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IT Careers & Training

Proposed Q&A site for IT Professionals or budding IT Professionals who want advice into how to develop and progress their career.
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Could I suggest that anyone who is still interested in this proposal have a look at the Merge career proposals discussion. – Mark Booth Jan 16 at 14:38

This proposal is now in the Commitment phase — example questions are locked!

44 Example Questions (6 closed)

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up vote 22 down vote
What comes after writing software? If you want to progress, are you obliged to become a manager?
added by Wikis Jul 13 '10 at 9:46
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up vote 21 down vote
How do I migrate from a pure developer role to a team lead role?
added by Damovisa Jul 13 '10 at 4:22
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up vote 21 down vote
How do you assess a new employer? Do you ask to speak with potential colleagues before accepting? Or ask to see the workplace? Or something else?
added by Wikis Jul 13 '10 at 9:45
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this seems very wide-ranging, and not-specific to just IT Careers & Training – warren Aug 4 '10 at 18:37
@Warren - yes, that is true. Is that a problem for this Q&A? – Wikis Aug 4 '10 at 19:41
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don't see it as a problem, no :) – warren Aug 4 '10 at 19:56
@Warren - thx! =:-) – Wikis Aug 4 '10 at 19:58
up vote 20 down vote
As a project manager with a non-programmer background, would I improve if I invest some time to understand hands-on programming?
added by googletorp, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Apr 5 '11 at 20:44
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up vote 20 down vote
I've been offered the same role as either a permanent employee (good benefits) or contractor (good pay). Which improves career prospects more?
added by William Jul 13 '10 at 11:03
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up vote 14 down vote
What non IT book has most inspired you in your career, e.g. management / leadership book?
added by Wikis Jul 13 '10 at 11:37
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Why the "not a good example" vote, anyone? – Wikis Jul 22 '10 at 7:39
@warren - seems then an "off-topic example" vote would be in order but I won't lose any sleep over it. – Wikis Jul 22 '10 at 13:15
Eww, it's a "What's your favorite .... " kind of question. >_o – rlb.usa Jul 22 '10 at 16:15
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Funny thing is, warren, your answer was great - not "noise", which kind of works against your point here. =:-) – Wikis Jul 23 '10 at 13:54
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Fair enough, @Mark .. I'll vote "on-topic" :) – warren Jul 23 '10 at 14:47
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up vote 12 down vote
I expect to be seeking a new sysadmin job in a few months. What should I be doing online to impress employers who Google me?
added by William Jul 13 '10 at 12:06
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up vote 10 down vote
What IT certifications can I get to make myself more marketable as a systems engineer?
added by David Wiggins Jul 15 '10 at 1:58
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up vote 8 down vote
I've been in <field>, but want to transition into IT. Beyond hobby/home work, what can I do to "get up to speed" on <OS|application>?
added by warren Jul 13 '10 at 18:38
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I thought we should be targeting professionals already in the field. Given that, wouldn't this not be a good example? It's not off topic -- just not an example.... – Frank V Aug 9 '10 at 18:06
@Frank V - "budding IT Professionals" is in the site's description (as of 1405EDT on 09-aug-2010) .. I thought this would apply to such "budding" folks :) – warren Aug 9 '10 at 18:09
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I know quite a few IT pros who started off in other fields and ended up here because it was their hobby. I think the question belongs. – LoganGoesPlaces Aug 17 '10 at 1:40
up vote 8 down vote
I am an application developer but want to move into a more mathematical domain. Is statistical analysis / data mining something I could consider?
added by Preets Jul 19 '10 at 22:56
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up vote 7 down vote
As a developer with 3+ year experience, how can I measure my competency level or skill-set in [ASP.NET], or any other technology?
added by Sandy Aug 16 '10 at 12:08
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up vote 6 down vote
What are some good online training courses to take for the Microsoft 70-536: TS: Microsoft .NET Framework - Application Development Foundation exam?
added by Damovisa Jul 13 '10 at 4:19
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up vote 6 down vote
How can I show expertise (on a CV) in a technology that I have not used at a previous employer?
added by agartzke Aug 6 '10 at 18:36
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up vote 5 down vote
What are good pitches to management for paying for us to get more/better training?
added by warren Jul 23 '10 at 14:50
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up vote 4 down vote
What cues can you look for, to choose an answer to the interview question "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
added by William Jul 13 '10 at 10:45
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Why wouldn't one answer this truthfully; wouldn't you want your long term goals to line up with a potential employer? – Frank V Aug 12 '10 at 0:48
I agree; as an interviewer, I hope it would be truthful. However, from what I hear, the short term employment goal can override longer term goals, and some people think they can improve their chances on this answer. – William Aug 12 '10 at 4:26
up vote 4 down vote
Where can I look for great examples of questions I may be asked during interviews for IT jobs?
added by David Wiggins Jul 15 '10 at 2:04
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Ideally, the question can be linked to a new Stack Exchange site for practice IT interview questions! – agartzke Aug 6 '10 at 18:37
up vote 4 down vote
I've always worked for a privately held company; and am now moving to a publicly traded company. What major changes should I expect?
added by Frank V Aug 8 '10 at 13:49
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up vote 4 down vote
What are some things that I can do in my spare time that would like good on a resume (i.e. contribute to open source projects)?
added by Ryan Berger Oct 6 '10 at 3:34
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up vote 3 down vote
I have always worked for small - medium sized companies, but I want to move to a bigger company. What can I do to move forward?
added by steve.lippert, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around Feb 23 '11 at 18:08
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funny, I always thought it was harder to go in the other direction :) – warren Oct 5 '10 at 20:07
up vote 3 down vote
Will starting my career in software testing be beneficial for a career in development?
added by Steven Jan 23 '11 at 18:13
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up vote 2 down vote
My main job is [X], but I do network administrator most of the time. How can I convince new companies that I know how to do this?
added by Tangurena, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 14 '11 at 15:07
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up vote 2 down vote
I currently work on ASP.NET/C# technology. To grow into an application architect, will a hands-on experience in other languages come in handy?
added by vpuri, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 14 '11 at 15:06
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Or should I concentrate exclusively on .NET framework? – vpuri Jan 8 '11 at 20:25
up vote 2 down vote
I wish to become more fluent in the security side of IT infrastructure. What certification should I go for to show I have this to business?
added by Mister IT Guru Apr 22 '11 at 10:22
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up vote 1 down vote
As a Cisco Network engineer, is it safe for me to take a year off to travel or will I fall too far behind? [closed]
added by Damovisa Jul 13 '10 at 4:34
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closed as off topic by agartzke, Frank V, HoLyVieR, misterjaytee, Iszi Oct 14 '10 at 15:41

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote 1 down vote
Are Brain Bench certifications considered credible by most employers?
added by Ryan Berger Oct 6 '10 at 3:24
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up vote 0 down vote
How do you build up your network of contacts (e.g. potential employers / employees)? [closed]
added by Wikis Jul 13 '10 at 11:38
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closed as off topic by agartzke, Sam Erde, Silent Warrior, Iszi, Edgar Nov 23 '10 at 6:52

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote 0 down vote
Which is more marketable for development work: an MS or PhD in Ccomputer Science?
added by warren Jul 22 '10 at 1:05
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I have mixed feelings on this.. I've seen this question beat to death in Stackoverflow and the CareersOverflow sites... – Frank V Aug 8 '10 at 13:51
up vote 0 down vote
What are some potential "deal breakers" I should look out for when interviewing for a development position?
added by Ryan Berger Oct 6 '10 at 3:27
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up vote 0 down vote
I am in college, what can I do to make myself a better programmer when I graduate? [closed]
added by Tangurena Dec 2 '10 at 21:07
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closed as off topic by russjman, esqew, bigown, vpuri, Steven Jan 23 '11 at 18:14

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.
up vote 0 down vote
Is a Cisco or Juniper certification more marketable these days?
added by MaQleod Apr 26 '11 at 1:24
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