InsideTech

Whether built into your product, rented from a third party, or installed via open-source, Web apps and protocols are becoming more and more a part of how we do business. Here are four you need to know about: BaseCamp These days anyone can build a wiki, but few can compare to BaseCamp -- one of the original Web 2.0 project management ...

Companies are cutting back spending, shrinking staff sizes, and making tough layoffs at a rate that most of us have never seen before. But there's still some job growth out there. Shrinking budgets have forced IT shops to invest in money-saving technologies like VoIP and unified communications, and those investments are creating job opportunities for IT workers who are serious about ...

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 ...

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 ...

Whether you're just starting your IT career or figuring out the next direction yours should take, it's important to get a read on where the industry is headed so you'll know which skills and certifications are hot and which ones aren't worth your time. But tracking tech news and job posting trends will only get you so far. For the full ...

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 ...

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 ...

IT departments aren't usually known for their communication skills. More often, they're famous for a lack thereof. That's nobody's fault -- the intersection between tech skills and communication skills is a rare thing. But it can be an opportunity for you. Work just a little bit on becoming a better communicator, and you'll have gained a skill that can make you ...

Computing research may not top your list of concerns when searching for a junior programmer or multimedia specialist post. But the Computing Research Association (CRA), a group devoted to research in computing, has a mission - and the resources - to help just about anyone working in technology. Best known among IT professionals for its Taulbee Survey of PhD-granting computer science ...

Would-be techies planning to study computers in college have often been steered toward the computer science major, but as technology has changed, so have the degree options. Now, a whole range of computer-related degrees is available. At a large research university, students interested in computers and information technology might be able to choose from three or more majors - one offered ...

With resume gaps now the norm, workers should pay attention to how they use spent time between jobs. The reason is simple: Employers want to know how job candidates spent their time when they were out of work. Learning? Traveling? Moping? Unless you project the image of a can-do job seeker, you're likely to have a tough time bouncing back from ...

IT doesn't just mean the guy who comes to fix your PC when it breaks down. The technology industry has developed a diverse range of careers, including everything from tech support specialists to database administrators to specialized project managers. Whether you're just starting your IT career or looking to take the next step up the ladder, InsideTech is here to help. ...

Resumes normally get less than a 15-second glance at the first screening. If someone has asked you to review his resume and you want to help him ensure it gets read - or want to know if your own is up to par - be sure you can answer yes to the following questions: h2. First Impression Does the resume look ...

Tech conventions -- like Microsoft's WinHEC, Apple's WWDC, or even the yearly Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas -- can be incredibly valuable or a colossal waste of time. You're going to end up at one sooner or later, whether you're an exhibitor, a company representative doing research, or just an interested developer looking to enhance your skills. Make sure you get ...

I challenge you to find a more appropriate time than now to focus on re-branding your professional image to set yourself apart from the plethora of IT job seekers. In order to reach the final interview round, professionals need to be creative and thoughtful in how they differentiate themselves from the others. As I reflect on how I might be able ...

When you spend your whole day in front of computers, it's important to get away from BlackBerrys and Wi-Fi connections every once in a while. InsideTech has compiled 19 adrenaline-inducing adventures for the tried and true outdoorsman (or woman). We’ve scoured the travel guides, combed the Internet and sought out word-of-mouth recommendations to bring you the best of the best. ...

Sometimes, a person will lose their job through no fault of their own. The whims of a psychotic boss, an economy in shambles, or a simple misunderstanding can have an otherwise satisfactory employee packing up his or her cubicle. Other times, a person will lose their job because they have done something so incredibly foolish, you wonder how they ever ...

With the US economy tanking, the question for IT professionals is this: Is my niche relatively safe? According to many observers, there is good news for IT folks in a number of sectors, whether they’re veterans with decades of experience or recent graduates whose skills are untested in the marketplace: If you’ve got the right tech skills and can think like ...

No one ever teaches a class in it, but troubleshooting problems is actually the main thing you'll spend time on in tech jobs. It's rarely easy, but if you follow a few rules of thumb, you'll be able to work your way out of the thorniest code, network, or system issues while keeping a level head and making sure you don't ...

In the IT world, if you aren't constantly learning new skills, you're falling behind. Technology changes so quickly that the skills that got you a job just five years ago might not get you the time of day right now. That's why it's important to keep developing your skills and learning new ones. Here are a few ways to do it: ...