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A "What do you do for a living?" response to non-IT people

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    AnonymouseAnonymouse Member Posts: 509 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Them: "What do you do for a living?"
    Me: "I'm the computer guy."
    Them: "Can you fix my computer?"
    Me: "No."
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    networker050184networker050184 Mod Posts: 11,962 Mod
    pitviper wrote: »
    I do hate the fact that all levels of IT are lumped together, including the so called genius’s. “oh, my son works at the apple store – you guys have a lot in common”…

    This bothers me more than it should as well. "Oh so you are the one that comes out when the phone isn't working?" No.... Nothing like that at all.
    An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made.
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    pitviperpitviper Member Posts: 1,376 ■■■■■■■□□□
    networker050184 wrote: »
    This bothers me more than it should as well. "Oh so you are the one that comes out when the phone isn't working?" No.... Nothing like that at all.

    LOL yeah, that's the stuff that makes my blood boil. I like to respond with you don't want to see me - 'cause if you do, there's a whole lot of stuff broken (not just your phone) LOL
    CCNP:Collaboration, CCNP:R&S, CCNA:S, CCNA:V, CCNA, CCENT
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    tstrip007tstrip007 Member Posts: 308 ■■■■□□□□□□
    "I work in IT, but I dont fix computers"
    "Oh really? I got this zip file and I don't know how to get whats inside it..."
    "You have unzip it by ... AHH $hit!!, just let me do it"
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    RHELRHEL Member Posts: 195 ■■■□□□□□□□
    Even people who semi understand what I do and don't do... ie, my parents... would even volunteer my "computer fixing services" to the neighbors! And then they act very offended when I explain that I don't do that...

    So I end up doing it...
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    N2ITN2IT Inactive Imported Users Posts: 7,483 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Solve IT related problems.

    Being a BA I deal with a lot of business users so the communication is fairly easy.
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    HypntickHypntick Member Posts: 1,451 ■■■■■■□□□□
    I just say Information Security, I don't really get a lot of followup questions on that answer.
    WGU BS:IT Completed June 30th 2012.
    WGU MS:ISA Completed October 30th 2013.
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    Cert PoorCert Poor Member Posts: 240 ■■■□□□□□□□
    PC Load Letter? WTF is PC Load Letter? I just refer them to the movie Office Space. I answer to 100 bosses, am in meetings all day so can never get any work done, and -- I can't continue this right now, I have a meeting with the Bobs.
    In progress: MTA: Database Fundamentals (98-364)
    Next up: CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ (CLO-002) or LPI Linux Essentials (010-160)
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    ITIL-F v3 2011 | ServiceNow CSA, CAD, CIS | CWNP CWTS
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    MSP-ITMSP-IT Member Posts: 752 ■■■□□□□□□□
    I usually just say that I'm a developer/security developer at a bank. IT sounds too much like help desk.
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    ratbuddyratbuddy Member Posts: 665
    zidian wrote: »
    My response is typically "I write software." This works for most people. However, I have had a number of people ask me to write facebook for them so we could be rich together.

    My aunt called me a few days before they pulled the plug on XP. She had the idea that I should pick up where Microsoft left off, and single handedly release patches for XP. Yeah, I'll get right on that.
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    UnixGuyUnixGuy Mod Posts: 4,565 Mod
    MSP-IT wrote: »
    ....IT sounds too much like help desk.

    yes that's the problem!
    Certs: GSTRT, GPEN, GCFA, CISM, CRISC, RHCE

    Learn GRC! GRC Mastery : https://grcmastery.com 

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    paul78paul78 Member Posts: 3,016 ■■■■■■■■■■
    Didn't we just have this conversation icon_smile.gif As I recall, there were some amusing responses

    http://www.techexams.net/forums/off-topic/86929-how-do-you-go-about-explaining-your-friends-family-significant-others-what-you.html
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    NyblizzardNyblizzard Member Posts: 332 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Hey that's my thread icon_cool.gif
    O
    /|\
    / \
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    GoodBishopGoodBishop Member Posts: 359 ■■■■□□□□□□
    I think I'm going to just say "It's classified" when I get that question from now on. :)
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    Geek1969Geek1969 Member Posts: 100 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I can't take credit for coming up with the phrase as I saw someone here who uses it also, but I have taken to answering that question with..."I am a data network plumber." I have not had a single person ask a follow-up question yet.
    WIP:
    ROUTE
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