Ask HN: Explain to non-techies what you do: Programmer? Developer? Engineer?

Re:Ask HN: Explain to non-techies what you do: Programmer? D... by ohyes on Sunday October 03, 2010 @06:51PM (#1753886)

I sit in a a beige cubicle at a computer, and I type. Mostly I write computer code. In the afternoon I drink a lot of coffee to keep me from nodding off. Sometimes I talk on the phone or answer e-mails, other times I train people to use the software that we make.

When I am asked at a party, I put more emphasis on what the software that I work on does than what I do at work.

Programmers are literally minded, we often assume that we must actually answer the questions that people ask us. This is not correct. When someone engages you in smalltalk, they are asking you to tell a story. It doesn't even have to be a true story... (although outright lying is probably ill advised.)

Giving a job title or generic description is painfully dull.

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Re:Ask HN: Explain to non-techies what you do: Programmer? D... by derefr on Sunday October 03, 2010 @07:01PM (#1753917)

Well, the problem here is that there are two types of people you'll make smalltalk with—those who you will eventually form a working relationship with (1%), and those you won't—and the two groups have separate "best solutions," but are hard to differentiate beforehand.

You can outright lie to the 99%, if you think that will help—but whatever you tell the 1%, they'll go on believing when you work with them.

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Re:Ask HN: Explain to non-techies what you do: Programmer? D... by paulbaumgart on Sunday October 03, 2010 @07:07PM (#1753929)

That's a very good insight. Mentally translating the question into "What problem are you currently trying to solve and why should I care?" can make for much more interesting conversation.

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