Recently, I've been interviewing people for an IT administrator position.
I'm an exec, but of a small company, so I literally roll up my sleeves
when required and manage the servers and network alongside my existing
IT admin as and when needed, so I know a fair bit about the actual
day-to-day workings of corporate IT infrastructure. I'm also wickedly
good at debugging and problem solving.

After going through a round of interviews this week, I'm going to impart
some sage advice to those who might be reading and want to have a hope
of having a successful career in IT.

To be a *good* IT admin, you have to love to solve problems. I want
to see an attitude that says, "No computer is going to get the better
of me." I want to see someone who has taught themselves scripting
languages and dabbled in installing wikis, blogs, firewalls, and other
software components - just because they want to learn how to use these new
technologies. You are in IT administration. If you are making a career of
this, you should be constantly looking at what is coming down the pike -
what new hardware and software is coming out - what will businesses be
looking at implementing in 2 to 5 years? What are the latest virus and
security threats? There's tons to know and I don't expect someone to
know it ALL - I just want to see that you aren't waiting for someone to
tell you what to read or learn.  You have to be on a path to continuous
self-improvement and learning. I'll ask you what tech blogs you read,
what podcasts you follow. I want to see someone with INITIATIVE. I'm
looking for someone who is so INTERESTED in technology that they keep
pace with the latest trends and tools because they want to - not because
they HAVE to.

So you haven't had a chance to use Linux at work. Did you install it on
your own network at home? Do you have a network at home? Did you put in
VMWare Server (It's free!) and try installing various VMs on your own?
Did you install and play with configuring an Apache Server even if it's
just inside your home network? Did you get a free web account somewhere
and experiment with setting up a family website, wiki or place to
share personal photos? Did you set up a VPN between your home and your
parent's, ostensibly because you can manage your dad's computer remotely,
but really because you wanted to experiment with the latest open source
VPN technology? Show me SOMETHING that tells me you've got that spark.

Even if you've never configured it, can you tell me what Raid 5 is, when
and where you'd use it, and when it's not recommended? Do you know what a
DMZ is? A Packet Filter Rule? A DNAT? Can you explain to me the difference
between an SSL VPN and PPTP or L2TP? (other than the protocols they use).

If you are slotted into a position where "other" people take care of
network servers, and "other" groups handle security, then what are you
doing to make sure you aren't dead-ended? What are you personally doing
to grow your skills if you aren't getting that kind of opportunity in
your current job? And if you are a contractor, well, there's NO excuse
for not taking courses and learning things outside your current scope of
responsibility. Your courses are a tax write-off. What are you doing after
work? Are you a member of any of the local users groups for Microsoft,
Linux, XML, security, etc?  If you have time to follow a regular TV show,
or sports team, you have time to take a course and expand your skills
- otherwise, you are painting yourself into a very narrow corner, and
people like me are going to pass you over for that next really cool job.
And don't give me the excuse that you don't have time. I worked full time,
raised two kids and still had time to take courses.  Oh, and be prepared,
in your interview, to have to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. I
might put you in front of a console and tell me how to add a user on
the network. I will definitely give you a few hypothetical situations
and ask how you would diagnose the root cause of the problems.

And as a little side-rant, I'm trying to figure out if working in a
government job kills initiative, or people who choose to work in the
government for long periods of time just lack initiative. (Here come the
flames). Why do I ask this? Because consistently, the people I interviewed
who were government contractors or employees, did NOTHING to improve their
skills outside of the very narrow focus of their current jobs. The people
from the private sector (even if they were far more junior) consistently
had more broad-ranging knowledge and skills and showed more interest in
learning things on their own, than the government employees who had three
to 5 more years of direct work experience. Yes, private sector tends to
provide more broad-ranging demands in IT, whereas in the government there
are very focused roles and locked-down environments. Never-the-less,
that doesn't stop people from joining a user group, listening to podcasts,
reading up on new technologies, or experimenting at home - all of which
was demonstrated by the private-sector workers, and not by the government
employees.

Perhaps the bf sets a high bar for me in this. He isn't an IT admin -
he's far, far more senior than that. But he insists that he has to know
about the new technologies and methodologies so that he can understand
and make sense of what the IT people are saying doing and proposing. He
doesn't work with Linux at work - in fact he has never had linux at
work as far as I know. But he has three different variants of it on our
home network - and three wireless LANs, segmented for different traffic
(such as guests and visitors). There is always some new piece of hardware
or software on one of the several systems on the network. There is a
RAID-configured disk array for storing our photos. And all of that is in
addition to my 2 desktops, laptop and development server on the network.

He's also set up a LAMP server, with WordPress for me to start porting
HBI to.

He's continuously improving his knowledge and hands-on skills in the
area of his chosen career. When I interview you for an IT administrator
position, and you tell me you want to be an IT architect some day, I
EXPECT to see that kind of personal involvement in your own skill and
knowledge development.

But this transcends IT and really flows into ANY kind of work environment.
If you want to be successful, if you want to be promoted (or, get a
better job elsewhere because your current job is a dead-end), then
for heaven's sake, DO something on your own about it. Take a course,
read a bloody book or two, try some things on your own to extend your
skill set. Don't expect your job, or your boss to hand-hold you through
your career growth. You aren't in school anymore - nobody is handing
you the courses and saying this is what you must learn. Anywhere you
want to go is a path YOU must set. Sacrifice that TV time, that hockey
game, that night out at the bars, and take the time to learn something
new. Have kids? Listen to podcasts in the car as you drive to work,
or on the bus if you take public transit. Use your lunch period to read
something relevant. Book time after the kids go to bed to take an hour
for yourself on career improvement. If your spouse takes issue with the
time you are spending improving your skills, then you need to get that
spouse to read this article.