Classic IT Support 'types'....

[witch]

@superatticman, that's actually quite an encouraging story considering there are so many who don't get that eventual break, I think. +1 to David Attenborough narrating it, or possibly Morgan Freeman.

 

Here's another type:

 

The Responsibility Sponge

 

With technical ability ranging from weak to exceptional, this denizen of disused prep rooms and staff-room-annex server rooms sees their responsibilities creep up with each passing year as another device with a plug on it is added to their silo. E-safety is piled on top of them as well, and their conscience won't allow them to flatly refuse when others are claiming they have no time for it. Having wanted to specialise (and having a skillset that is really intended for that), they instead find themselves lumbered with everything under the sun. The stress piles up until at some point they leave or have a heart attack. Despite all of this they actually quite enjoy a lot of their job while it lasts, sometimes too eager to say no because of this. Often this creature will progress towards the infamous BOFH type in later life, having not been born evil but had all the enthusiasm beaten out of them.

 

The opposite to this is the "Never responsible for Anything"

The person who always offloads the blame to someone or something else. Never his fault. Never anything he (yes, OK, or she) did.

[Ephelyon]

True, although you do get those in all professions.

[Sam_Brown]

Currently left out is 'I-Hate-IT-But-I-Do-It-Because-It's-A-Job'. This is a strange and, thankfully, rare creature can be found working in a large array of jobs in the IT sector. Whilst usually not incompetent they see IT as a job, pure and simple. Unusually they are often very well certified/qualified but have zero interest in the area of their expertise. They cannot be draw into conversation about any IT related subjects, especially after hours, and forget them spending a bit of their own time investigating a problem. Any questioning of this personal policy will be greeted with a curt 'They don't pay me for that'.

Thankfully uncommon, but if you ever do encounter one don't try and strike up an IT related conversation with them unless you want the reply 'That 'stuff' doesn't interest me, I have a life'. Stangely they never reveal what this 'life' actually is.

 

lol what's wrong with this one though? Maybe because it just sounds like me! But I don't get why people in IT are normally so happy to work longer hours than contracted, without pay and little to no gratitude?!?! I don't get why people who want to get out on time should be looked down on!

[superatticman]

lol what's wrong with this one though? Maybe because it just sounds like me! But I don't get why people in IT are normally so happy to work longer hours than contracted, without pay and little to no gratitude?!?! I don't get why people who want to get out on time should be looked down on!

 

To be honest I've little interest in the real nitty gritty of IT. However, I enjoy providing solutions through IT and enjoy managing projects and overseeing stuff in general. I'm content working in IT, but certainly wouldn't find me staying late running through some hideous powershell commands all for the love of it!!

 

I know what you are getting at though. Those genuine enthusiasts who put in all kinds of extra hours because its some kind of busman's holiday should not expect others to do so. The admin staff, builders etc certainly won't stay late for no reward so that should apply to IT too!

[mthomas08]

The Catch 22

 

This techie has worked in the industry for a good few years, and is now pretty good at what he does. Most things are fixed in record time, and anything that isn't is more likely to do with prioritisation than because of lack of knowledge/ability. He can do most things despite not having the certificates to prove it, and as a result finds it hard to obtain the training, either because work dont see the need, he can't afford it, or see's them as a waste of time since they really can do it already.

A thankless individual, he is under-appreciated in general, as people are used to him being able to accomplish almost any task. He is stuck in the rut of employment; where he's too good at what he does where he is, therefore everything works and he is mostly getting bored with the daily tasks and sporadic projects, compared to a lesser-experienced body who would still struggle to keep things running as smoothly, and therefore be (or at least appear) busier.

This techie will either one day get a lucky break and move onto some new exciting role within IT, or give it all up to become a Bottanist.

 

Me in a nut shell, I did get my lucky break as well. Certainly got my new exciting job in IT as the boss and I totally love it and even my IT Team is much happier (so are staff too!!).

[Earthling]

The Catch 22

 

This techie has worked in the industry for a good few years, and is now pretty good at what he does. Most things are fixed in record time, and anything that isn't is more likely to do with prioritisation than because of lack of knowledge/ability. He can do most things despite not having the certificates to prove it, and as a result finds it hard to obtain the training, either because work dont see the need, he can't afford it, or see's them as a waste of time since they really can do it already.

A thankless individual, he is under-appreciated in general, as people are used to him being able to accomplish almost any task. He is stuck in the rut of employment; where he's too good at what he does where he is, therefore everything works and he is mostly getting bored with the daily tasks and sporadic projects, compared to a lesser-experienced body who would still struggle to keep things running as smoothly, and therefore be (or at least appear) busier.

This techie will either one day get a lucky break and move onto some new exciting role within IT, or give it all up to become a Bottanist.

 

Bit of a mixture between The Catch-22 and The Re-Tred here.

 

Not moving on to any more exciting role, nor giving it up to become a Botanist. Going to see through our back-end replacement/virtualisation/migration to 2012 and accompanying Office and Exchange versions, then take early retirement, if the redundancy doesn't get me first. Which I hope it does, as I then qualify for full pension and get to bow out early.

 

Apart from the back-end replacement, which has to happen whatever, we're drinking in the proverbial Last Chance Saloon here, with August 23rd possibly becoming Year Zero.

 

Hope that's not too cryptic for anyone, and if it is, ask someone who's good at crosswords what I mean by it all.