9 Hottest skills for 2009

9 Hottest skills for 2009

#1: Programming/application development, with an emphasis on SAP and .NET

#2: Help desk/technical support 

#3: Project management

#4: Networking

#5: Business intelligence — BI and IT are definitely blending.

#6: Security

#7: Web 2.0

#8: Data center, with virtualization taking a front seat

#9: Telecommunications

 Read more  [Computerworld.com]

Change Your Resume for a Great 2009 – Part I

Change Your Resume for a Great 2009

1. Understand the goal of your resume
2. Customize your resume for your job target.
3. Understand that your resume will only be scanned initially.
4. Your resume is an ad.  You must stress the benefits you will bring to the employer.
5. Focus on the employers needs, not on your own.
6. Ask yourself: "What about me makes me the perfect candidate?"
7. Put name and full contact information first
8. Use a professional email address and voice mail service.
9. Lead with a summary paragraph.
10. Know the 3 Types of Resumes.

Read more here. [lifehack.org]

How to Write a Resume That Will Land an Interview

Tip How to Write a Resume That Will Land an Interview

1. Understand the resumes purpose.

2. Research resume templates and cherry-pick what to use.

3. Delete the objective statement.

4. Add creative space, if necessary.

5. Add new activities to your resume

6. Think cretivly about your accomplishments.

7. List jobs first, and in reverse order.

8. Omit your mailing address.

9. Figure out what keywords are relevant and use them.

10. Include accomplishments in addition to responsibilities.

11. Keep the resume consise.

12. Never stop revising.

* Don't Lie

* Omit the Ugly

* Mind the Gap

Read more here. [dumblittleman.com]

4 Job Types You Should Approach with Caution.

1. The Low Paying Job. These are jobs often advertised and they compensate low pay with promises of "exposure" or a percentage of profits.

2. The Job You Can't Learn From. My advice is only take jobs that are a challenge. I still subscribe to the swim or drown philosophy.

3. The Audition Job. Start at Director and we will move you up to VP in 5 months. If this is not in writting, run away.

4. The "Easy" Job. Some jobs seem simple enough but they often turn into a giant death march. If it was really that easy, wouldn't they just do it?

Adapted from [http://webworkerdaily.com]

5 Reasons to Care (and 3 Reasons to Forget) about your Online Presence

5 reasons to Care about your Online Presence.

1. Employers and Clients look for you online.

2. You can make contacts and freinds online.

3. You can communication without contact information.

4. If you don't claim your name, someone else will.

5. Everyone else is doing it.

3 Reasons to Forget about your Online Presence.

1. Employers and Clients don't actually care about your social networking abilities.

2. Too much information is not safe.

3. It takes a lot of time.

Read more at [http://www.lifehack.org]

While I agree that social networking is not the most important skill, it is critical to success as a Project Manager.

I used Linkedin and Plaxo. I am considering twitter, facebook and myspace to round out my social presence. Of course this blog and my personal web page do not hurt.

Darth Vader Management Secrets

January 2nd, 2009 in Lifehack

Darth Vader's "Management" Secrets

 

What NOT to do as a Project Manager!

Use Fear. Yoda once said that "fear is the path to the Dark Side." He couldn't have been more right; however, his conclusions were wildly off base. Fear can be a great motivator, both for you and for those around you. Fear can help you overcome moral ambiguities by clouding them with the need for action, now.  Also, fear is the way to motivate people.  You may find their lack of faith disturbing, so you may need to demonstrate your superiority. If someone disagrees with you, Force-choke them until they see things your way.

Don't Tolerate Dissent. Destroy it. Make sure everyone knows that your word is the last word. Demand unwavering faith in your abilities from your inferiors, and if they display a disturbing lack of faith, choke them.

Punish Incompetence. Many of your subordinates will be as clumsy as they are stupid. If someone has failed you for the last time, Force-choke them to death and promote someone who knows what they are doing. Keep Force-choking people until someone finally learns his or her lesson.

Deal Exclusively On Your Terms. Periodically, you will have to make deals. Alter them at your discretion, and don't worry about any consequences. I recently had to do this with a mining entrepreneur in the Cloud City of Bespin, who expected to be treated with equanimity. Needless to say, I got what I wanted.

Use Loyalty Judiciously. Only submit to a stronger hand, and then try to destroy it once you are powerful enough. Stop at nothing to get to the top.

Always Look for Talent. Periodically, you will come across a real gem like my wayward son, Luke. Realize that they can be your key to double-crossing your superiors. If they don't play along, kill them.

Know that Power is what matters. Your ability to assert yourself in a difficult situation depends on your power. If you have power, you can have anything you want. Stop at nothing to get it.

Get Out There and Lead. While Grand Moff Tarkin was prematurely celebrating victory over the Rebel Alliance, I was out there shooting at X-wings. Which one of us survived the Death Star attack? That's right, me.

Finally, always remember that an elaborate, far-reaching plan, which relies on people reacting exactly how you plan for them to react, is always better than a simple plan. Nothing illustrates your genius quite like a meticulous, detailed, super-plan which will go horribly awry if people don't react exactly the way you think they will.  Just know who to blame when things don't go the way you expect them to.

via [http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/darth-vaders-management-secrets.html]

The 3 Best Resume Posting / Job Search Websites

Most of us PM's (Project Managers) know what to look for in a job request, but we may not know where to look. 

Here are my top 3 Resume Posting / Job Search Websites

1. Indeed.com. Search technical and non-technical jobs.

2. Dice.com. Mostly Technical Jobs

3. Monster.com. I'm still receiving job requests after 4 years without an update.

Many people have used our formula to create a searchable resume.

Honorable Mention: linkedin.com