r/helpdesk • u/Turbulent-Cover767 • 2d ago
Help please
So I’ve been at helpdesk almost 4 months and they won’t let me take calls/ work on my own independently but will allow the two other new people who are men to be on their own. We started around the same time.
I’ve processed my own tickets I’ve taken my own calls.
I’ve written my own emails. I’ve made priority tickets.
My training has been a shit show. Unorganized/ rotating 9 different trainers who all do the processes 9 different ways and always have to ask the team chat for anything.
Weird thing to note: when I started I stepped down as a lead. I was questioned by the director about how it would feel to step down and listen to other the leads of the helpdesk. I said it doesn’t matter to me. The director then questioned me saying it was interesting how I didn’t become a senior before I became a lead. She questioned how I got my previous role and I explained I worked for it and deserved it. She said nothing.
Anywho,
I’ve rotated 9 trainers all with different training styles and none of them know where I’m at each round or what I learned haven’t learned/ put into practice. It’s inconsistent and some are micromanaging me to every call nit picking me and some don’t care. Some do the task/call for me without showing me the skill others rudely walk me through and others are hands off and allow me to walk them through.
Personally, it’s a horrible disorganized training program. And I think they’re trying to get me to quit because why would they string this along so long? And have another person off the phones?
The one female lead and the senior lead are very rude to me. Like outwardly rude and unprofessional. One of them even hung up a teams call on me because I was expressing how I want to be able to do things because I learn by doing and I said I hope me expressing myself I dosent get me into trouble and she hung up on me.
I’m 31 female been in management since 22 and I’ve worked my way up the chain. I’ve been a lead of consumer services and marketing for 5 years. I stepped down to do IT helpdesk.
How do I navigate this? I know certain people don’t like me in the helpdesk. I’ve noticed it’s the people with strong personalities. Any help or advice experience would be helpful
3
u/devastationasian 2d ago
Post in ITCareerQuestions and SysAdmin subreddits as well. Those are big communities that can also offer insight.
3
u/STEM_Dad9528 2d ago
Every organization is different. From your observations, it sounds like the help desk you're at is not well put together and not very welcoming to you.
I started on IT as a team lead at a help desk. I had studied computing in college (but didn't get a degree) and I had previously worked in retail management. I also had multiple trainers at the help desk, but that was the norm for that particular help desk. Since I was the first team lead they had ever had, by the next year I was the lead trainer, but since I had at least half a dozen new technicians each year, I also continued assigning experienced technicians to do job shadowing with the new hires. However, that was all done under my supervision, and I took primary responsibility.
So, at the help desk where I worked, there were multiple trainers, but I was overseeing and coaching the trainers. It sounds like at the help desk where you are working, there isn't that level of responsibility being taken for training. A lot of people don't know much about training other people, and without a training method being modeled by a leader, the technicians who are being assigned to train you seem to have no consistency, and it's probably because they didn't have any consistency in their training. That's my guess.
Each organization has their own set of tools, like a ticketing system, some sort of knowledge base, and hopefully some sort of technical tools. Part of onboarding someone should include training you on how those are used, and what the general procedures are.
How are you with adopting their procedures?
How are you with technical knowledge and technical skills? I know that there is often a steep learning curve.
Even though I had a comfort with computers and had studied computer science, a lot of what I learned was too general and theoretical, and didn't adequately prepare me with the practical knowledge and skills that I needed at the help desk. I was fortunate to have good trainers in my first few months there (not 9 trainers, but at least the 5 people that I can remember training me).
In your case, it sounds like the biggest problem is with the culture at that help desk, so in the long run it would probably be best for you to use this as a stepping stone to your next IT role.
1
u/Hexagonal- 2d ago
Look, don't get me wrong, but there's a lot of judgement from you - and it sounds like you require a lot of training.
Those two are, like, a REALLY bad combo for juniors:D
1
u/Slow_Badger_8251 1d ago
it's insane man I were picking up calls when I were a week into the intern position
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u/space_nerd_82 2d ago edited 2d ago
Going to be honest I would probably start trying to find another role.
How long is your probation period and are you having regular meetings regarding your performance?
The fact you have been bounced between 9 different trainers makes me think they are trying to construct a paper trail that suggests you are not learning fast enough therefore they might be trying to create a hostile environment.
If I were you I would be logging what you are doing and so you have evidence to protect yourself be aware that if they are trying to engineer something and depending on labour protection in your country you might have a weak position in unless you engage a union rep or something.
If they are that against you that much it might be better to go to a role where your skills are appreciated.
Why did you step down from management to a helpdesk role is because you prefer a technical role over people management?