The Types of People You Meet in Tech

Tech has as many kinds of people as it has programming languages, each with their own passions, style, work habits and kind of creativity. These are the odd but gifted types you will meet in the field.

The Nervous Newbie

The new hire is shy at first and calls everyone sir or ma'am. He worries about processes, at work and in the company as a whole, more than anyone else, but he is very eager to learn. He also comes in on time and leaves on time... for now.

The Charming Cheerer

It doesn't take much to impress her. She is always amazed at what her workmates come up with, whether it's an unconventional idea, a simple design or code that works. She cheers everyone on and pushes them to do better each time. She is good at her own work too, and she is always there to help, especially the newbies.

The Active Advocate

He wants change and knows he has to do something to make it happen. So he loves a good cause, and he acts on ideas he knows would make a difference in the world he lives in. Whether it's starting the next animal shelter foundation or building an application that helps local artists earn money, the advocate always wants to use technology for his cause.

The Easygoing Extrovert

He is most likely the loud one, and everyone knows when he has arrived or left. He asks people questions all the time, about work or anything else, because he cares a whole lot. His voice lifts the mood in the office and makes everyone feel part of the team. He is always off organizing or speaking at the next conference or meetup, he takes the most group selfies, and he has the most friends online and offline.

The Dexterous Designer

She looks relaxed but turns in jaw-dropping work. She takes a long time to finish a design, or even to start one, because she thinks hard about the concept the design has to show. One take is never enough. She keeps redoing and redesigning, adding and removing elements until it has that "finally!" look. Her desk is a mess, but her work isn't.

The Ultimate Untouchable

"Don't talk to me, I'm coding".

This is the Jedi master. He has more monitors than anyone else and owns a sweater in one color. Most of the time he is also the mediator. Mobile development or web languages like Java, Python and CSS, name it and he knows it. He is the very serious type and codes like he is in a Mission Impossible scene.

The Hero Hacker

He is a ninja at web hacks (and at going incognito), and he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. The (good) hacker always finds a faster way to do things. Quality assurance and security need his skills, and the whole tech world needs him. All he needs is fast internet.

The Profound Perfectionist

She speaks up about what could go wrong in a project and what could be better. She panics when a delivery is late, pushes to get things done and checks that people are doing well, all because she wants the best for the team and the clients. We need her to remind us not to settle for mediocre work.

That's a mixed bunch, and the mix is what makes a team productive and open-minded, with people who help each other learn and grow. Which type are you, or is there a type we missed? Let us know.

Story by Rachel Lenli Tuhoy | Art by Kimberly Javier