How To Get Into IT Management?

There comes a time in your career when you will have to take a serious look at the possibility of moving into management.

This may be preceded by a time of dis-satisfaction with the status quo either because:

• You are beginning to feel that you have hit a glass ceiling
• You are thinking that you would do a better job than some managers you’ve worked for

How To Lead or Manage Software Development Projects

Statistics show that the majority of software development (web, IT, desktop, mobile…) projects are doomed to fail from inception.

The challenges facing technical leads, project managers, software development, IT managers or project sponsors are often under-estimated leading to less than successful projects.

While some software teams may argue or live in-denial of the risk facing their projects, the facts are that more than 60% of software projects fail!

The effects of poorly managed software projects are also obvious. They include:

Is a Project Manager or a Business Analyst Career, a Better Fit for You?

The following question was submitted by a reader who needs help with choosing between a business analyst and a project management career.

If you need help with a Question or Challenge, be sure to submit your question as a comment on this page and I will answer it fully just as I am answering this reader’s question below!

If you enjoy reading this post, please be sure to … Share this Post with Friends

Here is the Reader’s Question: Should I Change Careers To Business Analysis Or Project Management?

Hello,

How To Become A Project Manager: Work On A Project!

Scott Berkun, a former Microsoft Program Manager shares his views about becoming a project manager.

His views are startingly similar to the views we have been posting on this website … that getting more handson experience is the best way to jumpstart your career!

Notice Scott does not start with a long list of educational requirements or certifications for aspiring project managers but with something that you have heard me talk a lot about … hands-on experience!

Scott’s Advice for Aspiring Project Managers:

• WORK ON A PROJECT.

• Go make something …

Former Microsoft Product and Program Manager Looking for Volunteer Testers

Michael Surkan a former Microsoft Senior Product Planner and Program Manager is looking for Volunteer Software Testers and Project Managers for an on-line customer relationship management (CRM) and business management software service project.

While at Microsoft, Michael conducted customer, industry and research to help make decisions for future versions of the Windows operating system.

Michael’s work includes using surveys, focus groups, and customer interviews as part of research strategies and synthesized all the data into conclusions and recommendations for senior managers.

Top Performers: The Smartest, Passionate, Most Productive Top 20 Percent

How To Find, Hire Or Retain Good Software Developers Easily

There is a high demand by IT managers for good, competent and skilled software
developers right now.A good number of software development job postings for
leading or cutting edge software development skills are taking longer and longer
to fill.

1. The demand for experienced, skilled software developers in Java, C# .NET,
Visual Basic .NET, SQL Server, SharePoint and ASP.NET exceeds the supply of
available, skilled and competent computer programmers.

2. Software job postings are taking longer to fill. In some cases, they are not
getting filled at all. I have seen IT directors, IT managers and hiring managers
post "job wanted" advertisements for .NET programmers or C# programmers that
take months to fill.