Top.Level

I am 100% certain you could land any technical job if you have confidence in yourself and you feel you have the knowledge to get the job done. Nobody knows what in your head, and nobody knows how determined you are to get the job done better than you do. What you have to do is convince your prospective employer that you are THE person for the job. But there is a little more to it. Please dont take this as a lecture. I'm just spewing what my experiences have taught me. I'm not trying to insult your intelligence, nor do I assume you don't already know this stuff. Take it as a bunch of shit I am spewing out in the off chance I say something that may just make things *click* and get you going. Hopefully. I believe if you stick to these things, you will get better jobs and make more money.

1. People are people. Sell yourself like you're selling a computer for $10,000,000 commission. People buy into people more than they buy into a resume. I found out that showing that you're eager and crazy motivated is not just impressive to your prospective employer, but it motivates them as well. Be careful though, don't act TOO motivated or you'll appear desperate and that is always a deal breaker. Remember, not desperate....but motivated. Be excited to be in the field, excited to be a hard worker and happy to please. Don't get nervous, don't give fake smiles. People see right through that, be sincere, be yourself. Anyone can tell when it is forced. Remember to respect the person as if they are your best friend. Fake cordial smiles will get you written off from the get go. and no blowjobs, I'm pretty sure that employers don't like that.
   
2. CRAM CRAM CRAM! I crammed and crammed on IT shit for 2 weeks while waiting for my interview. I learned all my buzzwords. I learned the basics of networking and the basics of computer hardware. Then I waited to hear back about the IT position that I was obviously FAR under qualified to do. Scared shitless if I get hired? Yes. But could I cram and cram and learn my ass off? Shit yes. You know as well as I do, everything with computers is logic. If this, then that. If on or off, then on or off. If 1 then 0. Its all bullshit. Its not like you need to be blessed with some gift of creativity to be a hardware or IT engineer. Anyone can learn. It's one thing if it was a web design position and you suck at web design. You need creativity for that. But you can always learn logic. Never forget that. You can always learn. Especially on the job.
3. Don't be afraid of being underqualified. Chances are, all of your coworkers are too. But what I've learned is that experience isn't everything. 90% of getting (and retaining) a job is how you deal with people. 10% is actual skill and experience. Don't believe me? Try it. If your boss loves you and your coworkers love you and you bust your ass to go out of your way for them and the job... you will ALWAYS win. The boss will be too loyal to fire you.
   
4. Your first year, work overtime overtime overtime. Bust your ass. When you're tired and your eyes are bloodshot, work harder. It may seem to you that your boss doesn't notice, but he does. He will appreciate you and he will overlook any shortcomings you may have because he knows your heart is in the business. He knows that you will do anything that needs to be done to get the job done well and on time. Bust your ass until you can't keep your eyes open. Just for the first year. By the second year, you're in like flynn and you have the experience needed for the job. THEN you can relax a little. But don't EVER, EVER settle down and get so comfortable that you forget the importance of your job. That comes WAY later when youre 60. Concentrate on working your ass off to financial security and a solid career background. Whether you're there 6 months or 5 years, keep your eyes and ears open for any and all opportunities.
   
5. Fudge your resume. If you're motivated, you believe you have the skills and you're confident, you WILL have that job. But sometimes, employers may need that extra push to see you know youre the shit. To alot of employers, business experience is a HUGE factor. Even moreso than a college degree in alot of cases. Fudge your resume a little. Add someextra items that would appeal to the position. For example, I liedand said back in 98 that i knew XML, ASP and MS Access. I didnt know any of that. But I learned it as I went. If you just do your best to convince the employer you're the best for the job, you should be able to get your foot in the door. DONT THINK ABOUT THE MONEY. Money is important but don't WORK for the money. Work for the love of what you do. The money WILL COME. Now don't get me wrong, you want to negotiate a fair wage, but BE FAIR. Don't go overboard, be modest. If you're a hard worker, they will notice, and the money will come.
   
6. Contrary to popular belief, people judge a book by it's cover. It's true better looking people get hired more often, it's true better looking people make more money for doing less work. Get over it. I don't care how much you detest the "lemmings" or "sheep" of the world. If you want to get your job and kick some ass, you're going to have to conform. At least for a little while. Unless you own your own business (and even then it's not guaranteed), you will have to mix in with the other "mindless sheep" and shave your face, press your wrinkly ass clothes, cut your raggedy ass hair and for God's sake put on some deodorant. And if you MUST, cologne, but VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY sparingly. Hell, if you can, avoid it all together. Just make sure you appear pleasant, you don't smell like dead cat and you're clean cut. People love that. Don't be a jackass and try the "people need to accept me the way I am" attitude either. Trust me, although it may work for finding your future wife or side p00n, it's not going to score you any points on a job interview. Conform. Get over it. Get your money, save it, go home, and be the basement dwelling goth freak you want to be on nights and weekends. But for your interview and your job, clean up. If you're fortunate enough to get into a company where you can wear hats and jeans, well then congratulations. But remember, respect your fellow coworkers and don't let your self smell and appear like you live in the alley out back.
   
7. Small companies pay more and are more stable but are more demanding. Larger companies are sometimes pay less and are somewhat stable and less demanding. This is only my opinion based on past experiences. I'm sure some people can prove it completely wrong.

So there you have it. I feel like I've learned alot about the jobs I've had in the tech industry. Any of my advice above is strictly what I've learned from experience and by no means do I reccommend that you treat as the holy grail of all advice. The bottom line is that, people are just people. Treat them respectfully and they will do the same.

Best of luck to you, and if you need any advice or if you have any questions, regarding this post or anything else, feel free to email me at jtmack@gmail.com.

(again, I'm not a self-help guru, nor do I think I am or claim to be. this is strictly my advice and opinions based on my past experiences. Take it at face value and use from it what you will. Although alot of it is common sense, I cannot be held responsible if you don't land the job.)

// posted by jtmack @ Friday, April 08, 2005