After one day, it realized MDI wasn't for me - sm

System seemed nice at first but quickly turned out it wasn't.  Someone else I know told me hers kept locking up on her.  You don't have access to your Word entries and if you don't have a compatible shortcut expander, you have to start all over again in theirs.  That stinks.

I found my QA to be very, very picky, over the top, ridiculous things.  I don't think they want people to work for them because it seems you can't do anything right and I'm one who has been in this business a LONG time and no one ever complained about my work before. 

I was very disappointed as I had heard good things about MDI-MD.  Just goes to show what is right for one MT is not for another.

• More MDI-MD feedback, please? - Me again
  • After one day, it realized MDI wasn't for me - sm - Jill
  • I had to learn the same program sm - Recent MDI'r
    • Could you tell me more? - MDI prospective

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didn't make a lot of sense if you are going to be working an independent contractor because they don't take out any taxes at all, so changing dependents has no affect at all on your check.

Basically what the IRS is suggesting is just creative bookkeeping and you might come out better today, but come tax time and you reconcile eveything it will probably hurt you. 

is that part of the problem is that the bar has been raised as far as the skillset employees are expected to have these days. For one, computer skills are a given. It is just expected that every, even entry-level employees are proficient with computers, so the computer knowledge an MT has really isn't specialized. As far as terminology, etc., honestly learning everything I needed to know about the installation and government was harder, or as hard, as learning MT. With all the tools and communications available via computer, we are expected to be diverse and understand not only the intricacies of our own jobs but those of all the organizations that affect our jobs.

I had to learn just as many business & financial related acronyms as I did for MT including those unique to our organization, used in the financial/business industry, government/military, etc. Formatting documents etc. for business/government/military is actually harder than for MT. Learning all the financial, industrial, government, military terms, systems, and hierarchies was also much like learning MT. I started in an entry level job and was expected to pick all this up fairly quickly and pretty much on the job with no formal training because technology gave me access to all this information. This is all for a secretary/administrative support position.

My point is that since the last generation was brought up with computers, communications, and access to information so readily available, it has completely changed what is expected of office workers in larger companies. There are no more simple secretary jobs. I haven't been here two years just yet, and I am lead for an office of 50 people, expected to train 3 other clerks/secretaries under me and know everything about at least 25 different programs internal to my directorate and all the terms, acronyms, hierarchies, formatting, etc., etc., etc., related to it from personnel management to budgeting/financing, industrial production, government entities, private industry, etc.

I work with both government and private industry, as far as I can tell those in lower-level jobs are expected to be extermely diverse and well-rounded to support those in the higher-level jobs.  Those in the higher level jobs in some ways get paid more to be "expert" in their field but don't have to have nearly the skill set of the lower level employees. Most of those in higher-level jobs have been around a while, and the lower-level employees could honestly work circles around them. However, it is obvious, and everyone knows it, that as older workers begin to leave the workforce the younger/newer workers are going to be expected to know and do a lot more in the same positions simply because the base skillset of younger/newer workers is stronger and more diverse.

I don't mean to make light of what it takes to be an MT, but the business world has changed so much in the last 20 years that the bar has been raised in larger companies/industries as far as what is expected of workers. An older worker may have held the same position I am in now for 20 years, and she is not expected to have 1/4 the skillset they expect from a younger worker; yet, we get paid the same. They just expect younger workers to be more proficient in computer skills, technology, and information, and if you are not, you won't last long or go very far.

I would check out the posts made by MQMT under "Straw that broke the camel's back".  Maybe I'm seeing double....who knows anymore at this stage of the game!!  Have a good day. 

By the way, I did have a complete burnout on MTing after about 30 years so took a two year break; Glad I'm back now but the break was a "good thing"!!

TransAm by chance?  They are scam artists and always have been.

I think you have been had and I am sorry for it.  This is NOT what you signed up for and I think you have been taken advantage of.  Please cut your losses and look for a real job. 

I would love to tell you that no company ever charges a "setup fee" but that is not strictly true.  I know that I have been asked to buy a pedal or Docushuttle before.  I have been asked to upgrade to XP Pro, but I declined that job offer.  There is still one major national who expects you to pay for transportation to their New Jersey facility and pay for your lodging.  They reimberse you for part of this if you stay at least 6 months.  I personally would not do that. 

All companies are in this for the money (so are we) and that means they get you set up to MAKE money, as much and as quickly as you can. 

I was just elaborating on the positive aspects which give us freedom of choice.  I agree with you 100% about the negative aspects.  That's why I've been "happily divorced" for 8 years.  

I just made an observation that you hadn't responded yet.  And I was working myself, so I was trying to be brief.  Like I told Endiqua, it's not that I, myself, don't believe you or anyone else who is earning really good $$$ at MT.  I don't really care if other MTs believe you or not.  That's their problem.  I do believe it can be done, but I want to know how I can do it, too.  Honestly, I appreciate the advice and sharing of experiences.  I'm not trying to come across as snotty or trollish.

My last (??maybe?) question for you is how long you have been on your particular accounts, and are they low, mid or high level accounts?  I worked for both MQ and S, but I left for greener pastures because they kept bouncing me from difficult ESL account to another within a week of the last one.

I made more in the past year doing MT than every other year combined since I started several years ago.  I'm not working a part-time job as backup any more either.  I've also tripled my expander stats in the past month.  I could be satisfied with that, but I believe the potential is there to do so much more.