Does anyone here work in "tech"? What the hell do you actually do?

I realize I'm full of foolish questions on this forum, but I always seem to get good answers so maybe they aren't too foolish after all.

I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to Fancy jobs, but I'm really curious what tech people actually do. Everyone just says they're "in tech". I know it involves a ton of programming, and a ton of smarts, but aside from that what does a tech job entail, because they all seem to make a boatload of money.

 

@Wulf @0xDEADBEEF @Speedytech7

 

They figure out how to push as many ads to your phone as possible

 

I break software and tell the developer to fix it just to be ignored and they push it into production anyways. Then the bosses come screaming at me because "I didn't test it", give them the bird and repeat.

 

In my case, it involves a tremendous amount of data analysis, a little math with a touch of coding and statistical analysis. Throw some database management in for good measure.

 

I understood a few of those words. But for real, this is pretty much what I thought it was. Way above my pay grade.

 

I run a team of aeronautics and astronautics engineers several at the PhD level that code high performance computation fluid dynamics (CFD) and data analysis tools in our applications that primarily serve aerospace design and development customers.

 

Web enabled client server performance analysis/test. Went from essentially a mainframe house, to Java survived the Websphere/Web Logic/Redhat wars, and retired when they went cloud (Azure).

 

I get paid to push buttons. But its more so having the tact and timing of when to push the button. Also having an alternate plan if the button pushing doesn't generate the proper action or response.

 

My wife just tells people I do "the clicky clackies"... shes not wrong. Senior Software Enginneer. But lately, I've been doing a lot of software design and planning (architecture) and then helping to mentor the junior devs to write it... And yes- compared to what I was doing prior to the career change, the pay is much more comfortable.

 

There are a lot of jobs "in tech" that don't require actual programming. Sales, training, project management, change management, etc... It's all good and well to have a group of programmers writing an application, but they need the support of others to fulfill all those roles. If you were serious about a career change start looking at job postings in tech and see what transferable skills you bring to the table.

 

I'm a building technician and admin for a school district... I do some problem solving but a lot of my time is spent on clerical issues TBH. Being in tech on the user support and administration side is more problem solving and critical thinking on workflows than it is techno jargon. Although having a good lexicon of techno jargon and english really helps dig up the right answers faster. If you're analytical or at the very least organized, you can work on the user support side of IT. I like to program and tinker in my free time but I'm not proficient enough in any language to get paid for it haha.

 

I work support and do development on data analytics systems for railroads. Trying to drag a very old school industry into the modtern age by giving them more information about their operations. I do programming, politicking, persuading and provide training. A little bit of everything really, even mounted TVs on a wall once.

 

Systems Administrator here.. I just tell people to reboot all day.

 

"Have you tried turning it off and on again?"

My wife sometimes asks me this question............I feel like Chandler from Friends
Lots of IT background, but currently run a large DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) telcom switching network. Its basically the large pipe (100G and what-not) connections between a companies large sites here and abroad.

 

I love the days when I can get out and do something manual like running a new line or whatever. Sometimes I get to pretend I'm not part of administration team still

 

See my above quote from IT Crowd that served me well as an Admin.

 

I almost posted the pic of Roy lol.

 

I was going for Moss!

 

"Weird is all I've got, that and my sweet, sweet style"