fundamentals???
Jul. 30th, 2007 10:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
susandennisThis will sound sarcastic and I really don't mean it to be. I honestly want to know if I'm being unfairly critical.
Shouldn't a person hired to do web production, have enough technical skills to get their email without help? The email system is simple POP3, through a local ISP. No client is dictated and that ISP has a nice web interface you can use. The new web producer at work is working my last nerve.
Although he was given all of the same information I was and I had no trouble setting everything up unaided, he needed help when he first started. So, I helped him set up his Outlook a couple of weeks ago and it was working fine. I also showed him how to use the web interface. Now he says his email is broken.
I think that in 2007 when you are hired for technical skills, knowing simple fundamentals and being able to troubleshoot issues intelligently should be an expected part of the package.
'email is broken' is not what I would consider effective troubleshooting. Neither is IMing me asking me to send him test emails. He has a hotmail account. He can do his own damn testing.
If my email was broken, I sure as hell would not expect anyone to help me until I had exhausted all possible avenues including the help desk at the ISP. Plus, shame alone would motivate me to involve as few people as possible.
I am being harsh. But, I am not a help desk. And I know I'm not being kind or sympathetic.
But am I being unreasonable? Seriously, tell me. I can take it.
Edit: Thanks, guys!! It's great to get such quick validation. I did suggest (and kindly - well, kindly for me which means he did not need bandages) that he could wait for our boss's IT guy to come in OR he could actually call the ISP's help desk himself. He got the picture. I sure hope he has more chops in the production area than he has in basics. Producers are hard to find.
Shouldn't a person hired to do web production, have enough technical skills to get their email without help? The email system is simple POP3, through a local ISP. No client is dictated and that ISP has a nice web interface you can use. The new web producer at work is working my last nerve.
Although he was given all of the same information I was and I had no trouble setting everything up unaided, he needed help when he first started. So, I helped him set up his Outlook a couple of weeks ago and it was working fine. I also showed him how to use the web interface. Now he says his email is broken.
I think that in 2007 when you are hired for technical skills, knowing simple fundamentals and being able to troubleshoot issues intelligently should be an expected part of the package.
'email is broken' is not what I would consider effective troubleshooting. Neither is IMing me asking me to send him test emails. He has a hotmail account. He can do his own damn testing.
If my email was broken, I sure as hell would not expect anyone to help me until I had exhausted all possible avenues including the help desk at the ISP. Plus, shame alone would motivate me to involve as few people as possible.
I am being harsh. But, I am not a help desk. And I know I'm not being kind or sympathetic.
But am I being unreasonable? Seriously, tell me. I can take it.
Edit: Thanks, guys!! It's great to get such quick validation. I did suggest (and kindly - well, kindly for me which means he did not need bandages) that he could wait for our boss's IT guy to come in OR he could actually call the ISP's help desk himself. He got the picture. I sure hope he has more chops in the production area than he has in basics. Producers are hard to find.
