Five things that make it great to work in IT.

5. You're the hero when you solve problems

When an employee is desperately trying to get a critical project plan finished under deadline but accidentally deletes the latest version of the file and then calls IT in a panic, an IT professional can swoop in and recover the file. Pow! Instant hero status. Some grateful employees will even bake you cookies, invite you to the finance department's annual barbecue, or tell everyone in the company who will listen what a miracle worker you are. Those are the days when this job will make you feel like a king.

4. You get to play with cool stuff

Although most IT pros spend more time babysitting older technologies than they do implementing new ones — as I first noted in 10 dirty little secrets you should know about working in IT — you'll still get to play with plenty of new stuff, too. Whether it's deploying cool new laptops and smartphones for executives and senior managers or implementing the latest server and networking gear in the data center, it's always fun to get new gear in the IT office, pop it out of the box and see what it can do. For the IT pros that really love tech, this part of the job is like being a kid that gets paid to play with the world's newest toys.

3. You help make people more efficient

When you break it down, the IT department's job is ultimately to maintain the highly-complex tools that help modern workers do their jobs — and to implement new tools that can make those jobs even more efficient. It's all about streamlining business processes. There's a tremendous satisfaction in helping workers take a process that used to take 2 hours and through a bit of software and automation magic turn it into a 15-minute task.

2. Your job is rarely dull or stagnant

There are some jobs in IT that can be dull and monotonous, such as running backups or low-level programming where you spend most of your time fixing bugs. But, those are definitely the exception and not the rule. For most of the jobs in IT, the products and the conventional wisdom it takes to manage them are changing so fast that IT pros have to constantly educate and re-educate themselves just to keep up — and keep their jobs. IT pros sometimes complain about having to do this continual self-education (often on their own time), but this is also part of what makes it great to work in IT. There is a natural excitement and energy in IT because the field is evolving so rapidly and there's always something new to learn.

1. You get to be a revolutionary

From the continuing leaps in microprocessors to the arrival of Web-based applications to the coming spread of wireless broadband, technology remains a revolutionary force in business and in the lives of average citizens. IT professionals have the privilege of being able to serve as catalysts in the revolution, if they focus their efforts on using technology to improve the organization and the lives of its workers every day.

Source : TechRepublic.com

10 illegal job interview questions

 

#1: Where were you born?

This question might seem like small talk as you get to know a person, but it could also be used to gather information illegally about the candidate's national origin. Although it may seem more relevant, you should also avoid asking, "Are you a U.S. citizen?" You can ask whether a candidate is authorized to work in the United States, but avoid asking about citizenship.

#2: What is your native language?

Again, the problem is that this question could be used to determine national origin. You can ask whether the person knows a language if it is required for the job. For example, if job responsibilities include supporting Spanish-speaking customers, it's fair to ask whether the candidate speaks Spanish.

#3: Are you married?

Here's another question that would seem innocent in most settings, but definitely not in a job interview. Because you can't discriminate on the basis of marital status, this question is off limits.

#4: Do you have children?

This might sound like small talk, too — an innocent question in most settings — but not in a job interview. It's covered by a general prohibition about discrimination over parental status.

#5: Do you plan to get pregnant?

In the past, employers sometimes asked this question to weed out women who might take a maternity leave. It has always been rude coming from a casual acquaintance, and now it's illegal as well.

#6: How old are you?

Some companies used to avoid hiring older workers for a variety of reasons, ranging from a fear of higher healthcare costs and absences to a social bias in favor of youth. But age discrimination is clearly illegal, and you should avoid this question. Don't try to get the information by asking when the person graduated from college, either.

#7: Do you observe Yom Kippur?

You can't discriminate on the basis of religion, so this question is illegal, as would be asking about Good Friday, Ramadan, or the Solstice. If you're concerned about the candidate's availability, you could ask whether he or she can work on holidays and weekends, but not about the observance of particular religious holidays.

#8: Do you have a disability or chronic illness?

This information is not supposed to be used as a factor in hiring, so the questions are illegal. If the job will require some specific physical tasks, such as installing cables in walls and ceilings, you may ask whether the person could perform those tasks with reasonable accommodation.

#9: Are you in the National Guard?

Although some managers may find it disruptive when employees leave for duty, it's illegal to discriminate against someone because he or she belongs to the National Guard or a reserve unit.

#10: Do you smoke or use alcohol?

In general, you can't discriminate on the basis of the use of a legal product when the employee is not on the premises and not on the job.
Tip: To avoid asking the wrong questions, develop an interview form and use a copy of it for each candidate. It will document that you asked each interviewee the same questions. Failing to do so may establish a pattern that could seem discriminatory. For example, if you ask only women about their willingness to travel, thinking that the responsibilities of childcare would make them balk at business trips, you could establish a pattern of discrimination.
 
From Techrepublic.com

10 ways to trim your IT budget

#1: Put off unnecessary upgrades

If your IT department is in the habit of automatically upgrading to the latest version of the operating system as soon as it comes out (or as soon as the first service pack is released, or any other arbitrary timeline), rethink that strategy. Do you really need the new features offered by the new OS? Will those features actually increase productivity, solve some problem with the current software, or otherwise save you money? If not, maybe you can get along just fine without upgrading for another year or so.
Remember that upgrading the operating system doesn't just require the money for those licenses, but also often requires that you spend more money to upgrade the hardware to support the new OS. And there are indirect costs, such as the administrative overhead involved in the upgrade and end-user training.
The same thing goes for productivity applications, such as Office. Will you benefit from the new features or have you been just automatically upgrading every time a new version comes along? Many companies save money by upgrading only with every other new release. Of course, there may be good reasons to upgrade, but do a cost-benefits assessment first and be sure those reasons are sound.

#2: Don't buy top of the line

Like it or not, hardware does eventually fail or become obsolete. When it comes time to purchase new computers — whether servers or desktop machines — you can save a lot of money by not buying the top-of-the-line product. When you buy the fastest processor on the market, for example, you pay a big premium. The processor that's one step down may be considerably less. And one thing you can count on in the IT industry is that the top-of-the-line model won't stay in that lofty position for long. In a few months, a new, faster model will come out and the price of that expensive piece of equipment will drop like a rock.
Of course, you don't want to go cheap by buying the oldest, slowest systems available, either. The best value usually comes one or two steps below the top-of-the-line model. For example, at the time of this writing, a Dell Optiplex 755 with a 2.40 GHz Core 2 quad processor costs $320 less than the same model with a 2.66 GHz Core 2 quad, yet the difference in performance will hardly be noticeable. And when you start buying dozens or hundreds of workstations for a business, that $320 difference can add up fast.

#3: Consolidate servers

Server virtualization is all the rage now, and there's a good reason: Consolidating multiple physical servers on one (or fewer) machines, using virtualization technologies such as Microsoft Virtual Server, VMWare ESX Server, or (coming soon) Windows Server 2008's Hyper-V, can save money on hardware costs, power and cooling costs, and administrative workload.
Dedicated servers are often underutilized, but combining server applications/roles on the same computer can become an administrative and security nightmare. With virtualization, each server role functions in a separate logical (virtual) machine that appears on the network with its own name, IP address, etc., but multiple logical machines run on the same hardware.
Server consolidation also cuts down on the amount of server room space you need, allowing you to save money on valuable office real estate.

#4: Virtualize applications

Server consolidation isn't the only use of virtualization technology in today's cost-conscious IT environment. Application virtualization using technologies such as Microsoft's SoftGrid can save you money by reducing the administrative costs of installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting application software. Because the virtualized application is installed on the server instead of the clients, admins don't have to deal with multiple installations of a program on different machines.
Application virtualization can also provide a way to protect the OS and other applications from software with bugs or glitches, reducing or eliminating expensive downtime. And because it uses fewer resources than separate virtual machines, less expensive hardware can be used.

#5: Use thin clients

Thin client computing is another way to cut hardware costs and allows you to provide users with a modern desktop while utilizing older or low-powered client machines. Windows Terminal Services in Windows Server 2003 and the soon-to-be released Windows Server 2008 can be deployed to allow users to access the full Windows desktop or selected applications on the terminal server over the LAN or Internet.
As with application virtualization, administration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of applications is centralized, saving administrative overhead. Programs can be deployed and updated more quickly, and less network bandwidth is used to access remote applications.
There are many approaches to thin client computing, including new "zero client" technology such as that offered by Pano Logic.

#6: Consider selective deployment of open source software

Open source software is often available free of charge, but may also come without warranties, formal training programs, or technical support. Updates may or may not occur. Some organizations have deployed open source operating systems and applications, only to return to commercial software due to these problems. Another disadvantage of some open source products for business use is lack of integration/interoperability with commercial software that may be in use by other departments, partners, customers, etc. Traditionally, open source programs have tended to require more technical expertise on the part of the users, although some open source software has become more user-friendly.
All that said, open source may have a place in your organization if deployed carefully and selectively. Open source (Linux/UNIX-based) server software may be appropriate for certain dedicated servers if you have IT personnel who have knowledge and expertise in the OS. Open source operating systems on the desktop may work fine for more technically savvy users. Open source applications such as Open Office that offer compatibility with the file formats of commercial applications might be the right choice for some users, especially those who only need to create documents occasionally and don't need the advanced features of commercial programs such as Word.
A careful assessment of where open source software can and can't be deployed in your organization without undue disruption and a steep learning curve can help you integrate it into your network in a way that saves money.

#7: Have fewer, smarter meetings

Meetings eat up a lot of time that could be better spent on more productive work. This is true across all organizations, and the IT department is usually no exception. You can cut down on meeting wastage by careful planning, having a set agenda and staying on-topic, and requiring only those who really need to be there to attend.
In many cases, the purpose of a meeting can be accomplished much more efficiently via e-mail or a telephone conference. Meetings at remote locations cost even more in travel time and expenses. If face-to-face communication is essential, you can use videoconferencing to save both time and money.

#8: Look at new training options

Training is often one of the first items to suffer when budgets have to be cut, but arbitrarily slashing all training dollars can end up costing the company more in the long run. It's necessary for IT personnel to keep current on the technologies they deploy and administer; mistakes can result in expensive downtime or even loss of critical data.
When cutting training allocations, it's important to have a plan for personnel to continue to maintain and update their knowledge and skills. There are a number of ways to save money on training. Instead of attending expensive offsite conferences that involve travel and per diem costs, you may be able to set up onsite training or utilize computer-based training and self-study programs to accomplish the same thing.
Encourage IT personnel to keep learning. If the company can no longer afford to pay all the expenses for employees to obtain industry certifications, for example, you may still be able to cover part of the expenses (such as the exam fee) and/or offer incentives — monetary and otherwise — to employees who complete the training on their own time.

#9: Replace dedicated WAN links with site-to-site VPN

If your business has multiple physical locations and you have dedicated leased lines connecting them, it might be time to think about ditching the expensive dedicated links and replacing them with site-to-site VPN connections instead. Midsize and large businesses may be able to save thousands of dollars on monthly fees by doing this.
Likewise, small businesses that are currently paying hundreds of dollars per month for a T-1 line should look into new Internet service options. In some areas, you can get a business FiOS line (with static multiple IP addresses) for less than half the cost of your T-1, and it provides up to 10 times the downstream bandwidth and twice the upstream.

#10: Outsource some services

Outsourcing is a sensitive subject. Many people, hearing the word, think only of personnel cuts and jobs going to foreign shores. But judicious outsourcing can allow you to better utilize the personnel you have and to more efficiently and cost-effectively run your IT operation, without entrusting your data to people half a world away.
For example, as your business grows and your need for more servers expands, you might find that it's less expensive and less hassle to use a hosting service for your Web servers or e-mail, rather than buying more hardware and hiring more personnel. As with other money-saving measures, this is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and you should first assess your specific needs, compare prices, and do a cost/benefits analysis to determine whether outsourcing really is the most cost effective option in both the short and long run.

10 flagrant grammar mistakes that make you look stupid

#1: Loose for lose

No: I always loose the product key.
Yes: I always lose the product key.

#2: It's for its (or God forbid, its')

No: Download the HTA, along with it's readme file.
Yes: Download the HTA, along with its readme file.
No: The laptop is overheating and its making that funny noise again.
Yes: The laptop is overheating and it's making that funny noise again.

#3: They're for their for there

No: The managers are in they're weekly planning meeting.
Yes: The managers are in their weekly planning meeting.
No: The techs have to check there cell phones at the door, and their not happy about it.
Yes: The techs have to check their cell phones at the door, and they're not happy about it.

#4: i.e. for e.g.

No: Use an anti-spyware program (i.e., Ad-Aware).
Yes: Use an anti-spyware program (e.g., Ad-Aware).
Note: The term i.e. means "that is"; e.g. means "for example." And a comma follows both of them.

#5: Effect for affect

No: The outage shouldn't effect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't affect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't have any effect on users.
Yes: We will effect several changes during the downtime.
Note: Impact is not a verb. Purists, at least, beg you to use affect instead:
No: The outage shouldn't impact any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn't affect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage should have no impact on users during work hours.

#6: You're for your

No: Remember to defrag you're machine on a regular basis.
Yes: Remember to defrag your machine on a regular basis.
No: Your right about the changes.
Yes: You're right about the changes.

#7: Different than for different from

No: This setup is different than the one at the main office.
Yes: This setup is different from the one at the main office.
Yes: This setup is better than the one at the main office.

#8 Lay for lie

No: I got dizzy and had to lay down.
Yes: I got dizzy and had to lie down.
Yes: Just lay those books over there.

#9: Then for than

No: The accounting department had more problems then we did.
Yes: The accounting department had more problems than we did.
Note: Here's a sub-peeve. When a sentence construction begins with If, you don't need a then. Then is implicit, so it's superfluous and wordy:
No: If you can't get Windows to boot, then you'll need to call Ted.
Yes: If you can't get Windows to boot, you'll need to call Ted.

#10: Could of, would of for could have, would have

No: I could of installed that app by mistake.
Yes: I could have installed that app by mistake.
No: I would of sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of town.
Yes: I would have sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of town

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10 traits to look for when you¡¯re hiring a programmer

Programmers come with a wide range of skill sets, hail from many countries and cultures, and can have differing backgrounds and experiences. Nevertheless, certain qualities can mean the difference between a great programmer and someone who¡¯s not so great. Here are 10 things to look for when you¡¯re hiring a programmer.

#1: Curiosity

Great programmers never accept things ¡°as is¡±; they need to poke deep inside something, even when it appears to be working fine, to learn more. This is how many problems are solved before they are problems, and it¡¯s usually the quickest way to fix acute issues. A programmer without this mentality will usually end up lacking the knowledge underlying why they are doing what they are doing, which means they¡¯re working with blinders on. Unless candidates are very shy, their curiosity, if they have it, will show strongly during interviews.

#2: Clear thinking skills

It may sound obvious, but programming is an exercise in logic. People who can add 2 and 2 to get 4 are common, but people who can take ¡°2 + x = 4¡å and figure out that ¡°x¡± is equal to 2 are much less common. This is why I have always preferred programmers with strong math or science backgrounds. It makes them a bit better at programming, but more important, it generally indicates good logic skills. When I discuss the job, I sometimes leave blanks in what I¡¯m saying to see if the candidate can fill them in. In addition, if your hiring process includes formal testing, that¡¯s a good time to test logic skills.

#3: Top flight reading speed and comprehension

Another ¡°duh¡± when it comes to programmer productivity is that most of their work is not the typing of the code. A significant portion of a programmer¡¯s day is spent reading, whether it be other people¡¯s code, Web sites with examples, documentation, or project specs. Programmers who read slowly, or worse, don¡¯t understand what they¡¯re reading, will be inefficient at best, and dangerous at worst. You probably don¡¯t want someone on staff who misreads the spec and spends three weeks doing the wrong thing; that¡¯s just embarrassing when you need to explain the delay to the project sponsors. It¡¯s really hard to gauge reading skills during the hiring process unless you use a formal testing process.

#4: Attention to detail

Attention to detail is a close cousin to curiosity. A programmer who pays attention to detail will be significantly more productive than one who doesn¡¯t, all else being equal. It is, unfortunately, extremely difficult to measure this quality during the hiring process. Still, sometimes things happen during the hiring process that show that a candidate has this trait. Maybe it¡¯s a casual remark or just a minor incident that occurs during the interview.

For example, I once had an interviewee casually compliment me on my shirt and mention that he was a fan of that designer; that spoke volumes about his attention to detail (as well as his fashion sense). And of course, a severe lack of attention to detail can sometimes be obvious too; the candidate who walks in with pants unbuttoned or toilet paper stuck to a shoe clearly is not paying attention to detail!

#5: Quick learner outside of programming

Unless your company develops programming tools, like compilers and IDEs, your programmers are working with projects outside the realm of programming. Just as journalists need to understand a little bit about the subjects of their stories and good teachers need a working knowledge of the field they¡¯re teaching, good programmers are able to learn about the environment their software will work within. Of course, you don¡¯t need a CPA with a computer science degree to work on your accounting software, but a programmer who can¡¯t understand the basics of the math and business rules involved is going to be a liability.

I take candidates I¡¯m seriously considering on a tour of the facility and provide a brief, simple, jargon-free overview of the company and how it works. Candidates who ask pointed questions that show they understand what I¡¯m talking about, or who otherwise show comprehension, get extra credit in the overall hiring decision.

#6: Self-learning skills

It¡¯s extremely rare for a programming shop to have the budget and time to provide training to its programmers. This is unfortunate, but it¡¯s a current business reality. The result is that most programmers self-teach their skill sets (ideally with a mentor handy) once their formal schooling is over. Programmers who are good at self-learning are going to be better at programming.

During the interview process, I like to ask questions such as, ¡°How did you learn to do that?¡± when the candidate talks about something difficult, or, ¡°How do you get new skills?¡± and ¡°Do you read any programming-related books, magazines, Web sites, blogs, etc?¡±. Candidates who aren¡¯t just capable but who are eager to teach themselves new programming skills are much better to have on staff than those who don¡¯t like to learn outside a formal training program.

#7: Passion

Some programmers are ¡°daycoders¡± ¡ª people who write code 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, and do not think about it in the slightest outside of those times. That¡¯s perfectly fine; not everyone can be a super geek who lives and breathes code. I have hired people like this in the past to fill a gap or to work on the sections of a project that are routine. But when I need to hire a top programming candidate (regardless of skill or experience level), I need to be hiring someone with a passion for the work.

Passion is a ¡°make or break¡± during crunch time or on a project that requires tricky techniques, rare skills, and so on. After all, daycoders won¡¯t be motivated to learn the best way of doing things and will instead just do what they¡¯ve always done, which may not be the best way of doing things. Daycoders are also difficult to retain without a steady stream of raises and a high level of perks, since they are there for the money, not for the work. Passion will be fairly obvious during the interview. Candidates who get excited when you talk about your project or who are talking about their past projects have it for sure.

#8: Adaptability

Have you ever worked on a programming project that ended with the same specs it started with? Neither have I, and I am including short projects that lasted less than a day! Programmers who do not handle change well will probably not be very successful, except on long-term, Waterfall-type projects that last years, usually under government contract. That is not to denigrate those kinds of projects or programmers, of course. But most projects are simply incompatible with a lack of adaptability.

It¡¯s pretty obvious during interviews when candidates are not adaptable or handle change poorly, particularly if you ask questions like, ¡°Did the requirements change often?¡± Candidates who say something like, ¡°Sure, but that happens on all projects and it¡¯s a fact of life¡± are winners. Those who roll their eyes and respond with, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I could never get anything done!¡± probably will not be a good fit for most environments.

#9: Good communication skills

¡°Communication skills¡± doesn¡¯t mean the same thing as ¡°Speaks perfect English.¡± It means, ¡°able to convey an idea accurately and effectively.¡± Pictures, sounds, and hand motions are all part of communication skills. Programmers who have a hard time getting their point across or understanding what others are trying to tell them will not be effective in the long run. This is a difficult ability to properly measure in a phone interview, but when candidates have difficulty communicating even in a face-to-face interview, you can be sure that they¡¯ll have a hard time on the job as well.

#10: Who¡¯s the boss?

Programmers are a notoriously independent group of people. Indeed, I believe that¡¯s one of their strengths, and it¡¯s great not having to micromanage people working on technical projects. However, a good portion of programmers struggle with the idea of ¡°I am the boss and you are not.¡± I know, it sounds tyrannical. In a way, it is. Managers often need to make decisions for nontechnical reasons, and they may not be able to explain those reasons to their team (secrecy, politics, not enough time, etc.).

A little bit of pushback, particular on bad decisions, is something I encourage and fully support, especially if the boss doesn¡¯t realize that it is a bad decision and if the feedback is delivered correctly. But when the boss says, ¡°I know from the technical perspective this is a bad idea, but this is how we need to do it,¡± it¡¯s final. All too often, certain ¡°rogue coders¡± will ignore their marching orders and go do their own thing. Even worse, they have a tendency to run their mouth to anyone and everyone about how stupid the boss is, and how he or she obviously does not understand programming ¡ª which may or may not be true. This sinks projects and does nothing but cause animosity and hurt team morale.

This mentality can often be seen during the interview process, especially when you¡¯re asking about past work experiences. Rogue coders love to talk about their ¡°evil, idiot, pointy-haired slave driver¡± former managers, even when it is wholly inappropriate to do so, like in a job interview. Well-adjusted programmers will say things such as, ¡°I disagreed with some of my manager¡¯s decisions at a technical level, but I know that those decisions had to have nontechnical issues factored into them.¡±