My Weird Job

I want to write a little about my weird job.  My title is Graphic Operator, which means, technically, that I operate a graphic producing machine (i.e. a laptop with PowerPoint).  But that doesn’t explain anything really.  For those who work in corporate america, you’ve probably been to a big meeting, usually held in a hotel ballroom, and some corporate mucky-muck stands up on a stage and talks about how great the company is doing, or not, as the case may be.

If the presenter on stage is using PowerPoint slides, and there is no laptop visible, then there is a Graphics Op somewhere, usually behind the curtain, running the PowerPoint slides for the presenter

If you don’t work in corporate america, then go watch a TED video.  It is basically the same set up:  A stage, video and audio equipment, stage crew with headsets on talking to each other about what a pain in the butt the presenter is, and lastly, a presenter.

If you haven’t ever seen a TED video, then go watch one, they’re amazing.  (Start with this one, http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_shermer_on_believing_strange_things.html)

My job is to make the presenters look like they know how to use PowerPoint.  They can’t.  It is the easiest software in the world to use, and these people make a thousand times the money I make, but they don’t know how to draw a box or do the most basic animation.  And forget making the text legible.

Here is some free advice – if you are ever going to give a presentation, don’t use any text. Just use pictures.  The second the audience starts reading something on the screen, they’ve stopped listening to you.

I found this funny video on youtube that describes my job perfectly:

(NSFW – be careful, there is a lot of cursing in it)

I’ve done this job for more than ten years now.  I’m starting to get tired of it, but I don’t know what else I should do to make money. Anyone got any ideas?

My qualifications: I’m a hard worker, if the work is interesting and relevant.   I get along with other people, as long as I can respect them.  I’m smart, but I have a bad memory.  I’m really fast, but not particularly accurate.   I’m task oriented which means I have no patience for vague corporate speak.

Tried to do a search with all those qualifiers on Monster.com – No Results.

Oh well,  I guess I should stick with what I have.