Latest Posts - Page 95 of 198

April 27, 2020April 18, 2020 Mastering Your Career

I Can Find That Out,Saying I Do Not Know Yet

We are asked questions every day. Also, part of the expectation of our job is that we will have an answer. However, we do not have to answer immediately. It is acceptable to say that I can find that out or let me get back to you for that answer. Do not rush into a solution when you have time to think through a response or ping others. Experience Is Half The Battle Experience is one of the best teachers. When we are not clear on an answer, we often know where to start looking. This approach may utilize search engines, reference materials, or co-workers. The method we take is not as important as the results we get. Therefore, do... Read more

April 24, 2020April 13, 2020 Mastering Your Career

Accepting or Rejecting Job Offers

Part of advancing our career includes accepting or rejecting job offers. It may come as a surprise to you that we do have a choice. We might even reject an offer without having another option. There are considerations to keep in mind throughout this offer process. The Counter Offer Both sides can always take or leave an offer and then make adjustments. This process works the same for jobs as it does anything else we negotiate. For example, you can conditionally accept an offer and say you also require another week of vacation. There may be a change in your salary, or the bonus structure, or even your workspace. Do not limit your negotiations to simple things like salary and... Read more

April 22, 2020April 12, 2020 Mastering Your Career

One Offs, Side Projects, and Veering From Standards

Rules are meant to be broken, and sometimes there is a reason for veering from standards. We often do this to build a one-off or maybe a proof-of-concept. These are situations where we have a form of excuse to try out a new language or create something quickly instead of “correctly.” The rules are different for these projects, so what should we include in our planning? Avoiding POC Problems A critical flaw in some proof-of-concepts projects is that it is too good. There are times where the powers that be want to move forward quickly and build on that POC. While that may be feasible, it is often a wrong decision. There are short cuts taken for a POC that... Read more

April 20, 2020April 12, 2020 Mastering Your Career

When To Search For a New Job

Sooner or later, most of us have a desire to search for a new job. This situation can arise from negative things like personal conflicts and lack of challenge or can be looking for a better position. In any case, there are good and bad reasons and timing for a job search. The Obvious Timing We will quickly get the most apparent situation out of the way. There are times the market is perfect for getting a job, and times when it is not. These tend to be highly visible (a lot of people looking for the same type of job, or a lot of unfilled positions) and not under our control. The market is what it is. However, we... Read more

April 17, 2020April 5, 2020 Mastering Your Career

Marketing or Narcissism – How Much Is Too Much

When we build a personal brand, there is a certain amount of “bragging” we need to do. This form of marketing can be seen as pure narcissism at times. While that is not a concern as much as we may think so, it is still an area worth considering. Sometimes you can go too far, and then is it marketing or narcissism? Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey Two perfect examples of over-the-top marketing are Donald Trump and Oprah Winfrey. The political nature of Trump has brought out those that accuse him of narcissism, but that is more recent. There is a difference between these two personal brands. However, both trumpet their features and successes steadily and often. I think it... Read more

April 15, 2020April 5, 2020 Mastering Your Career

Addressing Old and Rusty Skills In An Interview

Technology moves fast and is not likely to slow down. Therefore, cutting-edge knowledge we have today can quickly lose its value. Nevertheless, just as a car that loses a lot, but not all, of its value when you drive off the lot. We also still have value in those old and rusty skills from our past. There are modern needs and baseline knowledge that can be assumed from those past projects. Do not ignore them in an interview or resume. Migration Is Forever An essential part of technology moving forward is that we always have migration projects available. There is a steady stream of new and start-up companies that can dive into new technology from scratch. However, there is also... Read more