* Introducing Network World's improved IT Careers Research Center
Network World has revamped its IT Careers Research Center into a must-visit destination for IT pros looking to advance their careers. Take a look at the new site and let me know what you think. You can follow the blogs of seven career and training experts who are writing exclusively for Network World, you can also find links to our other careers-related newsletters – IT Leadership and Technology Executive. You can use our salary calculator to see what you are worth, and get links to the latest IT career and training news articles and podcasts.
Let me introduce to you our industry expert bloggers whose blogs you can follow at the IT Careers Research Center:
* Writing a blog titled Security Careers is Peter Berlich, CISSP-ISSMP, CISA, CISM. He is CEO of Birchtree Consulting, based in Switzerland, and is a member of the (ISC)2 Board of Directors. He served as IT Security, Compliance Manager and Delivery Project Executive on several of IBM’s largest strategic outsourcing accounts and was global Information Security Manager of Technology Company ABB. He is also chairman of German Informatics Society’s section for Security Management and of the Advisory Editorial Board of U.K.-based Infosecurity Today. Clearly, he’s a rich source of information for existing security pros or IT pros wanting to get into the security field, so drop him a line through his blog with your burning security careers-related questions.
* For a woman’s perspective on making it in IT, Mary Finlay’s Climbing the IT Ladder blog is a must-read. She is deputy CIO of Partners HealthCare System, responsible for the daily management of an organization of 1,300 IS and telecommunications staff. Previously, she was held the same title at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She is also a member of the faculty for the Simmons School of Management. Finlay is chair of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council and is active in the Boston Chapter of the Society of Information Management and the College of HealthCare Information Management Executives. She has been recognized with leadership awards from the Simmons School of Management, CIO, the New England Business and Technology Association, and Babson College. Read her blog entry about the two traits of success IT pros.
* If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter you will recognize the name of Robert Williams, co-founder and CEO of CertGuard, established to protect the integrity of certifications (see this newsletter). Robert, and his co-founder and Chief Security Officer Taylor S. Ripley are a mine of information about the IT industry’s exam cheating problem, something that Certguard is working with several vendors to try to stamp out. Exam cheating – which is big business to some “companies” – is devaluing certifications. If you worked hard to get your certification the legitimate way, you need to read Robert and Taylor’s blog and perhaps you’ll feel compelled to join forces to find ways to stamp out exam cheating and the so-called braindump companies. Check out their blog, Certification Integrity with Robert and Taylor.
* Again, regular readers of this newsletter will recognize the name of Wendell Odom, Cisco trainer at Skyline-ATS, and prolific author of Cisco certification training books, published by Cisco Press. Since he joined Network World’s Cisco Subnet as a regular blogger back in September, Wendell has covered topics including what it takes to become a Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician, how Cisco uses question styles to better evaluate test takers, and ICND2-style NAT questions. He’s currently wrapping up a series on building your own CCNA lab. Check out Wendell’s blog, and take a sneak peek of his book CCNA Official Exam Certification Library (CCNA Exam 640-802).
* Patrick Reagan is one of two Microsoft skills experts who blog for Network World’s Microsoft Subnet. Patrick has been a PC technician, network administrator/engineer, design architect and security analyst for the past 16 years. He is currently a senior network engineer at Pacific Coast Companies, supporting a large enterprise network. He holds many certifications including the Microsoft MCSE, MCSA, MCT; CompTIA’s A+, Network+, Server+, Linux+, Security+ and CTT+; Cisco CCNA; and Novell’s CNE and CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA). His has written about a range of issues including how to troubleshoot IP networks, to the best ways of studying for a certification exam, to detailing what you get for being a Microsoft Certified Professional. Catch Patrick’s blog here.
* Microsoft Subnet’s other Microsoft careers expert is Ron Colonna, a Microsoft certified trainer at New Horizons, where he has taught over 500 classes to more than 3000 students. He is also an MCSE and an MCSD. Go to his blog to catch his recent series of the top reasons why smart IT professionals fail certification exams, plus other tips on how to pass certification exams.
We hope you enjoy the new-look IT Careers Research Center, but the latest revamp is only the tip of the iceberg. We’re looking to enhance the site further, so if there is anything in particular you’d like to see on the site – any widget you think would be useful to you as a career resource, please drop me a line or respond via the comment box below. I look forward to hearing from you.
