Okay, so I don’t have a blog yet, but today’s the day that I just had to start one. Sometimes you just need to have a good rant, and today is my day.
First off, I just have to say that being an IT professional has its upsides and downsides. And my pet peeve today is the downside of being known as the local resident computer expert. This opens you up to abuse from coworkers, especially those who only come out of the woodwork when they want something from you. I love the visits from people that I see in my office only once or twice a year, and they’re not there to ask how I’m doing.
A very typical request is “Can you help me to buy a computer for my ?” I usually don’t have a problem with this, but it depends on my mood, honestly. Just don’t expect me to support it! And I’ll only do it if I have some spare time. Bear in mind that the company we work for does not pay me to provide you with personal computer support that has no bearing whatsoever on your job.
And you had better seriously hope that you don’t happen to come to me with one of these personal requests on a day when I’ve been up to my ears for hours, fighting with servers that are swamped by the latest virus written by some idiot with technical knowledge who has nothing better to do than sit on his or her butt and make more work for the rest of us who actually try to do something productive for a living! Grrrrrrrrr…
No, I’m not going to go on the virus rant today; I’ll keep it in my pocket for a rainy day. 🙂 But seriously, sometimes you’re better off calling Dell yourself and just telling them what you want. I mean, after all, that’s what those guys are there for. That’s their job and they get paid for it. As do the folks that support the software that you have loaded on your personal (note the word “personal”) computer at home for which you magically expect me to have all of the right answers when it doesn’t do what you want. Please call them; they know the product, they are paid to know the product and they are paid to answer your questions. And if you don’t like to call them because they make you feel stupid and I don’t, well… sorry, I can’t help with that. Trust me, the enterprise level support guys try that with me sometimes, too. And once I beat them into submission, there is usually silence. And then, amazingly, someone else often takes up the support request after that. >:)
Who, me? Evil? No, never! *innocent expression and halo donned* Some days I even wish that I were a male with a goatee so that I could present that “evil IT guy” aura that my husband loves so much to exude. Perhaps I can just find a pair of horns or grow a pointy tail, instead? Mwuhahahahahaaa… (That was my evil laugh, folks)
I won’t even get into the fact that being a male would make working in this industry a lot easier…
*pant* *pant* *pant* *pant* *heave* *sigh*
Okay, deep breath… and hold it… now exhale. Phew! Now, don’t we feel much better?
Don’t get me wrong. I’m normally a very nice person, with the defensive capabilities of a piece of warm, soggy milktoast, who will roll over, do my best imitation of a persian rug and let you walk all over me. Most people will probably never have the slightest clue as to how much they can sometimes irritate me. And I do give computer support to my close friends and family. Because I love them dearly.
But I don’t love the population at large as much. :P~~~~~ So, please, just be aware that when you ask a computer professional for help that is unrelated to work, you are asking for a favor. And try to remember that it is just that – a favor. And don’t forget to do something nice for us in return. Like a simple thank you note. Or better yet, buy us candy. The hamsters will keep running in the wheel for as long as you keep feeding them candy…
