rev.one technologies

{ Powered By .Net }

Do You Have The Skills?

i found this little article in eWeek magazine several months ago. it was rather interesting. as i was facing the job hunt, i thought after reading this i wasn't worthy to hold the title IT Professional. so, after reading this list, tell me, does any one out there really have ALL of these skills? and if so, why?

"Don't even think about trying to get a job in IT without..."

1. The ability to take apart a computer (and put it back together again)
2. Basic skills in Winodws 2000, Windows NT and Linux administration
3. Familiarity with at least one of the significant databases (Oracle, DB2 SQL Server)
4. Experience in security hardening and knowledge of security issues
5. Strong skill in HTML creation and editing
6. At least a working ability to create and edit XML, XML Schema and DTD's
7. Knowledge of a scripting language
8. Working knowledge of at least one significant modern programming language
9. Familiarity with router and switch configuration
10. Experience using an SNMP system to track system faults
11. Ability to automate desktop management tasks such as disk cloning for new system setup
12. Familiarity with (and frequent visits to) key knowledge bases, including BugTraq, Slashdot and major vendor sites
13. People skills, especially the ability to work as part of a team
14. A tough skin

ok, so, i beleive that i have a good portion of these skills. if a general understanding of these skills is your desire, i don't have a problem with that. but come on, an expert in all of these?

i know that technology skills can go hand in hand. a software developer needs to understand computer  hardware in order to take advantage of it's capabilities. if your a DBA for instance, isn't it imparative that you understand computer hardware and how it will affect the performance of your database?

most of us in IT do one thing, and we do it pretty well. hardware guys know the PC, Routers, Switches and Operating Systems. software guys know programming languages(s), scripting languages, process flow, database design and GUI's. and i know that many of you out there are a one or two man operation, either for yourself or a company, and wear everyhat. But doesn't that lead to less than optimum production?  i guess what I'm trying to say here is, it's one thing to be exposed to technology, it's another to say your an expert.

Posted: Apr 11 2003, 03:55 PM by blog | with 3 comment(s)

Comments

Phil Weber said:

Thom: I haven't read the eWeek article, but nothing in the portion quoted above uses the word "expert." On the contrary, I see words like "working knowledge" and "basic skills." I would say that I have a "working knowledge" of everything on the list except #2 (no Linux admin experience) and #10 (no SNMP experience). Nobody knows everything: The key skill, in my opinion, is the ability to find (quickly) what you don't already know.
# April 11, 2003 6:02 PM

Thom Allen said:

Your right Phil, it doesn't say "expert". And I probably over stated the article. But, I still thought it was a little over the top. I surveyed several IT friends, and most had about half of the skills mentioned in this article.

I also agree that the key skill is the ability to find information quickly. In fact, a few years ago, in an interview, a potential employer gave me a hypothetical situation, and asked me to tell him what external sources I would use to help me solve the problem.

At the time, I found it an odd question, and really didn't understand what he was looking for. It wasn't until later, as a hiring manager, did I understand the value in someone knowing where to find help in solving problem. We all have different places, as long as we have them.

I just thought it was funny that the list was titled "Don't even think about trying to get a job in IT without..."
# April 13, 2003 11:21 AM

TrackBack said:

^_^,Pretty Good!
# April 10, 2005 9:09 AM
Leave a Comment

(required) 

(required) 

(optional)

(required)