I'm no expert

I am sure that most doctors dislike going to parties when they get bailed up by people who just want to ask about the pain they have in their side and whether they should be worried about it. I guess it is an occupational hazard of being a doctor. However, after working in IT for over twenty years, I can empathise with doctors when it comes to being the expert of everyone’s ills.

I regularly get requests from family and friends to fix IT issues for them. For example, today, I got a request from a distant acquaintance to recommend a laptop replacement. I am no expert in hardware, but having an association with IT means that people think I am. The best recommendation I can make in this situation is to offer advice on what I might buy myself. It is hardly the opinion of an expert.

I have a broad understanding and knowledge of many things technical, but I am no expert. By making myself available to give advice and answer questions, I encourage them to ask more questions. Of course, I could just say no, but I always like to help.