No single person, no matter how intelligent or experienced, can understand everything there is to know about a given job. Questions will come up, and when they do, the individual—whether a software developer, project manager, sales engineer, or any other title—needs to have a handle on the specific support that is needed, and how to ask for it.

With more people working remotely than ever before, this topic is emerging as a persistent issue. This is particularly true in the tech field, in which teams must understand how to quickly resolve network and other systemic breakdowns and problems.

Here are some ideas on how to overcome lack of on-the-job support and seek help:

Be sure to reach out to the right person. Many times, unhelpful or unsupportive people are acting out of lack of knowledge. Before you text, email, or phone, consider whether you are contacting the correct individual. This person may have taken a different position in the company and is no longer current on the issues you need addressed. If you require specific examples of what to do, reach out to someone good at providing practical advice—not someone who offers platitudes like, “You’re smart; you’ll figure it out.”

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