1/26    I asked my two managers (why do I have two? for double the work!)
        \_ Go one manager up and get one of your managers fired.
           Sounds management-top-heavy:  "too many chiefs, not enough
           (American) Indians."  Managers are essentially overhead.
        to hire another sysadmin to help with the workload they
        are forcing on me.  I asked for an SA with experience and
        who knows some Perl.  Am I being unfair to expect an SA to know Perl?
        They are trying to get me to accept 3 internal candidates of
        which only one even knows bourne shell programming. I feel
        they are trying to dump someone on me which will only make
        my workload worse. They refuse to hire someone external.
        How do I convince my boss(es) of the validity of my concerns?
        I have one meeting with them tomorrow (Monday) before they decide.
        \_ I can't really help you with convincing pointy-hairs about anything,
           but I'd be surprised if any mid to high-level sysadmin didn't
           profess at least familiarity with perl.  On the other hand, if
           they're a decent shell programmer it won't take long to pick it
           up.  -tom
           \_ They will be paid $80K/year. Is that considered
              low or mid level nowadays?
              \_ In this climate, probably mid level.  Can you make the
                 economic case for it?  Perversely enough, even pointy hairs
                 with poor analytical skills tend to buy well reasoned
                 arguments when it comes to money, provided you walk them
                 through slowly.  Something like this:
                 a) You are overburdened.
                 b) This is costing your company money.
                   i. There are a fair number of studies that show employees
                      are more productive when they are not scrambling to
                      smash too many tasks into their day-- find one.  In the
                      worst case, you quit, and they incur the cost of hiring
                      a replacement, which some HR wonks claim this runs as
                      high as 25% of hiring salary (presumably your salary
                      is greater than that of the new sysadmin they will
                      hire/transfer)
                   ii.There are other arguments you can make to support the
                      idea that overworking you will cost your company money
                      in the long run.  Just make sure you don't end up
                      threatening to quit unless you're willing to make good
                      on it.  And don't shoot yourself in the foot by somehow
                      making it look like it's your fault that you are
                      overburdened.
                 c) Thus, you need a junior or co-sysadmin
                 d) If the new sysadmin has any holes in his skill set, then
                    it will obviously fall to you to train him.  Training
                    the new recruit adds to your overburdened status, and
                    though it benefits the new guy, it takes away from time
                    that both of you could be doing productive work that
                    benefits the company at large.
                 And on that note, I may be looking for a job, I know perl,
                 and have references that can vouch for this.  If you do end
                 up looking outside your company, and you'd like to chat
                 further, drop me an email. -dans
               \_ In this climate i'd say someone already there for the last
                  year who is making 80K would be "mid-level".  You can
                  definiteley hire "senior level"  sys admins in this market
                  for 80K.  You CERTAINLY should be able to get someone
                  who knows at least some PERL.  Also, if this was 1 year
                  ago, i'd tell you that you should quit any place that
                  doesn't let YOU as the only Unix admin, have a pretty
                  damn big say in hiring another one.
                  \_ For 80K they should write perl while juggling hot spares
                     on the main file server and hand-crafting packets to get
                     them through the shitty router...  Call me.  I'd love to
                     do just a little perl on top of mid-level SA stuff for
                     80K. --scotsman
                     \_ Starving people are always willing to do whatever while
                        they're starving.  You'll quit the moment the economy
                        improves.  Desperate people stink of it.
                        \_ Um.  80K for midlevel SA is far from starving.
                           hell, it's about average for a senior, non-manager
                           admin.
                           admin. --scotsman
                           \_ Missing point: he's desperate to work for 80k now
                           \_ ...and he's a sysadmin.  enough said.
                              \_ So he gets to manage liquidating capital
                                 equipment?
                              but will quit the moment the economy turns around
                              in the slightest.
                              \_ when the mean goes up to, what, 81k?  if i
                                 like the position, i stay.  the job i have now
                                 was out of sheer desparation, and for a while
                                 it was hell, and i would've taken the first
                                 opportunity that came up.  Over the last 3
                                 months because of changes in management and
                                 raises, it's gotten much better and I'm happy
                                 to stay.  Avg. salaries don't rise as quickly
                                 as you seem to think.  Certainly not enough
                                 to risk my livelihood at "the moment the
                                 economy turns around in the slightest."
                                 --scotsman
                                 \_ You still reek of desperation.  Sorry, but
                                    if it shows on the motd, you're not making
                                    it through an interview until you mellow.
                                    \_ i agree. he should call em up and say
                                       "let me hear you beg, bitch."
                        \_ Dude, you work for a company that pays inflated
                           salaries in a down market.  Don't act so smug.
                           \_ Missing point: he's desperate to work for 80k now
                              but will quit the moment the economy turns around
                              in the slightest.
                           \_ I bet you were one of those bitches who bragged
                              about the six digits they were making in the
                              boom time.