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[Rich Wirz]

I wanted to pop in here and throw this out - I know there is not going to be one correct answer but I would like to hear any past experiences or opinions.  I am set to retire this coming summer after 26 years as the A/V Tech for a K-12 school district in central Wisconsin.  The actual retirement is not the issue - at 70 years old I am more than ready to get out of the educational environment, and to pursue other areas that I know will give me much more satisfaction.

The internal struggle I am having is just how far do I want to go to facilitate or help with the hiring of a replacement.  There is talk that the actual job description will be restructured - and even though I have been asked if I would train someone, I am pretty positive that I won't be asked to sit in on any interviews.  So do I actively and under the radar look for people who might want the gig?  Look to local college theater programs?  We are a little bit over an hour from 2 state colleges with fairly active programs - but if I'm not sure exactly what the job description will be should I even waste my time? 

I guess my main thing here is that I have always pursued and purchased equipment that would give the students the opportunity to have their talents presented in the best way possible.  Our small theater has Danley SM96's with SH95 delays, we utilize DPA 4066 head mics for musicals and such, all concert reinforcement and recordings in gyms are done with DPA 4011's or Ear Trumpet Labs Myrtle's - and this includes all concerts from K-12 that request my technical help.  We have a total of 26 available channels of wireless - as well as a good selection of wired mics to suit any voice or application.  There are people who benefit from what I do here who realize the importance of what is offered - unfortunately they are not the powers that be and in the long run hold about as much weight as I do.  So how far do I go to fight for what I've developed in the last 26 years - to be sure to hand it off to somebody who is knowledgeable enough and appreciates where it is at and works to continue developing it?  Or do I just shrug my shoulders, go with the mantra here that everybody is replaceable, and just ride off quietly into the sunset?

[Steve-White]

^^^ I'm dealing with a similar situation in my current employment of 32 years.

"So how far do I go to fight for what I've developed in the last 26 years - to be sure to hand it off to somebody who is knowledgeable enough and appreciates where it is at and works to continue developing it?  Or do I just shrug my shoulders, go with the mantra here that everybody is replaceable, and just ride off quietly into the sunset?"

You will live with the decision you make.  I would suggest you do what you can within reason - win lose or draw - set expectations as such.

[Rich Wirz]

Steve - yea, I get that I will live with the decision I make - but so will a lot of friends and collaborators I will leave behind.  People are not exactly lining up for jobs in public education right now - and the ones that are don't seem to last long.  So I either have to be adamant about helping find an adequate replacement, or tell all those people I leave behind that they need to speak out and be heard or just be willing to be collateral damage. I'm ready to walk away from this job - but professional friendships are seeming to be a burr in my ass.

[Bob Stone]

Offer your assistance to those who do the hiring/interviewing, stuff like helping with a job description/posting, interviews, hiring, training. Let them know you're willing to make the transition as good as possible and set the new candidate up for success. Then just let it ride, if they want your help, great! If they don't, then no matter how much you fight the inevitable will happen anyway, so no point in pissing a bunch of people off in the process.

[Dave Garoutte]

Offer your assistance to those who do the hiring/interviewing, stuff like helping with a job description/posting, interviews, hiring, training. Let them know you're willing to make the transition as good as possible and set the new candidate up for success. Then just let it ride, if they want your help, great! If they don't, then no matter how much you fight the inevitable will happen anyway, so no point in pissing a bunch of people off in the process.

+1
Offer to contribute, based on your knowledge of the system and its needs, and if they decline the offer, it's no longer your problem.

[Matthew Knischewsky]

Hi Rich, I too am an AV Tech in K-12 education for the past 4 years. In my case I'm in my late 30s, one of the main reasons for taking this job was a change in my family/home life that required me to have a more predictable work schedule than freelancing allows. I know for myself this is not a career path I would have considered as a younger person but at this point in my life it is a good fit. Another advantage is that this job does allow me to pursue some interests outside of audio although I do still support a select number of my freelance clients with interesting and worthwhile projects.

I happened to learn about this job completely by being in the right place at the right time. The person who held this position moved into a different role and mentioned it to me while we were on break at an annual gig I have done for many years and I'd been thinking about changing my work situation. So I took a chance in applying for a "day" job and got it.

So my advice is you never know who might be interested in this type of work. If you'd like to pass on your legacy start gauging interest by talking about it and asking around before the position is listed to see if anyone is interested or knows someone who may be.

Matt

[Tim McCulloch]

The altruistic part of me wants you to do your utmost to support the folks you'll waive goodbye to... but I've also learned that new brooms sweep clean, sooner or later, intentional or otherwise.

A hearty "good luck, you're on your own" might be your parting gift to them.

[Bob Stone]

The altruistic part of me wants you to do your utmost to support the folks you'll waive goodbye to... but I've also learned that new brooms sweep clean, sooner or later, intentional or otherwise.

A hearty "good luck, you're on your own" might be your parting gift to them.

Always leave on the best terms possible, never know when you or your family might run into these people down the road. Just because sometimes the new folks sweep things clean, doesn't mean you should NGAF.

[Tim McCulloch]

Always leave on the best terms possible, never know when you or your family might run into these people down the road. Just because sometimes the new folks sweep things clean, doesn't mean you should NGAF.

I don't suggest he blow them off, not at all... but ultimately none of the decisions are his to make beyond doing his job well, until his final shift.

[John Roberts {JR}]

when in doubt do what's right...

JR

[Kevin Maxwell]

I would strongly suggest documenting all of your equipment in a clearly understandable way and make sure this information is easy to find. Be sure to print it all out and save at least a digital copy for yourself.  Document where you bought the stuff, the prices and the reason for buying it.  Explain how it is all set up the way it is now and why it is set up that way. Do you know what an executive summery is? Basically a simplified/summarized explanation. Be sure to do an executive summary of the system, but also include detailed documentation that is well written and well indexed. Be sure to have someone else proof read it for you that has an understanding of what you are trying to get across. If you have the time I would suggest that you don’t try and do this all in one sitting. Take your time and write it a little bit at a time and then go back and reread it and see if you are getting the points across in an understandable way.   

If you take these steps it shows that you are concerned and that you want to be as helpful as possible. It should also help a new person to more clearly understand what they have to work with. I would also tell them that you are willing to help with whoever they hire to facilitate a smooth transition. In my opinion the best way to show someone that they are walking into a good system is to do it in person and let them know you are willing to be a resource. If there are things that you would have really liked to have gotten done in your time there be sure to tell them that and how you were thinking of doing it. Sometimes it takes a new person to move a project along that the admin wasn’t willing to do initially. If this is something you don’t want to do out of the kindness of your heart try and work out a stipend or retainer deal with the school.

Sometimes a new person will make changes and not necessarily for the better because they don’t really understand what they are dealing with. Sometimes they aren’t as qualified as you are and they need to simplify things but not usually for the better. I have seen that before, usually it is at an install that calls you back in to fix what someone came along and messed up. Why they didn’t call the original installer back to fix it is usually a mystery. And along these lines give them contacts for service and repair.

I recently saw a situation at a school that the 2 teachers that were teaching in the TV/Audio and Radio station department both retire at the same time. Their 2 replacements didn’t seem interested in learning how things were done and how things were setup even though one of the retiring teachers is still in the area and offered them help. One of the new teachers crashed and burned after a couple of years and was fired. While that one was making a mess of everything the other one moved over to the Music department but then moved back to the Media area after the firing of the other teacher. The remaining teacher does seem to now have a good rapport with the local retired teacher. 

[Tim McCulloch]

I recently saw a situation at a school that the 2 teachers that were teaching in the TV/Audio and Radio station department both retire at the same time. Their 2 replacements didn’t seem interested in learning how things were done and how things were setup even though one of the retiring teachers is still in the area and offered them help. One of the new teachers crashed and burned after a couple of years and was fired. While that one was making a mess of everything the other one moved over to the Music department but then moved back to the Media area after the firing of the other teacher. The remaining teacher does seem to now have a good rapport with the local retired teacher.

^^^ this is the circumstance I was alluding to earlier.

[Erik Jerde]

I would suggest that it's on the employer to get a replacement in place before you leave so that there's time for a smooth hand-off.  It's not reasonable for them to expect you to train and/or spend lots of time on transition after you're out the door.  Of course an appropriately compensated outside consultant role could work IF you're interested.  At the end of the day I would approach it like putting together a complete and concise "hit by a bus" system document including not just the nuts and bolts diagram but the why of important design decisions as well.  When the job posts mention it to people you think may be a good fit.  Make yourself available to be involved in the hiring process.  Beyond that sleep well at night and know you've done your part and you can't do it all.  If it goes poorly just make sure you did everything you could to have prevented that.

[Rich Wirz]

Thanks guys for the responses - I appreciate them.

 Yea, I had planned to offer to do what I can to help with the transition and have begun reaching out to various colleagues and vendors - but I am finding a very dry well in this area for technical people - especially sound related..  I am not very hopeful that I will be involved in any interview/hiring process though - that is not the way they do things around here.  But maybe I'll be surprised - who knows. I might be willing to come back as a paid technical advisor in some cases - but being respected enough to be able to be in the interview/hiring process would go a long way toward that happening  Like most have said, I just have to run with it and do what I can - if the powers that be don't feel it's that important to have a smooth and efficient transition then I guess it's their problem and not mine.  I just need to do my best to try to help the people here that I care about.  And just for the record, I am not looking to piss a bunch of people off - but if it comes down to it I have no problem calling a fool a fool.

A lot of it will depend on what they do with the actual job description, and I have been starting to document all that I do.  I have been adding things through the years that have just come with the territory and are not really a part of the original description.  So at this point in time I handle all the audio reinforcement for plays, musicals and concerts - the recording and streaming of a majority of those productions - the lighting design and programming for theatrical productions and some concerts - colloborate in set design and aid with building and fine tuning sets - handle all the projection details of shows - work with the community theater here on all their shows - do sound and lighting production for our performing arts foundation's shows -  set up most everything A/V and sound related for in house and outside groups utilizing our facilities - and also aid in installing and troubleshooting all of the individual A/V systems in each classroom of all 4 schools.  I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things - but, yea - all just normal shit that comes with the territory, right?  My hope is that, like Matt and myself, someone pops out of the woodwork who is looking for a homebase (with state retirement) and who also recognizes just what time and personal commitment is involved in this line of work - and are willing to learn skills they may not be all that familiar with.  That is how this job rolls. 

And by the way, one of my reservations I had before I started this job was how, at age 45, would I handle working with kids from 5 to 18.  I will have to say that for the majority of my time spent here, with a few exceptions, the kids were a piece of cake and most always appreciated what was being done for them.  The peripherals, on the other hand, were a far different story 😊

[Dave Pluke]

I would strongly suggest documenting all of your equipment in a clearly understandable way and make sure this information is easy to find. Be sure to print it all out and save at least a digital copy for yourself.  Document where you bought the stuff, the prices and the reason for buying it.  Explain how it is all set up the way it is now and why it is set up that way. Do you know what an executive summery is? Basically a simplified/summarized explanation. Be sure to do an executive summary of the system, but also include detailed documentation that is well written and well indexed. Be sure to have someone else proof read it for you that has an understanding of what you are trying to get across. If you have the time I would suggest that you don’t try and do this all in one sitting. Take your time and write it a little bit at a time and then go back and reread it and see if you are getting the points across in an understandable way.

REALLY good advice!

If the next person elects to ignore the documentation, it's on them.

@Rich - to do more than the above may be futile. It's been my experience in Educational hiring that personal recommendations from current Staff rarely outweigh HR's checklist of credentials. And, especially since you mentioned your role may be "redefined", there's no sense in getting a recruit lined up.

Dave

P.S. Whereabouts in Central WI? I'm originally from Rapids.

[Dave Garoutte]

And by the way, one of my reservations I had before I started this job was how, at age 45, would I handle working with kids from 5 to 18.  I will have to say that for the majority of my time spent here, with a few exceptions, the kids were a piece of cake and most always appreciated what was being done for them.  The peripherals, on the other hand, were a far different story 😊

Is 'peripherals' a euphemism for 'parents' ?

[Paul Johnson]

When I gave up teaching, I offered to help with the transition, and it wasn't required. My colleague retired and the same thing happened to her and she went first. The Head of Department who had no idea of what we really did, conducted the interview and went with somebody younger with new ideas. 10 years of group planning went  out the window. The new person did not want to follow on, but start again. I didn't like the changes and the scrapping of joint things - historically we had music, sound, lighting, staging, acting singing and dancing going on, and we all came together for a pretty decent end of course show each year. The new person did not wish to do this. I left the next year. My music colleagues left, so did the dance and singing and it fell apart, leaving the new person marooned in a boring and unworkable course. She left. In 4 years the entire department was down to one full time teacher and one part-time, and all our success dumped.

If you retire, they won't carry on with your way of doing things and seeing it change is hurtful. My advice is to leave and enjoy the retirement and don't try to assist the transition, it's not your role, and your input might be rebuffed which again is hurtful. Make a clean end, say goodbye and don't look back - there's nothing you can do, and the new incumbent needs their space. I offered the new person all my paperwork and files - it wasn't, I was told, suitable for the new person.

[Rich Wirz]

Is 'peripherals' a euphemism for 'parents' ?

Haha - yea, there have definitely been a few of those.  For the most part though through the years it has been co-workers expecting miracles.   

[Rich Wirz]

REALLY good advice!

If the next person elects to ignore the documentation, it's on them.

@Rich - to do more than the above may be futile. It's been my experience in Educational hiring that personal recommendations from current Staff rarely outweigh HR's checklist of credentials. And, especially since you mentioned your role may be "redefined", there's no sense in getting a recruit lined up.

Dave

P.S. Whereabouts in Central WI? I'm originally from Rapids.

Dave - I agree that Kevin's advice is spot on.  I do already have something similar to what he suggests with an executive summary, but will work on fine tuning it per his suggestions to more properly fit the situation.  I am in Medford and have used the same vendor in Stevens Point since I got here to buy gear from and install systems - so that resource is there should someone new choose to use it.  And yes, I am just going to lay low for now until they actually post the job - and then just do my best to get the word out there about it.       

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