job.

Posted by Old-Paramedic-2192@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 54 comments

I am employed by MSP that has a large client. I'm permanently based on the client's site. The client gives me jobs to solve while refusing to me give me access to the systems that are required to solve these problems.

Go and fix that secure printer, the whole floor cannot print. I try to print from my laptop and I find out I cannot add the printer because my laptop is not customer's domain. I ask senior technician to check if the print server has some problem. Senior technician who is employed by the client....doesn't have access to the print server. So he contacts someone from Infrastructure team who starts a service that wasn't running.

Why was this job given to me?

Go and install ABC program for that person. I try to get the installer first from the file server only to find out that I can't browse the file server because it's accessible only from secure network. I'm allowed to use guest network only. No problem I will remote onto the client's pc and get it that way. So I'm connected to that pc and I browse the file server. I find ABC program installer and try to copy it to her desktop. Admin prompt comes up. I enter my creds. Permission Denied.
Go and test this equipment in all those rooms to make sure it works. One piece of kit is used to share screen on TV or projector for external people. It needs a executable to be launched from the internal storage of the device for it to work. I plug it into my laptop and realize I can't run the executable because I don't have local admin rights. I send email to my MSP asking for admin rights so I can carry out this test. Request is rejected. Fine....that's less work for me.
Go and fix that Linux machine. It has problems with programs not opening. I try to make some changes on the linux box and it's asking for root password. I go back to internal IT and ask if they can share the root password with me. Answer: No you will not be given the root password because you are not XXX employee. Pass the ticket to Linux team if you need help. I pass it to Linux team and they fling it back saying "we don't deal with desktops at this level."

At this point my blood is starting to boil.

They have million different procedures and rules and they are constantly changing them. Tickets get sent back a lot because "you passed it to the wrong department", "You didn't use template", "You used the wrong template". "you didn't tick this box" "Problems with this system need to be logged in different ticketing platform"

So naturally we start asking more questions and then they complain that we ask too many questions.

Everybody can plug their laptops into the LAN, but I can't. Everybody can go for breakfast before 9am but I can't. Everybody can walk away from their desk anytime they want but I can't. I'm getting really fucking tired of this. As soon as I find other job that pays similar amount I'm gone.

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megasxl264@reddit

I was in your exact position years ago. Trust me, your job is only to ‘show face’ and report problems. In most cases you’re only physically there because they’re contractually obligated to have someone onsite during maintanence hours, but the reality is 99.9% of everything can be resolved by one or two senior admins at the MSP who have been working with that company for years.

My advice to you is to honestly just show some humility and chill out. They’re looking for you to take charge mainly with people skills, hardware, and layer 1 issues. Eventually they’ll turn the reigns over, but the reality is for right now you’re ‘helpdesk’ and you have a script to read.

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

Bingo. If you haven't been given the tools to carry out the duties that have been asked of you, make sure your manager is aware and that's that. If your boss makes some changes that mean you can do the work then great. If not, there's nothing you can do about it so getting stressed out is utterly pointless.

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F0LL0WFREEMAN@reddit

Exactly this. Couldn’t have said it better myself. You’re in an entry level position. Now does that align with your skills? Maybe not. You need to take a stoic approach and decouple your feelings from the work. Do what you can and wait, or find another job but don’t be heard complaining by anyone, especially not yourself.

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sliverednuts@reddit

Mental awareness very important….

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awit7317@reddit

+1 for using stoic in a sentence

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livinlowe@reddit

Totally agree. Very much like this at my job. Look at it this way- easy money

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greywolfau@reddit

Upvoting and commenting because this has some great advice.

This is your opportunity to build soft skills, negotiating your own and the client expectations. Being able to reframe problems so they can be re-presented back to the client in a way that let's you work with them to solve issues.

Trying to solve all these tech issues solely using tech answers isn't going to work. Friendly face, friendly and positive attitude will get you further and reflect well on you to the client and your bosses.

Consistent_Research6@reddit

Get tf out of there before you will end up hands around someone's neck.

andoryu123@reddit

Can't figure out if there is a problem without knowing your expected tier support level. If you are level one, then it sounds par

Essa_ea@reddit

What a fucken hell seriously. Like this's the dumbest shit I've ever read on this sub. I mean for real wtf they want you to do if you don't have permission to access anything damit? That's a complete waste of time, you simply can't fix anything with those procedures.

I mean they have several options to allow you to have admin rights and a machine that's connected to the domain.

On the other hand why the fuck no one is fixin their shit from their team instead.

Honestly if i were you i wouldn't tolerate this utter bullshit.

Secret_Account07@reddit

They need to provide you a domain joined device. I work for a large govt org and we have plenty of contractors who have access to secure systems. Otherwise, they shouldn’t ask you to do this stuff.

You’re more patient than I am. The 5th time this happened I would send out multiple emails to techs and managers asking who to reach out to next time since you don’t have access. If you word it that way, magically they will find a way.

By the way, are you working in Ohio?

VplDazzamac@reddit

Pretty much this. One laptop for doing your general MSP nonsense like your emails and timesheets etc. One for doing actual work on.

EvenClock9@reddit

You're just trying too hard honestly, sit back relax and browse the internet to kill time, if you can't do the tickets for reasons you cannot control then there's no work to do so enjoy your free paid time.

MrCertainly@reddit

First of all, stop caring as if you owned the place. You don't.

Embrace the red tape. Be a chaos vulture. Things take 3x longer than they "should" because everyone is pant-on-head stupid? Celebrate it! Remember, not your company - not your profits. You get paid the same if you handle one case per day or thirteen.

Not all companies survive. You'll eventually be fired/laid off. In AWA: At-Will America (99.7% of the population), you can be terminated at any time, for almost any (or no) reason, without notice, without compensation, and full loss of healthcare. Your job search is NEVER over. This will not be your last job.

And some shit just isn't going to get done. "I put in my 8 hours, cheers mate. See ya tomorrow, we'll pickup where we left off."

BlackV@reddit

seems like ~~a lot~~ most of this is directly on you

Go and fix that secure printer, the whole floor cannot print.

good not you found the root cause, pass it along to the responsible people, move on, not your job to maintain the print server

Go and install ABC program for that person. I try to get the installer first from the file server only to find out that I can't browse the file server because it's accessible only from secure network.

Yes, that would seem like lunacy to allow any network to connect, why are you "getting" the file in the first place ?

No problem I will remote onto the client's pc and get it that way. So I'm connected to that pc and I browse the file server. I find ABC program installer and try to copy it to her desktop.

why what ? why the feck would you copy this locally, AND TO THE DESKTOP, stop that
find out first, do they have an RMM system, does the deploy apps ? does the user juts need to be added to a group ?
if not sure then explore options for install, first run the install from the network ? what account were you planning on installing this software ? if you have limited access do you have admin right to install that ? hopefully the user sure didn't

Admin prompt comes up. I enter my creds. Permission Denied.

sound like may you do not, or more specifically cause YOU copied it to a user folder you (that admin account) does not have access that (and they shouldn't)

I can't run the executable because I don't have local admin rights

is that actually the reason ? depending on the devie normally those device dont need admin softwre installed, but do they not have LAPS for example to get you temp local admin access

BUT I do acknowledge MSP work is often a painful painful slog, document the issues, work through the issues with the customer and the MSP, GET MANAGER SIGN OFF on the process for each moving forward

Corelianer@reddit

Check if they have admin by request, so you can get temp admin rights.

elpollodiablox@reddit

So... If they have such a large, siloed team then why do they need a MSP?

Astro721@reddit

To handle face to face interaction with users and gather data from them. Most people, myself included, aren't always up for hearing Brenda's entire life story for the 4th time because she always forgets to turn on her actual PC and only hits the power button on the monitor. I could absolutely see a world where the very necessary, but undesirable work gets thrown out to an onsite MSP worker because the main company can't keep the role filled.

That Brenda can be a real pain.

It just seems odd to me that they would have a dedicated Linux team, then hand off a Linux problem to an outside contractor, only to then tell them they aren't allowed to troubleshoot the problem because he's an outside contractor and can't have the access they need to fix the issue.

I mean, I get not handing out a root password to someone who is some L1 triage monkey, but OP is obviously a capable guy (or gal), not some helpdesk person who tries nothing and is all out of ideas, so he assigns a ticket about a printer not working to a senior engineer, who then sends it back down with a snarky message in the notes with step-by-step instructions on Googling "how do I update a printer driver?"

GullibleCrazy488@reddit

lol, I was predicting the issues you were going to run into for each point, and I really felt your frustration.

-maphias-@reddit

I didn’t have to read past the word “MSP” to know how much you hate your job.

Dry_Marzipan1870@reddit

im confused on why this company has the MSP. Like, we see everything you couldn't do. What exactly CAN you do? ive worked for two MSPs and we were admins for the infrastructure.

My assumption is OP's employer was hired to handle face to face interaction with users and gather data from them. It could be they have made them the initial contact for everything and just expect him to escalate to the needed teams. I could see the company hiring OPs MSP doing this if they had a hard time keeping someone in that role because of the mistreatment they received.

So, at that point mine as well just ensure you know you'll have someone in that role by having it staffed by contract with the MSP. If OP quits someone else will be forced to cover while the MSP finds the next person. That way it is on the MSP to replace them and the headache is out of the inhouse IT teams way.

Diligent_Layer_370@reddit

How much are you making? Sounds like someone's dream job 🙃

curlyAndUnruly@reddit

I was in the same boat in a fking bank which made permissions a whole month ordeal. Not exaggerating.

Also I was the only loser working during holidays parties because I wasn't an employee.

The worst humiliation was not having access to the water in the office. We all contractors pooled together to buy water/toilet paper/snacks.

BoltActionRifleman@reddit

Wait, they don’t allow you to eat or stand up when you want/need to? Granted we don’t have a full time MSP on site but we’ve had them for a week+ at times and they can do whatever they want. I’m not going to tell a non-employee what they can or can’t do, that’s absurd.

mercurygreen@reddit

Worked with a client that had not one, but FOUR external separate MSPs around the world that each did one layer of IT management. And the ones in charge (who had sub-contracted to the rest of us) hated us low lives for not seeing their greatness... and also for for questioning how they managed to get the entire company shut down in a cyber attack by compromised credentials from one of their admins.

thatohgi@reddit

Sharpen up that resume.

I’m assuming your shop only has one client, no management, and is you running as an MSP? Otherwise talk to your manager, like the one that signs your checks and get out of that role, or quit once you find a new job. Don’t worry about leaving notice, you don’t have any access and aren’t of any use at this place anyway.

How long have you been in the industry? What’s your network for job prospecting look like? Most folks I know can pivot to a new role in under 30 days, but that comes with experience and intentionally building that career advancement network.

Most_Medicine_6053@reddit

I’d spend my time rubbing that easy one out in a company stall. At the very least you wouldn’t be so pissed off for a good hour or so.

traversecity@reddit

Poor ticket triage. One of our large customers tries, sometimes get it right, sometimes I need to update the ticket to get it routed.

Ivy1974@reddit

Welcome to my world. My last MSP did that and they locked down our laptops. Uh why? Don’t they know we can format them?

Randalldeflagg@reddit

Sure. But can you then rejoin it to the company domain? Probably not. You need enough permissions to do that. And also, what security software is protecting that system? We run daily audits on machines to make sure that user accounts are not in the local admin groups and if some how they are, removes the account. And then another set of software keeps an eye out if the admin count on the local machine changes. If so, it generates a priority ticket. And yet another security package that prevents against apps and plugins from doing malicious things even if said app started off safe and then got compromised later in the cloud.

Security should be just high enough that the end user doesn't even notice or cares that it is there. But annoying enough for the support staff to pay attention to what is going on

mammaryglands@reddit

Spend your time networking.

Learn some jokes. Show up looking nice and smelling good with a smile on your face everyday.

that'll take you farther in the next 5 years than learning anything technical

DarthJarJar242@reddit

Welcome to working for an MSP. Most of them are garbage companies.

hawaiianmoustache@reddit

This your first level 1 helpdesk job or something?

ObeseBMI33@reddit

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autogyrophilia@reddit

Submit ticket with all that information

Take your sweet time when the blockers clear.

Train new skills or play balatro in the meantime.

analbumcover@reddit

Balatro certified

Hacky_5ack@reddit

Sounds like they hoard the knowledge cause you got a arrogant sysadmin who won't give correct access on purpose.

plump-lamp@reddit

Not on the sysadmin If the company that hired him wanted him to be on the client domain and have access then they should do that. It's not on a sysadmin to do that for them. Sysadmins job is to protect their systems

You're missing my point. I've been around plenty of places where boss says sysadmin give them access and sometimes it never happens or doesn't happen for a long time

Then OP needs proof of a ticket for request. Not rocket science. Likely whomever contracted with the MSP is also over the sysadmins at some point of the tree

Now you understand my son

Yeah.... Not on the sysadmin.

at the end of the day if the asshole sysadmin is not giving access, whether the boss said to or not, then yes sysadmin is doing typical narcissistic shit

No ticket, no approval, no access. Sysadmins job isn't to service a low level msp tech, his duty is protecting the company

Put a ticket in then!!!!

UnsuspiciousCat4118@reddit

So you’re tier 1 support acting like you were hired to be tier 3. Learn some humility and learn the systems in place. Eventually you’ll get it.

captain_222@reddit

I don't get these kind of rants. Your still being paid by the hour right?

william_tate@reddit

Put everything back to them when you can’t do something and watch YouTube videos while you wait. Let anyone know who asks what you are waiting. Pretty sure they will either fix the issue or get you the access they need when they realise how much money they are wasting having you site there waiting for someone to do the job you were hired for. Get your MSP to deal with it and relax

Boricuacookie@reddit

Would you say you are a liason between the MSP and the clients senior Admin who then opens a ticket?

Forsaken_Instance_18@reddit

Ask the company if they need you to work for them directly

Intelligent_Desk7383@reddit

Yeah, time to split... It's been my experience this is a common problem though, on at least a smaller scale. Places don't like to give their contractors access to a lot of "for employees only" resources. Makes it impossible to get the work done they literally paid you to come help them do!

I think often times, they just haven't thought it through. They assume the times you need admin rights for X, Y or Z are "relatively rare" and you can just ask someone to get you past that point, as needed.

mike_grinda@reddit

good luck with your new job