профессиональные секреты

[avva]

Гениальный веблоггер Defective Yeti неделю назад попросил своих читателей прислать ему рассказы о профессиональных секретах — в любых, как можно более разнообразных занятиях. Из присланного ему материала он составил уже одну потрясающе интересную статью (англ.) в журнале The Morning News, и обещает (у себя в веблоге) продолжить это занятие. Очень рекомендую.

Вот несколько особенно понравившихся (но они почти все хороши):

• “...This year, for instance, a programmer can always tack the phrase “and I’m thinking of incorporating some XML functionality” onto a project summary to explain why he’ll need an extra week, account for a missed deadline, or impress a superior.”
  
  
• Nurse
  
  Patients will occasionally pretend to be unconscious. A surefire way to find them out is to pick up their hand, hold it above their face, and let go. If they smack themselves, they’re most likely unconscious; if not, they’re faking.
  
  
• Software Tester
  
  Because developers don’t expect testers to read through their code, doing so is a quick and easy way to find possible bugs. Look for comments like “// HACK” or “// fix this crap later.”
  
  
• Graphic Designer
  
  If you have a client who is unable to approve a proposed design without putting her stamp on it, just put an obvious error in the proposal: a logo that’s too large, a font that’s too small, or a few judiciously seeded typos. The client requests the change and feels she’s done her part—and your design, which was perfect all along, sails through to approval.
  
  
• Technical Support
  
  When helping someone fix their computer over the phone, and you want them to see if all the cables are plugged in correctly, don’t ask, “Have you checked to see if the cable is plugged in?” because the customer will always say, “Of course I did, do you think I’m a moron?” Instead say, “Remove the cable, blow the dust out of the connector, and plug it back in.” The customer will most likely reply, “Hey, it’s working now—I guess that dust really builds up in there!”
  
  
• Juggler
  
  With any routine under seven minutes (which is almost all of them), you only really need one thing: a good closer. And there are only two things you really need to know about a great closer. First, it needs to be impressive. That sounds obvious, but most beginning jugglers think “difficult” and “impressive” are synonymous. Your closer must look hard, but there’s no real reason it has to be hard. Secondly, you should intentionally blow your closer on the first two tries. If you get it on the first try it looks too easy, but if you “miss” it a few times it looks harder and builds tension.
  
  
• Attorney
  
  Do whatever it takes to fit your contracts onto a single page: Format with single-spacing, use a 10- or 9-point font, and reduce the margins to less than an inch. Most people assume any contract that fits on one page will be simple and straightforward, and even sophisticated negotiators can be charmed by the lack of a staple.
  

Ещё вот есть отличное обсуждение этой статьи в Метафильтре, где участники приводят ещё десятки примеров интересных профессиональных советов и секретов.