The company's culture of doing what needed to be done to keep the place humming did get frustrating at times. Thankfully, they don't read this publication! With her hearing restored, my co-worker was able to return to her work after making me swear not to reveal this story to any of the other staff. Momentary thoughts of being a surgeon sped through my brain, which I quickly dismissed. Grabbing the end of the shaft I pulled it out. I gently inserted the pliers into the ear canal, careful not to push the Q-tip deeper. I returned to my toolbox and got my longest set of needle-nose pliers. If it didn't work she would have to choose the ER or a doctor. I looked at the ear and told her I would make one and only one attempt. Nothing had worked and she didn't want to go to the ER or a doctor. She explained that the Q-tip had broken off while she was getting ready for work and she had tried everything, including going to the drugstore and getting her ear flushed to dislodge it. It was very damp, and I could see that water still remained in the ear canal. I shined the light into her ear and saw clearly what was plaguing her: the broken end of a Q-tip. "Look in there," she said, pointing to her ear. Once I came back she laid her head down with her left ear up. She told me to get my flashlight and return, but she didn't offer any other details. When I arrived at her desk, she said, "I know you were once an EMT, and I need your help." Intrigued, I replied, "What do you need?" I went to her office wondering what new tech task or calamity would present itself. I had seen her scurry into her office a bit late and looking agitated, but I figured it wasn't my concern. Early one morning, I was in my cubicle when a co-worker buzzed me. I was getting used to odd requests that were far from my IT expertise, but one was especially surprising. What are your qualifications?įor me, I had experience with several vocations before obtaining a degree in computer science, so I found myself often called on to do many jobs, including (but not limited to) the following: light the boiler if the heat was out, check out the AC unit on the roof that wasn't functioning, replace light bulbs, and even repair broken flappers in toilets. We soon learned which person in the office had which skills or would at least give a problem a go, regardless of title. Most corporations would have a staff three times our size, but when your efficient and capable practices keep things running, cries for additional staff generally fall on deaf ears.īecause the company was shorthanded, we were expected to fill in wherever we were needed, even if it was outside the realm of the IT job description. We supported multiple branches in about eight different industry sectors. Our IT shop was small but very efficient. It was a laudable goal, but it sometimes presented us with unexpected situations. When I worked for a family-owned company some time ago, everyone was expected to do whatever it took to keep the company profitable.
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