This IT Pro Day, we’re celebrating you—the unsung heroes who keep our digital world running smoothly. IT Pro Day, an annual holiday launched by SolarWinds in 2015, is a celebration of the tireless work and dedication of IT professionals. Celebrated on the third Tuesday of September each year, it's a day to recognize the critical, but often unseen, role you play in managing the essential systems that power our digital lives, especially in new hybrid work environments where our reliance on IT teams has become even more significant.
Now, let's dive into some of the highlights of our recent IT Pro Day survey. We asked you to share what makes you cringe, the most common "crime scenes" you stumble upon, and what you really wish for. The response across THWACK was incredible, with
Buzzwords That Make Us Cringe
We’ve all heard of them the trendy, overused terms that promise to solve everything but often just create confusion. We asked IT professionals which buzzword makes them want to "chuck their monitor out the window." The clear winner was AI at 30.7%, which even we can admit is every other word in 2025. This was followed by Digital transformation at 15.3% and Seamless integration at 13.0%.
A strong contender was Blockchain at 8.5%, specifically for things that "definitely don't need blockchain." Notable mentions included "agile" and "innovation".
The Most Common "IT Crime Scene"
Next, we asked about the most frequent issues IT pros encounter, or as we like to call them, "IT crime scenes." The top response, by a significant margin, was User error at 32.5%. This was followed by Not logging a ticket at 19.9% and Clicking on suspicious links at 13.7%, which all still feel like user error if you are asking us – even if we’d all like to blame technology.
Phrases That Make Our Souls Leave Our Bodies
Sometimes, a single phrase can send shivers down an IT pro's spine. We asked which one does this best. The top responses were a near three-way tie: "I didn't touch anything!" at 19.0%, "You're good with computers, right?" at 18.5%, and "The Wi-Fi's broken" at 18.3%. These phrases often lead to the most frustrating and often comical troubleshooting experiences, which may also include conversations with our family members.
What IT Pros Wish Their Coworkers Understood
What's the one thing IT pros wish their coworkers knew? The results were clear and painted a picture of a role that's often misunderstood. The top answer, at 30.7%, was "People only notice us when something explodes". This was followed by "We juggle requests from every department—you're not the only one" at 28.4%. Many also wished their coworkers would understand that "Turning it off and on again isn't magic—it's science," which came in at 22.9%.
These responses highlight the constant pressure IT professionals face, balancing a heavy workload with a lack of appreciation until something goes wrong.
The Dream Gift for IT Pro Day
Finally, we asked what IT pros would most want for IT Pro Day. The top answer, with a score of 1,421, was "An unlimited IT budget (ha, we can dream)". This was followed by a more personal request: "An actual, heartfelt 'thank you'," with a score of 1,033. The third most popular dream gift was "Waking up to zero urgent alerts," with a score of 1,002.
These results show that while practical gifts are a nice idea, what IT pros really want is recognition, a manageable workload, and a little less chaos in their day-to-day lives.
Want to share your weirdest helpdesk ticket story or vent about your pet peeves? Let us know in the comments!
