Problem at work

Thread Starter

dMoser

Joined Aug 25, 2011
30
Hi,

I fill a validation engineer position.
Most of the job is performing different tests on SW.

I'm very inspired to perform each test very precisely and pay attention to the small details.
However, my problem is that I tend not to go deeply into what I'm doing but rather perform it like a robot.

For example, I needed to perform some tests that use TCP connection.
I don't exactly know how TCP works, how it behaves, I just learned how to establish a TCP connection for performing the required tests.

How do I find inspiration for gaining knowledge of what stands behind those tests.
How to take a break during work from performing all these tests and dedicate an hour for just studying?

Any advices are welcomed, I really need this to keep my job.

Thanks :)
 

Thread Starter

dMoser

Joined Aug 25, 2011
30
Hi,

Thanks for your help :)

I'm struggling with making an effort to study all these topics rather than finding information sources.
 

BMorse

Joined Sep 26, 2009
2,675
and there are really 2 parts to that, which part are you more interested in? The Hardware or software??

And the only inspiration for furthering your knowledge can only come from yourself, if you do not have the drive to do so, no one can inspire you even if they tried.... you must inspire yourself..... and like Beenthere has suggested, just do some web crawling and see what pokes your interest....
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
Unless it is part of your job description, I would do the internet learning off line at home. Many companies will pay a substantial portion of college, I would contact your human resources dept and check into it.
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
I don't know much about your job,I googled the terms you posted
and they said you have to be a self starter,and manage your time.
TRY THE GOOGLE THING I WAS SURPRISED AT ALL THE INFORMATION
TO CHOOSE FROM. NEVER ASK YOUR BOSS HOW YOU ARE DOING HE
MAY TELL YOU.
 

tgotwalt1158

Joined Feb 28, 2011
110
Hi dMoser!
Deeply touched by hearing your problem since it is connected to your living.
Considering your field of Software Engineer, I suggest you to subscribe to a good software magazine e.g. PC Magazine etc and make a habit of reading it in your free time as an hobby in a relaxed manner. You will see after a couple of weeks you would be getting grasp of concepts which you found hard earlier.
 

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
Fun and learning are what school and hobbies are for. Work is mindless robotic actions that pay your bills. Don't expect to get a job that pays a bunch and you get to be creative. Thats a hard one. Most of the time like most of us you will hate your job but it will fund your other ventures, and give you experience so you move up the latter where work actually is fun. But the few jobs I've had where I could be creative and fun, management was horrible and the company was actually run like an episode of The Office. Being in my mid 30's the only advice I can actually give since we live in a NWO is watch your health working in an office or lab settings. Your eyes will start to go, you will get arthritis. My lower back looks like a corkscrew from working 16 hour days at a desk for years. When your in your 20's you can do it. Then in your 30's and 40's it starts to catch up with you. God I wish I had taken more breaks, gotten a better KB, gotten a better chair, etc...
 

BillO

Joined Nov 24, 2008
999
dMoser,

Here is my advice, gained from a rather successful career by any measure and about 30 years in management up to the executive level.

1) If you are not interested enough in your job to actively learn all there is to know about it, you are likely not in the right job. It's a hard ting to do, but you must face it and make a change before you are forced to. Your management, unless they are idiots, will see your lack of enthusiasm and make the change for you. Have a long talk with yourself and some close friends or others that care about you. Try to decide what makes you interested and what drives you forward. Make the hard decision and move on sooner rather than later.

2) Once you find a position that gives you energy and drive, you have two valid ways to go:
A) Stay in that role and work your way up the expertise ladder. If you choose your next career well enough, it can often inspire you enough for a lifetime. The way to success taking this route is to keep on the cutting edge of the chosen career. Be a thought leader and mentor others. Use the inspiration to strive to be the best, and share your accomplishments in order to become a renowned authority. Write articles, books and teach others. Never loose sight of your value and never be afraid to ask for the right level of compensation.

B) Move up the corporate ladder. Use your inspiration to develop a sense of ambition. You'll still need expertise to manage ever larger teams of experts, but only enough to recognize their expertise and guide them into areas and projects where they can do the best work. The best approach to move ahead if you choose the more ambitious route is to get to know your boss and his job. You really need to understand, not only the tasks he needs to complete, but the pressures on him from above and below, and you need to accept and understand the corporate philosophy. Once you are comfortable with what he does, offer to step in and help him. Show him you are ready to step up by being his back up. The guy who is always willing to help him out and take over for him when he needs a break.

In either of these, the key is in being excited about your work. You need to get into a job where you want to be at work. Where the next day is eagerly anticipated and where getting in early and staying late are what you prefer. When you find this job, no one will have to tell you what you need to learn, nor will you be asking others how to bring yourself to the task. You will do it effortlessly and with a sense of accomplishment. The job itself will become an intriguing adventure and your work product, what you accomplish, will be the treasure.

I can honestly tell you, the people that worked for me either loved what they did and did it with all their heart, or they did not work for me.

I really think it's time for a change for you. Find out what really motivates you and you'll never have a problem like this again.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,710
When your in your 20's you can do it. Then in your 30's and 40's it starts to catch up with you. God I wish I had taken more breaks, gotten a better KB, gotten a better chair, etc...
All you young people out there, take heed. Watch your posture at the computer and keyboard. You may be fine now but you will pay dearly for it in the future. Get a proper keyboard shelf for your desk. Check your chair. Do not slump over your keyboard while peering into the screen. Lean back into a chair that gives you good back support. Take frequent breaks. Seen it. Been there. Done that. Paid my dues. Six months of physio.
 

Adjuster

Joined Dec 26, 2010
2,148
Fun and learning are what school and hobbies are for. Work is mindless robotic actions that pay your bills. Don't expect to get a job that pays a bunch and you get to be creative. Thats a hard one. Most of the time like most of us you will hate your job but it will fund your other ventures, and give you experience so you move up the latter where work actually is fun. But the few jobs I've had where I could be creative and fun, management was horrible and the company was actually run like an episode of The Office. Being in my mid 30's the only advice I can actually give since we live in a NWO is watch your health working in an office or lab settings. Your eyes will start to go, you will get arthritis. My lower back looks like a corkscrew from working 16 hour days at a desk for years. When your in your 20's you can do it. Then in your 30's and 40's it starts to catch up with you. God I wish I had taken more breaks, gotten a better KB, gotten a better chair, etc...
If this is a realistic statement of your situation, and not some sort of rant, then I would seriously fear for your health. You are very young to be experiencing such issues, which many people escape for decades longer. Everyone suffers declining eyesight in middle age, but serious work-related arthritis should not be inevitable unless you are in a strenuous manual job such as coal mining. Some of us of course will get it early anyhow, the worst cases of RA being quite devastating.

Unfortunately, the stress of a job which you hate can and does increase the incidence of illnesses, both minor and serious. You may think that your financial situation makes all this worthwhile, or at any rate necessary, but really health has to take a very high priority. As someone in chronically poor health, I would urge you to reconsider whether you have the balance of work vs. life correct. Whatever happens, the day comes for many of us when all we can hope for is a mental adjustment to the end of life and a bearable modality of dying. Do not flog yourself closer to that day any faster than you possibly avoid.
 

count_volta

Joined Feb 4, 2009
435
I would much rather do design. That is where the fun is. Its hard, challenging, but that is why its fun. When you see an idea in your head slowly progress and then voila, you see a pcb in front of you. There is no feeling like it.

I am interested, when you looked for a job did you choose to be a validation engineer or was that all they had? You could have probably chosen design. My company has people in the manufacturing department who do tedious repetitive testing. They also get minimum wage sadly. The engineers mostly do design or troubleshoot devices that are returned to the company for being defective. When we do test, its usually a new system we designed.
 
Last edited:

maxpower097

Joined Feb 20, 2009
816
If this is a realistic statement of your situation, and not some sort of rant, then I would seriously fear for your health. You are very young to be experiencing such issues, which many people escape for decades longer. Everyone suffers declining eyesight in middle age, but serious work-related arthritis should not be inevitable unless you are in a strenuous manual job such as coal mining. Some of us of course will get it early anyhow, the worst cases of RA being quite devastating.
Not all of this is me and my issues, I have back issues from my days of partying and living out of cars, then going to work in the tech field working on computers all day 24/7. I ended up with numerous pretrusions, bulges, and herniations in my lower spine. But this is due to 35 years of not taking care of myself, living like a rock star, then a kb jockey. My sight is 20/20 but I have had many colleges who's sight has gotten horrible by their 50 and can barely use a computer anymore. I don't have RA or carpletunnel yet either, but as I said again I have had many a coworker that have really had it bad by 40+.
 
Top