I have developed quite an archive of Career Opportunities columns and podcasts, so this new weekly series of posts will re-introduce you to some that you might have missed -- Douglas

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January - Week 1

2001 At your peril

While it may seem a bit odd, among the many lessons learned from the recent election fiasco is an important wakeup call for all who work in high-tech careers. Any system, if ignored, will fail at the worst possible moment with potentially disastrous consequences. Every system, be a paper punch ballot or high-end database system, must be constantly monitored to insure that when a crisis occurs, the system will be up to the challenge. If you do not take the time to monitor systems then it could be only a matter of time before you have no career at all.

2002 Not to be trusted?

A quick read of nearly any high-tech publication today will give you a host of articles about protecting yourself, your equipment and your company from attack. The focus on security is a welcome one. Too many systems have little or no security installed, leaving them open to attack and exploitation. That said, there is a more insidious undercurrent to these calls for security – it seems no one, not even your employees, your friends, your relatives is to be trusted.

2003 A New Chance

Every time the calendar rolls around to a new year, it is your opportunity for a fresh start. While New Year’s resolutions are much ridiculed, the concept is still sound. Take the time to evaluate the past year and make plans for the next. You may not keep your resolutions, or plans may fall short of your expectations, but the power is in trying. Merely by reaching a little farther, reaching a little higher, you can bring new energy to your career and your life.

2004 2004

Despite what some people might think, the New Year is not some magic wand that can wave away all the problems of the last year. Was it only so! Instead, the New Year is simply a demarcation, a line in the sands of time, a pointer that reminds us where we are in our lives. The usual problems will still be there awaiting our attention on January 2nd, but we can use the New Year as a gentle reminder to rededicate ourselves to our families and our careers.

2005 Referrals

Referrals are the life-blood of anyone working
in high-tech, whether a freelance consultant and coach, like myself, or
an IT staffer working inside a large corporation. Word of mouth is one
of the strongest methods for developing new clients or finding the next
job up the corporate ladder. As with most career issues, referrals can
be a double-edged sword. Friendships, family and business can suffer when
referrals become a contentious issue instead of simply one person, or
business, helping another.

2006 Get a plan

The beginning of a New Year is always a time of retrospection, thinking back on all that has occurred -- the good, the bad, the indifferent. While reviewing the past can be helpful in some ways, it is by looking out into to the next year that you can develop some dramatic benefits for yourself, your career and your company. Take some time this week to really think about what is coming in the next 12 months. There will be some obvious events to place on this list, but you should dig deeper to discover the projects, and maybe even the crises, that you will be facing this year.

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