132
votes
Accepted
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
Unfortunately the tech support people you are speaking to are probably as frustrated as you are at having to go through the basic stuff with you.
Large companies especially deal with the massive ...
- 27k
51
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
I've been a freelance web developer for a number of years and dealt with this situation countless times.
The best course of action I've found is to call them rather than e-mail them, explain the ...
- 3,011
23
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
I currently work for a small IT company that provides support for businesses around the city. I am the tech support/help desk for the company.
Process
Our company probably works different than the ...
- 921
22
votes
How can I assert my domain knowledge, while signalling openness to useful information, over email?
How can I assert my domain knowledge, while signalling openness to useful information, over email?
Generally... Switch them around and sandwich them. Act like the guy is the kindest person in the ...
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17
votes
How can I assert my domain knowledge, while signalling openness to useful information, over email?
I would approach this from the point of view of egoless programming. Address this as "we are on the same team, we have the same basic goal, we are trying to help each other", rather than "why is this ...
- 7,277
16
votes
Accepted
How to inform my family of my child's new gender identity?
Disclaimer: I am not trans, but I am queer and I came out to my immediate and extended family when I was 17, so I can only speak from my experience.
Regardless of how you plan a coming out, it ...
- 669
15
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
I used to work in web hosting support, so I can provide a perspective from the other side.
One of the greatest challenges in the job is properly gauging the technical level of the customer. Depending ...
- 568
12
votes
Accepted
Love Confession by Personally Handing Over Handwritten Letter
Being an introvert is not a problem. I am an introvert. That means that talking with people makes me tired instead of the opposite. While it's true that I became uninterested in other people and quite ...
- 2,824
10
votes
Accepted
How to tell when a girl friend is not a girlfriend?
An easy way to handle it, would be to just assume 'girlfriend' and clarify with something like:
I'm glad to hear that you're seeing someone, how long have you two been together?
In this case they'...
- 54.9k
8
votes
How should I explain technical things to non-technical people?
Explaining technical things to non-technical people is a great skill, one I do not claim to master. I can give some tips though.
Try to avoid as much detail as possible. Every detail you mention ...
- 6,932
8
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
I hope you can take a deep breath.....
Tech support works with scripts.
Just get to know these scripts by heart and answer all questions from the script you can in one long sentence, before they ask ...
- 673
7
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
I am especially interested in the views of people who have worked/are working in tech support and know the other side of the fence.
Check.
How do I show tech support that I am qualified enough to ...
- 266
7
votes
How to tell someone that I'm on the autism spectrum while mitigating the risk of not been believed?
I've thought about your question quite a while, particularly for you being so insistent about it - this is not the first time that you bring up the issue in one way or the other. I've actually thought ...
- 336
7
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How can I do mirroring online, similar to my mirroring in person?
Short Answer:
Don't mirror body language, tone or facial expressions online. Only do it in person. In text messages, do keep your questions and answers to the same length as the other person.
Long ...
- 171
6
votes
Love Confession by Personally Handing Over Handwritten Letter
Being an introvert, you prefer to write how you feel.
However, a love letter could make things awkward early in a friendship. You are just friends who haven't been alone with each other yet. You don'...
- 7,506
6
votes
How to inform my family of my child's new gender identity?
I'm on the autism spectrum and I'm also agender.
When I was 23 years old, I had a lot of difficulties and decided to find out if I was, or not, in the autism spectrum (which would have explained my ...
- 17.2k
6
votes
In online dating, how do I ask a date why she seems so disinterested?
Some general advice that works well for me in a variety of situations, and appears to fit here as well: instead of asking "please tell me why you are not X-ing", especially why someone is ...
- 45k
6
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Why is it considered bad form to break up with someone over written text?
I've never had to do it the way you mention it, nor would have had chosen to do it that way, but it's a question of culture and education, and we all receive different tips on how to behave with ...
- 22.3k
6
votes
How can I ask my neighbours to refrain from using EV spaces?
When I was a kid, we had to deal with neighbours parking their car on allocated spots. Not always the same car or neighbour. We had no choice but park way too far or on a rather illegal and insecure ...
- 22.3k
5
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
One solution that fixed this issue with my ISP was that when I went through the first and second line and got in touch with the people that fixed my problem, I asked them if they could give me one of ...
- 151
5
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
Often it will not help you. Many support hotlines have a script, they need to use. So if you have a problem with your internet connection and your router tells you the exact reason, they will ...
- 149
5
votes
How to let tech support subtly know that I am proficient without showing off?
The simple answer is that you cannot - there are no words that let you sidestep the checklist process that most first line support teams use. Well, aside from knowing the answers to give that get you ...
- 4,029
5
votes
Accepted
How do I encourage my literature penpal to share her opinions more?
The most effective way I've found to get an opinion out if someone who is hesitant to give it is to ask them specific questions in a narrow scope. Consider the difference between
What did you think ...
- 5,861
5
votes
Why is it considered bad form to break up with someone over written text?
Many people, including me and the people I grew up with, rank the sorts of things you might communicate with another person about on a scale of seriousness or importance. So for example breaking up ...
- 45k
4
votes
How to tell when a girl friend is not a girlfriend?
In German, the situation is even worse, because we don't use different words for "friend" and "girl-/boyfriend" at all. So we have to listen for some nuance.
The first thing that can clue you in is ...
- 1,092
4
votes
How to tell when a girl friend is not a girlfriend?
I don't think there is a clear-cut answer to this. As you say, context is important. And there isn't a clear distinction between girlfriend and girl friend either, as far as I know.
If I say, My girl ...
- 10.2k
4
votes
Love Confession by Personally Handing Over Handwritten Letter
If you have her phone number I would ask her if you can meet to drink something or just talk. If you don't have her phone number try to talk with her when you see her at the train station. Don't ...
- 341
4
votes
How should I explain technical things to non-technical people?
To my knowledge your best bet is to build upon a metaphor or abstraction which the audience can relate to. If your audience is homogeneous it's easier to build upon a concept they are very likely to ...
- 2,016
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