Upcoming first-day woes.

[Fleetwood]

Hi all,

 

Kudos and MASSIVE thankies to @witch for helping me with the CV , I managed to get a better paid (full-time as opposed to term-time currently, but I can deal with that..... can't I... ) and I start on Monday (13th May).. however I'm feeling the nerves (still got 5 days to go yet, grrr!,) particularly on the "What the heck do I do on the first day?" front.

 

I'll openly admit that my current/first school has been too easy a ride (small junior school, no money/effort being put into IT, routine faults etc.) - not so much a complaint, but a bit irritating when I'm only just starting out and not really moving anywhere or developing the skills - hence why I went looking elsewhere. Anyway asxdghfa, this'll be my second 'proper IT' job and my first time manning the fort by myself (I have a NM at current place.) and obviously I was given a handover, basic list of stuff to get on with and bob's your uncle I blended in. Annoyingly I can't remember what those things were, and this is a newly opened school so I'm the first Technician as well - no handovers

 

SO, TD;DR - Starting a new job, will be all on my todd, what sort of typical things should be done on the first day? Audit? Get used to the network layout? Insert another question here for a worthy-enough list?

 

(I'm a bit worried this makes me sound like I'm a PFY who can't even change a plug, I hope I'm not coming across that way - it's all just a little daunting starting a new job completely on your own and have no documents or anything in place ready to get on with/find my feet.)

Edited May 7, 2013 by Fleetwood

[hardtailstar]

Familirise with all the equipment in the school,

 

Im by myself at my place and I didnt do that and it came back to bite me when some bits failed.

 

Log everything!

[nicholab]

Do a walk round and fine the IT kit and the staff (all) and say hi.

[Edu-IT]

First thing to do is find the kettle!

 

Good luck with your new job. :-)

[CAM]

Find staff, find out what bugs them the most, fix it, golden boy until something they want breaks.

[sippo]

Get a helpdesk solution installed.

 

I would try not to get too worked up. Any new job is nerve wracking but I'm sure you'll be made welcome.

[Miscbrah]

^ This. They won't be expecting miracles on day 1. Stay professional and the forums will be here in case it bursts into flames!

[Davit2005]

If it's a new school you should have a relatively clean sheet with minimal issues.

 

As others have said get a familirise yourself with the core services, helpdesk system, and documentation always helps to find out how things are setup.

 

Always difficult to know what's what in a new place.

[Edu-IT]

Depending on the school environment, it might be nice to properly introduce yourself to people. Not everyone attends the meetings where new people are introduced or whatever. :-)

[Marci]

1) Implement helpdesk / jobqueue system.

2) Email to all heads of departments requesting they report any ongoing concerns with existing hardware / software that they're aware of, and also to introduce yourself.

3) Wander round with notepad - audit. If there's already an audit, take it with you as there's no guarantee it's right. Note make, model, (if poss serial number & firmware versions) and locations of everything so you can start a network map.

4) Software audit. What licenses do you have, what licenses DON'T you have, what licenses don't you have enough of.

5) Start documentation... if there isn't any then the last person didn't fulfil their obligations regarding succession planning. Don't make the same mistake.

 

Use that as your longer term initial objectives... fix whatever cocks up in the meantime.

[Andrew_C]

First thing to do is find the kettle!

Then find the staff loo. Seriously; on your 1st day/week, you will do little but find your way around and meet people.

[Fleetwood]

Thank you very much everyone! I'll be writing down all of this haha, I expect everything will be fine within 5 minutes of walking in (optimistic, I know.) but it's just typical nerves I guess.

 

Regarding Helpdesk systems, what is the most recommended? I hear Spiceworks is the top dog but it'd be interesting to see what you folks suggest

@Edu-IT: Found the Kettle on the interview day! I felt like a Terminator when scanning for it, though unfortunately the biscuit tin didn't make any appearance

[mdench]

for helpdesk we use Request Tracker on a linux machine running apache

[sonofsanta]

When I started here as NM, I spent four weeks just treading water, working out how everything (and everyone) worked. After those 4 weeks (and the Christmas break that followed), then I started with a plan of action.

 

There's no rush

[TechMonkey]

Having just done the same I know the feeling. My key points would be

- Give your self time. You may well want to get running and start projects to sort things out but hold off and see how things work and get the whole picture. Also remember you won't know it all straight away. (got myself in a right grump coming from somewhere where I knew everything off the top of my head to not knowing a thing)

- Hang back for a bit. Observe without comment and be a bit of a wall flower to take in the lay of the land.

- Get some easy wins in the bag. As CAM said fix some niggles and you will get a bit of appreciation in the bag. It also gives you a sense of achievement while you wont be doing a lot. Even getting some documentation on the wall (if there is none) is an easy task but very visual that you are doing things.

- Manage expectations. You may be seen as the second coming or the solution to all problems if you have been hyped up by Them Up Stairs, but you will need to make sure they understand you need to find your feet.

- Arrange some meetings. Once you are settled, give it a term or a couple of months, get some meetings in with who ever you need to to find out what their expectations are and where the school wants to go. If they don't know set them their homework.

- Find out who is in the know. Be it the Receptionists, estates team, or the lady who does the tea, there will be someone that knows everyone, knows how to get things done and what the word on the street is. Get the low down quick so you know where to tread, who to see to get things done and what to avoid.

- Write everything down. Get a notepad and a pen and go nowhere without it. It may seem unnatural at first but it will help you remember and will be a good reference.

- Find out the important stuff early or set it yourself. Starting times, finishing times, lunch and break times. Find them out. If you don't get told or they are left to you sort them out and stick to them. Better to create precedent at the beginning then be embarrassed to ask later or find you've been entitled to an hour lunch but only taking 15 mins (or vice versa and now have the ire of all the admin staff who are too polite to say anything.)

 

Most important. Keep smiling. It will seem over whelming at times and you may feel the urge to be back in your safe little known environment again but it will come good.

 

HTH

[DanielRF]

Other than everything that has already been mentioned I would make sure you have the passwords and usernames for everything you need access to, and that they work. Better to discover sooner rather than later that your missing an important password to a website filtering system or wireless controller etc.

[Cache]

As above really, make sure you've got the passwords you need, and then for the 1st couple of months I went and got to know the system, gradually adapting and changing things and then waiting to see if anyone complains.

 

I probably took to much of a softly softly aproach, if I was doing it again I would be slightly more forceful, however having moved to Windows 7 last summer it gave me the opportunity to change a hell of a lot. (3 Years and when I changed some things people complained to much so changed them back. Changed them again in the Windows 7 upgrade and nobody has said a thing other then 1 member of staff who I placated)

 

Check what documentation is there, try and get an understanding of the rest of it and make friends with the important people who can make your life easier. (business manager/bursar, few heads of department and the reception/office staff)

Edited May 7, 2013 by Cache

[witch]

Congratulations and thanks for the shout-out.

the most important thing I can say to you is - if this is a new school that has never had an IT tech - they will not know what you can and can't do. Which is very reassuring.

[elsiegee40]

Congratulations

 

My advice is to be in the staff room at break times. Listen and chat. Prove that you are a human being and not a cave dweller. It makes all the difference