Think fast: tell me one tech support guy from a TV show or movie that you like.
Can’t think of any? Neither could we; they’re all jerks. It seems our culture’s storytellers just can’t think of anything nice to say about people who fix computers.
It makes sense. IT guys usually only show up in movies when something goes wrong, and no one likes bad news. For plot reasons, the IT guy becomes representative of all the problems in lives of the primary characters.
Basically: according to TV, we’re outcasts. That doesn’t mean we can’t learn a thing or two from these guys, though. Here are a few examples.
SNL: Company Computer Guy
We know some IT guys are jerks. Lacking social skills, and feeling superior to the people they are supposed to be helping, they come across as smug. Jimmy Fallon’s character in this sketch points out the worst of that tendency.
What we learn from this: At Altitude Integrations we try to treat people with respect, educating them when possible and respecting their workflows.
And we never, ever, order people to move.
The IT Crowd
Getting answers from an IT person can be hard, particularly if they spout off generic instructions. “The IT Crowd”, a hilarious sitcom out of the UK, takes this tendency to an extreme with this running gag about power cycling.
What we learn from this: we try to ask questions before we provide answers. Spouting off generic tips doesn’t solve problems; research solves problems.
Office Space
Strictly speaking, these guys don’t work in IT. Their printer-induced wrath will feel familiar to many, though:
(warning: music in video includes certain words you might not want to hear.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0_S_EdZ_I8
(warning: music in video includes certain words you might not want to hear.)
What we learn from this: Printers can be frustrating. Extremely frustrating. There are times every IT guy would like to take a bat to them.
It’s important not to, though, because printers are also vital to modern workplaces.
More importantly: we strive to never take our frustration out on our clients. If we’re upset you’ll never know.
The Office
Knowledge is power, and people who look at your computer gain power. This is particularly true of the corporate IT guy, who is frequently a combination of a repairman and a spy. This guy comes to mind:
What we learn from this: It should go without saying, but we never prod around your data unless it’s necessary. If we do, we keep anything we find out to ourselves. Trust is at the core of what we do, and we don’t want to risk losing yours.
We Like What We Do
We choose this work. We didn’t choose it because it’s easy; we choose it because it’s hard. We like solving problems, and we like helping people.
So let the media portray our profession negatively. We know there are reasons for that, and we strive to be the exception to the rule.