SummaryYour complete guide to building your information technology career in any economy
The IT Career Builder's Toolkit
features market-focused skills and proven methods you can use to jump-start and advance your career. While other books cover just the mechanics of preparing your résumé, writing a cover letter, and interviewing, this book provides all that plus additional insight from IT career development expert, Matt Moran, to help you plan and create a rewarding IT career over the long term.
The toolkit approach allows you to use this book to suit your unique needs:
Are you new to the IT field? Benefit by reading the book cover to cover.
Just need to fine-tune your IT career? Choose a topic and dive in.
Understand and prepare for the various and changing factors that affect your career in both positive and negative ways. Learn how to
Present the value of your technical skills in the job market
Position yourself as the primary commodity of your career
Remove the guesswork out of job searches
Highlight on-the-job skills and gain meaningful professional exposure
The companion CD-ROM includes career management tools such as résumé and cover letter templates, forms to track important contacts, and self-assessment tools. Start or further your consulting career with sample proposals, opportunity tracking forms, and a time-tracking and billing database. Financial tools, including budget and cash-flow summary worksheets, help you gain financial well-being. Use the Value-Added Technologist presentation to gain a clear understanding of the career-building process and how to use the toolkit to build a dynamic career.
Most of all, have fun! Every year, people advance along the path to career stardom. Let Matt help you to be one of them through his career philosophy "Do not accept mediocrity as a career objective-demand more of yourself."
"I want you to see the [toolkit] techniques as one more set of skills to adopt in your overall career development program. They are skills, just like your technical skills, that you will use daily during your career. Just as you adopt new technical skills, use the toolkit to define those soft skills that you must learn and put to use. The result will be a more well-rounded and complete professional skill-set."
~ Matthew Moran, from the Introduction
Companion CD-ROM
The CD-ROM contains valuable tools, forms, spreadsheets, and documents that work with the Toolkit to help you master key areas of your career development.
Matthew Moran is a consultant specializing in strategic IT initiatives, IT staff development, automated workflow and document assembly applications, and business process re-engineering. His articles on technology automation and professional development have appeared in The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal, Windows .NET Scripting Solutions Journal, Techies.com, Informit.com, Power Media Group's Technology magazines, and several others. His presentations on technology careers, innovation, and creativity provide dynamic motivation with a real-world course of action. With more than 17 years experience providing business solutions as a business analyst, project manager, business owner, CIO, and VP of technology, Matt has had the opportunity to help many technology professionals create rewarding careers.
"Utilizing Matt's approach provides IT professionals with the tools necessary to compete in today's global business environment. His presentation and ideas have had a tremendous impact on my students...."
Gil Garcia, Market Director, TechSkills
Author Bio
Matthew Moran is a consultant specializing in strategic IT initiatives, IT staff development, automated workflow and document assembly applications, and business process re-engineering. His articles on technology automation and professional development have appeared in The Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal, Windows .NET Scripting Solutions Journal, Techies.com, Informit.com, Power Media Group's Technology magazines, and several others. His presentations on technology careers, innovation, and creativity provide dynamic motivation with a real-world course of action. With more than 17 years experience providing business solutions as a business analyst, project manager, business owner, CIO, and VP of technology, Matt has had the opportunity to help many technology professionals create rewarding careers.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part I
An Introduction to Career Building
Chapter 1
The Toolkit Approach to Career Development
Justifying the Need for an IT Toolkit
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 2
Career Building Defined
The Danger of a Tool-Driven Mindset
A Job Is Not a Career
Perspectives on Career Development: Careers Are Nonlinear
Perspectives on Career Development: A Working Plan Makes Tedious or Unrewarding Jobs Bearable
Career Building Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 3
Information Technology: A Great Career
Why IT Is a Great Career
Options
Performance-Based Advancement
Opportunities for Continuous Learning
Pay and Perks
What About Outsourcing?
Outsourcing Is About Value, Not Costs
The Jobs That Won't Be Outsourced
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 4
Defining Yourself: Aptitudes and Desires
Considerations in Your Career Choice
Factors to Help Decide Your Career Path: Needs
Pay
Insurance
Training
Commute and Travel Time
Working Conditions (People, Culture, Environment, Hours)
Future Growth Potential
Factors to Help Decide Your Career Path: Desires
Factors to Help Decide Your Career Path: Skills
Beware: Analysis Paralysis
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Part II
Filling Your Toolkit
Chapter 5
Self-Assessment
The Power of Self-Assessment
The Dangers of Self-Assessment
Four Questions of Self-Assessment
Where the Four Questions Came From
Question 1: Do I Make My Employer's Job Much Easier or Much More Difficult?
Question 2: If I Gave Notice Today, Would My Employer Have an Instant Sense of Relief or Dread?
Question 3: Do I Perform My Job Better Than My Employer Could Perform My Job If He/She Needed To?
Question 4: If Asked How I Can Improve in My Job, Do I Cite External Factors-People and Resources-or Do I Take Responsibility?
Conclusion: Making It Personal
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 6
Attitude
The Effect of Attitude on Your Career
Positive Mental Attitude
PMA Is Not a Panacea
PMA and a Plan
Beware: Two Pitfalls of Attitude
Unrealistic Expectations
Skill Deficits
The Role of Attitude
What You Think of Your Employer
The "Us Versus Them" Mentality
Management Got There by Luck or Schmoozing, Alone
Your Coworkers
Humble Arrogance: The Attitude of Personal Value
Ownership
The Myth of the Self-Made Man
Attitude Checks
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 7
Communication Skills
Defining Communication Skills
The Benefit of Communication Skills: An Effective Communicator Is Viewed as More Intelligent
Written Communications
General Guidelines
The Letter
E-Mail
The Well-Crafted Paragraph
The Well-Crafted Page
Verbal Communication
Conversation
Presentations and Training
Don't Wait Until You Are Asked to Speak to Learn This Vital Skill
Cover No More Than Three to Five Main Points
Work from an Outline, Not a Script
Look at the Audience
A Brief Note on Listening
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 8
Technical Skills
Your Technology Skills
The Role of Learning
The Fear of Obsolescence
Another Perspective: Transcendent Skills
Reducing the Parts
Tips to Speed Up the Learning Process
Start with Concepts
Don't Study What You Know
Don't Worry About Catching the Latest Trend
Focus on Solutions, Not Technology
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 9
The Cover Letter
The Purpose of Your Cover Letter
Three Vital Ingredients in Your Cover Letter
Gratitude for the Opportunity
A Significant Accomplishment
Your Interest in Becoming a Producer
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 10
The Résumé
Your Ambassador to the Professional World
The Purpose of Your Résumé
Determining Who Is Looking at Your Résumé
Busy Employers
Disinterested Employers
Résumé Basics
Length: Brevity Is Key
No Paragraphs
Bulleted Lists
Documenting Your Professional Experience
A Note About Certifications/Degrees on Your Résumé
Guidelines for Writing Your Résumé
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Part III
Putting Your Toolkit to Use
Chapter 11
Breaking into IT
Correcting Perception
IT Happens Outside of IT
Other Avenues into IT
Ask for What You Want
Ask for Advice
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 12
Building an Active Contact List
Enjoy People
Develop a Personality
Have Other Areas of Interest
Engage in Conversation
Track and Remember Your Contacts
Share Opportunity
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 13
The Job Search
Getting What You Want Requires Wanting Something
Defining the Job Search
Remember: Looking for Work Is Work
The Toolkit Approach to Finding a Job
Job Search Outline
A Job Search Comparison
Method 1: The Standard "Passive" Job Search
Method 2: The Proactive Job Search
Method 1 Versus Method 2
A Word About the Out-of-Town Search
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 14
The Interview
Practice Your Interview Skills
Be Prepared to Answer Difficult Questions
What Professional Accomplishment Are You Most Proud Of?
What Do You Feel Is Your Greatest Strength? Greatest Weakness?
Why Are You Leaving Your Last Job?
Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?
After the Interview
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 15
Salary Negotiations and Employment Agreements
Start Early
Know What You Want
Understand the Employer's Perspective
Be Creative
Be Firm
Your Worth to the Company
Negotiations Never Fail
Be Flexible
Employment Agreements
Seek Legal Counsel
Assumptions
Deliverables
Bonuses and Performance Perks
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 16
On-the-Job Promotion
On the Job
Maintaining and Building Your Network
Identifying Areas for Success
Attitude
Working for a Tyrant and Other Joys
Determine Whether Your Boss's Actions Are Personality or Personal
Understand That People Are "Where They Are"
Take an Objective Path to Evaluating What They Say
Handling Criticism
Determine Whether What Someone Is Saying Is True
Determine Whether It Is Something You Need to Change
Talk to Someone About a Behavior
Don't Swallow Your Pride-Control It
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Part IV
More Options to Build Your Career
Chapter 17
The Boundaries and Benefits of Working at Home
Careers That Lend Themselves to Telecommuting
The Benefits for the Employee
The Benefits for the Employer
The Concerns for the Employee
The Concerns for the Employer
Conclusion: Next Steps
Keys to Successful Telecommuting
Project-Based/Free-Agent Mindset
Apply Discipline
Clear Expectations
Technologies for the Telecommuter
VPNs
IM Services
Resources for the Home Worker
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 18
The Toolkit Approach to Consulting
The Consulting Life
The Benefits
Respect
Schedule
Exciting Projects
Compensation
The Pitfalls
Business Planning: Taxes, Legal
Billing
Current Workload
Inaccurate Records
Trading Time for Dollars
Schedule
Ongoing Marketing
Ideas on Getting Published
The Process of Getting Published
Resources for the Consultant
CD-ROM Materials for the Consultant
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 19
The Move to Management
Leadership
Process and Time Management
Critical Skills You Need Now
Presentation and Meeting Skills
Team-Building Skills
Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
Promote Your Team and Its Members
Foster an Environment That Allows for (Even Celebrates) Failure
Create a Project/Contract Mentality with Those You Report to and Those Who Report to You
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Part V
The Value-Added Technologist
Chapter 20
Make Yourself Indispensable
A Word About Value
Being Proactive
Understanding Technology's Role in the Organization
Maintain a Business-First Mentality
Create Standards, Automation, or a Programmer's Toolkit
Create a Peer Knowledge Network
Be Known As the Go-To Resource
Be Ready and Willing to Take on the Necessary Responsibility
Have Experts You Call On for Your Organization
Be Passionate About Something!
Never Blame, and Always Have a Corrective Plan
Adopt Concept Over Process
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 21
Concept Over Process
What to Expect
What Not to Expect
COP Objectives
COP Origins
What Is a Process-Driven Mindset?
The Role of Technology
Role 1: Storage and Retrieval of Information
Role 2: The Automation of Delivery of Product or Service
Moving from Process Driven to Concept Driven
A Concentric View
A Note About Time
Developing Proactive Solutions
A Warning/Suggestion
COP Is Not About Technology!
Start with the Goal of Business
Understand Your Objective as an Employee
What About Mission Statements?
From Goal to Analysis
Understand the Industry
Understand the Business: The Organization's Role in Its Industry
Understand the Workflow
Understand the Relationships: Interactions/Dependencies
Workflow Analysis
Project Definition
Myth of Limitation
What If?
Congruencies, Incongruencies, and Omissions
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 22
The Role of Mentoring
Mentor Characteristics
Mentoring Others
What Qualifies Me as a Mentor?
The Role of Mentor Is Not a Power Position
Encourage and Stretch
Point to Other Mentors or Resources
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Chapter 23
Financial Control
The Impact of Finances on Career Building
Financial Control Creates Options
Financial Control Is Largely Mental
Money Is a Tool
Debt and Spending
Some Basics of Financial Planning and Stability
Defining a Basic Budget
Defining Your Core Needs
Establishing Your Spending History
Creating Your Budget
Cash Flow Summary: A Weekly Plan
Conclusion
Actions & Ideas
Index
