June 26, 2008 at 6:16 am
gtummond (6/26/2008)
Ted,...when someone refers to me as the
Expert
...
.
Ah but then they cannot challenge you and you can up the price! 😀
Hiding under a desk from SSIS Implemenation Work :crazy:
June 26, 2008 at 6:18 am
I think the 'IT Guy' title is similar to the 'Engineer' title. People use the title engineer with wanton abandon and little care or value for real engineers and IT has gone down the same path.
I don't mind the IT Guy title if its from a layperson but I don't take well to Geek as I find it a throwaway insult from those to dumb or too rude to figure out what I do.
D
AMO AMAS AMATIT AGAIN
June 26, 2008 at 6:20 am
When someone asks, "How do you DO THAT?", referring to some cool piece of functionality I just programmed, and I answer "Magic", they're 'way more satisified than if I would actually offer some simple, but real explanation. People outside of IT want us to be a mystery... it's safer than way. Unfortunately, that also applies to clients who have a hard time justifying the estimate you just handed them. Sigh...
June 26, 2008 at 6:21 am
'IT Guy' similar to 'Family Guy' - yeah lets make an animated sitcom out of it
or how about American DBA, something like American Dad? There's only one letter different. 😀
Bremmy talking to clients is what the Account manager and Project manager are for. 😉
Hiding under a desk from SSIS Implemenation Work :crazy:
June 26, 2008 at 6:21 am
Here at work I'm not "an IT guy" I'm *the* IT guy. 🙂
Because there's no one else. I do everything from replacing mice to architecting our primary backbone application.
I don't really have an official title either. I consider myself a programmer/analyst (and doesn't *that* show my age?), To outside customers/salespeople I'm the IT manager. To co-workers I'm the IT guy or referred to by name.
I think titles are overblown anyway. Call yourself a database architect or a code monkey, does it really matter? Whatever we are called, we're still the magcians who make miracles happen.
Everyone else knows it, they just don't like admitting it. 🙂
June 26, 2008 at 6:24 am
Hmmmm...
I've read over all the posts, good comments of course, but I'm not sure we're getting the point.
Why are "lawyer" and "doctor" titles that seem to escape having "guy" tethered to their titles? Because they have a reputation of being highly educated, knowlegable people. They've also been around for a long time. They're "regular" and "normal". And to be successful, they need to be good communicators who relate to people and solve their problems. They're also upwardly mobile people of potential; today's lawyer is tomorrow's senator (and maybe president, looking at our current candidates).
In modern days, we now have a lot of new-fangled toys that few people understand. We have cable televisions and yes, computers. We understand that these toys entertain us and make money for us, but they don't work straight out of the box. We need people to make them work for us. Although we all acknowlege that "those people" need to be smart, they don't need to be highly educated, and as a group they tend to be people who don't communicate well or work with people well. I'm dealing in stereotypes here, but stereotypes are the harsh reality. As far as the CEO is concerned, "IT People" are necesary evils that are regarded as a bit strange.
The most successful IT people that I know are far from being the smartest. They seem to have the ability to put on a suit, talk sports and sit at the bar and look "normal". They're great invitees to the cocktail party and as such the CEO feels comfortable around them.
That we're lumped in with the "cable guy(s)", a group of individuals who are stereotyped as strange hermits who demand that we take a day off so that they can show up when they please to run a few wires in our home is a problem that we might want to contemplate. Or, maybe we just have to live with it...
___________________________________________________
“Politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and for the same reason.”
June 26, 2008 at 6:25 am
How about "database dude"?
I prefer to call myself a GIS "Chimp". It's a self-effacing thing, you know, keeps me humble.
To be serious... Just like I don't like the term "expert". I consider my self a GIS "Professional" (it's my designation, too - GISP). But I don't think it's worth getting too hung up on monikers.
After all, it's the personal satisfaction of knowing your job and the respect of your peers that counts, right?
"Call me anything, just don't call me late for dinner" - don't know who said this.
June 26, 2008 at 6:38 am
I like to say 'No, I am a DBA - Double the Built-in Arrogance!' That helps them differenciate between the two worlds. IT i agree is focused more on hardware\server\desktop support. Essentially as a DBA you are an app support role but my arrogance has issues swallowing that 😉
It goes back to when my customers start asking me hardware questions because i am in the Technical Group in our support organization. I understand enough to help a lot but don't expect me to work on the firmware or controller levels of the server. I leave that to the other folks.
It is no different than going to someones house and right away they have a computer problem and because you have a job where you sit in front of one all day (regardles of how technical) you can fix all of their issues. Much like my other favoring grouping scheme of 'you are an eagle scout... you must know [INSERT NAME FROM SOME OTHER STATE, REGION, TIMEZONE ETC. HERE]
Is it a big deal... no... as long as the assumption of the grouping don't lead to not giving a person what is due.
June 26, 2008 at 6:40 am
My official job title is "IT Specialist", so I guess "IT Guy" isn't that far wrong. I do get a sub-title after my job title (SYSANAL) which most take to mean I'm Anal Retentive about my systems. There not that far off the mark. I take pride in being a Jack of all Trades in the IT field. While I have specialized in Database/Software design part of the development work is setting up development servers, networks and all the associated software as well as maintaining it. At least it keeps me well rounded, so if you call me the IT Guy I generally take it as a compliment, it means I can do something most can't and do it well enough that I'm recognized for that skill.
I think it is a much better title than "That Dumb A$$ in IT" 😀
-=JLK=-
June 26, 2008 at 6:43 am
My mother called me IT Guy once...ONCE!
June 26, 2008 at 6:48 am
When asked, my wife says i 'work with computers'. Response: Oh, and so does my husband (the programmer or webmaster or the actuary) ... they should have plenty to talk about.
If I tell them I'm a security analyst, they think I'm the guard at the front desk. If I try to explain how I get a university, a private corporation, a county hospital, and a national medical center all with different paradigms of security to work together (because the faculty/doctors work in those four places and others), they either glaze over or start to understand that I'm not traveling the campus with a big flashlight, a giant keyring, and a taser.
Certainly not. I have a single HID card that gets into everywhere I need to go, and I don't need to compensate for anything with a large flashlight.
JJB
June 26, 2008 at 6:48 am
It seems to me that the term "IT guy" implies that Computers are a hobby for the person, not (just) a profession. While that's not all bad it does imply someone with a broad knowledge of computers which isn't necessaryily true. A DBA may or may not be an IT guy, they may just be a database guy.
Personally, I don't mind being called the IT guy. I've worked in pretty much every aspect of IT for small businesses from Running cables to Administering users to designing user interfaces.
Now the thing that bugs me is the idea that "If it's got a wire it's part of IT" What do I know about your copy machine, or your phone switch?
--
JimFive
June 26, 2008 at 6:53 am
I gotta agree with the whole I don't really care what you call me bit, but by the same token don't treat me like some kid fresh out of school who will come over and fix your computer for free.
Now when I meet someone socially and they ask what I do I also do the I'm a Dba, Database Administrator, I work in IT bit. Never thought of the proctologist angle, might have to try it some time. When I get the request for free help with personal computers I get around this by stating simply I did this in college for food, beer or whatnot, but that was many moons ago. Now because of time constraints with my consulting business and the fact that I actually enjoy spending time with my family, I can't simply take the time unless I bill you for it at my standard rate, which amazingly always seems to be $50 more per hour than the local geek squad is charging 😉
Surprisingly I don't get that many follow up requests for help, and for those that do I end up getting reimbursed rather well for the couple of hours worth of work I do.
-Luke.
June 26, 2008 at 7:00 am
Grumpy DBA (6/26/2008)
After running through this scenario several times and people I barely know asking me to come over to fix their PCs, I decided it's better to just tell people I am a proctologist. Most people know what a proctologist is so I do not get the blank stare or glazed eyes. Better still, I do not get requests for a free home examination.
ROFL :hehe:
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|Ted Pin >>
June 26, 2008 at 7:01 am
When people ask me what I am, I say "computer programmer". It is a very broad generalization of what I do, but even older people kind-of understand it. They think - oh, she makes those punch cards. They somehow rarely mistake it for "IT guy" and my requests for help have diminished.
The other possible reason is that I know an actual "IT guy" and any requests I get, I forward to him. 😉
Mia
I have come to the conclusion that the top man has one principle responsibility: to provide an atmosphere in which creative mavericks can do useful work.
-- David M. Ogilvy
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