T O O L K I T THE IT Your Complete Guide to Building Your Technology Career in Any Economy Matthew Moran

An Introduction to Career Building

Chapter 1 The Toolkit Approach to Career Development

Toolkit Approach Book contains vital information and proven methods that can make a huge impact on your career success. Read each chapter as assigned. Complete Actions & Ideas at end of each chapter. Book contains vital information and proven methods that can make a huge impact on your career success. Read each chapter as assigned. Complete Actions & Ideas at end of each chapter.

Chapter 2 Career Building Defined

Career Building The danger of a tool-driven mindset A job is not a career Careers are non-linear A working plan makes a tedious of unrewarding jobs bearable The danger of a tool-driven mindset A job is not a career Careers are non-linear A working plan makes a tedious of unrewarding jobs bearable

Career Building: The Concept A theoretical career path…

Career Building: The Concept A more realistic picture… ?

Chapter 3 Information Technology: A Great Career

Introduction Information technology is a great career choice! Career building Concepts for accelerated advancement The value-added technologist Information technology is a great career choice! Career building Concepts for accelerated advancement The value-added technologist

IT Is a Great Career! Unprecedented growth−still. The U.S. department of labor statistic places information technology as the fastest growing job segment over the next 10 years. Technology professionals still fare better than similarly trained professions (in terms of time spent). Performance-based advancement. What have you done for me lately? Less prone to tenure/time seniority grids for advancement. Unprecedented growth−still. The U.S. department of labor statistic places information technology as the fastest growing job segment over the next 10 years. Technology professionals still fare better than similarly trained professions (in terms of time spent). Performance-based advancement. What have you done for me lately? Less prone to tenure/time seniority grids for advancement.

IT Is a Great Career! But what happened? Thousands of poorly conceived businesses, run by fledgling technologists, who were moved into management; and then built by, entry-level developers, in a newly developed/preadolescent/marginally accepted economy… What were we thinking? An industry forced to mature quickly due to several highly-publicized failures must hit the breaks and take a look at where it’s going. But what happened? Thousands of poorly conceived businesses, run by fledgling technologists, who were moved into management; and then built by, entry-level developers, in a newly developed/preadolescent/marginally accepted economy… What were we thinking? An industry forced to mature quickly due to several highly-publicized failures must hit the breaks and take a look at where it’s going.

IT Is a Great Career! This is a great thing! For the producer: If you can develop the full set of talents needed to solve your client’s problems, you will separate yourself from what I call widget- producer technologists. This is a great thing! For the producer: If you can develop the full set of talents needed to solve your client’s problems, you will separate yourself from what I call widget- producer technologists.

Chapter 4 Defining Yourself: Aptitudes and Desires

Considerations Factors to help you decide: Pay Insurance Training Commute Working Conditions (people, culture, environment, hours) Future growth potential Factors to help you decide: Pay Insurance Training Commute Working Conditions (people, culture, environment, hours) Future growth potential

More Factors Factors to help you decide: Desires What do you like? What do you hate? What do you want? Skills What are you good at? Learn new skills Factors to help you decide: Desires What do you like? What do you hate? What do you want? Skills What are you good at? Learn new skills

Career Building: The Concept Career building is exactly that−building. Getting a job or a string of jobs is not synonymous with building a career. A builder must have a plan. A builder must have the right tools. Career building is exactly that−building. Getting a job or a string of jobs is not synonymous with building a career. A builder must have a plan. A builder must have the right tools.

Summary Many factors to consider when choosing an IT career IT offers many possibilities, from highly creative to highly analytical Determine the factors that motivate you and mesh well with your innate abilities Your career plan will help you enjoy your job and be paid well. Many factors to consider when choosing an IT career IT offers many possibilities, from highly creative to highly analytical Determine the factors that motivate you and mesh well with your innate abilities Your career plan will help you enjoy your job and be paid well.