Technology is getting better everyday and people do tend to test people on the daily basis.
Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.
The information is then used to access important accounts and can result in identity theft and financial loss.
Examples of Phishing
Here are some examples of Phishing Attacks
Phishing Email
Spear Phishing
Link Manipulation
Fake Websites
CEO Fraud
Content Injection
Malware
“Evil Twin” Wi-Fi
Mobile Phishing (Smishing)
Voice Phishing (Vishing)
Man In the Middle
Malvertising
(Stay tune for more examples and how to protect your identity).
“Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that”.
I joined a different company than what I was used to this time around. Trust me the shit stanked since day one. I was the only female and black on my team with a whole lot of men. I was excited to be working with another female in IT but that did not happen because she decided to go to another team because she was wearing the same shoes as me but a different color.
As I begin this unfair journey with being the only one like me and not having anyone who could relate to me in my role. They would go to lunch all together and leave me behind (take extended lunches over 2 hours). Yes there was always cliques with them all. I worked harder than they ever would have in their lives. I was never promoted in my area or given a raise. The guys on my team have gotten multiple pay raises and promotions in the same role. I got plenty of praise from the people who had appreciated me for the work I was doing and how good I was at my job. The term I was use is the Good Ole Boys club.
One thing I learned about this situation is that I wish I would have been a little be wiser in the situation and left the company after I saw that I have been here for a year and was not awarded any raise or promotion at. Yes, I learned a lot new skills at this place but my redundancy and not growing in my career. I have asked the manager and my directors several times in my 1:1s “Why am I still in an entry level role? I was not fresh out of college or did not have any skills at all. But another guy on my team who was hired a month later after me was hired on as a level III”. I never understood how he amounted to getting that title. I went on questioning this the whole time and still no answers were given to me. I figured it out because I was not a male and women are not being accepted in this field and not given their flowers. I wish I was a boy or they could switch roles to see how much you have to deal with and how they would feel being underestimated as a woman in Information Technology.
Being a women in the Information Technology field is not easy. Yes please speak up and let your voice be heard. Never let yourself slip into the background when you know you are worth it. Women have fought in the past to have rights. I am not going to keep fighting and I am going to continue to fight the good fight.
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.
As humans we all have that need to want to be the best at what we do. Discovering your talents can a challenge when you do not have a clue what you want to do in your life.
At the young age of 15, I found out what my special talent and gift to the world was. Yes, I was in love with fixing computers, being on the computer, and curious about the World Wide Web. All of this was new to me but I loved it. I started fixing my own computer and upgrading it. Being with my computer was so therapeutic at times when you have such as rough life that you are going through. As a teenager I was dealing with so much and it could range from ( trying to accepted into, not being the prettiest , and dealing with rejection). Yes being a teenager is hard and it was stressful time in my life. When you find out you must be from a different planet and not like your peers.
As a teenager, I was so curious in learning how to help others with there technical needs such as computer, printers, etc. Which I did learn that I could make some extra money on the side beside working at the job I had as a teenager.
Learning to accept myself has been so hard and knowing that I was blessed with a good talent. Looking at myself as such a young person and know what I know now. I wish I could have told me younger self that everything you have went through as that age would make you stronger for talent you have before you.
“A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down The medicine go down The medicine go down Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down In a most delightful way”
Anybody that knows me know I love the movie “Mary Poppins” and how this magical nanny takes on the role of putting a smile on children’s faces. This lady came off as being sweet and kind as Mary Poppins but she was not.
Let’s get to scenario of the whole scene. I am sitting at the desk and the phone is ringing. I answered the phone and asked “How can I help you”. Mary starts talking ” I just started working here and my desk has not been setup.” Next she starts poppin’ off on the phone with me and I have been nothing but nice to her. “I can not see and need my big monitor”. I have $600 glasses that support my eye sight and my vision”. Plus she starts cursing me out. 30 minutes later she comes up to desk and I greeted her and the lady was a totally different person when she rolled up. She starts talking about “How much her glasses cost again”. I said “I totally understand and my glasses cost about the same as well. We are waiting on an order of monitors to come in”.
Two weeks have rolled by and we finally get monitors that afternoon. I loaded a monitor up on the cart to go put it on Mary Poppin’s desk. Yes she is not there today and I do not have to deal with her mouth and hearing about these “$600 glasses”. She comes back to the office on Monday and wants to apologize to me and buy me some food.
All the people on my team asked me what I did to her and I said “killed her with kindness. Plus she know not to roll up on me like that after she came to desk to see me. Trust me she does not want to get that smoke. ”
People who know me know I have a code name of one of the places I worked at called the “Trap House”. Here is a story that I just had to write about and it’s funny 😂.
One day I was at work and I had a call from one of the manager’s regarding a computer that was not functioning properly. So I went to place to check the computer and there was a sassy lady sitting there. I had checked the following out the plug, power supply, and other cords. I click the button to turn on the computer and it was warming up and then all of sudden the computer died and went to Heaven. I remember the sassy lady said she was not in the mood to work. I told her: “The computer has died and went to Heaven”. Sassy Lady: ” Yes, and starts running around the area like she had been blessed to have gotten off the phone and the computer not working”. I had told her ” I am going to go in the back and cook you up a new computer”. She said “No”.
I gave her a few hours to get herself together and than after lunch she asked me” I need my computer now because I have to get back on the phone and my manager is bothering me”. I brought the computer out and had her log into the computer. She said “Thank you”. 😊
Here is a story that everybody who works in Information Technology can relate to when dealing with a user: “99 Problems and Your Is One” As an IT professional, we do understand that your case is important but your priority is not up at the moment.
Advice
Please appreciate your IT person and department at all time.
Yes, we are humans and do have feelings.
Treat us with respect and you will get the same respect.
This story is a funny one and yes this lady challenged me that day with her complaining about her laptop is heavy. This is not her first time coming by the desk to tell me this trying to get a smaller laptop or naming someone on her team who has a smaller laptop. She happened to have a meeting the building where I was sitting at and she came back after her meeting to complain. Yes, I went there with her to prove my point. I had the weight scale sitting next to me because I was getting packages together to send out to people.
I noticed she had a Louis Vuitton bag that looked like this and the same size a well. I said to the user “I am pretty sure your purse weights about the same as this laptop”. I put the scale on top of the desk and turn it on to compare the weight of her purse with laptop that she was carrying.
The laptop only weight only 4.16 lbs and next I asked her to put her purse on the scale next and guess what her purse with all the stuff she had in it was 6 lbs. Guess who won that challenge that me and yes I proved my point to her that her purse weighted more than the laptop she claimed that was to large and heavy for her.
The reason why she was deemed “Drop It Like It’s Hot” because she dropped her laptop right in front of me after complaining her laptop is heavy. I did not grant her a smaller laptop because you proved to me that day that you do not take care of the company equipment you have because you dropped it right in front my own eyes.
Looking at yourself in the mirror can be challenging at times knowing what you have been through as a person. Especially all the challenges that are faced in getting to where you want to get there in your career. God has gifted each one of us talents to use.
Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Yes, I have a lot of talents that God has blessed me with and I have learned to use them all in his glory. First identifying all of your talents are the key. God has blessed me with the talent of patience, troubleshooting, love for technology, helper, etc to name a few. I learned my talent of computer and technology as a teenager. I loved being on the computer, fixing, and upgrading it. After I learned what my main gift to the world was I started to craft that talent and it landed me in the Information Technology field.
I remember there was a time in my life where I was unemployed for a long period of time and also during that time I was going through the whole divorce process. I had nothing but my pride after my divorce and no money. I tried my best to pray everyday and keep the faith. During that time I had learned about a secret talent that God had revealed to me was baking cakes. I started baking on the side to get another income while being on unemployment and trying to get back on my feet. One day I was at my last when I could not afford to pay my bills. I had packed up all of my stuff in my apartment because I was on the verge of being evicted. I remember I got a call at 8:00 am in the morning from a temp agency to start a job next week. I was so thankful that morning to have been granted a second chance in getting my career and life back on track. During this time of me being at lowest, I definitely knew God loved me. After having this lesson from God, I learned to give everything to him, trust him, and allow my life to be moved by him.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Shout out to all the women out there in this world who have chosen a life to work in Information Technology. This post is for you and to keep you encouraged in this journey. It is a man’s world in this field and we often get discourage because it’s not many of us around due to the fact that you have to deal with following: sexual harassment, discrimination, male egos, mental aggression, mental abuse etc. Yes, I have been through it all just like you.
Times have changed and it’s time to accept our female counterparts in these roles. Women are still fighting now for the same rights. You can have all the knowledge, skills, and sassiness to do this role but yet feel alone when it comes to encouragement. I have been the only black woman in my department doing the same role the men are doing. Yes, I have opened up a door at one of the companies I have worked for to another women who wants to pursue this field.
Here is a playlist that I have created that celebrates women. Trust me, I do listen to this playlist when I am in need of encouragement.
Allow me to introduce myself, my name Cam. Everybody kept asking and motivating me to start this blog. Guess what it finally happened. First of all I plan to keep it professional and talk about about real life being a woman in the Information Technology field. It isn’t often discussed in my field and yes it can be a reality show role. I am down to share some of those stories and experiences to bring light into my career of choice.
My goals are to entertain, inspire, motivate others, and sharing private moments. I am already nervous 😩 and ready to embark on this journey with the world. Yes, I love music and so post may have a song with it. It helps to describe the mood sometimes. This one a little short and sweet. Thank you all for the love and support.
Cam's Tech Blog 