You know...

[canray.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering how little respect we feel we get.

We're the ones keeping the world running, and, often, I felt like I had to lie about my job...

"What do you do?"

"Oh, I'm a Pimp/Drug Dealer/Tax Collector." would probably get a happier reception than "Oh, I do Tech Support."

Is it just me?

Comments

[kalifla.livejournal.com]

I respect damn near everybody who posts here.

[superbus.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I think you're right.

I usually use my official job titles - "Applications Analyst", and soon to be "Security Engineer" - than "tech support", but honestly, I think we do it to ourselves.

Not US, mind you. But the majority of people that call into tech support do it to large ISPs, and they get either a completely moronic Lv. 1 tech in America, or worse, they get a completely moronic Lv. 1 tech in India, and it takes everything short of an act of God to be escalated up; too many times when even I call into some places, I get told "there is no one else that can help you" or "we have no managers", when I KNOW that's not the case. We're basically our own stereotype, which is why I always let a little bit of my personality come through when I'm talking to most customers. It humanizes me.

[tecie.livejournal.com]

Usually, yes. The fault is with all of us who allowed it to get this far. There aren't many good politician/geek hybrids, which is what a lot of major companies need to fix the situation. Most of the time, they are a politician who knows how to install the drivers for his digital camera.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

Yeah... basic problem is we traded points in our People Skills for Tech Skills, and it takes people skills to kiss/kick ass enough to gain respect.

[the-reda.livejournal.com]

I think the 'no respect' thing goes with any service job people 'think' they can do themselves.
Tech support, teaching etc.

People are idiots.

[jecook]

Heh.

When I tell people where I work anymore, I tell em, "I do back office support for [local indian casino]". This usually (but not always) cuts off the "cool! can you rig the slot machines for me?" gag before it even begins.

While I don't keep the place running on a day to day basis, I do keep the support team running reasonably smoothly. (I'm one of the two lead techs, and we get all the crappy paperwork jobs, the really difficult tasks, and other drudgework.)

[mynameisnotreal.livejournal.com]

Should we unionize?

[fallconsmate.livejournal.com]

my comment to tech support people varies. from "will you marry me?" to "oh gods, i am sooo sorry!"

the last two otherloves were tech guys. i miss them terribly. heart attacks and cancer are no respecters of relationships.

[pellucidae.livejournal.com]

Having been a secretary in a past life, I would much rather tell people I do tech support. You've never seen respect fall off people's faces till you've seen their expressions when you tell them you have a clerical job.

[trayce.livejournal.com]

Aye I agree. Teaching's been in the news a lot in my area lately as our state's public school teachers are being royally shafted (compared both to other states, and to private schools), and just want a pay rise. The amount of armchair critic comments saying "but you guys have so many holidays and your work day is shorter, quit whining!" is stunning. Do people have no idea how hard teachers work!?

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Depends on how you spin it.

For impressiveness? "When the computers that run everything break, I'm the one they call."

For avoiding requests for free support? "I stare at colored dots and press little plastic squares with my fingers, all day long."

Precise descriptions are only for talking to other techs.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

It's a question which has been floating around for many years. Traditionally, techsupport has been seen as a 'white-collar' job, leading to some social resistance to the idea of unions, which are often thought of as blue-collar phenomena. On the other hand, our profession has not been seen as requiring a high enough degree of formal training, education and testing to elevate it to the status associated with national and global professional associations and societies. System Administrators have SAGE, but it's not that well-known.

Part of the problem is that IT in general is a very new type of work. Doctors, engineers, traders, explorers, middle management... these have all been around for millennia. Even more modern trades like auto mechanics could build on the legacy of general repairers, machinists, and metalcrafters.

A surprising amount of the general public don't even know that we exist as a profession - the first time they even have to consider the possibility is when looking up a computer shop in the Yellow Pages because their computer's acting funny or gone dead. It wouldn't suprise me to hear that some folks think Geek Squad was the first ever computer-fixing service, simply because it's had more advertising.

Another issue is turnover. We probably have one of the highest levels of churn of any industry, and that includes fast food. The median age for techsupport is very young - a lot of younger phonemonkeys won't even realise that better pay and conditions are even available until years after they've moved on to other careers. They may not even care, if they're thinking of the job as just a springboard to other work.

Then there's the comparisons - "Well, my job is indoor work, no heavy lifting, I can't really complain." Or that in some cases, all staff at a shop (including techs) already belong to the local relevant industry union.

I'm not saying it's impossible, and it may even have benefits in the long run, but anyone looking to set something up is going to have their work cut out for them.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

Isn't it "Executive Assistant" now? :)

[the-reda.livejournal.com]

That additude makes me wonna force them to teach a week. Go on, if it is so easy, go quit your job and become a teacher.
I'd be surprised if they lasted more than a day.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

Sadly... it can get worse. Include the word "callcenter" when you give the job description. see if you an even get people to let you finish speaking before they stop listening.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

tech support call centers don't even have the benefit of that thought... at least not the financially secure ones that have to support 8 different companies at the same time. No union that I know of can even guarantee a job if the client pulls a contract.

[celyste.livejournal.com]

basic difference that I can see? tech support has to be seen as trustworthy... even when it involves lying to get that appearance. politicians are seen to be lying even when they are telling the truth.

complete opposite sides of the coin.

[onyxrising.livejournal.com]

There is at least one existing union I know of that covers tech support call centers.

[omg-teh-funnay.livejournal.com]

I tell people I protect my company's (commercially sold) systems from the end users.

If I'm feeling froggy, I tell them that my job is so nerdy that I can't explain it unless you already know what I do. It's AMAZING how often that works.

For the record, I provide front-line and escalated support for a clustered network storage system. It's not a NAS and it's not a SAN but it it's something new entirely. I love startups...

[canray.livejournal.com]

So were some of my workmates.

I am positive they took the short bus to work every day.

[canray.livejournal.com]

Yeah... That was me. :-(

[canray.livejournal.com]

I find I get more respect as a Temp Bureaucrat than I ever did as a Tech.

[canray.livejournal.com]

There aren't enough Jock Geeks around to handle the Strike Breakers I'm sure the companies will call in.

[canray.livejournal.com]

"Well, my job is indoor work, no heavy lifting, I can't really complain."

True, but also stress levels above that of Bomb Disposal Experts...

[canray.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, I wish I was in Alpha Complex. Then I can go, "Friend Computer, this COMMIE is attempting to make me unhappy!"

Darn good game. Running a demo of it today! :-D