IT Programmer and Engineer Required

[lean@impala]

A well-established company in Pretoria with a primary focus on the retail of commercial vehicle spares is looking for a young and dynamic IT programmer and technician. The following tasks will be allocated to the successful candidate:

• Champion of a late 2022 retail software (ERP) migration, and more specifically:
• Ensuring all IT hardware and operating systems is within specification for the new software
• Upgrading all current hardware and operating systems that is not within spec to accommodate the new software
• Building an IT network (hard and software) for a new site, which includes switches, data cables, computers, routers, LAN and WIFI points, etc.
• Setting up and extracting the current database from the current ERP system and getting this database ready for the software migration
• Ensuring all interfaces between IT processes is adequately set-up and operational
• Management of current Business Intelligence (BI) software
• Getting a decent understanding of the SQL code that drives the various applications used by the company users
• Getting a decent understanding of the data connections between the BI software and ERP software
• Setting up a required list of input variables required to maintain the BI tools after the software migration
• Setting up the data links between the new ERP software and the BI software and making sure all interfaces operate as required
• General IT maintenance and support to the company employees
• Liaison between software service providers and company employees with regards to any software-related issues or training
• Assistance with the media and advertising for the company
• Any other duties as requested by management

Candidates’ requirements:

• Be good at multi-tasking
• Be dedicated and hard-working
• Be focused and task-driven
• Have basic SQL programming skills
• Have a good general knowledge of IT systems maintenance
• Have a decent knowledge of different suppliers in the market with regards to software and hardware
• Be available after hours when required for support

Salary will be dependent on the candidates experience level. Note that this is not a position for someone who has all the experience in the above areas, but rather an opportunity for a candidate to gain the required knowledge on the systems above by practical experience and hard work!

Company Head Office is located in Pretoria West, but with branches in Centurion and Boksburg.

Applicants can send their CV’s though to [email protected]

 

[Dylan_G]

Opinion: What you're looking for is a team, not a person.

 

[lean@impala]

Opinion: What you're looking for is a team, not a person.

I run this company and has done one of these software migrations all by myself (also written the code for the BI tools and set up all the previous ERP software databases), so all I am looking for is someone to help me. Not a team Dylan.

 

[Dylan_G]

I run this company and has done one of these software migrations all by myself (also written the code for the BI tools and set up all the previous ERP software databases), so all I am looking for is someone to help me. Not a team Dylan.

You should mention that in your post then?

You listed responsibilities that go along with about 5 different job roles... And didn't mention any specific level of experience for any of them.

 

[6spdmanual]

 

[ubercal]

I run this company and has done one of these software migrations all by myself (also written the code for the BI tools and set up all the previous ERP software databases), so all I am looking for is someone to help me. Not a team Dylan.

99.999999% of people are not Einstein's like yourself.As mentioned these are different roles and you need to hire at least 2 people.

 

[s0lar]

99.999999% of people are not Einstein's like yourself.As mentioned these are different roles and you need to hire at least 2 people.

Let’s not settle for mediocrity. I totally understand OPs reasoning.

 

[ubercal]

Let’s not settle for mediocrity. I totally understand OPs reasoning.

apologies to the OP , it seems iam the stupid one and its quite normal to do technical , programming and It analyst type work , oh and also do media and marketing at the same time.

 

[retromodcoza]

I run this company and has done one of these software migrations all by myself (also written the code for the BI tools and set up all the previous ERP software databases), so all I am looking for is someone to help me. Not a team Dylan.

Yes. A team is what you're expecting.

Unfortunately these guys are right - and from your approach it looks like you either :

1. Cannot afford whom you're looking to hire OR
2. Don't understand the scope and detail of what others can do relative to what you need them to do.

The days of a young gun being paid a small salary to figure it out as he goes along are gone. You will either have to :

1. Pay big bucks for someone with the skillset you need
2. Do it yourself

If you do what you're trying to do you will end up waiting....and waiting... and waiting for work to get completed by someone who will take forever to figure it out and in the end you'll have better spent your time doing it yourself.

The folks on this forum are in a lot of cases experienced. When they say things like this they know what they are talking about and are right.

 

[s0lar]

Yes. A team is what you're expecting.

Unfortunately these guys are right - and from your approach it looks like you either :

1. Cannot afford whom you're looking to hire OR
2. Don't understand the scope and detail of what others can do relative to what you need them to do.

The days of a young gun being paid a small salary to figure it out as he goes along are gone. You will either have to :

1. Pay big bucks for someone with the skillset you need
2. Do it yourself

If you do what you're trying to do you will end up waiting....and waiting... and waiting for work to get completed by someone who will take forever to figure it out and in the end you'll have better spent your time doing it yourself.

The folks on this forum are in a lot of cases experienced. When they say things like this they know what they are talking about and are right.

Millennial mindset..

Did anybody read the spec in its entirety?

Note that this is not a position for someone who has all the experience in the above areas, but rather an opportunity for a candidate to gain the required knowledge on the systems above by practical experience and hard work!

 

[Not_original]

What would the salary bracket be @lean@impala . Low to high bracket for experience level?

 

[retromodcoza]

Millennial mindset..

Did anybody read the spec in its entirety?

Yep - I read it. Its a laundry list. And it doesn't matter what mindset I have. This is a labour market and I'm pointing out what that market is doing.

A different mindset doesn't magically change the market because you need a specific employee. The labour market doesn't care about your hopes/dreams/financial position/mindset.

Again, what the OP is trying to do is hire someone who doesn't have the necessary skills and experience (cheaper) and then expect them to figure out how to do what they need to do.

Heres why that doesn't work in tech : speed.

OP will just end up waiting far to long to get anything done with the help he's looking to hire. That or the help will be too expensive. Go out there , see what you can get and report back to see if I'm right.

 

[s0lar]

Yep - I read it. Its a laundry list. And it doesn't matter what mindset I have. This is a labour market and I'm pointing out what that market is doing.

A different mindset doesn't magically change the market because you need a specific employee.

Again, what the OP is trying to do is hire someone who doesn't have the necessary skills and experience (cheaper) and then expect them to figure out how to do what they need to do.

Heres why that doesn't work in tech : speed.

OP will just end up waiting far to long to get anything done with the help he's looking to hire. That or the help will be too expensive. Go out there , see what you can get and report back to see if I'm right.

Different strokes for different folks.

Early in my IT career I did a similar “jack of all trades” job with a mostly unavailable senior engineer to assist me.

I earned less that my wife at the time who was a junior PA. The knowledge and ethic I picked up over those two years served me for the rest of my career.

Sure most guys want a job to make a quick buck. Others looks forward to gaining experience for a career.

 

[retromodcoza]

Different strokes for different folks.

Early in my IT career I did a similar “jack of all trades” job with a mostly unavailable senior engineer to assist me.

I earned less that my wife at the time who was a junior PA. The knowledge and ethic I picked up over those two years served me for the rest of my career.

Sure most guys want a job to make a quick buck. Others looks forward to gaining experience for a career.

In tech , employers don't have the luxury anymore of offering "an opportunity" (be it for "experience" or otherwise). Opportunities are abundant and the value of such an "opportunity to get experience" these days is almost zero. (This is for tech only). Unemployement in software development in SA is around 2%. 15-20% of market-paying tech jobs here go unfilled.

Older folk hate this because they expect youngsters to "earn their stripes like they did". But the labour market doesn't care about stripes. Its now "he who has the skills is who gets paid".

I'm 34. My experience doesn't shield me from competition from the 22 year olds who are super smart and learning at a crazy pace. I have to keep up.

 

[lean@impala]

Thanks for the great response to my thread! I'm definitely getting the attention I wanted.
Just to be clear:

Note that this is not a position for someone who has all the experience in the above areas, but rather an opportunity for a candidate to gain the required knowledge on the systems above by practical experience and hard work!

This means that I am looking for a relatively inexperienced candidate (2-5 years experience) that is ambitious and looking for a great opportunity for self-development and growth. I could just as easily hire our IT support company to set up the hardware and build our new site, or ask the new ERP software company to bring in a team that would take care of the transition from old to new software. I dont want to do that. I want to have my hand on the process and create a new position in my company for someone who is willing to learn and grow in the process.

 

[s0lar]

In tech , employers don't have the luxury anymore of offering "an opportunity" (be it for "experience" or otherwise). Opportunities are abundant and the value of such an "opportunity to get experience" these days is almost zero. (This is for tech only). Unemployement in software development in SA is around 2%. 15-20% of market-paying tech jobs here go unfilled.

Older folk hate this because they expect youngsters to "earn their stripes like they did". But the labour market doesn't care about stripes. Its now "he who has the skills is who gets paid".

I'm 34. My experience doesn't shield me from competition from the 22 year olds who are super smart and learning at a crazy pace. I have to keep up.

Last comment from me here as it is a thread hijack. My comments are based on my experience interviewing a ton of candidates across the IT spectrum for both local and overseas companies when I have been tasked to so.

Older folk hate this because they expect youngsters to "earn their stripes like they did". But the labour market doesn't care about stripes. Its now "he who has the skills is who gets paid".

I don't believe these are mutually exclusive as "earning stripes" is pretty much the same as earning experience. Yes experience is earned and no skill is a skill worth putting on your CV without experience.

I'm 34. My experience doesn't shield me from competition from the 22 year olds who are super smart and learning at a crazy pace. I have to keep up.

Sure we all do. That's why we got into IT in the first place. Always up for a challenge and to improve our skillsets and level up. Fortunately I am on the architectural side of things. Many of the patterns and anti-patterns you read in a book do not apply to every organisation. That is where experience and more importantly the untaught skill of how to think, when to zoom in, when to take in the big picture, soft skills .etc .etc come into play. These can only be found through experience and some willingness to do some "dog work" no matter where you are in the organogram.

My two cent, may make for a interesting separate thread here.

 

[Sodan]

Thanks for the great response to my thread! I'm definitely getting the attention I wanted.
Just to be clear:

This means that I am looking for a relatively inexperienced candidate (2-5 years experience) that is ambitious and looking for a great opportunity for self-development and growth. I could just as easily hire our IT support company to set up the hardware and build our new site, or ask the new ERP software company to bring in a team that would take care of the transition from old to new software. I dont want to do that. I want to have my hand on the process and create a new position in my company for someone who is willing to learn and grow in the process.

Could you kindly supply the salary range?

 

[My_King]

Could you kindly supply the salary range?

Market related I think

 

[Sodan]

Market related I think

LOL. Thanks, I need that bit of humour on a public holiday Monday morning where I have to work

Anyway, awaiting the OP to supply an actual salary range.

 

[Drifter]

I run this company and has done one of these software migrations all by myself (also written the code for the BI tools and set up all the previous ERP software databases), so all I am looking for is someone to help me. Not a team Dylan.

You get the Noddy badge for the day. Well done.