I’ve been in IT for over 15 years and risen to senior ranks in my career, and still my folks think I wander the floors in a boiler suit! Do yours? There is still this huge brush that all IT professionals and leaders are tarnished with, and it was built from the days of the […]
How Do You Tell Your Parents What You Do In IT? Read More »
Here are 8 things you can do on a weekly basis
How To Improve Your Performance With 8 Weekly Events Read More »
Do you know what it takes to be an entrepreneur? If not, here’s how you can find out.Dave Crain is someone I have ‘just met’ in the blogosphere and I’ve just read his latest post on Entrepreneurial Qualities, and I was so impressed I wanted to share it with you. Dave’s research has arrived at the
Dave Crain Talks About Entrepreneurial Qualities… Read More »
For employees, a Performance Review can be a nervous time. But you know what, it can be for IT Managers too!In my article ’10 Performance Review Affirmations’ I discussed why Performance Reviews are very important elements of personal development, and most employees in a corporate environment are subjected to them, managers too. What I’ve noticed
10 IT Manager Performance Review Affirmations Read More »
A Performance Review/Appraisal is an important element of your career and personal development. The thing is, many employees don’t really know why they have them, and see them as an opportunity to be scolded or criticized. This isn’t their purpose!Your Performance Review is a golden opportunity to learn more about your performance and develop new
10 Performance Review Affirmations Read More »
Have you noticed that when you give someone praise that they walk away with their chest puffed up and a smile on their face, and then more responsive and engaging? The effect of praise is like a nitro blast – its power is tremendous. What you’re doing is creating pride, which is an awesome motivator.
Praise… Let it Flow, Let it Flow, Let it Flow Read More »
The Global Financial Crisis continues, and Managers are being asked to do more with the same, or less. The inevitable ‘Headcount Freeze’ has been mandated in many organizations putting pressure on managers to maximize the return on investment. Holy Cow it’s getting tough! There are a number of interventions that will ease the pressure. And
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Your ‘big day’ has arrived. Your interview is now. How are you making the final preparations?In Part One of this series we looked at how to prepare in advance for an interview, in particularly, how to build confidence that you have the best answers for the ‘tricky’ questions that always get asked. Interviews are a
What is the Best Way to Prepare for an Interview? (Part Three) Read More »
Freelance Marketplaces, like Elance and Rentacoder, have grown very popular with freelancers and their clients because they are a ‘platform solution’ to many freelancer business problems. For a small(ish) fee, freelancers enjoy many benefits. What are they, and why use these platforms?You might already be familiar with these platforms, and use them regularly. If that isn’t
Here are six more powerful questions to ask at your review, which delve further into your performance and to inquire about how you can excel in the future
6 More Powerful Questions To Ask At Your Performance Review Read More »
You’ve written a great resume. But what about the cover letter?In my post 9 Highly Effective Habits of Great Technical Resume Writers I shared the approach of the best resume writers in order to create the most effective resume. I also tested automatic ‘resume builders’ to see if they can be used to create great
Great Resumes Arrive With Even Greater Cover Letters Read More »
Writing a great resume is a real challenge for most of us, and to get it near perfect we have to learn from the best. In my article ‘ 9 Highly Effective Habits of Great Technical Resume Writers ‘ I shared with you what I consider to be the best traits of the great resume
Do ‘Resume Builders’ Work for Technical People? Read More »
You may have noticed that SimonStapleton.com has been focusing a lot lately on landing that top job. It’s no surprise these posts have received a lot of feedback, as in this global economy, landing a well paying job is something that is highly desired. But how do you perceive your worth? Do your perceptions on
How To Calculate Rates in a Competitive Market Read More »
If somebody gives you feedback that surprises you, how should you respond? Defensively?… dismissively?… aggressively? Of course not. Here’s how.In last week’s installation of this series , I emphasized a key point: Feedback Is A Gift . In order to understand how other people perceive your personality and your behaviors, you need to be told
As A Leader, Your Personality Is Everything (Part Four) Read More »
What makes a great resume – one which you can’t put down? A great resume writer, that’s what. Through my years of IT management and recruiting IT professionals, I’ve seen countless resumes (in the 1,000s), so what makes me keep on reading some and put the rest aside for later reading?To compliment my recent focus
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In Part One of this series we took a look at interview preparation by considering our confidence and nervousness before the event. This time we’re considering the importance of know what we want to get from an interview and we’ll also be looking at how we might dress for an interview.It’s fair to say that
What is the Best Way to Prepare for an Interview? (Part Two) Read More »
Here are 6 Powerful Questions To Ask In Your Performance Review – curated and road-tested over many years. Don’t start your performance appraisal without them!
6 Powerful Questions To Ask In Your Performance Review Read More »
Imagine if you thought you were doing a great job, but your colleagues and boss didn’t (and they don’t tell you). How would you feel?
As A Leader, Your Personality Is Everything (Part Three) Read More »
As a freelancer, you are likely to be in a disadvantaged position as far as personal development and feedback goes. Why? Well permanent employees, as a rule, are nurtured by their employers. You don’t receive the benefit of the development opportunities presented to permies, unless you create them yourself, and out of your own pocket.
As a Freelancer, You’re At A Disadvantage Read More »
Flunking an Interview is so disheartening. Not just because we fail to land the job we’ve banked on getting, but think about all the time and energy we’ve put into even getting in front of the interview panel, particularly if you’ve adopted guerrilla tactics and found a job that didn’t even exist before you created
What is the Best Way to Prepare for an Interview? (Part One) Read More »
Early in August, I asked for your help. I needed a dedicated commentator to beat the talented Chris Mahan (who won in August and September) to the mark of Commentator of the Month, and I would up the ante from the usual $10 to $20. We have a new winner! Enter Mark McClure (yes, the
October Commentator of the Month! Read More »
