I worked phone support for a mail order shop for about 18 months (91-93). I also diag'd a few returned units, but very little hands on. I was making dirt (about a buck over min at the time) I left when they folded, and got a job at a clone store down the street.

The guy asked what I knew, and I started telling him a bunch of stuff. I was book smart after college, but hands dumb when it came to repair. Thought I was gods gift to computers tho. (The average neighbor who knows computers. You've all had them.)

Anyway Day one I start out working on a system in for repair. It's got a strange memory problem I never seen before. I ask the other guy who works there on computers.
He says "Dunno, problems are usually motherboards".
Odd response. so I replace it. I ask "Where are the standoffs. This system has none!"
He responds "Takes too long to put in, use a piece of cardboard."
Me, not knowing jack, I do.
The next day I come in, and am fired because it shorted out, and caught a guys house on fire.
2 weeks later they ask me to testify that they use standoffs. Seems the guy is sewing them. They offer me my job, and $500 to testify!

What would you do? btw I already had a new job making more with a company that acually trained me...

I say sure, cash the check, and tesitfy the truth!. That store closed down about a month after that. The check cleared before I went to court. And I kept my new job!