Technology Careers

IT professionals don’t always have the reputation of being extroverts.

Whether you’re generally friendly and love to chat around the water cooler or are some mystery man who begrudgingly fixes everything that breaks in the office, networking is a necessity for any professional-level employee in any industry.

As it goes, there are “six degrees of separation” connecting you to everyone else in the world. Whether you are looking for a new IT job now, are open to better opportunities down the road or are happy with your current situation and never see yourself going anywhere else, it’s always a good idea to make connections with other like-minded individuals.

IT is a unique field because technical skills and brains are always in high demand. Networking is rarely a requirement to land that perfect job. However, a little bit of conversation with other people whose day-to-day closely resembles yours can give you more of a competitive edge and provide additional emotional satisfaction.

Here are three big ways IT pros can become better networkers.

Join LinkedIn if You Haven’t Already

One of the best places for IT networking is LinkedIn.

There are several great benefits to LinkedIn, especially if you have a complete profile. Employers actively scour the network looking for passive candidates who need the skills you have. More often than not, you may politely turn down the new opportunity, but when you’re in demand, there’s a good chance that the perfect job will just show up in your lap because you use LinkedIn.

A large network on LinkedIn is a valuable commodity whether or not you are looking for new opportunities. If you’re laid off and find yourself actively seeking employment, your network on LinkedIn may be one of the first things they look at.

An active, complete profile essentially serves as a resume – or at least a draft of a resume without actually putting together a resume.

LinkedIn is also a great place to get industry news in your particular field and stay atop of trends.

Explore IT Networking Groups

For IT Networking purposes, Join a professional chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) or explore other IT associations in your area. AITP members have access to a career center, get to meet other IT professionals, receive a newsletter and get discounts on many products and services.  

There are also several industry and demographic-specific networking groups out there, such as BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates), Women In Technology and the National Association of Programmers.

While you’re at it, join some networking groups on LinkedIn. Some recommendations include:

• Telecom IT Updates – News & Jobs for Cloud Computing Information Technology & Wireless Professionals
• Information Security Community
• Information Security Network
• Information Technology (IT) Professionals Worldwide.

If you prefer to network locally, St. Louis Information Technology Connection is a great place to start.

Attend National IT Conferences

The best IT Networking events are those that get you out of the office.

Visit a new city, learn new industry trends, hear from influential speakers and get to know other professionals in your industry.

Network with ThrottleNet

Networking remains an invaluable took no matter what industry you are in. Feel free to connect with us on LinkedIn or join us on Facebook.

Want to work for ThrottleNet? Keep an eye on career postings at ThrottleNet.com.

It’s no secret that people in the information security field are stressed out especially Chief Security Officers – and it’s also unfortunate that there’s a huge talent gap in the technology sector.

We’re not surprised to see the two are connected by occupational burnout– according to a new report by the International Data Corporation (IDC).

There are still new, talented, hungry people entering the information security field but unfortunately, the industry is seeing record low retention figures facilitated by occupational burnout at higher levels.

For entry-level IT professionals, live is for the most part good. Expectations for entry-level IT employees are basic enough and companies are more willing to be flexible. After working up the corporate ladder, things get tougher, blood pressure rises and turnover becomes more inevitable.

IT jobs that require more than 10 years of experience take more than a year to fill 21% of the time and more than 50% of jobs in the information security field requiring 20 years of experience take more than a year to fill.

In reality, for a company who needs a CSO a year is way too long to wait, especially when you are really counting on this experienced individual to lead your staff and manage key business processes.

The No. 1 Reason for CSO Occupational Burnout

According to the report, those in the information security field get paranoid, and paranoia can be a serious mental drain.

Put yourself in the shoes of a CSO at a Fortune 500 Company. You’re always hearing about the latest data breach – this many million customers have had their identity stolen and/or leaked. This many million dollars were lost as a result of credit card information being stolen.

While other technology jobs are more focused on improving infrastructure and creating technology designed to bring in new business, you’re trying to be proactive about something bad happening, and you’re always worried about having to go reactionary when something bad happens. That leads to faster occupational burnout.

If something bad does happen, it’s on you.

That’s a lot of stress, and frankly, not something many IT executives want to deal with. Human nature is to be working for a greater good – something positive that makes a difference. It’s not fun for those in the information security field to always be working against something negative.

There’s no clear endpoint either, as technology is always adapting and changing. You may win a few battles, but the war is never over. When a firefighter puts out a fire, his job is done for the day – until the next fire, of course. Your fire never quite extinguishes.

Being a CSO comes with stress and unrealistic expectations. Sure, you’re getting paid well, but one big breach could bring your career to a screeching halt.

Should Small Businesses Worry As Much As The Big Guys?

A Chief Security Officer is undoubtedly a necessity at larger companies, and it’s unfortunate to see so few people wanting to do it, and even less making it to retirement in that role.

Thankfully, small businesses don’t need a CSO – and don’t need to get all worked up about what can happen.

For small businesses, your technology staff should be focused on growing your business, streamlining your processes and improving your company’s earnings potential. You need to leave the more complicated matters in the hands of someone you can trust, without sweating about looming threats.

ThrottleNet’s Managed Network Solutions allow your small business to focus on the things that really matter at a fair price. Our bundled services include Remote Monitoring, Anti Spyware and Virus Software on all network connected devices and a Virtual CIO dedicated to improving your security and data integrity.

We’ll handle keeping your network secure and develop a customized solution for your business. When talent is hard to come by, we’re always here, providing a technology staff dedicated to the unique needs of your business.

Ready to talk IT? Don’t get stressed out. Try ThrottleNet for free today.

In the traditional office environment, something is always on fire.

Not in the literal sense, but when an IT professional plans out their work day, more often than not, their initial game plan gets derailed by hectic occurrences we have learned to expect and adjust to.

IT time management is hard. You’re busy planning a hardware refresh schedule, but an employee alerts you of a virus on their machine. Later in the day, you learn from HR that a new marketing person is starting tomorrow and you need to set up their workstation. Oh, by the way, you also have to suspend access for the sales guy who just quit. Time management strategies become crucial for IT professionals, as to not lose anything in the shuffle.

IT can get really busy, really fast, and if you’re not accustomed to multi-tasking, it’s really easy to let crucial tasks go by the wayside. Time management is key for IT professionals, and while planning is key, you also have to plan for what you can’t plan for.

Prioritize Tasks by Level of Importance

Prioritizing is one of the simplest time management strategies out there. No matter what your industry, you likely have to adhere to deadlines, or at least push yourself to meet an imaginary one. Tackle your most important tasks when you are most engaged and alert. This could be first thing in the morning or it could be late in the day. If you’re not 100% up to developing a disaster recovery plan at 8 a.m. put if off until after your 11 a.m. coffee break when you do your best work. That’s not procrastination, that’s creating a parallel between your personal level of engagement and the amount of engagement that is needed to create a project.

Use Technology

You’re in technology, so use technology to manage your time. Set outlook reminders, use Google calendars and use apps on your smartphone. You’ll be amazed at how much easier these simple things will make your life.

Set SMART Goals

Some of your long-term goals may not be deadline driven, but it is important part of IT time management to set deadlines to just about everything. You know that in your day-to-day there are bound to be distractions – both personal and professional. Resetting an employee’s password is a distraction, but it is part of your day-to-day and you have to be prepared for it.  Keep those urgent little fires in mind when planning for big projects.

Set SMART goals for yourself, meaning they are: Specific, Measurable, Action-focused, Realistic and Time-Specific. These goals give you direction and streamline your workflow.

Learn How to Delegate

You’re just one member of your IT team. You can’t do everything. Know the other members of your team. Know their strengths and limitations. If you don’t have time to onboard an employee, find someone else who can. Properly delegating tasks can have a huge effect on your productivity.

Consider Budgeting for Outside Help

You may have a team, but your daily tasks may still be too much to handle alongside long-term goals. That’s where a Managed Network provider like ThrottleNet can step in. Let our Virtual CIO help you develop a strategic plan for your business. Leave it to us to monitor your network 24/7/365 so you don’t have to. Trust us to implement cutting-edge anti-spyware and virus software on all connected devices. Is Vendor Management a chore? We can take care of that for you to, along with a host of other Managed Network Services.

Want to learn more about how ThrottleNet can make IT less hectic for your St. Louis business? Contact us today.

It’s no secret that the technology sector lacks gender diversity and that the gender gap in tech has been a problem for quite some time. There have never been enough women in IT, and according to a recent Op/Ed article in the LA Times, it’s becoming worse.

Take Microsoft for example. In January, the company released its own diversity stats, and they don’t paint a pretty picture about women in IT at the company. 76% of the company’s workforce is male, while only 24% are female. At the management level, 88% of Microsoft executives are male.

The good thing is women are beginning to become more interested in pursuing degrees in computer technology again thanks to society realizing this is an issue largely due to the actions of non-profit groups like Girls in Tech in raising awareness of the gender disparity. In addition, many universities have begun to encourage women to get involved in these lesser-pursued majors in recent years.

It’s not that women aren’t becoming educated or qualified enough to become programmers, managers, or technicians, though. Women in tech are just as capable of doing the job as men. The article in the LA Times, however, cites a subtle culture of discrimination, with women less likely to earn promotions or the respect of their peers.

The problem is related to psychology and cultural bias. History tells us there hasn’t been very much gender diversity in tech. Women haven’t been programmers. They haven’t been techies. It’s no surprise to us, given this historical footnote that has been beaten into our brains that men sometimes come across as shocked when their new lady co-worker shows up for her first day on the job.

Some men, while they don’t explicitly say it, have a preconceived bias against women in tech. Many women in tech have a different nagging feeling in their head, and inexplicitly wonder if they belong in the first place.

These things cause women to leave computer science jobs and never come back. Disparities in gender diversity in technology problems can only get worse, as computing jobs are projected to double to 1.4 million by 2020.

Is your IT person a jack of all trades but a master of none of them?

Kevin Banks, Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO) with ThrottleNet, appeared on TNtv to discuss the mistakes business owners make by entrusting anything and everything related to technology to just one person.

Many companies make the mistake of lumping together all tech related equipment and functionality  with servers, computers, copiers, printers and phone systems as “IT”.

They expect their one, in-house IT person to be an expert in all facets and operations of these systems. The IT person, specifically trained in network infrastructure, can waste valuable time and resources scrambling to fix problems outside his expertise and knowledge base. The end result is usually a solution that can be best called “mediocre”.

Complex IT Requires a Team

As networks grow more complex, and can include everything from work stations, to copy/print/scan devices, printer switches and fire walls, a properly run system requires a team of experts with a high level of skill in each particular area.

Banks said that is why ThrottleNet is helping businesses with its Vendor Resource Management program. When companies need a vendor or services outside of ThrottleNet’s core strength and offerings of network management and services, the firm has a team of vendor partners ready to assist them. These partners are subject matter experts in their field. They can address any equipment or service need whether it be a digital printer, mobile device or even web design.

Benefits of a Vendor Resource Management Program

Any client can utilize the Vendor Resource Management program. They can make one call to ThrottleNet to help drive any necessary equipment repair. This approach takes the burden off the CEO or staff member of spending unnecessary time searching for additional help and support, and lets ThrottleNet serve as a direct extension of their business.

The end result provides a business owner with a comprehensive solution to whatever issue or need they may have as opposed to settling for service that is average at best.

For additional information visit https://www.throttlenet.com or call (866) 826-5966.

Watch the full episode of TNTv below! 

Careers in information technology are growing at a faster pace than most other industries. Being a geek wasn’t always glamorous, but after high school, the advantages of geekdom start to flourish. You got into a good college. You learned to grasp how things operate from a technical standpoint. In your mind, you qualify for top IT jobs and decide to enter the industry.

Great timing. The future of IT jobs is bright. In fact, 59% of information technology employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees this summer, an 8% increase from this time last year.

According to the CareerBuilder Mid-Year Job Forecast, the specialized fields of cloud technology, mobile technology and social media are expected to see the greatest gains during 2014.

At home, the future of IT jobs is bright as well. St. Louis continues to grow as a technology hotbed, with many exciting technology startups offering competitive salaries made even more lucrative due to a low cost of living compared to much of the nation.

Careers in information technology are hot right now and the future of IT jobs, specifically in St. Louis is looking great. So, what are the top IT jobs looking for? What are the tools you need to succeed in careers in information technology?

There are standard lines on an IT resume. Companies want to know your software proficiencies, technical abilities and certifications, sure, but do you have what it takes to be a CIO and a true technology leader for a company?

Take these three essential leadership skills needed for IT professionals to land the top IT jobs.

Have a Results Oriented Attitude

The top IT jobs are the best for a reason. These companies know how to get things done. A true leader in IT is a results oriented, is an expert at setting goals, determining priorities and getting results all while juggling a full load of projects. Like many careers, careers in information technology are about getting results for your company. Know your assignments, define a realistic, executable goal and know how to accomplish that in either a pre-determined or assigned timeline.

Become a Persuasive Influencer

Careers in information technology are demanding. There are things going on all over the place. As an IT professional, you have to be the voice of reason. You have ideas to better your company’s technological infrastructure, with the end goal of improving the bottom line. It’s crucial to get others onboard with your ideas and achieve results.

Become a Team Player

For IT projects to succeed at a higher level, everyone on your team has to be striving for one comprehensive goal. Information technology is a team sport. You may be comfortable with an assignment and spending long days alone in your cubicle solving all of your company’s IT issues. That speaks well of your qualifications and skills, but it is imperative to establish yourself as a team player to increase the trust of your co-workers and accomplish more during the course of the day. Willingness to become a team player is often a demand of top IT jobs.

The future of IT jobs looks stronger than ever. Landing the top IT jobs is more than having a great resume. Those with the most success in their careers in information technology do so with more than just skills. Take the team at ThrottleNet for example. As an information technology management firm we are committed to providing the highest level of customer service imaginable to our customers, without contracts or setup fees. Contact ThrottleNet today to learn why we are different.