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How do you describe your job to laymen?

TechytachTechytach Member Posts: 140
in IT Jobs / Degrees
I am fairly certain my mother thinks I fix TVs and such icon_lol.gif

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 icon_silent.gif
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    ErtazErtaz Member Posts: 934 ■■■■■□□□□□
    I tell them that I make sure the TPS reports run.
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    Danielm7Danielm7 Member Posts: 2,310 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
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    TechytachTechytach Member Posts: 140
    Ertaz wrote: »
    I tell them that I make sure the TPS reports run.
    Don't forget the cover sheet!
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    tmtextmtex Member Posts: 326 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I play on the internet all day
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    fmitawapsfmitawaps Banned Posts: 261
    I fix computers, parlaying the average persons' ignorance and Microsoft's incompetence, into CASH MONEY PROFITS for me.
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    ErtazErtaz Member Posts: 934 ■■■■■□□□□□
    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.
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    ITSpectreITSpectre Member Posts: 1,040 ■■■■□□□□□□
    tmtex wrote: »
    I play on the internet all day

    Solitare and minesweeper
    In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
    “The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios
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    blatiniblatini Member Posts: 285
    I make the internet work good
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    ITSpectreITSpectre Member Posts: 1,040 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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 :D
    In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
    “The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios
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    AnonymouseAnonymouse Member Posts: 509 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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.
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    rick.batesrick.bates Member Posts: 1 ■□□□□□□□□□
    I'm a "Data Plumber". Crap goes in one end and I make sure it comes out the other.
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    636-555-3226636-555-3226 Member Posts: 975 ■■■■■□□□□□
    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).
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    TechytachTechytach Member Posts: 140
    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?
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    LexluetharLexluethar Member Posts: 516
    "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.
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    BerkshireHerdBerkshireHerd Member Posts: 185
    Same way I descibed it to the 5th graders who toured our data center. " I keep the hackers out"
    Identity & Access Manager // B.A - Marshall University 2005
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    markulousmarkulous Member Posts: 2,394 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
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    revboxrevbox Member Posts: 90 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I offer them this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8_Kfjo3VjU
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    OctalDumpOctalDump Member Posts: 1,722
    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.
    2017 Goals - Something Cisco, Something Linux, Agile PM
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    goatamagoatama Member Posts: 181
    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." :o
    WGU - MSISA - Done!!
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    ITSpectreITSpectre Member Posts: 1,040 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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".... icon_lol.gif
    In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
    “The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios
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    UncleBUncleB Member Posts: 417
    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
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    TechytachTechytach Member Posts: 140
    revbox wrote: »
    i offer them this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8_kfjo3vju
    gold!!!
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    tedjamestedjames Member Posts: 1,179 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
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    alias454alias454 Member Posts: 648 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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.
    “I do not seek answers, but rather to understand the question.”
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    TrucidoTrucido Member Posts: 250 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I tell people how to click on things they were too scared to try and click in the first place.

    :D Nobody does any troubleshooting before calling the help desk.
    2017 Certification Goals
    CompTIA A+ [ ] CompTIA Net+ [ ] CompTIA Sec+ [ ] CCENT [ ] ITIL [ ]
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    ITSpectreITSpectre Member Posts: 1,040 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Trucido wrote: »
    I tell people how to click on things they were too scared to try and click in the first place.

    :D Nobody does any troubleshooting before calling the help desk.

    +1 rep.....
    In the darkest hour, there is always a way out - Eve ME3 :cool:
    “The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone.” – Thane Krios
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    aderonaderon Member Posts: 404 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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.
    2019 Certification/Degree Goals: AWS CSA Renewal (In Progress), M.S. Cybersecurity (In Progress), CCNA R&S Renewal (Not Started)
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    dustervoicedustervoice Member Posts: 877 ■■■■□□□□□□
    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.
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    powerfoolpowerfool Member Posts: 1,666 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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.
    2024 Renew: [ ] AZ-204 [ ] AZ-305 [ ] AZ-400 [ ] AZ-500 [ ] Vault Assoc.
    2024 New: [X] AWS SAP [ ] CKA [ ] Terraform Auth/Ops Pro
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    thomas_thomas_ Member Posts: 1,012 ■■■■■■■■□□
    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".
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