Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training

Allowing for Employee?s Personal Needs

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 04:19:00 GMT

There is an old expression that says, “People should work-to-live not live-to-work.” That said, upon occasion, and within certain bounds, you should allow an employee’s personal life to take precedent over their job. The concept her

Top 10 Reasons to get a PMP Certification, even if you?re a Seasoned Pro

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 04:15:00 GMT

If you want to be a project manager long term, then yes, it can have incredible value to you.

The PMP is a great certification and carries with it a high level of prestige within the project management and Information Technology (IT) commu

The Rule of ?No Surprises?

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 04:12:00 GMT

In business, if it's not my birthday, surprises are usually a bad thing. Also, a coworker of mine use to say that bad news doesn’t get better with time. These two thoughts ring very true in the business arena. When there is an issue within your

COBOL Programmer Needs a Job or New Skills

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 04:11:00 GMT

About a year ago I was asked the following question:

I’m a COBOL programmer with about 30 years of experience and have been out of work for just over two years. Is it too late for me to learn new marketable skills? If not, what shoul

Following the Company Line

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 04:09:00 GMT

Rule number one. Sometimes you can complain about the company to your peers, but never complain about the company to your subordinates or superiors. Think about it, as a manager, are you going to promote someone who continually complains to you about

Some Great IT Jobs for English Majors

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 03:58:00 GMT

There are a number of jobs within IT where writing ability is greatly valued. I’ll begin by listing the job types, then give you couple of examples, and end with a short description of each job. These jobs are: Social Media Consultant, Web Des

Building IT Team Loyalty

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 03:55:00 GMT

There is an old expression that says “To have a good friend you have to be a good friend.” I believe that loyalty follows the same paradigm. As a manager, if you want your team to be loyal to you, then you have to be loyal to them. Furthe

Contract Programming vs. Permanent Employment

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 03:54:00 GMT

There’s good news and bad news when moving from a contactor role to a permanent employee.

Let’s start with the good news of being a company employee. There is the potential for promotion. You will become part of a long term tea

Programmer Wants to Become a Manager

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 03:52:00 GMT

There are a number of things that you can do to begin positioning yourself for a manager’s job. These include cross-training on other department applications, volunteering for cross-department projects, take a leadership role on internal depart

Work is not a Democracy it?s a Dictatorship

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 03:49:00 GMT

You are not only the manager of your group, you’re also its leader, primary advocate, mood setter, chief bottle washer, and of course its chief decision maker. That said, feel free to get input from your staff and/or other knowledgeable parties

Helpdesk Support Technician Wants More

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:47:00 GMT

I was asked the below question by a person working on a PC help desk.

I have worked for the last two years as a help desk support technician. I have a good reputation with the people I help and like the work. The thing is, I’m gettin

IT Managers Live in Fish Tanks

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:44:00 GMT

Fish tanks? Does this sound strange or what? This is a phenomenon that we have all seen, and the higher level the manager, the worse it gets. People watch, listen and try to figure out the intentions of the managers above them. For example, a senior

Changing Career From Finance to IT

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 03:26:00 GMT

One of the best way to transition into a job within IT is to find a position that takes advantage of your existing skills, knowledge, and experience. For example, if you have a background in finance, you have a strong understanding of accounting and

Motivating Your IT Group

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 03:21:00 GMT

Management in the truest sense of the word is the ability to get things done through the efforts of other people. Additionally, people do their best work when they are properly motivated. The thing you have to figure out as a manager is how to

Developing Trust in the IT Department

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 03:15:00 GMT

To be an effective manager, your team doesn’t have to like you, they don’t even really have to like working for you, but they do have to trust you. Otherwise, they will spend more time trying to protect themselves from you, rather than us

Does Cross Training Help You Grow or Put Your Job at Risk?

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 03:20:00 GMT

My belief is that cross training will not put your job at risk. If your manager wants to get rid of you, he/she will find a way regardless of cross-training related activities. From an IT manager’s perspective, it’s very uncomfortable to

Finding a Job in a Project Management Office (PMO)

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 03:20:00 GMT

I’m personally a strong proponent of PMOs so I’m glad this question came up. If correctly done, a PMO can enhance an IT organization’s effectiveness and productivity.

For those who are not familiar with PMOs, a PMO

IT Management Dress Code

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 03:58:00 GMT

Dressing appropriately at work will not necessarily help you, but not following your company’s unwritten dress code norms can hurt your upward mobility. Certainly there are general business rules that define what is and is not acceptable

Software developers should learn about databases

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:53:00 GMT

As a programmer, it is very advantageous to have strong database skills. It makes you more professionally rounded, more versatile, and as a result, more marketable.

With the exception of certain specialized application types, t

Congratulations - You Get to Manage Your Friends

Eric Bloom -- IT Management Training — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:36:00 GMT

Wow, the old manager left, and they had to pick a new one. You had more experience than most of the people in the group. You also do great work, are often asked for help by less-skilled team members, and are viewed as a team leader. As a result, you