Well folks, I figured since it has now been exactly two weeks since I began my ?vacation?, I figured I would post a little message to those of you who have been emailing me. I am of course referring to some of my former students. I have to say that I was in fact surprised to hear from a few of them. With that said, I just wanted to send out a message to all of them in general.
First off, I have heard through one email that there are rumors circulating around the school as to the reason for my sudden departure. The truth being, I have an idea of what they could be but don?t actually know for sure. The fact is, my reason for no longer being with the school is none of anyone?s concern, and although it was abrupt, and unplanned, the situation has worked out for the best, and I am still on very good terms with the staff, including the administration, and will in fact be in touch with the school on a regular basis. The bottom line is, ultimately, I am the one responsible for my sudden departure, and as much as it sucked to go through it as I did, it is a definite life lesson and believe me it won?t be repeated.
I have received several emails from students with concerns about myself, some congrads on the new job, and just curiosity about what happened. I am very touched that some of you took the time out to contact me and I can say that I was surprised to hear from some of you.
For those of you whom I had the pleasure of teaching in my classroom, I do have a few words of advice. Take them or leave them. ?Sup to you.
For those of you who are nearing the end of your course and are now looking down the road for work, I can tell you that for some of you, it will be easy, and for others, it will be very difficult. My best advice to you is for you to truly look inside yourself and ask yourself whether or not an IT career is what you want. If indeed it is what you want, and it is what you are passionate about, then make sure that you realize that you make your own opportunities. The biggest mistake I made when I graduated out of college was assuming that my certifications and education immediately guaranteed me a job at the level I felt I was worthy. Remember that sometimes, even the shittiest of jobs is a stepping stone. Don?t ignore possibilities of getting your foot in the door if you think the job you might get is ?beneath? you. I can pretty much guarantee that most of you are not going to land the perfect job upon graduation. It takes work and if you?re not willing to do the work, then you?re not going to go anywhere. I had to learn that the hard way. I got fired from a job back in 1999 because I thought it was ?beneath? me. Had I lost the attitude, and given it 100%, my career may have taken a different route. Fact is, nothing will ever replace good ole hard work. I finished at Compucollege on a Friday at 5 and Monday at 8, I hit the pavement with resumes in hand, talking to employers and by the following week, I had a job. Do the work. Don?t expect it to be handed to you otherwise you?ll be waiting a long time to get that perfect job. Yes, sometimes you get lucky, but if you rely on luck, you?ll be shoveling pizzas at Greco for 3 years, like I did.
Have fun and enjoy your experimentation now. For some of you, I know you already have families and kids and the whole life thing started. But for others, it?s just beginning. I know of some students now who are just starting off. Enjoy the time you have now and continue to experiment with computers, networking, and playing around. I know of some students who enjoyed poking around on the network a bit more than perhaps they should have, but ultimately, that experimentation will make them a smarter admin/IT person down the road. Just know where to draw your limits and don?t push the wrong people. You might think that you know more than someone else, but always remember that there?s always someone who knows more than you do. Beyond computers, enjoy the time you have with friends whether it be partying or just going out. As you get older, the time begins to fade so take every opportunity to enjoy the time you have before life gets in the way.
I wish I had more advice to give, but the fact is pretty simple. The odds that most of you will see this message are slim. I know of a few students who read my posts so if you do know of others, who are curious, please let them in on this post. It is intended for all of my former students.
It was a pleasure to have you folks in my classroom. For most of you, I think you?ll do perfectly fine. For others, you need to take a serious look at where your priorities are and lose a bit of the attitude. The idea that school is not important and that it?s lame or not worth the effort is a very poor one. You may not think that it will have an affect on you down the road, but it will. I can pretty much guarantee that for some of you, you?ll look back at what you did, and realize you should have given it a bit more work and not be such a lazy ass.
Lastly, I really can?t think of too many people I would not give a reference for. So, if any of you require references for job openings, do not hesitate to contact me. I won?t post reference info here, but you can email me through the Contact link on this page, and I will respond within a day.
So, with that, I wish all of my former students the best. Don?t hesitate to stay in touch. This website isn?t going anywhere so if you feel the need to know how things are going with me, pop in, and maybe even post now and then, submit a story, or veg on the msg board. I always welcome visitors. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Matthew Klem
Former IT Instructor for Compucollege Moncton
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