Don't focus on the fact that you don't know all that much about AD, or that your 'promotion' may be a management blunder. The point is that someone thought you could do this - and can do it - you ARE doing it. Focus on the positive - don't sell yourself short - especially not to management!
1) Training Don't confuse training courses with your 'continuing education'. Training courses should be for learning how to manage the Cisco VPN appliance you just bought, switching to a new mobile device service because the Blackberry network just got shutdown;-)
Who should pay for training? The company should ALWAYS pay for things that directly benefit the company. WHEN they should pay and on what conditions is another matter.
In my experience more and more U.S. companies (regardless of size) are less likely to front the cash for training courses. Many now take a hybrid approach - you pay up front and they reimburse you afterwards. Some companies add conditions like your performance (grades) must be of a certain level, some may go as far to ask for a verbal 'agreement' to remain with the company for a set period of time after the training is completed.
It may have been standard practice to IT staff to get training automatically - but in my opinion that was before the "bubble" burst when IT was so 'new' that training was a necessity - its not the case anymore. In my opinion it is bloat training costs for usless certificates that didn't directly benefit the bottom line is what contributed to many companies going out of business.
If your company will not pay for training - then read books - ON COMPANY TIME. After business hours it is YOUR life - and if the &$@^ hits the fan - it is not YOUR fault - you have done the best under the conditions set for you by the company's management style & culture.
"I'm getting the distinct sense that training" - Don't trust your 'senses' - ask management these questions - more than likely they are feeling burned by the $$ they lost to the last employee who got trained and jumped ship. Identify specific company needs that some training may address - and consider the conditions that would protect the company from loosing the resources that they invest in you.
2) Continuing Education Your 'continuing education' should be getting that next degree. Be it at the Bachelor, Masters level or higher - a proper degree should be your path to 'career' not an MCSE certificate. You could have a handful of training certificates on your resume - but without a college degree - I won't hire you full time.
Any company you work for should have a 'benefit' package that includes some level of reimbursement for furthering your education. The key difference from training here is that my educational choices are mine and have no relationship to the company or the job. I could choose to study Chiropractic Therapy and my companies educational reimbursement benefit should cover it.
3) Family & IT Work I have a wife, 3 cats, and 1-year-old twins - and I am the ONLY breadwinner. I leave work @ 6pm to go home and takeover care of the twins for the night. I study for my master's degree online so that my weekends are free to spend time with my family and give my wife the day off.
I 'try' to help my wife with the household responsibilities. If she is too tired / busy - then I cook, clean, or go grocery shopping. (but the last time I made dinner it was awful - I turned all the whites pink in the laundry - and I always skip the vegetable isle when I grocery shop)
My only free time to tinker and learn is in the late hours when everyone is asleep - and half of that time I VPN to the office to check on the Exchange backup, write some code for a client, or read/.
Decide what your priorities in life are: Are you a get rich google-ipo-wanna-be? Is career advancement so important to you that you've chosen not to have children? Or is your job a means to support your family at a certain level of comfort?
Slashdot Mirror
Don't focus on the fact that you don't know all that much about AD, or that your 'promotion' may be a management blunder. The point is that someone thought you could do this - and can do it - you ARE doing it. Focus on the positive - don't sell yourself short - especially not to management!
;-)
/.
1) Training
Don't confuse training courses with your 'continuing education'. Training courses should be for learning how to manage the Cisco VPN appliance you just bought, switching to a new mobile device service because the Blackberry network just got shutdown
Who should pay for training? The company should ALWAYS pay for things that directly benefit the company. WHEN they should pay and on what conditions is another matter.
In my experience more and more U.S. companies (regardless of size) are less likely to front the cash for training courses. Many now take a hybrid approach - you pay up front and they reimburse you afterwards. Some companies add conditions like your performance (grades) must be of a certain level, some may go as far to ask for a verbal 'agreement' to remain with the company for a set period of time after the training is completed.
It may have been standard practice to IT staff to get training automatically - but in my opinion that was before the "bubble" burst when IT was so 'new' that training was a necessity - its not the case anymore. In my opinion it is bloat training costs for usless certificates that didn't directly benefit the bottom line is what contributed to many companies going out of business.
If your company will not pay for training - then read books - ON COMPANY TIME. After business hours it is YOUR life - and if the &$@^ hits the fan - it is not YOUR fault - you have done the best under the conditions set for you by the company's management style & culture.
"I'm getting the distinct sense that training" - Don't trust your 'senses' - ask management these questions - more than likely they are feeling burned by the $$ they lost to the last employee who got trained and jumped ship. Identify specific company needs that some training may address - and consider the conditions that would protect the company from loosing the resources that they invest in you.
2) Continuing Education
Your 'continuing education' should be getting that next degree. Be it at the Bachelor, Masters level or higher - a proper degree should be your path to 'career' not an MCSE certificate. You could have a handful of training certificates on your resume - but without a college degree - I won't hire you full time.
Any company you work for should have a 'benefit' package that includes some level of reimbursement for furthering your education. The key difference from training here is that my educational choices are mine and have no relationship to the company or the job. I could choose to study Chiropractic Therapy and my companies educational reimbursement benefit should cover it.
3) Family & IT Work
I have a wife, 3 cats, and 1-year-old twins - and I am the ONLY breadwinner. I leave work @ 6pm to go home and takeover care of the twins for the night. I study for my master's degree online so that my weekends are free to spend time with my family and give my wife the day off.
I 'try' to help my wife with the household responsibilities. If she is too tired / busy - then I cook, clean, or go grocery shopping. (but the last time I made dinner it was awful - I turned all the whites pink in the laundry - and I always skip the vegetable isle when I grocery shop)
My only free time to tinker and learn is in the late hours when everyone is asleep - and half of that time I VPN to the office to check on the Exchange backup, write some code for a client, or read
Decide what your priorities in life are: Are you a get rich google-ipo-wanna-be? Is career advancement so important to you that you've chosen not to have children? Or is your job a means to support your family at a certain level of comfort?