Oregon position

[Thomas Dowling]

Well, the consensus seems to be that job postings may be subject to an  
introspective discussion, so I thought I'd offer a few comments on the  
"Jack of All Trades, Master of None" position posted yesterday from the  
University of Oregon.

The position is divided into several distinct parts:

   Web site management
   Netware 4.x administration
   Microcomputer technical support (PC and Mac)
   Software technical support
   Training and documentation
   Student supervision
   Liaison with campus computing

Since this is Web4Lib, we can probably all look at the first line and see  
a three quarters or full time position there--if not in hands-on web  
administration then in the even more time-consuming task of team  
management.  Those who have managed a productive LAN can say the same  
about the second line.  Would tech support people, documentation people,  
and trainers even like to address the next couple of lines?

For this, the *required* qualifications include EXTENSIVE experience with  
not just PC and Mac hardware, but with purchasing, upgrading, maintenance,  
and repair.  Similarly, applicants are *required* to have EXTENSIVE  
expertise in tying both Windows and Mac desktops to Netware and then  
making them all talk TCP/IP.

I don't want to pick too much on the salary; I know that the Pacific  
Northwest is not facing the best of economic futures and some state-funded  
institutions up there are finding it very hard to offer competitive  
salaries.  Likewise, as someone else pointed out, it's a matter of honest  
dispute whether a position like this would benefit from an MLS.

But come on, Oregon.  This reads like an RFP for an extensive consultant  
contract and gives the impression that it cannot reflect what the position  
will really entail.  Settle on what that is (perhaps some subset of the  
above, decided in conjunction with the candidate?), and state it that way.   
(And take a long hard look at that $32k minimum.)


Thomas Dowling
OhioLINK