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Thread: Will I ever be taken seriously?

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    Veteran Member Naomi_Tx's Avatar
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    Default Will I ever be taken seriously?

    I haven't danced since January, after six years of it; and since then I basically sat at home and taught myself how to build and repair (well, basic hardware anyway) computers. I love it, more than any other hobby I've heard of. Problem is, that's all it is for me... a hobby; because nobody takes my seriously when I offer to repair their PC, or even just give free tips on what to do. It's feels like a slap in the face when someone, whoes PC issue I've gotten all excited about fixing for them, says something like, "Thanks anyway sweetie; but I got a tech friend of mine who'll take care of it." rt:

    I'm thinking, well what about me, am I not your friend, am I not here ready and willing to open her up, you let some drunk bozo hook up your illegal cable service so what the hell do certifications mean to you, or am I still just some dumb stripper having fun tinkering around in a box that their dumb-ass doesn't even know how to open.

    Have you experienced this as well? One more thought, if your PC suddenly stopped working, and I was you neighbor to the right, and a "neardy" tech guy whom you hardly know lived on the left, who would you call for help?

    I'm afraid to spend the time and money, not to mention the high hopes that'll be crushed if I were to get certified and still not taken seriously enough to make a living custom building (simple assembly work really) and repairing PCs. Besides, I don't know all the technical terms for this and that, what if I take a real certification test, fail, and prove them right.

    Is it always going to be this way? I see beautiful successful businesswomen, who are treated with respect, all the time; so is it just me?

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    God/dess NinaDaisy's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    I had similar issues when I worked in finance. I didn't stick around long enough to try to prove anyone wrong though. That was 5 years ago though. I might do it differently today.

    If you're gonna do this, do it all the way, be the best at it and let people know it.
    "She has written so well, and marvellously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer...But this girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers"

    Ernest Hemingway on writer, aviation pioneer and horse trainer Beryl Markham


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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    I think it's a sexist thing, I get it too. I used to work in computers - was the assistant network admin for an ISP for a while, etc., but people will just do stupid stuff with their computer and then if I offer to fix it they act like they're afraid to let me touch it.

    I think one thing tho is your attitude. Enthusiasm is often mistaken for inexperience, while cynicism is often mistaken for expertise. Act a little colder and a little more put out and see what happens.



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    God/dess Emily's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Women are never taken seriously in the high-tech world, unfortunately. This is coming from someone who was also in it as a former systems engineer for Lockheed Martin. It's also a liability to be young and not have a degree in IT or CS.

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    God/dess Casual Observer's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    On a more practical note, don't bother with A+ certifications or the like; they're really pretty worthless. MCSE and Cisco certifications are decent to have (and expensive to obtain), but there's a lot of employers out there that hire strictly on the basis of prior experience and breadth of experience. If you really want that type of work, consider getting a Help Desk position at a company. Yeah, it's shit work and you have to deal with stupid user issues all day long (you mean I have a right mouse button?), but with time and acquired skills, you can move up to higher levels of support and learn enough on the way to become a sys admin. That takes time and effort, but short of going to college or getting MCSE/Cisco certs, it's a better route.

    But considering your current skill level, you don't need to have any certifications to make acceptable money doing PCs. I'm a marginally employed grad student making all my money from doing PC work for regular people (you can check this website for ideas: www.esc-services.com ) and I turn away work fairly regularly. Here's how you do it.

    --Cater to those that are ignored or put off by the computer shops and their unintelligible nerd squads--you know, those nerds that talk to grandma like she knows what the hell a TCP/IP stack is. These people will treat you like gold. Gold. Talk to them like normal people (and like they don't have a clue) and you will have them as a customer for life. No joke. And they will tell all their friends. No joke. It takes some time, but if you can build the right clientle, it will generate itself.

    --Learn how to kill spyware. There are companies in my area charging $600 just to strip spyware from systems...and people pay it because they don't know they're being ripped off. You can be the heroine by charging 1/6th of that price and still make money. Some weeks all I do is strip spyware from systems. Hell, I have one customer that I see about every ten days because her kids continually reinfest her machines. Same goes for virus killing. Remember, you're not an average user; average users are utter morons with their machines--they think they just work like a refrigerator or something.

    --Learn how to setup broadband connections. Yes, laugh if you will, but this simple task is easy money and people need it. They also need you to setup routers and internal home networks (wired or wireless). Easy to learn if you're computer inclined, and there's demand out there.

    --Undercut your local computer shops. This is not hard to do, since most shops charge between $90 and $130 an hour for work, plus bench fees up to $200! I charge $50 an hour with a one hour minimum, even if I'm only there for 5 minutes. This serves two purposes: you don't do work for people that can't appreciate the incredible value you bring to the table, and you make the best use of appointment time.

    --Don't fix machines that aren't worth fixing. People will appreciate your honesty if you say, "You know, this 5 year old paperweight running Windows 98 isn't worth my time or your money. But for $600, you can have your basic computing needs met with an HP or Compaq from BestBuy, and I can set it up for you and move your old data over to it." Only one customer has ever told me they didn't want to do this when given that scenario. Just one. And you still get paid for setting up the rig and stripping off all the bloatware that ships with Tier One systems.

    --Cater to an older, female clientle. Sounds sexist, but it's reality. Women are not only not afraid to ask you for your help, but they talk about you if you're good to all their other friends. It's different with male clients; too many aren't honest enough to realize they don't know what the fuck they're doing until it's too late (which usually means more money for you, but more pride bullshit as well). 70% of my clientle are women, mostly older women...unfortunately.

    --Don't be afraid to say you don't know. People get technobabble bullshit thrown at them all the time and they have no idea if they're being lied to or not but it makes them feel powerless and abused--think car mechanic experiences, only much worse. With the internet and a little persistence, there is no question that does not have an answer. Use this to your advantage.

    --Don't worry about the fact that it's just a hobby for you; 90% of regular home and business user problems can be solved by a skilled hobbyist because 90% of IT problems happen between the chair and the keyboard--and there's only so much Microsoft can do about handicapping that.

    --Buy a big USB memory stick. This will make your life so much easier. Keep all your software utilities on one of these and wear it around your neck. This accomplishes two goals; you look the part--like a computer nerd, and it's easier than burning CDs everytime new revisions of software utilities come out. You just stick the thing in the port, and load right from the stick. Check out the SanDisk MiniCruzers.

    I'd post a bunch of technical sites, free software utilities and informational sites but I don't want to hog the thread. You can PM me for that crap if you feel so inclined.

    Depending on the economics of your local area, it can be tough to prime the customer pump, and admittedly, I've been doing this in an area with people who have a lot of money and for a long time...23 years by my count. Regardless, once you have a base clientle that will call you for any and all reason--sometime at any and all hours of the day and night--it will take on a life of its own.
    Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.

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    God/dess NinaDaisy's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    ^Print this out and laminate it Naomi, ASAP!
    "She has written so well, and marvellously well, that I was completely ashamed of myself as a writer...But this girl, who is to my knowledge very unpleasant and we might even say a high-grade bitch, can write rings around all of us who consider ourselves as writers"

    Ernest Hemingway on writer, aviation pioneer and horse trainer Beryl Markham


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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Naomi,
    Don't give up. If it something you want to do and like to do than stick with it! Too few people actually have jobs that they like. In a computer related field, women are always looked at as secondary for some reason. Look beyond that and try and kill that stereotype! Granted it will probably take twice the amount of work, but it will surely be worth it. Do what you can to gain credibility and do work for friends, gather strength through word of mouth or try and get a job with a reputable company. (There is a company in my city where you "rent" a computer tech by the hour. They make pretty good money too! They charge roughly $60/ hour!)
    Good luck girl and don't give up!!



    Because there ain't no tits on the radio

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    God/dess montythegeek's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Quote Originally Posted by NinaDaisy link=board=10;threadid=12887;start=msg168662#msg16 8662 date=1094141085
    ^Print this out and laminate it Naomi, ASAP!
    Naomi, I agree that Casual's ideas all make sense.

    I would add one thing to his list. Most small businesses can't afford a techie. If you know the things CO mentions consider joining/going to a local chamber of commerce meeting or some other small business group. A techie available on 3 hours notice to solve a disaster is worth five available in 3 days.

    Another thing to look into are the service companies like servicestar or service master (can't remember the name)/ they do the inhome warranty work for the hps, ibms, and gateways of the world. Find out their requirements for employment and employees and build up those must-have qualities. Even if they do not hire you, you know what the real computer folks want. I think they are your competition not the best buy geeks.

    Consider allying with a computer repair shop as a mobil repairer. You may start out as a cheap freelancer but you will gain experience and contacts. If nothing else 3 contacts like this and someone will be swamped one week.

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    God/dess Lena's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Ooh, I am the marketing queen. This is what I do, slightly adapted for what you do...

    Send a letter introducing yourself and the advantages of your service (emphasise customer rapport) to the local chamber of commerce, any other business clubs, any small computer shops that don't do their own repair (larger ones won't be allowed to make referrals) asking for referrals and offering their club or business a free training on something simple and fun. Include a little postcard that they can send back to you, with checkboxes for "yes, call and arrange a time to tell me more about your services" and "yes I want a free seminar" and "yes, bring by some of your cards and brochures." When you do the trainingis, hand out your cards. The key to this plan tho, is donuts. Keep track of the referrals you get, and every two weeks buy a box of donuts or cookes (even better home made) for each of your referrers. On the inside lid or somewhere on the box scribble a "thank you for the following referrals:" note and tape one of your cards to the box. When you get to the place, give the cookies to the people who actually make the referrals, and make sure they have enough cards/fliers/etc.

    You can easily do the same with senior clubs, etc.

    Lena



  10. #10
    Pamela
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Nice to hear from you Naomi! Glad you have found a hobby/job that can take you places! You can only go up! You certanly look like one smart lady to me, and yes I WOULD pick a woman over a guy these days for computer ANYTHING. Maybe it's just me I have been burnt alot with too many computer guys playing with my comp. Time for the ladies to step up!

    Pamela

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    Featured Member ami's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    its not just because you are a stripper, its because you are a girl. and I wouldnt be surprized at all if most of the people doing this are men and older women. I know more then most people, and even when its a simple problem if it takes more then two clicks they always say "oh, dont, I know someone..." ok, whatever.... but it also happens in non-tech areas.... like building things, even grilling! and most of these people dont know I was ever a dancer....

    certs might help. but I wouldnt spend money you dont have, maybe set aside money you make from doing this work tward further learing in this feild. kinda like buying a new dress every so often.....

    I also agree with the whole printing and laminating thing......

    oh, and watch tech tv's screen savers. its awesome. and there are sevral female geeks on there too!

  12. #12
    Featured Member GnBeret's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    It's also in how you're presenting yourself. If you're volunteering to do stuff for free like it's a hobby, you're setting the market perception for others of yourself as someone who "dabbles" in this as a hobby and is not good enough at it to make a living doing it. People tend to equate actual skill level with price charged for providing the service, so when you offer to work for free, they assume your skill level is comensurate.

    So, first step - set up a business entity (S-corp, LLC, LLP), get business cards printed, and start presenting yourself as owner/president of X entity. Next, figure out what can and cannot actually do well at this stage, do some research on existing market prices, undercut their prices by %10-%15, identify small businesses, etc., that are buyers of such services, and use the hustling skills you've acquired in this line of work to go talk them into a chance to do one job for them and show them what you can do. Then do it - on time and on budget. And DO NOT make the mistake of accepting more work than you can do on time right now - word of mouth will kill you. I watched the guy who did all of the computer stuff for our law firm go from just him, with no certifications, etc., to 10 guys, running the networks for over 1/2 dozen law firms - all in seven years. And by the end of the seven years, the SOB was making motre than the senior partner in my firm! Get one decent small business clinet, do good work for him on time at a better price than he can get from anyone else, and HE'LL get you more business.
    "That's your answer Old Man? I guess you're a Hard Case too...."
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    Featured Member GnBeret's Avatar
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    Default Re:Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Quote Originally Posted by Naomi_Tx link=board=10;threadid=12887;start=msg166806#msg16 6806 date=1093869050
    I see beautiful successful businesswomen, who are treated with respect, all the time....
    PS - I was married to one of those. She was an Ice-Princess Bitch from Hell when it came to business, but nobody made the mistake of taking her lightly or failing to treat her with respect. Now, you don't have to go that far (and I would strongly suggest you don't - in the business world, there's a big downside to that persona too), but there's a whole laundry list of habits, mannerisms, etc., that you learned, employed, and made good use of the clubs that have to be completely jettisoned for you to get where you want to go now. Look at how you dress, do your hair and makeup, and carry yourself. Watch your body language and the manner in which you deal with the men you're trying to sell on your services - 'cause your "services" are no longer "sex-related", i.e., dancing - your "services" are now technical skills and your clients have to be sold on those, not on your ability to make them want you. For the most part, being sexy, flirting, and standing too close to guys when you're talking to them will hurt your cause - ESPECIALLY if there are any other women around (like secrataries) - they'll savage you mercilessly the moment you're out the door.

    Emulate the smart, successful businesswomen you see - dress like them, act like them, etc.

    Finally (and just for the record - I absolutely HATE that it's this way... BUT, it is what it is...), from here on out, the computer business is the computer business, stripping is stripping, and never the two shall meet... meaning, there's no reason whatsoever to tell anyone you're dealing with in the computer business that you were/are a dancer; and there's every reason not to, as it will almost always wind up overriding anything and everything else they know and/or subsequently learn about you... it will control their perception of you in a very fundamental way, and will harm you in your efforts to ber taken seriously and judged on the basis of what you can do now in this field. Moreover, it'll function as a "bar" of sorts too more often than you'll ever realize is happening - secrataries, wives, etc., will make it too much trouble for a guy to hire you, even when he wants to solely on the basis of your computer skills.

    Anyway, hope some of this helps. Good luck.
    "That's your answer Old Man? I guess you're a Hard Case too...."
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    "Some men, you just can't reach...."
    - Boss, re Luke

    If there's one thing in my life these years have taught me,
    it's that you can always see it coming, but you can never stop it.
    -Cowboy Junkies

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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    It is a girl thing.I sell discount dental plan and when I had a meeting with a man, that never knew I used to dance and yet he still treated me with disrespect.He started talking about nudist resorts and how him and his wife have a open relationship.Women must demand respect to get it.

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    Curious Guest Kanjer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    what a crummy story...there are so many idiots out there, it is too bad you have to waste your time with them.

    I guess the problem is that once they find out you have danced, they figure your brain fell out along the way...well forget them and focus on your own contacts within this industry to get work repairing PC's.

    ciao

    K

  16. #16
    aussiepunkshocker
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    I think you just need to get the certificates and then be a little more assertive!
    When they suggest calling someone else then you can say " I AM a certified tecnition!" (you can add idiot to the end of that if you like depending on the person :-) or just say, "Ok - here's my number." or throw in confidantly "Ok, but if you're not happy with them give ME a call."
    Just go for it - it might be slow to start with, but it will get better if you stick with it!!!

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    I would recommend starting with some Microsoft certifications. You can just take one to get started but if you can get hired by an actual company it will help you get your foot in the door. If you know what you are doing and are good at it people will know. My brother dropped out of college and is a computer genius and can fix stuff the shops can't fix. People beg him to work on their computers. He got burnt out on it and quit his job and doesn't want another computer job but the point I guess I'm making is that if you are good at it people will find out. At first he couldn't even get a job but once he got just an entry level temp job and they realized how good he was they didn't want to let him go.

    While I am not a computer tech I've had women act like I have to not dress cute or wear a short skirt to work (and that if I do I'm a whore) but I also have a lot of clients who respect me and know I do a good job at what I do so screw the fuddy-duddies who want to say somethng about it and think you have to look like a damn man to be a successful person. If you are good at what you do people will figure it out and if they don't screw them. Just believe in yourself and do what makes YOU happy.

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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Most people do it by going to a reputable computer tech school and getting certified. It has nothing to do with your gender. Unless they are very good friends of yours and know you well, they are not very likely to trust you. And for good reason. Look how many swindlers there are out there trying to convince they can cure anything from weight problems to cancer.
    If you are as good as you say, then a certificate may be a good investment. You should get through it no problem. Other venues you might try is buying or procuring non-operational computers and restoring them for resale.
    One word about the computer industry. It is constantly changing at an alarming pace. When I first started we thought 10M was a big size for a hard drive. Now ,you can't purchase a drive smaller than 40G and they are reaching into terabites now. The standard connector was ISA . Now they are all switched over to PCI. In short, you have to keep up with the pace to be successful.

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    God/dess Mastridonicus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Quote Originally Posted by Casual Observer
    On a more practical note, don't bother with A+ certifications or the like; they're really pretty worthless.
    I have to disagree, as an employer, and an employee for some reason, employers LOOK for the A+ cert as a helper. I agree, they are worthless, but they are cheap and looked for.

    Quote Originally Posted by Casual Observer
    MCSE and Cisco certifications are decent to have (and expensive to obtain), but there's a lot of employers out there that hire strictly on the basis of prior experience and breadth of experience. If you really want that type of work, consider getting a Help Desk position at a company. Yeah, it's shit work and you have to deal with stupid user issues all day long (you mean I have a right mouse button?), but with time and acquired skills, you can move up to higher levels of support and learn enough on the way to become a sys admin. That takes time and effort, but short of going to college or getting MCSE/Cisco certs, it's a better route.
    Agreed, I have no college education or many certs <at the time> But I was working in a high end job simply because I was willing to put in the extra hours and work the shit jobs to get to where I wanted. I designed a nationwide network pos infrastructure by 21, but then again, I am complete nerd, and as you can tell from my posts here, my personality has suffered immensly. Also, Confidence is worth more than experience and Skill.

    Quote Originally Posted by Casual Observer
    But considering your current skill level, you don't need to have any certifications to make acceptable money doing PCs. I'm a marginally employed grad student making all my money from doing PC work for regular people (you can check this website for ideas: www.esc-services.com ) and I turn away work fairly regularly. Here's how you do it.

    --Cater to those that are ignored or put off by the computer shops and their unintelligible nerd squads--you know, those nerds that talk to grandma like she knows what the hell a TCP/IP stack is. These people will treat you like gold. Gold. Talk to them like normal people (and like they don't have a clue) and you will have them as a customer for life. No joke. And they will tell all their friends. No joke. It takes some time, but if you can build the right clientle, it will generate itself.

    --Learn how to kill spyware. There are companies in my area charging $600 just to strip spyware from systems...and people pay it because they don't know they're being ripped off. You can be the heroine by charging 1/6th of that price and still make money. Some weeks all I do is strip spyware from systems. Hell, I have one customer that I see about every ten days because her kids continually reinfest her machines. Same goes for virus killing. Remember, you're not an average user; average users are utter morons with their machines--they think they just work like a refrigerator or something.

    --Learn how to setup broadband connections. Yes, laugh if you will, but this simple task is easy money and people need it. They also need you to setup routers and internal home networks (wired or wireless). Easy to learn if you're computer inclined, and there's demand out there.

    --Undercut your local computer shops. This is not hard to do, since most shops charge between $90 and $130 an hour for work, plus bench fees up to $200! I charge $50 an hour with a one hour minimum, even if I'm only there for 5 minutes. This serves two purposes: you don't do work for people that can't appreciate the incredible value you bring to the table, and you make the best use of appointment time.

    --Don't fix machines that aren't worth fixing. People will appreciate your honesty if you say, "You know, this 5 year old paperweight running Windows 98 isn't worth my time or your money. But for $600, you can have your basic computing needs met with an HP or Compaq from BestBuy, and I can set it up for you and move your old data over to it." Only one customer has ever told me they didn't want to do this when given that scenario. Just one. And you still get paid for setting up the rig and stripping off all the bloatware that ships with Tier One systems.

    --Cater to an older, female clientle. Sounds sexist, but it's reality. Women are not only not afraid to ask you for your help, but they talk about you if you're good to all their other friends. It's different with male clients; too many aren't honest enough to realize they don't know what the fuck they're doing until it's too late (which usually means more money for you, but more pride bullshit as well). 70% of my clientle are women, mostly older women...unfortunately.

    --Don't be afraid to say you don't know. People get technobabble bullshit thrown at them all the time and they have no idea if they're being lied to or not but it makes them feel powerless and abused--think car mechanic experiences, only much worse. With the internet and a little persistence, there is no question that does not have an answer. Use this to your advantage.

    --Don't worry about the fact that it's just a hobby for you; 90% of regular home and business user problems can be solved by a skilled hobbyist because 90% of IT problems happen between the chair and the keyboard--and there's only so much Microsoft can do about handicapping that.

    --Buy a big USB memory stick. This will make your life so much easier. Keep all your software utilities on one of these and wear it around your neck. This accomplishes two goals; you look the part--like a computer nerd, and it's easier than burning CDs everytime new revisions of software utilities come out. You just stick the thing in the port, and load right from the stick. Check out the SanDisk MiniCruzers.
    This is INVALUABLE information. This is how you build a resume, I agree with this entirely.

    Quote Originally Posted by Casual Observer
    I'd post a bunch of technical sites, free software utilities and informational sites but I don't want to hog the thread. You can PM me for that crap if you feel so inclined.
    Which? I read but never post anywhere but my local groups. Problem with penis tests pisses me off SOOOO quick

    "Hey Thunderbird dropped all of its settings today, saying the program was still running, I don't see it in process lists, or even a lock in the profile folder. Any Ideas?"

    "BUY A MAC!"
    -or-
    "USE *cult email program other than Thunderbird*"

    I HATTTTTEEEE that.


    Quote Originally Posted by Casual Observer
    Depending on the economics of your local area, it can be tough to prime the customer pump, and admittedly, I've been doing this in an area with people who have a lot of money and for a long time...23 years by my count. Regardless, once you have a base clientle that will call you for any and all reason--sometime at any and all hours of the day and night--it will take on a life of its own.
    [/Quote]

    I made a great lot of money driving around with a wireless tester, and when I found an unsecured wireless network, I located the building walked up, knocked or left a paper saying "You have an unsecured wireless network, these are the laws in our area and how they effect you in computer use on your service if someone where to unknowingly use your unsecured connection I will secure this for x.xx" and my card.

    I also have no qualms correcting the folks at BB/CC/STAPLES/OFFICEMAX. I have a lot of clients today from doing that.

    Its confidence in its rawest form. I still help where I see its needed, and don't be afraid to spend time/effort for free... This profession is almost no different than Medicine or Mechanics or Law in that you have to be one of the best to make it and every skill level has a need in the work force!!

    For example only 30% of all dell users have actually called dell support with problems!

    You can do it! And if you're anywhere near lake erie, I'd help ya get some experience!

    Mast
    People are not ruled by their memories.

  20. #20
    Veteran Member girlnew156's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    Worked for a computer repair shop, still do.
    Most repairs are this, replace the motherboard.
    That is it. Ain't no big deal building a computer.
    Matter of fact, I am posting this on a computer I built myself

    Shuttle mainboard
    Tnt Riva grahpics card 64 meg.
    40 gig Magnetic Data Tech. Hardrive.
    1 gig memory.
    Netgear FA311 network card.

    Yeah, it is a chop suey of computer, but don't knock it
    it works.
    And everybody thinks I'm a dumb stripper girl.
    Oh, well, so damn what.

  21. #21
    Featured Member thechaosfairy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    To make a presentable tech authority, you want to look like "one of the guys." Dress in pants of a fairly unisex cut with a t-shirt, polo, or button-up. Wear a baseball cap, preferably one of the ones that's in a mature color and good fabric. Swagger. Presentation matters more than your actual gender; a male *attitude* is one of the things that signals to people that you know what you're talking about, and it's putting on a persona, just like stripping. Hang out with geeks and learn their social patterns.

    I have distinct 'masculine' and 'feminine' personas, and I worked at Radio Shack for a year and a half; not everyone did, but a LOT of people expected me to know everything about everything! Occasionally I got the "but you're a girl" attitude -- only a few times ever, because I DON'T have submissive mannerisms. It was usually "can you get your manager to help me, I'm sure he'll know what I'm talking about". Since my manager was also female, I secretly gloated over doing so . . .

  22. #22
    God/dess Mr Hyde's Avatar
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    Default Re: Will I ever be taken seriously?

    cool, a stripper who posts in verse form...

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