"Technology is just beginning, actually," adds Sue Fanning,
a computer technician. "The opportunities for advancement and challenges are
untapped," says computer technician Sue Fanning. "There are few limitations
in this field."
Fanning is working on her degree in management information systems, and
so far most of her training has been on the job. She says her degree combined
with her experience should put her in a "wonderful position in future endeavors."
For now, a typical day for Fanning is hectic. "[We're] responsible
for everything from pulling networking cable and installing hubs to setting
up the user lists and email accounts, individual instruction, hardware and
software installation, and troubleshooting."
She says the job duties are diverse. Yet she does have a favorite aspect
picked out: "The best thing would have to be working with the people and getting
to play with the latest technologies."
In contrast, technician Scott Hammons works at a computer store. Much of
his job involves repairing or updating computers sold by the store. You might
think that people with new computers wouldn't have any problems at all,
but Hammons says at least one-third of the store's customers report problems
within a week of buying their computers.
"After a few days, I'll receive a call from a customer. It almost
always goes something like this: 'The computer was working fine until
my friend, nephew [or] neighbor came over and helped me configure it [set
it up]. Now nothing works right.'
"At this point we express shock that such a thing could ever happen, tell
them to restore certain files that we had safely hidden away, and admonish
them for ever letting someone touch the computer besides themselves or their
family."
In such cases, his good communication skills come in handy. "People usually
expect me to speak 'computerese.' They are surprised when I explain
the problem in terms they understand."
Hammons has seen some pretty weird problems during his years as a computer
technician. Sometimes fixing them is as simple as plugging the computer in
or ensuring the monitor is turned on and the keyboard hooked up.
Hammons enjoys being a computer technician. "I enjoy finding an especially
difficult computer problem and then fixing it," he says. "There is a lot of
job satisfaction in taking a computer that no one else has been able to get
working and fixing it."
Fellow computer tech Robert Quig also has seen his share of problems. He
works at a university, helping to coordinate repairs.
Quig helps solve all kinds of problems. "The easiest are of the 'Um,
did you plug it in?' variety and range up to multiple failures of components."
In most cases Quig finds that the computer has been set up incorrectly.
Other times, things go really wrong. A repair technician may try to replace
the system board on a computer, but that won't solve the problem. Then
they check the power supply. Still no luck.
"After considerable head scratching, you might try both simultaneously,
figuring that one is blowing the other," explains Quig. "This [kind of problem]
can be extremely frustrating."
At times like these, it helps to have friends in the same business. "I
speak on the phone with technicians from across the country," he says. "If
a problem arises, I often speak with product engineers and support people
from other help desks."
Another challenging part of the job is telling a customer that equipment
can't be fixed or that repairs will be costly. "An undesirable part is
informing customers when disaster has struck. Maybe there's data that
can't be recovered or a part that has failed and will cost hundreds or
thousands of dollars to replace."
Despite such problems, Quig finds his job challenging and rewarding.
"It's great to be able to fix in 30 seconds a problem that the customer
thought was going to have their system down for hours and cost piles to fix."
A computer service and repair technician's work is always interesting,
says Quig. "The job never gets boring because the learning never stops. Working
on the cutting edge of technology gives you the chance to work with things
most people won't see for another few years."
Just as technologies change, so do the problems. With the constant introduction
of new models and more complex programs, Hammons says he has to keep well
informed.
Fanning agrees. Her advice for those considering a career as a computer
technician is: "Get your degree. Get some broad experience. There are numerous
jobs out there for good technicians. The pay for 'degreed,' experienced
techs is great. The opportunities in this profession are endless, as long
as you keep your training and abilities up to date."