The IT Grind

How to be a better techie in 2009

Deb Perelman — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:55:19 +0000

In 2009, this could be you. … Cure cancer, run that three-minute mile, save the whales… remember when your New Years Resolutions were downright triumphant? These days, they sound a whole lot more sober: “I hope I’ll have a job in January,” said one reader. “Contract work with no benefits is all I see out there,” [...]

The sweet lure of tomorrow

Deb Perelman — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:20:56 +0000

Do you feel like this when you get back from a holiday break? Just sending out your holiday cards today? Rushing to get gifts you’ll need to distribute in 48 hours? Frantically filing your 2008 expense reports, due last Friday? Don’t worry, you’re in good company. Because I meant to discuss this topic with you last [...]

The steep price of good technology

Deb Perelman — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 17:30:40 +0000

What was good for the Netflix customer -- a less buggy experience, courtesy of Microsoft's Silverlight -- was bad for the 50 technical specialists laid off when their services were no longer needed.

Nobody works for a dollar

Deb Perelman — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:56:24 +0000

Not the executives at Chrysler, Ford and GM and not the CEOs of Apple, Google and Yahoo. Oh, and especially not this writer.

The most slacking-est time of the year

Deb Perelman — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:03:11 +0000

Is this what your office looks like from November to January? Statistically speaking, you’re not doing any work today — or so poll after poll out this time of year about “lost productivity hours” and “distracted workers” claims. You probably won’t work for the rest of the week, either and you didn’t last week, when half your [...]

‘The devil you know’ keeps worried workers in place

Deb Perelman — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:29:12 +0000

So, let's say that you're one of the lucky ones who slip out from under the economic downturn's merciless grip, and you get to keep your job. Aside from keeping your head down and by all means, not audibly cheering your good fortune, what do you do?

Is there a better way to be handed a pink slip?

Deb Perelman — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:34:54 +0000

Sadly, we’re talking about the other kind of pink slip. I know what you’re probably thinking: What a ridiculous question. There is no gentle way to hand out pink slip. There is no way to be told that “your services are no longer needed” but “here is the number to our local unemployment office” and/or “an [...]

My Awesome IT Job: Enterprise Architect, IBM

Deb Perelman — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:03:14 +0000

Hey, we all complain about work from time to time; we’ve all had lousy jobs. But before you call it a day and head off to the support group that meets at the bar, here are a few words from an IT pro that loves their work. Name: Martine Combes Location: Paris, La Defense - France Profession and [...]

No rest for the weary techie

Deb Perelman — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 17:09:51 +0000

Does your workload make you want to do this? The state of the economy, and the job market that it is dragging down with it, may or may not have affected you yet. Your company may be mired in whatever language they use for layoffs, cutbacks, downsizings, rollbacks or “how about we all use a few [...]

My Awesome IT Job: Chief Technology Officer, Attivio

Deb Perelman — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:00:59 +0000

Hey, we all complain about work from time to time; we’ve all had lousy jobs. But before you call it a day and head off to the support group that meets at the bar, here are a few words from an IT pro that loves their work. Name: Sid Probstein Location: Brookline, MA, former home of Conan [...]