Your IT Career

by Eric Bloom

Eric P. Bloom, a former CIO, is president of Manager Mechanics LLC, a company specializing in information technology (IT) leadership development and the governing organization for the Information Technology Management and Leadership Professional (ITMLP©) and Information Technology Management and Leadership Executive (ITMLE©) certifications.

He is also a keynote speaker, nationally syndicated columnist, National Speakers Association member, and author of various books including the following:

- The CIO’s Guide to Staff Needs, Growth, and Productivity
- Your IT Career: Get Noticed, Get Promoted, and Build Your Professional Brand
- Manager Mechanics: Tips and Advice for First-Time Managers.

Prior to founding Manager Mechanics, Eric led technology at Independence Investments and The Boston Company Asset Management. Eric was also a SVP of Business Systems at Monster Worldwide and a VP of Software Development at Fidelity Investments.

Eric began his career as a software developer (programmer) and moved through the ranks to CIO. He understands IT management from the bottom up. As they say, "He walks the walk."

Additional information on Eric can be found at www.ericpbloom.com and www.ManagerMechanics.com. He can be contacted at eric@ManagerMechanics.com.

5 Reasons teaching technology to others is good for you

Posted Oct 09, 2012 - 09:28 am

We all know that teaching others is a time honored activity. Parents teach their children about the world. Master craftsmen teach their apprentices the tools, tricks, and techniques of the trade. Many athletes become coaches and many technologists often mentor new, less experienced, members of the profession.
Career, IT career advice, IT careers
How to add soft skills to your resume

Posted Oct 02, 2012 - 10:39 am

In last week’s blog I began answering a reader’s question related to why and how soft skills related information should be added to your resume. My last blog described the “why”, in this blog I’ll describe the “how”.
Career, IT career advice, IT job advice
Soft Skills on a Techie's resume: You must be kidding

Posted Sep 25, 2012 - 02:51 pm

I’ve spent the last ten years building my technical skills and my resume shows it. I was just told that I should also add soft skills to my resume. Should I, and if yes, then why and how?
IT Management, IT career advice, IT careers
Importance of resume and social media consistency

Posted Sep 17, 2012 - 07:52 am

Don’t underestimate the importance of having consistency between your resume and your social media presence when looking for a job or trying to establish your professional brand.
Career, Building Personal Brand, IT career
Being a specialist or generalist: A techie’s dilemma

Posted Sep 10, 2012 - 03:02 pm

The decision to become a specialist in a particular technical area or to be a generalist with average level skill in many technical areas may be one of the most important decisions you make in your professional life, and this is why.
Career, career advice, IT career
6 Ways to start thinking like a CIO and now it can help you get there

Posted Sep 04, 2012 - 11:12 am

It may sound premature to start thinking like a CIO this early in your career, but it will help you begin to notice things you would otherwise miss.
Career, career advice, IT career advice
3 Steps to get the best projects to work on

Posted Aug 27, 2012 - 10:39 am

I never seem to get the great projects. I feel like I’m always assigned boring tasks that no one else wants to do. What can I do to help my chances of working on the good stuff?
Career, IT career advice, IT career development
5 steps to revitalize your IT skill set

Posted Aug 13, 2012 - 06:32 am

I read your column saying that a techie’s technology skill set has a two year marketability half-life and cried. I left the workforce three years ago, can’t find a job, and your column told me why. You’re right, at least for me. How do I retool my IT skills to improve my marketability and find a job?
Career, IT career advice, it career tips
When job searching, time is not your friend

Posted Aug 06, 2012 - 10:48 am

I had a great job interview two weeks ago for a position I think I’m really qualified to perform. I sent the interviewer a thank you email and left a phone message with the Human Resources person that set up the interview. What should I do next or have I already lost the job?
Career, IT career advice, IT job search
10 ways to maintain your professional connections

Posted Jul 25, 2012 - 12:57 pm

I have been contract programming for about five years and have made some great business connections. My hope is to use these people as professional references, job referrals, and potentially to rehire me for additional contract work. How can I keep in touch with these people without being annoying or looking only self-serving?
Career, IT career advice, IT careers

October is...
Unified Communications Month

BY THE NUMBERS: UC&C

HOW-TO: Look alive and professional in Web meetings

TIP: Use your cell phone as a WiFi VOIP phone

TOOLBOX: Six alternative tools for small business collaboration

CASE STUDY: Enterprise social network moves ad agency into the future

Microsoft's Security Essentials isn't the best antivirus program, according to Microsoft

2 comments
AMD pushes forward with new video cards and a few surprises

2 comments
See - and hear - what it was like to surf the web 20 years ago

1 comment
Valve completes its trifecta of announcements with the Steam Controller

1 comment
Which makes you more productive: The iPhone 5s or Samsung Galaxy S4?

1 comment

White Papers & Webcasts

White Paper

Join today!

Get FREE access to premium content, in-depth reviews, practical tips

How it works: The basic tech behind the Internet
You may think you know, but do you really know?
Free and cheap ways to study for IT certifications
Helpful tips for finding inexpensive study resources and getting hands-on experience
iOS vs. Android vs. BlackBerry vs. Windows Phone
Which platform provides the security you need?