I.T. (Score 1)

Several years back I posted an article on LockerGnome. Entitled "What is your definition of an I. T. Professional," I think it is highly relevant to this discussion. I.T. is a new profession in the history of the world, and in it's definition, not unlike legal, religion, accounting, even medical (if you want to argue the value of human life, try getting free medical treatment). I've worked for lawyers, doctors, accountants, and even clergy, and although I might not want to be associated with any of them, I feel I. T. professionals deserve recognition AS professionals. I. T. people make companies run, they create and run the systems that generate revenue, while the antiquated business people take credit. Without the I. T. people, the business people would be doing business on paper. That article is here: http://www.lockergnome.com/it/2007/08/06/what-is-your-definition-of-an-it-professional/ But business doesn't want this. They want to keep the I. T. people down. They think all we do is type, and I've actually heard, "Can't you type faster?" Obviously that person was so inadequate as to even understand the depth of out knowledge or what we really do. They think we are just the geeks that they belittled in school, and we kept laughing and saying it's OK. It is in fact business that is antiquated. Take meetings for example. Meetings are a throwback to days before telephones, when business HAD to call people together to disseminate and gather information. That they still cling to this is simple proof of their obsolescence. Getting back to the topic at hand, and that is, "What to do when responsibilities spiral," the answer to that will come when I. T. is recognized as a profession. I took a job as a programmer, and ended up being Network Admin and Webmaster and even computer-builder. Yes, I should have been paid more. Another way we get conned into more responsibilities is when we are asked to give of our personal lives. If an I. T. person carries a pager and thus cannot be free to live their life, cannot have drinks at dinner for fear of being paged, well that I. T. person should be paid for all his time, THE SAME WAY that a lawyer would demand a retainer for merely being available. We need the lawyers to do their job and PROSECUTE those responsible when companies LIE TO CONGRESS and ask for more H1B visas when so many I. T. People are out of work. Limit the number of people in the field and the value will return. I'd like to say we need a national union but ... well, there actually is a limit to the flames I wish to create.