Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ut-ngp.UTEXAS Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!qantel!dual!mordor!ut-sally!ut-ngp!linscomb From: linscomb@ut-ngp.UTEXAS (Thomas J. Linscomb) Newsgroups: net.singles Subject: Re: Re: Showing Off (Athletics VS Intell Message-ID: <2030@ut-ngp.UTEXAS> Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 03:44:15 EDT Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.2030 Posted: Mon Jul 15 03:44:15 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 17-Jul-85 21:00:52 EDT References: <1030@trwatf.UUCP> <33100024@ISM780.UUCP> Organization: UTexas Computation Center, Austin, Texas Lines: 38darryl@ISM780.UUCP writes: > >At my job I work on C compilers, for a software company >that specializes in doing Unix ports. When I meet people socially, a >frequently asked question is "What do you do for a living?" How can I >answer without being boorish or boring? For example > >"What do you do?" > "I write compilers." nobody outside the industry knows what that is... > -- or -- > "I am a computer programmer." >"Oh, what does your company do?" > "We sell Unix ports to OEMs." Huh? > -- or -- > "I am a computer programmer." >"What do you program?" > "I write language translators." >"Like English to Russian?" "Sea? Do you work in Atlantis?" Sigh. > -- and so on... -- > >How can I answer this without making them feel like they are stupid, but >also avoiding the path "It's a very technical job, you wouldn't understand >without a longwinded and boring discussion"? > >(--Darryl Richman, INTERACTIVE Systems Corp. A few pointers that I can think of are: 1. Think about your explaination before you start talking; 2. Use words and analogies that you think the person will under- stand; 3. Break up the explanation into digestable parts; 4. And probably most important, read the feedback that the person is giving you regarding your explanation. ------ linscomb@ut-ngp aka Thomas J. Linscomb (I must feel talkative tonight, two followups in one night!)