New Job Transition

I started a new job two weeks ago, and it's been very interesting. I can't really say where I work, just that it's contracting for the federal government. I've been working for one integrator or another for basically my entire career, so switching to the end user side of the house is an adjustment to say the least.

I've gone from constantly cranking out new jobs, barely able to keep up with the details of each one, to now working for a single customer with over a hundred rooms that need to be supported and maintained. Also part of the job description is to come up with the new version of these rooms, and to implement that vision.

I've had all the usual new job experiences, meeting new people and as seems to always happens in the AV industry reconnecting with people I've worked with previously. We like to think that AV is big, but it's a very small community when you get down to it. A fairly specialized set of skills is required, so everyone eventually runs into everyone else.

Something that has been interesting is the different level of focus I'm able to bring to what I'm working on. At the moment (knock on wood) things are running pretty smoothly so there aren't a ton of trouble calls. That gives a good bit of time to devote to really planning out the refresh for the rooms, and to work on longer term projects that will make the entire complex function much more smoothly.

All in all, it's really nice to get my hands back on equipment. For a few years I've been basically stuck behind a keyboard doing CAD drawings, and getting further and further out of touch with the current gear. When techs would call from the field and ask questions about a specific piece of gear, I'd have to go look at the manual because I'd never touched it. I was starting to feel barely ahead of the techs in the field. My current position gets me out from behind the desk sometimes and behind a rack. It's very welcome, and makes me feel like I'm actually getting back to the things I am really good at, figuring out how things need to work, and why they may not be working right that moment. All in all, I'm happier with my work and it's a good secure gig where I can ride out the storms I see coming in AV.