Stereotypes and misconceptions exist because people make assumptions – so if you’re seen working with a computer, people take it for granted that you’re a programmer who knows a lot about software or a technician who takes care of the hardware issues that crop up from time to time.
What they do not realize is that there are a wide variety of jobs that span the field of computer science, and that today, the computer is a ubiquitous tool that is used in every sphere of life. In general, web designers are mistaken for computer technicians, especially in places where the awareness of the difference between the two jobs is not high. This is because:
- They don’t understand computers: If you’re seen to be working on a computer, and if people around you don’t understand what you do for a living, they tend to assume that you’re a computer technician. It’s not that they’re being deliberately obtuse; it’s just that it’s easier for them to associate you with the only career they know related to computers rather than try to grasp the concepts of web design.
- Some employers don’t differentiate the job designations clearly: In some organizations, there is no clear demarcation between the roles of computer technicians and web designers. It’s just one or two people who are responsible for all their computer-related tasks. So people associated with such smaller organizations are likely to confuse a web designer for a computer technician, or just use the latter term for the former because they don’t really differentiate between the two.
- Some web designers don’t really design: And finally, the worst possible reason for this misconception is the attitude of some web designers themselves. They are not really designers in the true sense of the word. Rather, they know a little HTML and a few operations using Photoshop or Dreamweaver, and they call themselves web designers. In fact, they just tinker around with websites that already exist, add unnecessary effects to them, and think that they’ve actually done a designer’s work. They’re really not designers, and people who know this, tend to call them what they really are – computer technicians.
In general, misconceptions tend to arise when there is a low level of awareness, so if efforts are made to educate people on what it is that web designers really do, these assumptions will disappear.
This guest post is contributed by Barbara Williams, she writes on the topic of Computer Technician Programs. Email her at: [email protected].
Danny: Barbara really has a knack for writing and all I did was tell her what the theme of the post should be. Do let her know what you thought of her article in the comments. :)