I've been hearing a lot lately about a supposed boom in the technology sector. Since I am definitely in the market for a new gig, I would welcome this situation if it were the case.
While there do appear to be a fair number of positions for MS Windows wonks, the pickings for jobs which I am qualified remain slim. It kind of makes me feel like I don't have any relevant skills. However, I read the IT Security feeds and can see that my skills are definitely needed. Apparently, opportunities north of Boston in the field are still kind of thin.
I saw a few postings in the last several days that I wanted to apply for. Unfortunately, both had specific product-based experience requirements that I did not meet.
Time and again, I keep running up against this type of thinking. I have been a hiring manager. And, while it is great to find someone who knows how to administer a particular vendor's product (which you have invested in), I have been much happier hiring an adaptive generalist who have shown great aptitude for learning on the fly and delivering. Just because you have Product X in place today doesn't mean that you will still be using it eighteen months down the road. If you hire someone who is primarily and expert in Product X, what are you going to do with them when you ditch Product X for Product W?
Trust me. It happens all the time. And, more often than not, the expert in Product X is very narrowly skilled in said product.
I am also not a huge fan of candidates with certifications on their resumes. Great. You know how to take a test. But, can you solve a problem that you've never heard of before? How are you at devising a solution with dissimilar technologies in a heterogenous network?
*Sigh* I shouldn't fret too much over this stuff. Eventually, the right job comes along to rescue me from the one I've developed issues with.
Right now my issues are that my direct boss is a poorly organized, power hungry, ass covering, pathetic communicator, with sociopathic tendencies, compounded by an hour long commute that is destroying my back, and an organization with no integrated project management or strategic planning (to speak of). So, me? Feeling productive? I think not.
Repeat after me: Lottery tickets. pointless? of course. but ... until the tech sector boom rolls my way, I think it's close to all that I have to hold on to.
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1 comment:
Man do I know what you mean. Adaptability should be the prized skill here, but people are too busy thinking short term. I'm regularly up against that. Do you know C/C++? Yes. When did you last use it. It's been a while, but I can come back up to speed quickly. Don't call us, we'll call you.
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