So what Am I Now?

What I was…

For a very long time I’ve been a technology person. There was a time when I could solder up all 25 Wires of an RS-232 connector from memory. (Yes, at one time there were 25 wires. Few people used them all, which resulted in an addition to the specification that gave us the more familiar 9 pin connectors.I’ve always suspected par of the revision was because manufacturers started using the same 25 pin connector family for parallel printers.) The thing that’s funny is that like most of my brethren today, I’m a living encyclopedia of the computer industry. 

At that time, I could also troubleshoot to component level many of the problems that happened with the machines that were common in the work place Computer, printer, copier, fax, or even telephone.

In those days you were a computer guy and that meant that you had the tools, aptitude, and ability to work on pretty much any office equipment. It didn’t matter that you might not have the “Formal” training, everyone assumed that you were capable of figuring stuff out. 

Unfortunately, That was a volatile time in the computer industry. My resume reads like a eulogy for the fallen corporations I’ve worked for and been laid off from.

Over the years, I’ve kept up with technology, I’ve adapted to the ever-changing environment and new ways of doing things. Sure I remember some truly useless shit. Nowdays who needs to know the difference between MFM and RLL drives? Who needs to know that at one time there was 300 BPI and 800 BPI magnetic tape? When was the last time you saw a Teletype aside from in a museum? Do you even know what a Teletype is?

But ALL of that useless shit still has a bearing on how things work. Did you know that computers still have the ability to respond to old teletype commands? You’ll see it in terminal programs even today. A bit is STILL a bit, 0 or 1. Until quantum computing becomes widely distributed we’ll still be talking 0 or 1, on or off.

Once quantum computing goes main stream then we’ll all have to think in qubits and then the paradigm will shift. But until then the basics I learned back in the stone age of computing still apply.

In looking for a new job I’ve been amazed at how narrow the focus has become. Most HR people and a surprising number of hiring managers haven’t a clue what they’re talking about.

For example, the questions:

Do you know about Ethernet

Do you know about TCP/IP

 and

Do you know about Networking?

Mean practically the same thing in the context of computer systems. However each HR person and many Hiring managers ask these three questions over and over again. And they get annoyed when you answer “Yes, these are all interrelated and to some extent in normal conversation synonymous. The only time that you would be concerned about the individual questions is when the general network failed or you were setting up a new network”.

Were I a hiring manager, if someone I interviewed said that I’d HIRE the person! Alas, I’m not king of the world yet and so I patiently answer each question yes. Until the person asking the questions manages to meander through the entire list and realizes that they now know nothing more about me other than my capacity to say “yes”. Simply asking questions about terms does nothing to confirm that an individual knows how to apply that information.

I don’t interview well.

I do know a great deal about a number of things. My primary strength is my ability to simplify the highly technical data and relate the information to most people in terms that they understand. I’m also adept at figuring out things on the fly and if left to my own methods will deliver consistently high quality work.

Problem is, nowadays nobody seems all that interested in creating quality work. It’s about teams and balanced approaches and making sure that every member of the team is contributing their best, even if their “Best” isn’t up to par. Oh and By the way… you can’t boot the sub par people from the project because it would damage their career.

But it’s perfectly ok to have sub par people drag the rest of the group down the tubes and even better if we all end up in the unemployment line together.

Homogenization isn’t ALWAYS the answer. Sometimes the folks on the short bus NEED to be on the short bus.

My way of thinking is out of step, wrong headed and contrary to group think. Unfortunately, I can’t hide that I CAN and WILL think and act independently. I guess at my age I’m tired of dealing with morons who control my fate but who will never share it.