Table of Contents

•	Table of Contents
•	Index
•	Examples

The IT Career Builder's Toolkit
By Matthew Moran
Publisher	: Cisco Press
Pub Date	: December 31, 2004
Print ISBN	: 1-58713-156-0
Pages	: 312

		Copyright
		About the Author
		About the Technical Reviewers
		Acknowledgments
		Introduction
			Who Should Read This Book?
			How to Use the Toolkit
			What Is the Toolkit Approach to Career Development?
			How This Book Is Organized
		Part I:  An Introduction to Career Building
			Chapter 1.  The Toolkit Approach to Career Development
				Justifying the Need for an IT Toolkit
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 2.  Career Building Defined
				The Danger of a Tool-Driven Mindset
				A Job Is Not a Career
				Career Building Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 3.  Information Technology: A Great Career
				Why IT Is a Great Career
				What About Outsourcing?
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 4.  Defining Yourself: Aptitudes and Desires
				Considerations in Your Career Choice
				Beware: Analysis Paralysis
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
		Part II:  Filling Your Toolkit
			Chapter 5.  Self-Assessment
				The Power of Self-Assessment
				The Dangers of Self-Assessment
				Four Questions of Self-Assessment
				Conclusion: Making It Personal
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 6.  Attitude
				The Effect of Attitude on Your Career
				Positive Mental Attitude
				Beware: Two Pitfalls of Attitude
				The Role of Attitude
				Attitude Checks
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 7.  Communication Skills
				Defining Communication Skills
				The Benefit of Communication Skills: An Effective Communicator Is Viewed as More Intelligent
				Written Communications
				Verbal Communication
				Presentations and Training
				A Brief Note on Listening
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 8.  Technical Skills
				Your Technology Skills
				The Role of Learning
				The Fear of Obsolescence
				Another Perspective: Transcendent Skills
				Reducing the Parts
				Tips to Speed Up the Learning Process
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 9.  The Cover Letter
				The Purpose of Your Cover Letter
				Three Vital Ingredients in Your Cover Letter
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 10.  The Résumé
				Your Ambassador to the Professional World
				The Purpose of Your Résumé
				Determining Who Is Looking at Your Résumé
				Résumé Basics
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
		Part III:  Putting Your Toolkit to Use
			Chapter 11.  Breaking into IT
				Correcting Perception
				IT Happens Outside of IT
				Other Avenues into IT
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 12.  Building an Active Contact List
				Enjoy People
				Develop a Personality
				Have Other Areas of Interest
				Engage in Conversation
				Track and Remember Your Contacts
				Share Opportunity
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 13.  The Job Search
				Getting What You Want Requires Wanting Something
				Defining the Job Search
				Remember: Looking for Work Is Work
				The Toolkit Approach to Finding a Job
				Job Search Outline
				A Job Search Comparison
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 14.  The Interview
				Practice Your Interview Skills
				After the Interview
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 15.  Salary Negotiations and Employment Agreements
				Start Early
				Know What You Want
				Understand the Employer's Perspective
				Be Creative
				Be Firm
				Your Worth to the Company
				Negotiations Never Fail
				Be Flexible
				Employment Agreements
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 16.  On-the-Job Promotion
				On the Job
				Maintaining and Building Your Network
				Identifying Areas for Success
				Attitude
				Working for a Tyrant and Other Joys
				Determine Whether Your Boss's Actions Are Personality or Personal
				Understand That People Are "Where They Are"
				Take an Objective Path to Evaluating What They Say
				Handling Criticism
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
		Part IV:  More Options to Build Your Career
			Chapter 17.  The Boundaries and Benefits of Working at Home
				Careers That Lend Themselves to Telecommuting
				The Benefits for the Employee
				The Benefits for the Employer
				The Concerns for the Employee
				The Concerns for the Employer
				Conclusion: Next Steps
				Keys to Successful Telecommuting
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 18.  The Toolkit Approach to Consulting
				The Consulting Life
				The Benefits
				The Pitfalls
				Resources for the Consultant
				CD-ROM Materials for the Consultant
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 19.  The Move to Management
				Leadership
				Process and Time Management
				Critical Skills You Need Now
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
		Part V:  The Value-Added Technologist
			Chapter 20.  Make Yourself Indispensable
				A Word About Value
				Being Proactive
				Understanding Technology's Role in the Organization
				Maintain a Business-First Mentality
				Create Standards, Automation, or a Programmer's Toolkit
				Create a Peer Knowledge Network
				Be Known As the Go-To Resource
				Be Ready and Willing to Take on the Necessary Responsibility
				Have Experts You Call On for Your Organization
				Be Passionate About Something!
				Never Blame, and Always Have a Corrective Plan
				Adopt Concept Over Process
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 21.  Concept Over Process
				What to Expect
				What Not to Expect
				COP Objectives
				COP Origins
				What Is a Process-Driven Mindset?
				Moving from Process Driven to Concept Driven
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 22.  The Role of Mentoring
				Mentor Characteristics
				Mentoring Others
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
			Chapter 23.  Financial Control
				The Impact of Finances on Career Building
				Financial Control Creates Options
				Financial Control Is Largely Mental
				Money Is a Tool
				Debt and Spending
				Some Basics of Financial Planning and Stability
				Conclusion
				Actions & Ideas
		Index