Communication in the IT industry

[DoubleHelix]

I've worked in IT for a long time, and I've never heard the term "ultra geek". Anyone in IT not on the Help Disk is actually almost always not geeky at all. They're more business-focused.

No one likes to listen to someone else's resume. If you're walking up to IT folks, or really anyone for that matter, and rattling off your certifications and qualifications outlining why you know more than they do, you're not likely going to get a warm reception. Professionals don't like to play "one up".

 

[sPl!t_h0r!z0n]

You have never worked with anyone who was rude and thought that they knew it all? Or perhaps worked with someone who was trying soi hard to please the boss that they wanted it to apear that they had all the answers? Or someone who had a big enough ego that they could never be wrong?

wow man, you must work with angels, true professionals. Id like to work with you and your colleagues.

 

[DoubleHelix]

I don't even get the response. I was referring to situations where customers come up to IT professionals and start the conversation with an "I-know-more-than-you" attitude.

IT pros are just people. The idea that "all" or even "most" fall into one category or another is a sign that the wrong attitude from the initiator is likely at play.

 

[mikesgroovin]

You have never worked with anyone who was rude and thought that they knew it all? Or perhaps worked with someone who was trying soi hard to please the boss that they wanted it to apear that they had all the answers? Or someone who had a big enough ego that they could never be wrong?

That can happen anywhere.
You can't change the way that someone presents him/herself to you initially. What you can take a part in changing is the way that that person interacts with you by projecting a professional attitude. Over the past 10 years in different positions in IT I've dealt with a great range of people. Some don't talk enough (especially when they should) and others talk more than they should. It's the nature of the person you are interacting with... not the profession. I've had plenty of encounters with people that love to talk about themselves (sometimes public and sometimes in private). The only thing you can do is respond in a way that does a couple things all at once:
is respectful to the person
redirects the conversation back to the project or original discussion

Over time, you learn who is who and how to engage or interact with certain IT professionals that you work with. But again, this goes with anyone in ANY profession. Right now I work in an environment dealing with IT that mixes with physicians, chief medical personnel and other radiologists. Believe me, they can act the same way toward each other. Some of the decisions that I'm helping to make are a little more critical in human nature than I'm used to. I'm just glad that the decisions that I have had to make or help make with some other people over the past 10 years weren't a matter of a human life.

All things begin equal with how some professionals (egotistical or not) interact with each other and considering some other professions. We (IT) have it pretty good...