Category: Career
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Job search: Red flags
Having been part of the work force for a long time now, I have also interviewed with a number of companies. Sometimes I have completely ignored what were, in hindsight, relatively obvious red flags, while at oher times identifying such red flags has helped me avoid jobs that wouldn’t have been a good fit for…
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The experience paradox
I am sure that I am not alone in making an effort to keep abreast of what jobs are being posted within what can largely be termed my field, and am struck by the paradox represented by requiring relevant experience for most jobs, even entry-level positions. For example, I have seen my share of highly…
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2013 roundup
It’s been a while since I did one of these, but I guess it’s about time. 2013 has been a turbulent year for me. It started with me as a dad on parental leave, doing my best to get through my first course of university studies. About one third through the year, I started to…
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A multi-disciplinary approach to career-building in IT
In the IT world, there are a lot of different paths to take. Mine, though conventional enough in its beginnings, is increasingly becoming unconventional. I believe this is a good and important thing. Here, then, is my approach to my own career. Solid technical skills Without a solid technical skill set, everything else you do…
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Endings and beginnings
An age old adage tells us that when one door closes, another opens. This feels particularly apt to me these days. As we approach christmas and New Year’s eve of 2010, I can’t help but feel nostalgic. It will be my last christmas as an employee at Orkla Shared Services, and come January 3rd, I…
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How to survive on-site support
Having worked on-site support for most of my career, I’ve seen a lot of things that can bug you. There are a few things we can do to make it a little more survivable, such as: Bring your tools Whether they are hardware or software tools, bringing them shows the client you’re prepared, and…
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A formula for success
I try to keep out of trouble at work as much as possible, for many reasons, but mainly because I prefer being praised to being yelled at. There is a very simple way to achieve this; simply make your promises rarely and in such a fashion that you have leeway if something should go wrong,…
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How do you use the slow periods?
Most techs will agree, that even though it is stressful and at times annoying, high-intensity periods are to be preferred to low-intensity periods. There is a simple reason for this; when there is a lot going on, you simply can’t afford to procrastinate, and so you’re forced to do your work as efficiently as possible. On…