How do you describe your job to laymen?

I am fairly certain my mother thinks I fix TVs and such

I figure this would also be a useful skill for interviews or when speaking to customers or the boss.

I have tried being technical and straight forward, (to friends and family) and they tell me they've tuned me out

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Ertaz

I tell them that I make sure the TPS reports run.

Danielm7

If there is no chance they'll ask me to fix their computer, "I work in IT" or "IT Security". If there is a chance they will ask me to fix their computer i'll say something else so they don't think I'm their helpdesk. For actual job interviews I expect them to know what I do or I wouldn't be there for an interview, ha.

Techytach

Ertaz wrote: »

I tell them that I make sure the TPS reports run.

Don't forget the cover sheet!

tmtex

I play on the internet all day

fmitawaps

I fix computers, parlaying the average persons' ignorance and Microsoft's incompetence, into CASH MONEY PROFITS for me.

Ertaz

Techytach wrote: »

Don't forget the cover sheet!

Because of separation of duties, I can't be responsible for the cover sheet. I understand that we are working toward job rotation so that I can be trained in the cover sheets at some point.

ITSpectre

tmtex wrote: »

I play on the internet all day

Solitare and minesweeper

blatini

I make the internet work good

ITSpectre

I am a super admin that fixes complex analytical problems.... and when my pc turns on and I login numbers fall across my pc screen Matrix style

Anonymouse

Saying I'm a sysadmin might make people think of some sort of administrative assistant. I just say tech support and try to drop the topic.

rick.bates

I'm a "Data Plumber". Crap goes in one end and I make sure it comes out the other.

636-555-3226

I tell my wife I watch YouTube videos all day.

I tell strangers and neighbors I keep hackers out. They all think it's very easy, probably a CSI effect. They vastly underappreciate the blue team challenge for a large global company.

I tell friends the truth - I sit in meetings all day that after an hour end up just reaching a decision to have another meeting to continue the conversation. (truth be told this does usually involve YouTube videos on mute, so I'm not technically lying to my wife).

Techytach

636-555-3226 wrote: »

I tell friends the truth - I sit in meetings all day that after an hour end up just reaching a decision to have another meeting to continue the conversation

Did you first form a committee to file the paper work to decide if you should form another meeting?

Lexluethar

"I work in IT" is about the detail I go into with people that ask. For the few that ask for details or what specifically I do I go in depth.

BerkshireHerd

Same way I descibed it to the 5th graders who toured our data center. " I keep the hackers out"

markulous

Lexluethar wrote: »

"I work in IT" is about the detail I go into with people that ask. For the few that ask for details or what specifically I do I go in depth.

Pretty much the same for me.

revbox

I offer them this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8_Kfjo3VjU

OctalDump

Lexluethar wrote: »

"I work in IT" is about the detail I go into with people that ask. For the few that ask for details or what specifically I do I go in depth.

Yep. Then it's "Infrastructure" which usually leads me to explain that Infrastructure is networks and servers. Most people get that. Of course, you sometimes come across someone else in IT, and then it's "LAMP stacks on Vmware, in a GlobalSwitch Colo" or whatever it is that I might be doing at that particular time.

goatama

I've been trying out different things, gauging responses, and adjusting. I've used "cybersecurity", "infosec", "it security", "hacker for the gov't" (this one is fun), and just "I do stuff with computers".

The most jaw-dropping response I've ever gotten was when I was talking to the service manager at the dealership where I bought my car. He asked what I did and I said I do cybersecurity for the government. He immediately comes back with "Oh, so you're an anti-hacker hacker, the guy who keeps the bad guys out of your network."

ITSpectre

I once told a friend of mine when he asked what I did "I work in IT, kinda like a computer guy" his response was....."oh so you just fix computers all day" I responded.... "No I fix users that can't really use computers"....

UncleB

If they don't know much about IT, I tell them my job is to make sure the staffs computers work and they have no excuse but to do their jobs.

If they have a clue, I tell them I keep the wheels of industry turning by making sure the directors PAs can shop online for their wives & mistresses birthday presents.

Both are uncomfortably true.

Iain

Techytach

revbox wrote: »

i offer them this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_kfjo3vju

gold!!!

tedjames

I tell them cyber security, and most people get it. Usually, the only ones who don't are older and not as tech savvy. That's not to say that older people in general are not. I know plenty of people in their 60s (I'm 51) who can run circles around me regarding IT and security knowledge.

alias454

It depends on if I think they know more than the average layman otherwise I tell them I am a janitor. It saves a lot of time explaining.

Trucido

I tell people how to click on things they were too scared to try and click in the first place.

Nobody does any troubleshooting before calling the help desk.

ITSpectre

Trucido wrote: »

I tell people how to click on things they were too scared to try and click in the first place.

Nobody does any troubleshooting before calling the help desk.

+1 rep.....

aderon

If its a nontechnical person I usually just say I work in IT. I've gone down that rabbit hole enough times to know theres no point in actually trying to describe what I do lol.

If they work in IT then I'm usually more willing to go in detail.

dustervoice

636-555-3226 wrote: »

I tell my wife I watch YouTube videos all day.

I tell strangers and neighbors I keep hackers out. They all think it's very easy, probably a CSI effect. They vastly underappreciate the blue team challenge for a large global company.

I tell friends the truth - I sit in meetings all day that after an hour end up just reaching a decision to have another meeting to continue the conversation. (truth be told this does usually involve YouTube videos on mute, so I'm not technically lying to my wife).

Are you sure you don't work in my department? seems like we have the same job.

powerfool

My daughter, who is actually kind of savvy, saw my latest Mastering Skype for Business Server 2015 book and asked why such a big book exists for using Skype... and why I don't already know how to use Skype. Uh, this is isn't for using young one... this is for engineering. Silly crap.

I just tell people I do email.

thomas_

I pretty much keep it basic and say "I work with computers" or "I work in IT". When I was in the military I used to say that "I babysit grown men".