InsideTech

Computer programmers write, test, and maintain software applications. Programmers also conceive, design, and test logical structures for solving problems by computer. Job titles and descriptions may vary, depending on the organization, and this group has a wide range of responsibilities and educational backgrounds. Applications programmers write programs to handle a specific job, such as a program to track inventory within an ...

Web developers are responsible for the behind-the-scenes code and programming of Web sites and Web-based services. While the edges are often blurred in Web positions, Web developers typically have a more technical orientation than Web designers, who focus on a site’s look and feel, and information architects, who focus on sites’ organization. Web developers’ projects vary widely, ranging from bare-bones active ...

Complex technology projects require testing – lots of it – in order to avoid gaffes (and outright disaster). QA engineers work to execute testing plans and goals to ensure systems work properly. Tasks include the design and implementation of testing procedures, interaction with support staff, categorizing bug fixes and enhancement requests, and reviewing bug reports. Median Salary $63,000 Education Requirements QA ...

PC repair technicians do exactly that: They track down, diagnose, and fix problems with people's PCs. Many work in the service departments of big-box electronics retailers, such as Best Buy (GeekSquad) and Circuit City (FireDog). Others work in smaller mom-and-pop PC shops fixing custom-built and store-bought PCs. Many tech enthusiasts use this entry-level tech career as a way to earn money ...

Less than 10 years ago, certification was a surefire way to enter the growing IT sector. But certification no longer guarantees that you will be able to find a high quality job in IT. It still has its place, but the IT certification industry has faced some systemic problems that no one has addressed since its emergence. Warren Wyrostek calls on ...

Just because we all have difficulty being rational doesn’t mean we’re destined to constantly screw up the decisions we have to make. In spite of our limitations, many of us actually do a pretty good job of decision making. Part of the reason is that some people have learned the tricks to “managing irrationality.” Stephen P. Robbins explains how you can ...

Whether you know it or not, you already have a strategy for handling your life. But is it a conscious strategy? Do you feel in control of your life? Begin to take control to be the CEO of your life by learning to manage your flexstyle. I don’t really have big walls around either of them (work and family). If something ...

Employment Agreements After you have hammered out key pieces of the compensation and job requirements, it is time to put things in writing. Employment contracts or agreements are meant to provide clearly defined guidelines and expectations for both the employee and employer. A good employment agreement protects both parties. Typically, employment agreements are reserved for senior-level employees, managers, and executives. ...

Be Creative Negotiation is meant to provide a solution when two parties (the employer and employee) have different ideas as to what is appropriate compensation for the services to be provided. Remember first that straight salary or hourly pay is not the sum total of a company's compensation program. You need to look at the entire picture. Think outside of the ...

Other Avenues into IT As with most career moves, every turn has options. Part of the challenge facing many professionals is the idea that a wrong decision will have lasting repercussions on their career. I want to alleviate this fear. Seldom will any single career move make or break you. As indicated in Part I of this book, "An Introduction to ...

IT Happens Outside of IT One of the most important ideas that I coach is the concept of breaking into IT by staying away from IT. Scratch your head for a moment and get past the nagging thought that what I just said makes no sense. Now move on. I'll explain. Many who are struggling to enter the IT field view ...

The job interview is the natural culmination of the various tools put into place. The product of effective networking, resume, cover letter, communication, and so on should result in the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with your prospective employer. Whereas the previous tools and methods are part of what can be referred to as the job seeker/career builder's marketing, the interview ...

In the post-boom era, college graduates have found out just how tough a job search can be. They've also learned something else: An internship is a virtual necessity when seeking a position as a technology professional. I've seen an increase in the emphasis on internships," says Tom Tarantelli, director of the Career Development Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. "Employers now want ...

Technology professionals, once stereotyped as antisocial nerds unsuited for the boardroom, now routinely are taking management positions alongside colleagues with MBAs and years of experience in areas such as marketing, finance and human resources. "The business world - smart business, anyway - is definitely more open to people with technical expertise moving into management these days," says Gene De Libero, CEO ...

Technology professionals often work contract jobs, essentially spending several months on a project with one organization and then moving on to a new assignment elsewhere. Sometimes this work arrangement is by choice; other times it's a way for techies to earn a living between full-time jobs. Even if techies learn the ins and outs of contract employment over the course of ...

A supposedly hot certification or a few months of technology training isn't always enough to propel you into the market for tech jobs. Employers almost always prefer to hire people with real-world experience. To aspiring techies, it's a catch-22: You can't get a job without experience, and you can't get experience without a job. One solution: Volunteer work. Grassroots environmental groups, ...

You've got your diploma and a brain stuffed with C++, but you don't have a job. What do you do? Take an internship, possibly unpaid, and hope it turns into a full-time gig or helps you build up your contacts and references. Welcome to the new reality of technology internships. Recent graduates who entered college while the economy boomed expecting multiple ...

Employers often screen candidates based on their technical skills, so job seekers naturally want to make sure they present their skills properly. As a result, creating a resume's skills section can be a challenge. Typical resume issues techies wrestle with include: - Whether to list skills alphabetically or in order of importance. - Whether to include every skill -- but how ...

With increasing numbers of job seekers competing for the most desirable technical jobs, your resume needs to be better than the rest to get noticed. Technical Summary Effective technical resumes clearly show the candidate's technical skills - a hiring manager shouldn't have to go fishing for this information. An excellent way to include technical knowledge is to add a Technical Summary ...

Management of projects and people requires specialized skill and a certain degree of risk... Moving into management typically means spending less time working directly with technology and honing those purely technical skills. For some technology professionals, this is a scary and difficult proposition. However, for many, assuming a management position is the natural progression in their career. Developing the skills and ...