InsideTech

Even if you absolutely love your job you probably need a little mini-vacation from the office from time to time. You really, really could use a day off? Need a little bit of time to yourself for some much-needed rest and relaxation? Can’t bring yourself to be honest about it to your boss? Don't worry, we totally understand. It's important to ...

1. A Closed Body Whether sitting or standing, your body should be loose and open. Do not cross your arms. Do not cross your legs. While you may think it conveys a sense of ease, studies have shown that a people read a closed body differently: they subconsciously think you have something to hide. What's more, you're missing a golden ...

If you have to be stuck at your desk all day, you might as well make it fun. From the totally useful to the completely random, there’s no end to the gadgets that can perk up your work day. Here’s our collection of the greatest office gadgets of all time!           Laser Trip Wire Fruit-Powered Clock USB ...

The internet has made stalkers out of all of us. You know exactly what I'm talking about. But instead of stalking your ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, consider using your newfound detective skills for more productive (i.e. less emotionally jarring) purposes, like snagging the job of your dreams. Interested in a company and need to find a person to contact? Google away. Trying ...

Along with paychecks, deadlines, and overtime, bosses are one of the things you just can’t avoid in the workplace. But how to identify these strange characters and deal with them? Don’t go it alone — it’s a jungle out there. We show you how! [page] The Robot Distinguishing characteristics: An empty desk, no family pictures. What they do: All business, all ...

Whether you are a first-time job-seeker or you’re a veteran employee, it's important that you are cautious and thoughtful as you try to land your ideal job. There’s more to a successful job search than ironing your best suit and printing out extra resumes. Today's IT companies are looking for the best of the best; one typo on your resume or ...

Technology, by definition, is constantly changing. That's part of what makes working in IT so great, but it can also cause its share of problems. Take your eye off the ball for a month and you could find out that the hot new programming language you selected for your company's latest Web app doesn't scale, or that security concerns have trashed ...

Indispensable Does Not Mean Always Employed With the advent of outsourcing, increased competition, and a tighter job market, the technology professional struggles to ensure that he remains gainfully employed. Using the techniques and ideas in The IT Career Builder's Toolkit can go a long way toward ensuring your ongoing profitability and growth in the field. This chapter discusses key ideas to ...

Sit in front of laptop. Lie on couch. Eat pickles for lunch. Back to laptop. Feel sorry for self. Feel sick of self. Tear hair out in frustration. And ... back to couch. If this is your 9-to-5 routine, you're probably like 14 million other Americans: unemployed. And in addition to the frustration of looking for work, you might find yourself ...

Every once in a while I’ll get a question from a reader, co-worker, or student about how to break into the leadership development field. The reality is, it’s not really an entry level profession, and there’s no one right way to get there. The leadership development profession includes trainers, coaches, HR generalists, managers, authors, speakers, preachers, and every combination of ...

Ever find out one of your friends hasn't read "Neuromancer" or doesn't know what a Babelfish is or why it's important to keep a towel handy at all times? Did you have that brief moment where you thought, "Man, it's like I don't even know you?" If you're gonna work in tech, write code, or just spend way too much time ...

Time flies when you're wasting it These days, no one can afford to waste time at work. Thanks to widespread downsizing, workloads are piling up. Unfortunately, extra hours in the day are not. Maximizing your time at work can mean the difference between leaving at a reasonable hour (i.e. holding onto your sanity) and staying late unnecessarily. You’ve got a ...

Professional writers often worry that their work is unnecessary. After all, can't anyone with even a basic education write? The answer: no, they can't. Even college graduates don't seem to be learning composition basics. Of course not everyone is going to be the next Mark Twain, but career success does depend on not looking stupid. Sure, some clients, coworkers, or resume ...

It’s becoming harder to stand out from the growing pile of resumes in today’s tough job market. If you’re unemployed, consider learning a new skill to gain an advantage. “First, look at your strengths to see how those might cross over into other fields or careers,” says Diane Brennan, an Arizona-based career consultant. “Then decide what other skills you need to ...

Celebrities. We love to hate them. We also love to watch their every move, laugh at their mistakes and scrutinize their decisions. Like them or not, their celebrity status means not only have they achieved career success, they’ve also got a hell of a lot to lose. And sometimes, whatever actions have helped catapult them to fame or rendered them ...

When asked for a recommendation on a current certification path for someone wanting to enter IT, Warren Wyrostek initially thought, "That is easy." But when he started to think about the most cost-effective certification, one that had merit, offered earning power, and provided career advancement, he had to pause and revisit the first steps one can take to begin a career ...

From clueless users to missing project requirements to misdirected tech support requests, we've all experienced these IT industry pet peeves. And how you manage them (or avoid them) can be the key to advancing your career. Here's how to deal with some of the worst offenders. The Requirements Slow-Roll Peeve: So you're working on a big project, building a new system ...

Now more than ever, it’s important to get the best bang for your buck. And there’s no question about it — when it comes to value, not every U.S. city is created equally. Why chase a great salary if your rent swallows most of it, unemployment is skyrocketing and you spend two hours a day just to get to and from ...

The workplace is not what it was five years ago. Neither is the job hunt. The most successful candidates are those who are ready and willing to adapt to a changing landscape. But it doesn’t matter how ready you are for the modern workplace if your resumé’s straight out of 1994. And sometimes, it's the most minute details that make all ...

Thinking of heading into IT consulting? Then you don’t want to miss the insight and advice from Doug Berg who started two companies, techies.com, an online job board and training center for tech professionals, and also HotGigs , a company that brings consultants together with the staffing firms that recruit them and the companies that hire them. He’s worked with job ...