What makes a Good Technician?

[pete]

Project an aura of calmness, even if you're placing secretly placing bets on when the wheels will fly off. 99% of the time you can solve the problem just by making the end-user slow down and think about what they're doing.

To be able to distinguish the difference between "network manager is grumpy, but won't mind visitors asking questions" and "network manager has a strong urge to defenstrate someone and isn't currently picky about who".

Successfully* manage the Y7 kid who's just walked through the door, looking fearful and about to burst into tears because $random_teacher has unwittingly put the fear of us into his Y7 class through an off-hand comment.

Aura of computer-fixyness. aka "It's started working now you're here".

[sippo]

As said (moaned) in a previous thread. The ability to tell when a problem has happened without actually been told about it.

[TechMonkey]

Knows how to work, maintain & train others on anything with more than one button or a plug?

[mrtechsystems]

and to add to the comments a large sense of humour as well

[beagle]

The key skill is a willingness to troubleshoot and work through issues

[difinity]

Coffee !!

.....and good problem solving skills.

[Squelch]

not allowing the member of staff to realise you have NO idea what the problem is or how it was caused, and that your running off to google/edugeek it in the safety of your office...

I laughed! So true.

[sidewinder]

The ability to keep calm under pressure, have confidence, be happy, common sense, as well as some technical knowledge of course
Not all of those are easy, its sometimes hard to stay in a good mood after stopping something quite important to walk right the way across a site to switch a plug on but its a good skill to have

People skills are so important though, I've met a few technicians in my time, or had people moaning about techs at their place of work, who are so grumpy or have the 'im so much better than you' attitude, or just lack common sense, it doesnt matter how much knowledge they have, they get on peoples nerves and staff end up not wanting help from them!

[ricki]

Mind reading is quite important too.

I vote for this one

Richard

[MNHughes]

The ability to keep calm under pressure, have confidence, be happy, common sense, as well as some technical knowledge of course
Not all of those are easy, its sometimes hard to stay in a good mood after stopping something quite important to walk right the way across a site to switch a plug on but its a good skill to have

People skills are so important though, I've met a few technicians in my time, or had people moaning about techs at their place of work, who are so grumpy or have the 'im so much better than you' attitude, or just lack common sense, it doesnt matter how much knowledge they have, they get on peoples nerves and staff end up not wanting help from them!

I'm definatly the type without the common sense :P

[browolf]

Ability to think outside the space where a box would exist, if we could afford one

[KWestos]

The steely eyes of Margaret Thatcher
The intelligence of Stephen Hawkin
The serene calmness of the pope
The arms of an octopus
The mind controls of a jedi
The shoulders of Thor
The multi-tasking skills of a female

Need I say more?

[sted]

The steely eyes of Margaret Thatcher
The intelligence of Stephen Hawkin
The serene calmness of the pope
The arms of an octopus
The mind controls of a jedi
The shoulders of Thor
The multi-tasking skills of a female

Need I say more?

predictive ability of Nostradamus

[SimpleSi]

Ability to turn the words being said to you in what appears to be English into the actual words that should have been said to you e.g

The whiteboard isn't working
means
The projector isn't working.

The whiteboard isn't working at all
means
I have a message on the screen saying please clean filter.

The internet is not working in Class 3
means
Coxhoe website is slow


regards

Simon

[Spitfire]

Miracle worker!!