InsideTech

Someone you know just lost their job. Yikes. You want to be supportive. You want to help them see the positive side of their misfortune. You want to buy them a drink. And you should! But please, tread carefully. The time directly following a layoff is a delicate one. Your friend will want your help, but they may not be ...

No matter where a meeting takes place, it is still a meeting. If a potential client decides to interview you over a meal at a restaurant, your table manners must be up to par. The following etiquette guidelines will help get you through your next dinner interview. Long before you enter the restaurant, make sure you turn off your cell phone ...

A lot has been written about the revolutionary impact of Twitter: how it's changed the way we communicate, how it's connected us to one another and how it's increased transparency in everything we do. But as much as people love Twitter, there's growing concern about other impacts the social networking tool is having, especially when it comes to workplace productivity. ...

Excel is one of those programs that's perfectly harmless and easy - until you accidentally hit enter and erase all the data you just spent the entire day creating. We've put together this simple list of tips that will help anyone starting out to use Excel. #1: Make a Spreadsheet into a PDF>> [page] 1. Create a PDF with Excel You ...

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 ...

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 ...

Introductions The proper way to make an introduction is to introduce a lower-ranking person to a higher-ranking person. For example, if your CEO is Mrs. Jones and you are introducing administrative assistant Jane Smith to her, the correct introduction would be "Mrs. Jones, I'd like you to meet Jane Smith." If you forget a person's name while making an introduction, don't ...

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 ...

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 ...

A job posting lists these skills: J2EE, EJB, JSP, XML, WebSphere, Oracle, UML, HTML, servlets and a minimum GPA of 3.0. You meet them all, aside from the one for UML. But does the company really expect to find a candidate with this laundry list of skills? Should you apply, or keep looking? Technology executives, hiring managers and human resource professionals ...

Need the latest version of Internet Explorer on your PC? Call tech support. Hard drive making a strange noise? Call tech support. This entry-level tech career involves helping users fix problems with the software and systems they use. Tech support and help-desk workers answer support questions, from the silly to the serious. Many handle questions from a company’s own computer users, ...

Web designers conceive, create, and manage the visual interface of Web sites and applications. In designing the front-end of Web destinations, they play a significant role in how those products interact with and are perceived by their intended audiences. But a Web designer's work doesn't stop with just visual design. Many Web designers handle the CSS coding that drives their sites, ...

Database administrators work with database management systems software and determine ways to organize and store data. They identify user needs and set up new computer databases. In many cases, database administrators must integrate data from outdated systems into a new system. They also test and coordinate modifications to the system when needed, and troubleshoot problems when they occur. An organization’s database ...

The CIO or CTO serves as a company’s technology guru, overseeing everything from the purchase of computer systems to overarching plans to use technology to gain a competitive edge. With technology often viewed as central to a company’s mission – and not simply as serving “back office” functions, like accounting – the role of the CIO is increasingly strategic; that is, ...

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 ...

What's the difference between the rising star whose career is picking up speed and his counterpart who can't seem to get the engine to turn over? Often, the star has mastered the nuances of business etiquette - the subtle but critical behaviors that can make or break an important meeting, influence a first impression or impress a potential client. According to ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...