Working the helpdesk can get slow at times. There are plenty of times to browse the web and fool around, but the trick is not to let the boss know. You must look busy at all times. Here are some tips on how to make yourself look swamped while looking for your favorite Barry Manilow songs on Limewire at work.

1. “What are you working on?”

Always be prepared to answer this question. Explain that a server is having intermittent problems or perhaps the dummy on the 9th floor locked his password out again. Anything that makes sense.

2. Control your facial expressions

I found that my manager could tell I was chatting by the face I was making. I always had a slight grin while chatting with my myspace bitches. I had to use my poker skills and change it up to look like I was perplexed by what I was seeing on the screen.

Do the same thing when walking through the office. Don’t look like you’re having a good time. Look like you are concerned about some technical problem and have to get to it quickly.

3. Prepare your taskbar

Have a notepad document or something else your boss may not understand always loaded at the bottom of the screen so that you can easily maximize it if somebody walks up. Usually a logon script or some sort of PHP code works best. Also be sure that web browser session to Maxim.com is closed.

4. Carry things

Always have some type of document by your side. A piece of paper and pen works, but a clipboard or notepad works even better. Have this while walking through the office and sitting at your desk.

5. Put a headset on

It may feel dorky, but if you have the option of a headset for your phone, get one and keep it on. Your boss will think you must be dealing with something that requires your hands to be free while making those all so important calls (to your girlfriend).

6. Ensure nobody can see your monitor
I realized after about a month of working at my job that there was a window behind me that reflected light very well. The managers were regularly looking in the glass behind me to see what I was doing. Making sure the monitor was angled a certain way ensured this didn’t happen anymore.
They also installed screen capture software on our desktops. I started bringing a personal laptop so that I could handle “other business” on it without being watched.

7. Send email at night
Use a remote desktop application to send email from home to the entire staff at all hours of the night. This will give the appearance that you are really going above and beyond. Some email applications may even have an option to send email at a certain time.
Now when your boss asks you why you look like you didn’t get rest, you can say you were up all night working on “that thing” instead of telling them about the 8 Red Bull and vodkas you had last night.

Use these tips and I guarantee you will thrive at work and possibly get a promotion even if others are outperforming you. Be sure to take care of at least some of your user requests though. At least you can make time for the hot looking users as I do.